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单词 expedient
释义 expedient, a. and n.|ɛkˈspiːdɪənt|
Forms: 5 exspedyent, 5–6 expedyent(e, 6 expediente, (expedien), 4– expedient.
[a. Fr. expédient, ad. L. expedient-em, pr. pple. of expedīre: see expedite v. In sense 2 the modern adjective follows the sense of the L. verb ‘to forward matters, be helpful or serviceable’, a development from the sense represented by expedite v. 2.]
A. adj.
I.
1. Hasty, ‘expeditious’, speedy. Also, of a march: Direct. Obs. Cf. expedite a. 4.
c1485Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 817 In ower weyys we be expedyent.1593Shakes. Rich. II, i. iv. 39 Expedient manage must be made my Liege.1594Rich. III, i. ii. 217, I will with all expedient duty see you.1595John ii. i. 60 His marches are expedient to this towne.
b. quasi-adv. Nimbly, skilfully. Obs.
1509Hawes Past. Pleas. xvi. ii, Musyke, the lady excellent, Played on base organs expedient.
II.
2. Conducive to advantage in general, or to a definite purpose; fit, proper, or suitable to the circumstances of the case. Const. for, to. a. as pred. or complement, often with subj. it, and followed by infinitive phrase or noun-sentence.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xix. xxi. (1495) 876 It is not expedient..to reherse alle the causes of wanne colour.c1430Lydg. Bochas iii. xii. (1554) 85 a, To their noblesse..Nothing in earth was more expedient.1519Interl. Four Elem. in Hazl. Dodsley I. 17 Those things to know for me be full expedient.1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Offices 1 It is expediente that Baptisme be ministred in the Englishe tounge.1586Cogan Haven Health cxiii. (1636) 114 [Pomegranates] that are soure bee more expedient and wholesome.1651Hobbes Leviath. ii. xvii. 86 What he thinks expedient for the common benefit.1659B. Harris Parival's Iron Age 217 That nothing could be more expedient to the safety of the common-wealth, than to bring him to the Bar of Justice.1793T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) IV. 29 The President thought it expedient..to remind our fellow-citizens that we were in a state of peace.1799Beddoes Contrib. Phys. & Med. Knowl. 277 These, if not necessary to the existence of vegetables, may be expedient to their flourishing state.1841Myers Cath. Th. iii. xlii. 160 Alterations..become expedient from time to time.1845McCulloch Taxation ii. vi. (1852) 277 It may..be expedient..that roads should be constructed.
b. qualifying a n.
1643Milton Divorce Pref. (1851) 18 An expedient liberty and truth.1676–7Marvell Corr. Wks. 1872–5 II. 531 To propound some expedient proposalls.1806W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. IV. 885 The most expedient settlements for a trading country.1841Catlin N. Amer. Ind. (1844) I. xviii. 127 The most expedient measures.1891F. Hall in Nation (N.Y.) LIII. 447/3 Its [the word gotten] expedient disappearance from Matthew xi.
3. In depreciative sense, ‘useful’ or ‘politic’ as opposed to ‘just’ or ‘right’. Often absol.
1774Goldsm. Retal. 40 Too fond of the right to pursue the expedient.1861Mill Utilit. ii. 32 The expedient, in the sense in which it is opposed to the Right, generally means that which is expedient for the particular interest of the agent himself.
4. Studious of ‘expediency’.
1828L. Hunt Byron & Contemp. I. 304 Triflers with their hourly word for gain; expedient statesmen.
B. n.
1. Something that helps forward, or that conduces to an object; a means to an end. Obs. rare.
1665Boyle Occas. Refl. iv. viii. (1675) 218 Employing the Methods and Expedients afforded us by Reason.1667Decay Chr. Piety vii. 150 God..does not project for our sorrow, but our innocence; and would never have invited us to the one, but as an expedient to the other.
b. A medium or means of reconciliation. Obs.
a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) I. 340, I know not how to reconcile this rhyme with another which I meet with in the same author..But, in order of an expedient betwixt them, etc.Ibid. II. 1 The earth..may pass for an expedient betwixt pleasure and profit.
2. A contrivance or device adopted for attaining an end; a resource, ‘shift’.
1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. iv. 9 As for us seven Portugals..we could find out no better expedient to save our lives, then to return.1674Brevint Saul at Endor xi. 240 Finding out expedients..for shifting from one to another all personal Punishments.1719London & Wise Compl. Gard. iv. 325 By the same expedient of Hotbeds we may also raise in..cold Weather, little Sallads.1782Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. i. 37 The wretched expedients to which the orthodox..had recourse.1874Green Short Hist. vi. 328 When every expedient had been exhausted by Norfolk..Cromwell came again to the front.
3. Comb. expedient-monger.
1656Harrington Oceana (1700) 134 Their Counsillors..are expedientmongers.a1745Swift (Jod.), Expedient⁓mongers shake their heads.
Hence exˈpedientness, fitness, convenientness.
1730–6in Bailey (folio).1775in Ash.
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