| 释义 |
▪ I. testimony, n.|ˈtɛstɪmənɪ|
[ad. L. testimōnium: see prec. Cf. ONF. testimonie, OF. testi-, testemoine (11th c. in Godef.), learned forms from Latin; the inherited OF. word being tesmoigne, now témoin, whence also tésmoignie and tesmoignage, now témoignage: see testimonage.]
1. a. Personal or documentary evidence or attestation in support of a fact or statement; hence, any form of evidence or proof.
1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) II. 423 Hit hathe somme testimony and wittenesse. Ibid. V. 393. 1526 Tindale John viii. 17 Itt ys also written in youre lawe, that the testimony of two men ys true. 1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 9 Plinie rehearseth the testimonie of Cornelius Nepos. 1577–87Holinshed Chron. I. 121/2 None of the cleargie..comming from anie other place should be admitted, except he brought letters of testimonie with him. 1651Hobbes Leviath. i. xiv. 70 Where a mans Testimony is not to be credited, he is not bound to give it. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. 303 He shewed all the Testimony of his Gratitude that he was able. 1805Foster Ess. iii. iii. 58 Determined by the testimony of facts. 1838Sir W. Hamilton Logic xxxiii. (1866) II. 177 Testimony, in the strictest sense of the term, therefore, is the communication of an experience or..the report of an observed phænomenon, made to those whose own experience or observation has not reached so far. 1843R. R. Madden United Irish. Ser. ii. II. xvii. 367 The Battalion of Testimony..a set of hired spies, informers, and witnesses, kept in the pay of the [Dublin] Castle.
b. Any object or act serving as proof or evidence.
1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxix. §2 [Offerings] are Testimonies of our affection towardes God. 1601Sir W. Cornwallis Ess. ii. xxvii, To smell of sweat, the testimony of labour.
†2. A written certificate, a testimonial. Obs.
a1589Jenkinson's Voy. & Trav. (Hakl. Soc.) II. 375 When any man or woman dyeth..they..put a testimony in his right hand, which the priest giueth him, to testifie vnto S. Nicholas that he dyed a Christian. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 252 They that goe by land in Italy, must bring a Testimonie of Health called Boletino, before they can passe or conuerse. 1657J. Watts Vind. Ch. Eng. 97 The Arch-Deacon, having before examined us in private, and seen our publike Testimonies, presented us all to the Bishop.
†3. A sponsor. Obs. rare.
1547Hooper Answ. Bp. Winchester E iij, The testimonijs of the infant to be Christeynid ar examynid in the be halfe of the chyld.
4. In Scriptural language (chiefly in O.T.).
a. sing. The Mosaic law or decalogue as inscribed on the two tables of stone, as in the two tables of testimony (Ex. xxxi. 18); ark of (the) testimony = ark of the covenant, the chest containing the tables of the law and other sacred memorials; sometimes called simply the testimony; tabernacle or tent of (the) testimony, the tabernacle containing the ark with its contents.[A literalism of translation, repr. Vulg. testimonium, LXX. τὸ µαρτύριον, rarely ἡ µαρτυρία, Heb. sing. ﻋēdūth, pl. ﻋēdwōth.] 1382Wyclif Exod. xxx. 6 The veyle, that hongith before the arke of testymonye. Ibid. xxxii. 15 Moyses..berynge in hoond two tablis of testymonye wrytun on eithir side. 1560Bible (Genev.) Exod. xxv. 16 Thou shalt put in the Arke the Testimonie which I shal giue thee. Ibid. xxxii. 15 Moses..went downe from the mountaine with the Two Tables of the Testimonie [1539 wytnesse] in his hand. ― Num. x. 11 The cloude was taken vp from the Tabernacle of the Testimonie [1539 of witnesse]. 1611Bible Num. i. 50 Thou shalt appoint the Leuites ouer the Tabernacle of [R.V. the] Testimonie. Ibid. ix. 15 The Tabernacle, namely the Tent of the Testimony. Ibid. xvii. 4 Thou shalt lay them vp in the Tabernacle..before the Testimony. ― Transl. Pref. 3 The forme [of Scripture being] Gods word, Gods testimonie, Gods oracles. 1667Milton P.L. xii. 251 Therein An Ark, and in the Ark his Testimony, The Records of his Cov'nant.
b. pl. The precepts (of God), the divine law. Rarely in sing.
