| 释义 |
expletive, a. and n.|ˈɛksplɪtɪv, ɛkˈspliːtɪv|
[ad. L. explētīv-us serving to fill out, f. explēre: see explete. Cf. Fr. explétif.]
A. adj.
1. Serving to fill out; introduced merely to occupy space, or to make up a required quantity or number:
a. gen.
1656–81in Blount Glossogr. 1666Tillotson Rule of Faith i. §3 Those expletive topicks which popish writers..do generally make use of to help out a book. 1761Churchill Rosciad Poems 1763 I. 16 Expletive Kings, and Queens without a name. a1833H. More in Leslie & Taylor Sir J. Reynolds (1865) II. vii. 209 Scarce an expletive man or woman of the party. 1874Knight Dict. Mech., Expletive⁓stone (Masonry), one used for filling a vacuity.
b. esp. Of words and phrases: Serving merely to fill out a sentence, help out a metrical line, etc. Also occas. of a mode of expression: Redundant, wordy.
a1677Barrow Wks. (1741) I. xv. 10 He useth them [oaths] as expletive phrases..to plump his speech. a1771R. Wood Genius of Homer (1775) 288 Homer's particles were [not] altogether condemned to this mere expletive duty. 1779–81Johnson L.P., Addison Wks. III. 89 The lines, which there is little temptation to load with expletive epithets. 1804Southey in Robberds Mem. W. Taylor I. 494 ‘The Key my loose, powerless fingers forsook’, a lame and expletive way of saying ‘I dropt the key’. 1874Sayce Compar. Philol. i. 29 The influence of Emphasis will..show itself..in the introduction of expletive ones [sounds].
¶c. nonce-use. Given to using expletives.
1857Mayne Reid in Chamb. Jrnl. VII. 329 The old trapper had grown expletive.
†2. Having the attribute of supplying a deficiency. Obs.
1816Keatinge Trav. I. 38 Reymond..supplies this deficiency: but he is not sufficiently expletive in regard to this eastern part of the chain.
3. Tending or seeking to supply a loss; compensative. rare. (Cf. quot. 1853 s.v. expletory.)
1838–9Hallam Hist. Lit. III. iv. iii. §117. 202 Punishment..is not a part of attributive, and hardly of expletive justice.
B. n.
1. An expletive word or phrase, one used for filling up a sentence, eking out a metrical line, etc. without adding anything to the sense.
1612Brinsley Lud. Lit. viii. (1627) 97 As also Conjunctions, Copulatives [etc.]..so expletives, and certaine others. 1668Wilkins Real Char. i. iv. §6. 18 Words that are mere Expletives, not adding any thing to the Sense. 1779–81Johnson L.P., Pope Wks. IV. 136 Expletives he very early ejected from his verses. 1816J. Gilchrist Philos. Etym. 185 Must insignificant particles be consecrated into elegant expletives? 1838–9Hallam Hist. Lit. III. v. iii. §71. 277 Articles and expletives..are..employed for the sake of the metre, not of the sense.
b. Often applied to a profane oath or other meaningless exclamation.
1815Scott Guy M. xxviii, Retaining only such of their expletives as are least offensive. 1840Barham Ingol. Leg., Spectre of Tapp., Tom..replied..with an expletive. 1891E. Peacock N. Brenton I. 63 ‘Confound him!’ or some stronger expletive exploded from the Earl's lips.
2. An ‘expletive’ person or thing; one that merely serves to fill up space.
1688R. L'Estrange Brief Hist. Times II. 69 This Article [of an Impeachment] is an Expletive; and Signifies just nothing. 1755Young Centaur ii. Wks. 1757 IV. 110 Was man made only to flutter, sing, and expire? A mere expletive in the mighty work..of the Almighty? 1772Graves Spir. Quixote ix. xv. (1783) III. 52 A gooseberry tart; with other ornamental expletives of the same kind. 1872O. W. Holmes Poet Breakf.-t. i. 9 He is a sort of expletive at the table, serving to stop gaps.
b. Something that supplies deficiencies; a supplement. rare.
1879Sir G. G. Scott Lect. Archit. I. 207 They may..be studied [in Italy]..as an aid and expletive to what we learn elsewhere.
Hence expletively adv., in an expletive manner, with redundancy of expression. expletiveness, the quality of being expletive.
1607Hieron Defence I. 160 To be put in expletiuely and by way of explication. 1860J. Young Prov. Reason 171 Loosely, expletively, rhetorically, we speak of the Infinite Life. 1730–6Bailey (folio), Expletiveness, expletive or filling up quality. |