| 释义 |
▪ I. extempore, adv., a., and n.|ɛksˈtɛmpəriː|
[a. L. phrase ex tempore lit. ‘out of the time’.]
A. adv.
1. At the moment, without premeditation or preparation; at first sight; off-hand. Now usually with reference to speech, composition, or musical performance. to speak extempore in present use often merely means to speak without notes, or without reading from manuscript. to pray extempore is opposed to using a set form of prayer.
a1553Udall Royster D. (Arb.) 32 Yea and extempore will he dities compose. 1588Babington Exp. Lord's Pr. 175 Afterward..he..began to preach extempore. 1594Plat Jewell-ho. iii. 29 A speedie..drinke which trauailers may make for themselves (ex tempore) when they are distressed for want of good Beer. 1642Prince Rupert Declaration 2 Noblemen..could then fight so valiantly ex tempore. a1688Bunyan Wks. II. 677 It is at this day wonderful common, for men to pray Ex-tempore..To pray by a Book..is now out of fashion. 1697Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. i. (1709) 140, I don't like a Man that can hate at first Sight, and kill Ex⁓tempore. 1752Phil. Trans. 11 June, [The tackle and pullies]..being easily..applied ex tempore as occasion requires. 1756Lady M. W. Montague Lett. xcviii. IV. 81, I wrote, extempore, on the back of the song, some stanzas, that went perfectly well to the tune. 1837Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 72 He proposes to speak these lectures extempore. a1845Hood Open Question ix, He played extempore as well As certain wild Itinerants on Sunday. 1847Grote Greece (1862) III. xxxvi. 289 The right expedient seemed to flash upon his mind extempore. 1866G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xi. (1878) 209, I always preach extempore.
†2. On the instant; at once; immediately. Obs.
1593Nashe Four Lett. Confut. 65 You shall see me cast a figure for him extempore. 1604Meeting Gallants at Ordinarie 22 The body must be removed..extempore: it would affect all the Ayre round about else. 1663J. Spencer Prodigies Pref., I'd yeeld extempore my breath.
†3. to live extempore: to live ‘from hand to mouth’. Obs.
1679J. Goodman Penit. Pardoned ii. i. (1713) 146 When a man lives not ex tempore, but premeditates. 1728T. Sheridan Persius iii. (1739) 47 To live extempore without any Regard to the future. 1794Sullivan View Nat. IV. 58 There are too many in the world..who seem to live extempore..being immersed only in present matters.
B. adj.
1. Arising out of the moment; casual, occasional; sudden, unprepared for. Now only of personal actions (cf. 2).
1639Fuller Holy War v. xiv. (1840) 267 It was..an extempore water, flowing from the snow which melted on hills. 1679J. Goodman Penit. Pardoned ii. ii. (1713) 174 It was but a flash, an extempore motion. a1716South Wks. IV. 50 To make the salvation of an immortal soul, such a slight, extempore business. 1755Young Centaur v. Wks. 1757 IV. 240 Shall we..leap plumb into the jaws of extempore death? 1809W. Irving Knickerb. (1861) 150 He was somewhat subject to extempore bursts of passion. 1840Hood Up the Rhine 228 Markham's extempore championship of the twelve tribes.
2. Of a discourse, etc.: Composed, spoken, performed, or acted at the moment, without premeditation or preparation. Now usually understood to mean: Without the assistance of notes, or without reading.
a1637B. Jonson Leges Convivales Wks. (Rtldg.) 727 Let no poetaster command Another extempore verses to make. 1665Wither Lord's Prayer Preamb., There is in many, an excellent gift of extempore vocal Prayer. a1704Locke Paraphr. 1 Cor. xiv. note Wks. 1714 III. 199 Their singing..was of extempore hymns by the impulse of the Spirit. 1756Cibber Apol. (ed. 4) II. 112 Extempore farces or dialogues continued till they were displaced by the exhibition of the mysteries. 1795Mason Ch. Mus. i. 54 Voluntaries..continue to be always extempore productions. 1837J. H. Newman Par. Serm. (1839) I. xx. 301 To be present at extempore prayer, is to hear prayers. 1841D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 292 The boy..acted an extempore part of his own invention. 1844Stanley Arnold I. iii. 141 His [Dr. Arnold's] power of extempore translation into English.
b. Of speakers, performers.
1791–1823D'Israeli Cur. Lit. (1866) 226/2 This accomplished extempore actor. 1886Beeton's Complete Orator ii. 122 Tillotson failed altogether as an extempore preacher.
3. Contrived for the occasion, makeshift.
1694F. Bragge Disc. on Parables i. 7 To..have an extempore superficial religion. 1806–7J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) x. xxi, Dinner dressed by the housemaid with extempore spits, saucepans etc. 1823Bentham Not Paul 347 A sort of mixed and extempore judicatory. 1856Miss Mulock J. Halifax (ed. 17) 176 John lay on an extempore sofa.
†C. n. Extempore composition, speech, or performance; an impromptu, improvisation. Obs.
1598B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. v. A poet! I will challenge him my selfe presently, at ex tempore. 1610Histrio-m. i. 127 Post. We can all sing and say, And so (with practise) soone may learn to play. Inc. True, could our action answer your extempore. 1660Pepys Diary 6 July, W. H. and I did sing extempores. 1737Common Sense (1738) I. 312 Anagrams..and ex Tempores are all their own. 1798Wolcott (P. Pindar) Tales of Hoy Wks. 1812 IV. 410 The extempore, the extempore on the Flys, or you shan't have your Passage for nothing. 1813Scott Trierm. ii. Interl. at end, ii, Such may hither secret stray, To labour an extempore. 1815W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 49 A specimen of Mr. Pratt's extempore.
▪ II. † exˈtempore, v. Obs. rare—1.
[f. prec.]
trans. = extemporize.
1771Smollett Humph. Cl. III. 3 Oct., A loud laugh..he could at all times extempore. |