| 释义 |
everything, pron.|ˈɛvər-, ˈɛvrɪθɪŋ|
1. a. A combination of every (sense 1) and thing. As in anything, something, nothing, the subst. element has usually no definable meaning, the compound being equivalent to a neuter absol. use of the adj. The distributive sense etymologically belonging to the word is often absent, its force being merely collective; hence it is the current substitute for all (absol.), all things, which in most contexts are now somewhat formal. Often followed by adj., as everything good = ‘all that is good’. Formerly written as two words; this is now rare, exc. where the two words are used without modification of sense.
c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 398 Prol., In noble corage oghte been areste, And weyen euerything by equytee. c1440Generydes 4 Wyse and manly preuyd in euery thyng. 1567J. Sandford tr. Epictetus 2 b, In euery thing..which thou louest, thou must diligently consider the qualitie. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. vii. 166 Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans euery thing. 1672Wilkins Nat. Relig. i. ii, Every thing is endowed with such a natural Principle, whereby it is necessarily inclined to promote its own preservation and well being. 1681Dryden Abs. & Achit. i. 548 Zimri..was everything by starts and nothing long. 1751Johnson Rambler No. 180 ⁋8 Among the sons of learning, many seem to have thought of everything but themselves. 1796Jane Austen Pride & Prej. xxvii, Every thing however went on smoothly. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 567 She had not..his partiality for everything Dutch and for everything Calvinistic. 1857Buckle Civiliz. I. ix. 572 The government [in France] is believed to see every thing, know every thing, and provide for every thing. 1879M. Arnold Guide to Eng. Lit., Mixed Ess. 180 Everything, surely, depends upon what the lesson is.
b. as predicate, characterizing something as of supreme importance. colloq.
a1891Mod. Be sure you are in good time; that is everything.
c. Colloq. phr. to have everything: to possess every kind of attraction, advantage, requirement, etc.
The early examples lack the colloq. flavour of the current phrase.
1845Wellington Let. 25 Feb. (1890) 141, I was very sensible of your kind offer of Assistance—But he had everything. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. x. 63/1 Mas'r George, you has everything,—l'arnin', privileges, readin', writin'. 1903Westm. Gaz. 27 May 2/2 The little boy who, when told that if he did a certain thing he would not go to heaven, retorted that you couldn't have everything. 1921R. Macaulay Dangerous Ages v. 95 She was to tell stories of Nan, who had everything. 1925New Yorker 6 June 9/1 In the language of baseball, the fellow has everything. 1928T. Wolfe Let. 21 May (1956) 135 I've got a new book in mind... I don't see how this one can fail—it has everything: rich people, swank, a poor but beautiful girl, romance, adventure, [etc.]. 1958Wodehouse Cocktail Time xviii. 156 The Beetle and Wedge home-brew..touched the spot. It had everything. It ran like fire through Albert Peasemarch's veins and made a new man of him. 1969New Yorker 20 Dec. 70/2 The latest expensive, worthless gift for the person who has everything.
2. n. rare in sing.; in pl. humorously. Things of every kind. Also (nonce-use) quasi-adj.; and in comb., everything-maker.
1797A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl (1813) V, Miss Walsingham was..the most accomplished, the most sensible, the most every thing woman could be. 1802Bentham Wks. (1843) X. 390 It is against my habits, my principles, my everything, to propose it to him. a1845Hood To Mr. Malthus iii, There are..too many everything-makers. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. i. iii, But to be sure there were rum everythings. 1884Ruskin in Pall Mall G. 3 Dec. 3/2 Patent everythings going of themselves everywhere. |