| 释义 |
enormous, a.|ɪˈnɔːməs|
Also 6 innormous.
[f. L. ēnorm-is (see enorm) + -ous.]
†1. Deviating from ordinary rule or type; abnormal, unusual, extraordinary, unfettered by rules; hence, mostly in bad sense, strikingly irregular, monstrous, shocking. Obs.
1531Frith Judgm. on Tracy (1829) Pref. 246 So shall this enormous fact be looked upon with worthy correction. 1590Barrow & Greenwood in Confer. 43 Innumberable enormous Canons & Constitucions of Antichrist. 1620Venner Via Recta viii. 168 Whether the appetite be enormous, or too irregular. 1667Milton P.L. v. 297 Nature here plaid at will Her Virgin Fancies, pouring forth more sweet, Wilde above rule or Art; enormous bliss. 1733Pope Ess. Man iii. 242 The enormous faith of many made for one. 1774T. Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry xvi. II. 370 Entered the choir in a military habit, and other enormous disguises. 1818Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) II. 149 The absurd and enormous provisions of the spurious constitution.
b. Extending beyond definite limits; redundant. Obs.
1704Newton Opticks (1721) 88 The enormous part of the Light in the circumference of every lucid Point ought to be less discernible in shorter Telescopes than in longer.
†2. Of persons and their actions: Departing from the rule of right, disorderly. Of a state of things: Disordered, irregular. Hence, excessively wicked, flagitious, outrageous. Obs.
Expressions like ‘enormous wickedness’ are now felt as belonging to sense 3, perh. with some slight mixture of the older sense.
1593Bilson Govt. Christ's Ch. 146 Avoyd the companie of such enormous persons. 1612Shakes. & Fl. Two Noble K. v. i, Oh great corrector of enormous times. 1631Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 363 The Popes rapines and enormous proceedings in those dayes. a1677Barrow Serm. (1810) I. 168 Constantine..chose Christianity as the only religion, that promised impunity and pardon for his enormous practices. 1737Hervey Mem. II. 241 Speaking of the enormous behaviour of the City of Edinburgh in this transaction. 1744Johnson L.P., Savage Wks. III. 321 The enormous wickedness of making war upon barbarous nations because they cannot resist. 1827Pollok Course T. vi, Some last, enormous, monstrous deed of guilt. 1827Southey Hist. Penins. War II. 65 The enormous wickedness with which they abused their victory. Ibid. II. 112 The enormous guilt of destroying the city and its inhabitants.
3. Excessive or extraordinary in size, magnitude, or intensity; huge, vast, immense.
This is the only current sense, and appears to have influenced the later use of senses 1 and 2.
1544Phaër Regim. Lyfe (1560) I iij, Paine of the stone is one of y⊇ moste enormous paynes that the body of man is vexed with. 1667Milton P.L. i. 511 Titan Heav'ns first born With his enormous brood. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) III. 31 The urus..of the large enormous kind of Lithuania. 1827Pollok Course T. 1, Worn and wasted with enormous woe. 1836Macgillivray tr. Humboldt's Trav. xxvii. 421 The line of enormous cracks and fissures. 1848Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 190 The fortress of Tangier..was repaired and kept up at an enormous charge. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. §2. 11 These avalanches..consist of enormous blocks of ice.
†b. Overgrown in power or importance. Obs.
1641Milton Ch. Discip. i. (1851) 11 Doe wee suffer misshapen and enormous Prelatisme..thus to blanch and varnish her deformities. 1759Robertson Hist. Scot. II. 97 This great princess and her enormous subject.
4. quasi-adv.
1566Drant Wail. Hierim. K viij, My peoples crymes..were more innormous vyle Then Sodom sinne. |