1535Coverdale Ps. xviii. [xix.] 7 The testimony of y⊇ Lorde is true, & geueth wisdome euen vnto babes. Ibid. cxviii. [cxix.] 88 So shall I kepe the testimonies of thy mouth. 1560Bible (Genev.) 2 Kings xxiii. 3 That they shulde walke after the Lord, and kepe his commandements, and his testimonies, and his statutes. 1611Bible Deut. vi. 17 You shall diligently keepe the Commandements of the Lord your God, and his Testimonies, and his Statutes.
5. a. Open attestation or acknowledgement; confession, profession. Obs. or arch. except in Evangelical circles. Phr. to give one's testimony = testify v. 3 b.
to seal one's testimony with one's blood, to die as a martyr for one's religious profession.
1550(title) The Image of both Chvrches... Compyled by Iohn Bale an exyle also in this lyfe, for the faithfull testimony of Iesu. 1582N. T. (Rhem.) Rev. i. 9, I..was in..Patmos, for the word of God and the testimonie of Iesvs. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lx. §5 To seale the testimonie thereof with death. 1667Milton P.L. vi. 33 Thou..for the testimonie of Truth hast born Universal reproach. 1687A. Shields (title) A Hind let loose; or an Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland. a1720Sewel Hist. Quakers v. (1722) 226 The two first [Quakers in New England] that sealed their Testimony with their Blood were William Robinson..and Marmaduke Stevenson. 1877Independent 29 Mar. 12/1 A fine-looking young man gave a clear, decided testimony for Christ. 1885C. T. Studd Let. in N. P. Grubb C. T. Studd (1933) vi. 53 Now he is just as active for the Lord Jesus as he was formerly for the devil. He has three times publicly given his testimony. 1935N. L. McClung Clearing in West iii. 21 So when an old man who stuttered, was giving his testimony and holding back the meeting with everyone getting impatient, I kept my one eye on the minister and the other one shut. 1966H. Roseveare Give me this Mountain ii. 31 Our leader opened the meeting for testimonies. I didn't know what she meant by a ‘testimony’ so I waited... She made another attempt to get us talking by pointing out what a blessing it could be to testify to others... ‘Well, hasn't anyone anything to tell of what God has done for her during the week?’
b. spec. An expression or declaration of disapproval or condemnation of error; a protestation.
1582N. T. (Rhem.) Mark vi. 11 Shake of the dust from your feete for a testimonie to them. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. ix, Mony an afternoon he wad sit and take up his testimony again the Paip. 1850Whittier Old Portr., T. Ellwood Wks. 1889 VI. 38 Plain, earnest men and women..having withal a strong testimony to bear against carnal wit and outside show and ornament. 1863Mrs. Gaskell Sylvia's L. xxxix, Alice Rose was not one to tolerate the coarse, careless talk..without uplifting her voice in many a testimony against it. 1876C. M. Davies Unorth. Lond. 90 A ‘testimony’ was..circulated some years ago to the bishops and clergy of the Church of England.
▪ II. † ˈtestimony, v. Obs.
Also 4 testimon.
[ME. ad. ONF. testimoin-er (11th c. in Littré), testimoni-er, -moi(g)ner, testemogner (12th c. in Godef. Compl.), learned forms ad. med.L. testimōniāre (8th c. in Du Cange), f. testimōnium testimony. (The inherited popular Fr. form of the L. is tesmoi(g)ner, mod.F. témoigner). In later use f. prec. n.]
1. trans. and intr. To bear witness, testify (to).
c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 8 Henry of Huntyngton testimons þis title. c1400Emare 1029 A grette feste þer was holde..As testymonyeth þys story. c1450Cov. Myst. xxv. (1841) 251 To se and recorde and testymonye. 1611Tourneur Ath. Trag. i. ii, I salute you both..and will testimonie to the integritie ―. 1642Earl of Clanricarde in Carte Ormonde (1735) III. 82 My Lord President will testimony with me in what a dangerous condition..the whole Province was in at that time.
2. trans. To test or prove by evidence.
1603Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 153 Let him be but testimonied in his owne bringings forth, and hee shall appeare to the enuious, a Scholler, a Statesman, and a Soldier. |