| 释义 |
termite|ˈtɜːmaɪt|
[ad. L. termes, termit-em: see termes. So F. termite (Dict. Acad. 1835).
In early use always in pl. termites, orig. the L. plural, in 3 syllables, of termēs, but at length treated as Eng. and Fr. pl. in 2 syllables, whence singular termite: cf. -ite 2.]
1. A pseudoneuropterous social insect of the genus Termes or family Termitidæ, chiefly tropical, and very destructive to timber; also called white ant.
1781Smeathman in Phil. Trans. LXXI. 160 These turret nests, built by two different species of Termites. 1815Kirby & Sp. Entomol. ix. (1818) I. 261 None of them do their business so expeditiously or effectually as the Termites. 1859R. F. Burton Centr. Afr. in Jrnl. Geog. Soc. XXIX. 178 They [ant-hills] are generally built by the termite under some shady tree, which prevents too rapid drying. 1880Even. Standard 3 Apr. 4/3 The whole village is said to be infested with the termite, which in the head resembles greatly the ant... It attacks woodwork, which it eats away.
2. transf. (with reference to the destructiveness of the insect).
1943in S. J. Baker Austral. Lang. (1945) 245 The secretary of the party said ‘We can't say too much; there are termites about.’ 1949Koestler Promise & Fulfilment ii. v. 282 One delegation would immediately settle down to silent termite work. 1951Economist 8 Dec. 1402/2 ‘Any man who betrays the people's trust in a public office is a public enemy..’ declared the new chairman..calling on his fellow members to punish the ‘termites’ relentlessly. 1961A. Maund Worthy Termites ii. 22 ‘So you want me to police Great Port for woodpiles which might have somebody besides nigras under them,’ Ed said. ‘Yes. Look for the termites.’
3. attrib. and Comb., as termite ant; termite-proof adj.; termite heap, mound = termite hill; termite-hill, a conical mound constructed as a nest by termites.
1849Sk. Nat. Hist., Mammalia IV. 208 The Great Ant-eater, or Ant-bear... The limbs are..furnished with huge hook-like claws well adapted for making forcible entrance into the solid dwellings of the termite ants.
1910Dundee Advertiser 25 Nov. 6 The athletes had to..jump from a small termite heap. 1920Blackw. Mag. Feb. 205/1 Several enormous termite heaps.
1871Tylor Prim. Cult. II. xv. 187 Rivers, lakes, and springs,..termite-hills, trees.
1977‘J. McVean’ Bloodspoor x. 96 Haston was lying by a termite mound.
1934Webster, Termite-proof. 1937Discovery Feb. 63/1 Care must be taken to ensure that the timber work is termite-proof. 1971Guardian 18 Nov. 15/1 The immediate problem is to make sure such a building is termite proof.
Hence termitary |ˈtɜːmɪtərɪ| [-ary1 B. 2], a termites' nest; also fig. and in mod.L. form termiˈtarium [-arium]; termitic |təˈmɪtɪk| a., of, pertaining to, or formed by termites; termitid |ˈtɜːmɪtɪd|, termitine |ˈtɜːmɪtaɪn| a., belonging to the Termitidæ; n. an insect of this family, a termite; termitophagous |-ˈɒfəgəs| a. [Gr. -ϕαγος eating], feeding upon or devouring termites; termitophilous |-ˈɒfɪləs| a. [Gr. ϕίλος loving], inhabiting the nests of termites, as certain beetles; so ˈtermitophile, a termitophilous insect.
1863Bates Nat. Amazon II. i. 63 The endless ramified galleries of which a *Termitarium is composed. 1934Discovery Nov. 308/2 A big termitarium..must contain a population of seven million, or even more. 1971World Archaeology III. 124 The large refuse filled pit near the adult burials is at the site of a termitarium dug out for building material. 1981Atlantic Monthly July 49 The nearest thing to a termitarium that I can think of in human behavior is the making of a language, which we do by keeping at each other all our lives,..changing the structure by some sort of instinct.
1826Kirby & Sp. Entomol. IV. xlix. 478 The formicary, the *termitary, the vespiary, and the bee-hive send forth their thousands. 1901Jrnl. R. Microsc. Soc. 32 The Cicindelids select the termitaries as sunny places well suited for play and for hunting. 1935Times 11 Feb. 14/2 Man as a personality is destined to be a free citizen in a free world, not an ant in some human termitary. 1937Discovery Sept. 292/2 One must consider a termitary as a single animal. 1955J. B. Priestley in Priestley & Hawkes Journey down Rainbow xii. 177 I'd rather stand on the pavement and eat a sandwich than lunch in that underground termitary. 1961L. Mumford City in History i. 6 The social functions of the beehive, the termitary, and the ant-hill..have indeed..many resemblances to those of the city. 1977Time 10 Oct. 51/2 But they linger on paper as the dream architecture of the 20th century. Because these termitaries were never built, they could not be destroyed.
1881A. de S. Pinto How I crossed Africa I. v. 121 A soil..of *termitic formation. 1898E. P. Evans Evol. Ethics vi. 211 An advanced state of termitic civilization.
1899Camb. Nat. Hist. VI. 171 One member of this genus [Leptogenys] is of *Termitophagous habits.
1922*Termitophile [see physogastrism]. 1971E. O. Wilson Insect Societies vi. 111/2 Termitophiles, often species-specific and highly modified.
1886Schwarz in Proc. Entom. Soc. Washington I. 160 In North America only a few *termitophilous species have hitherto been observed. |