| 释义 |
esoteric, a. and n.|ɛsəʊˈtɛrɪk, iːsəʊ-|
[ad. Gr. ἐσωτερικ-ός, f. ἐσωτέρω, compar. of ἔσω within.
The Gr. word occurs first in Lucian, who ascribes to Aristotle a classification of his own works into ‘esoteric’ and ‘exoteric’. (Cic. De Fin. v. §5 recognizes such a classification but uses only the term ‘exoteric’, leaving the opposite class undesignated; Aristotle himself merely uses ἐξωτερικός in the sense of ‘popular, untechnical’.) By later writers the word was employed to designate the secret doctrines said to have been taught by Pythagoras to a select few among his disciples.]
A. adj.
1. Of philosophical doctrines, treatises, modes of speech, etc.: Designed for, or appropriate to, an inner circle of advanced or privileged disciples; communicated to, or intelligible by, the initiated exclusively. Hence of disciples: Belonging to the inner circle, admitted to the esoteric teaching. Opposed to exoteric.
Esoteric Buddhism: a system of ‘theosophical’ doctrines, alleged by its adherents to have been handed down by secret tradition among an initiated class of Buddhists.
1655–60Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 372/1 The Auditors of Pythagoras..were of two sorts, Exoterick and Esoterick; the Exotericks were those who were under probation, which if they well performed, they were admitted to be Esotericks. 1738Warburton Div. Legat. iii. §2 (1755) 98 The exoteric teaching [of the Pythagoreans] admitted fable and falsehood..the esoteric only what the teacher believed to be true. a1754Fielding Comm. Bolingbroke's Ess. Wks. 1784 X. 310 In rescuing the esoteric purity of his doctrines from that less amiable appearance in which their exoteric garb represents them. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) II. 677 These two classes [the adept and the vulgar] must be addressed in two different languages, the esoteric and the exoteric. 1817Coleridge Biog. Lit. I. x. 200, I considered..the Trinity..entitled to the rank of an esoteric doctrine of natural religion. 1837Hallam Hist. Lit. I. 1. iii. §90. 204 A hidden stream of esoteric truth was supposed to flow beneath all the surface of Scripture. 1883Sinnett (title), Esoteric Buddhism.
b. absol. (quasi-n.) = ‘Esoteric sense’. rare.
1842Mrs. Browning Grk. Chr. Poets (1863) 52 The esoteric of the most suspicious turnings of his phraseology is ‘Glory to the true God’.
2. transf.
a. Of motives, purposes, etc.: Not openly avowed.
b. Pertaining to a select circle; private, confidential.
c. Qualifying a personal epithet: That is esoterically such.
1866W. Thornbury Greatheart III. 176 He had two motives in his visit, an exoteric and an esoteric motive. 1859Macaulay Hist. Eng. V. 206 His esoteric project was the original project of Christopher Columbus. 1876Black Madcap V. xliii, How could he aid in this esoteric interview? 1876Fairbairn Strauss 11, Strauss had hardly the stuff in him to be an exoteric Conservative while an esoteric Radical. 1881Nature XXIV. 578 There is nothing to hinder them having also more esoteric meetings at stated intervals.
3. Phys. (In etymological sense): ‘Applied to things which relate to, or have origin within the organism’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.).
1860in Mayne Exp. Lex.
B. n.
1. pl. (after Gr. τὰ ἐσωτερικά.) Esoteric doctrines; esoteric treatises.
1711tr. Werenfels' Disc. Logomachys 99 Aristotle's Books of deep Learning, his Acroamaticks, Esotericks, Epopticks, and mysterious Writings. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 430 Our predecessors had their esoterics and exoterics. 1809Knox & Jebb Corr. I. 488 Alexander complained to Aristotle, that he had done ill to give the world his esotericks. 1821S. Parr Wks. (1828) viii. 353 I must, in my esoterics, stand aloof from all controversies.
2. One initiated in esoteric doctrines.
1655–60[see A. 1]. |