| 释义 |
▪ I. epistle, n.|ɪˈpɪs(ə)l|
Forms: 1, 5–6 epistole, (5 -toll), 4–5 epistel(l(e, 4–6 episti(l, (4 apistille), 6 epystole, epystle, 3– epistle.
[a. OF. epistle, epistole (mod.F. épitre), ad. L. epistola, a. Gr. ἐπιστολή, f. ἐπιστέλλειν, f. ἐπί on the occasion of + στέλλειν to send. The OE. epistole was directly ad. Lat. See pistle.]
1. A communication made to an absent person in writing; a letter. Chiefly (from its use in translations from L. and Gr.) applied to letters written in ancient times, esp. to those which rank as literary productions, or (after the analogy of 2) to those of a public character, or addressed to a body of persons. In application to ordinary (modern) letters now used only rhetorically or with playful or sarcastic implication.
In the A.V. the word does not occur in the O.T. (but occas. in the Apocrypha); in the N.T. it appears only in sense 2 or analogous uses, letter being employed in other cases. Until the present century it was common to speak, e.g., of Cicero's or Pliny's ‘epistles’; but letters is now the usual word in such cases.
c893K. ælfred Oros. iii. xi. 144 Eall heora ᵹewinn awæcnedon ærest from Alexandres epistole. c1374Chaucer Troylus iii. 502 For there was some epistle hem betwene. 1382Wyclif 1 Macc. xv. 1 The kyng Antiochus..sente epistilis..to Symont. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 111 But truly Seynte Ierom in his epistole to Eugenius expressethe. 1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 43 a, And he wrotte an epistoll to Alexandre. 1529More Heresyes i. Wks. 121/1 Holye sainct Austyn in an epystle of hys whyche he wrote to the clargy and the people. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. ii. iii. 169, I will drop in his way some obscure Epistles of loue. c1645Howell Lett. iv. i, Epistles, or (according to the word in use) Familiar Letters, may be call'd the larum bels of Love. 1681–6J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 426 That there was..a Bishop in Philadelphia, is abundantly evident from Ignatius's Epistle to that Church. 1706J. Logan in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem. X. 165, I was so jaded with long epistles. 1781Gibbon Decl. & F. II. 129 In the epistle or manifesto which he [Julian] himself addressed to the senate and people of Athens. 1839Lytton Richelieu ii. i, Wide flew the doors..lo, Messire de Beringhen, and this epistle! 1870E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. III. 143 It was no uncommon thing for the epistles to lie many days in the post-office window.
b. A literary work, usually in poetry, composed in the form of a letter.
c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 305 Prol. (Camb. MS. 1430) What seyth also the epistelle of Ouyde. 1460J. Capgrave Chron. 81 Ambrose..that wrot many notabel bokes and episteles. 1614Bp. Hall Epist. Ded., Further..your Grace shall heerein perceive a new fashion of discourse, by Epistles; new to our language. 1697Dryden æneid Ded. (R.), Horace, in his first epistle of the second book. 1714Spect. No. 618 ⁋3 Let our Poet, while he writes Epistles, though never so familiar, still remember that he writes in Verse. 1751Chambers Cycl. s.v., The term epistle is now scarce, but for letters wrote in verse, and letters dedicatory.
†c. A preface or letter of dedication addressed to a patron, or to the reader, at the beginning of a literary work. Obs. See dedicatory.
1605Verstegan Dec. Intell. (1628) Pref. Ep., To beginne his Epistle (to a huge Volume) with Constantine the great, etc. 1637Decree Star Chamb. §2 in Milton Areop. (Arb.) 10 All and euery the Titles, Epistles, Prefaces, Proems, Preambles, etc. 1653Walton Angler Ep. Ded. 6, I shall not adventure to make this Epistle longer.
2. spec. A letter from an apostle, forming part of the canon of Scripture.
[a1200Vices & Virtues 31 Sanctus Paulus us takð on his pisteles.] a1225Ancr. R. 8 In sein Iames canoniel epistle. c1380Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 277 Poul telliþ in þis epistle of fredom of Cristene men. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 149 To whom Paule did wryte an epistole. 1578Gude & Godlie Ball. (1868) 63 The Lordis Supper, as it is writtin in the first Epistil to the Cor. xj. Chap. 1695Locke Reas. Chr. (R.), I answer, that the epistles were written upon several occasions. 1704Nelson Festiv. & Fasts vii. (1739) 95 The Epistle..is..an excellent Antidote against the Poison of Gnostick Principles. 1882Farrar Early Chr. II. 483 Eusebius and Origen seem to have regarded the Epistles [John I, II, III] as genuine.
3. Eccl. the Epistle: The extract from one of the apostolical Epistles read as part of the Communion Service.
c1440Gesta Rom. liv. 373 (Add. MS.) The bere seid the masse: The asse redde the apistille; The Oxe redde the gospell. 1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer 122 b, The priest, or he that is appointed, shall reade the Epistle. 1578Gude & Godlie Ball. (1868) 63 Ane Ballat of the Epistill on Christinmes Euin. 1662Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion, Immediately after the Collect the Priest shall read the Epistle. 1721Bailey, Epistler, he who reads the Epistles in a Cathedral Church. 1877J. D. Chambers Div. Worship 326 The other Clergy may sit during the Epistle.
4. attrib. and Comb., as epistle-book; also epistle-side (of the altar), the south side, from which the epistle is read.
1555Eden Dec. W. Ind. iii. ix. (Arb.) 178 My epistell booke whiche I sente vnto yowre holynes. 1885Pall Mall G. 2 Apr. 10/2 The Epistle side of the altar.
▪ II. epistle, v.|ɪˈpɪs(ə)l|
[f. prec. n.]
†1. trans. To write as a preface or introduction. Obs. rare—1.
1671Milton Samson Pref., In behalf of this tragedy..thus much beforehand may be epistled.
2.
†a. To write a letter to (a person).
b. To write (something) in a letter. rare—1.
1741Mrs. Foley in Mrs. Delany's Corr. (1861) II. 164 If your fair sister don't epistle me this post. 1852Meanderings of Mem. I. 35 'Tis noted down—Epistled to the Duke. |