| 释义 |
evensong|ˈiːv(ə)nsɒŋ|
[f. even n. + song.]
1. Eccl. The English name of the service (also called vespers) usually celebrated shortly before sunset, being the sixth of the seven ‘canonical hours’ of the Western Church. After the Reformation applied to the ‘Evening Prayer’ of the Church of England, which is ‘an abridgement of the offices of Evensong and Compline as used before the Reformation’ (Hook Ch. Dict.).
the Doleful Evensong: the ‘Fatal Vespers’ of 26 Oct. 1623, at which the greater part of a R.C. congregation lost their lives through the falling-in of a floor.
c1000Canons of ælfric xix, Þa seofon tid-sangas..uht-sang ant þrim-sang..non-sang ant æfen-sang. c1040Rule St. Benet (Logeman) 50 æfensanc dæghwamlice mid feower sealmorum. c1325E.E. Allit. P. A. 528 At þe day of date of euen-songe, On oure byfore þe sonne go doun. 1389in Eng. Gilds 17 Euery brother and sister..shullen..heren y⊇ seruice of bothe y⊇ euensonge & messe. 1462in Ellacombe Bells of Ch. ix. (1872) 277 He schall helpe to ryng all in to Matens and Masse and evynsong with his felow. 1549Bk. Com. Prayer, Table for the Ordre of the Psalmes, to be sayed at Matins and Euensong. c1550Becon Treat. Fasting in Catechism (1844) 533 Such should not be counted to fast that did eat before evensong was done. a1613Overbury A Wife (1638) 217 The country Lasses dance in the Church-yard after Even-song. 1691Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 427 He [John Gee] had been at the doleful Evensong in the Black-Friers in London, 26 Oct. 1623. 1735Pope Donne Sat. ii. 106 Doom'd to say his beads and Evensong. 1818Scott Rob Roy xvii, ‘I might hae gaen to evensong, and heard Daddy Docharty mumbling his mass’. 1882Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxix. 97 His matin prayer..his evensong were all out of Holy Writ.
attrib.1641Milton Animadv. ii. Wks. (1847) 61/1 To diet their ignorance..with the limited draught of a matin, and evensong drench.
b. The time of evensong; the hour of sunset. arch. Also more fully † evensong time.
a1300Cursor M. 25594 (Cott.) Suete iesu..þou gaf sight o þi blod and flexs at euen-sanges time [c 1340 (Fairf.) euensange time]. c1330Arth. & Merl. 4800 Fram afternone to auensong. 1375Barbour Bruce xvii. 450 Quhen that evynsang-tym ves neir. 1465Paston Lett. No. 504 II. 191 On the same day at evyn-song time. 1486Bk. St. Albans C v a, Let hir fast till euensong. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccclxix. (R.), The yonge kyng entred into Reynes, the Saturday at euensongtyme. 1560–78Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot., The Saterday, and other vigils to be holy daies from Evensong to Evensong. 1650Jer. Taylor Holy Living (J.), If a man were but of a day's life, it is well if he lasts 'till evensong. a1700Dryden Poems (J.), He tun'd his notes both evensong and morn. 1755in Johnson. 1775in Ash. 1865Swinburne Poems & Ballads, Before Dawn 9 From evensong to day time.
†c. Sicilian evensong: = ‘Sicilian vespers’: see vespers. Obs.
1586T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. (1589) 718 All the Frenchmen that were in the Ile of Sicilia..upon Easter day, at the first peale to Evensong..were al put to death..whereupon this proverbe doth yet remaine amongst us, The Sicilian Evensong. a1649Drummond of Hawthornden Irene Wks. 168 Towns will close their gates upon you; and ye may some day expect a Sicilian even-song.
2. gen. (partly transf. from 1). A song sung in the evening.
c1386Chaucer Prol. 830 If euen song and morwe song accorde Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale. 1632Milton Penseroso 64 Thee, chauntress, oft the woods among I woo, to hear thy even-song. 1647Crashaw Poems 176 Sit thee down, and sing thy evensong in the sad tree's shade. 1876Ouida Winter City xii. 373 Flocks of birds..were singing their sweet shrill evensong. |