| 释义 |
figurative, a.|ˈfɪgjʊərətɪv|
Also 4–5 figuratif, 4–6 fygurative, -tyf, -tyve.
[a. Fr. figuratif, -ive, ad. late L. figūrātīvus, f. figūrāre to figure.]
1. Representing by a figure or emblem; emblematical, typical.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. xxvii. (1495) 217 Dremes ben somtyme wrappyd in fyguratyf mystyk. 1504tr. De Imitatione iv. xi, This royall souper, in the which thou hast nat purposed to be eten the fyguratyue lambe. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xv. (1611) 208 This they will say was figuratiue, and serued but for a time. 1650Bulwer Anthropomet. 174 The Nails were made..for a figurative token. 1853Marsden Early Purit. 22 They were a part of the divinely appointed constitution of the Jewish church, and had passed away with the rest of its figurative and mystic ceremonial.
2. a. Pertaining to, or of the nature of, pictorial or plastic representation.
1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 156 Serpents..in whose heads are many pretious stones, with such naturall seals or figurative impressions as if they were framed by the hand of man. 1843Prescott Mexico (1850) I. 77 This is the representative or figurative writing, which forms the lowest stage of hieroglyphics. 1889J. Hirst in Archæol. Inst. Jrnl. No. 181. 34 Transmission of both geometric as well as animal and figurative decorated forms from East to West.
b. Of a style of the visual arts; esp. applied to painting in which the forms are recognizably derived from objective sources without necessarily being clearly representational; figurative painter: one who paints in this style.
1960Guardian 2 Feb. 7/4 ‘Figurative’ is a comparatively new word in the critical vocabulary of contemporary art. It implies a kind of painting that is not abstract and..not necessarily representational. 1962Listener 19 July 93/1 There is a new interest in figurative painting today. Ibid. 94/1 The work of three figurative painters who have recently shown in London: Francis Bacon, Sidney Nolan, and Arthur Boyd. Ibid. 94/2 In their use of chance in the act of painting figurative painters today undoubtedly owe much to abstract expressionism.
†3. Pertaining to the use of graphic symbols. figurative arithmetic: algebra. Also, Of the nature of a symbolic diagram. Obs.
1690Leybourn Cursus Math. 335 Division is done in Figurative Arithmetick..by applying some Line of Separation between the Dividend and the Divisor. 1800tr. Lagrange's Chem. I. 13 Let us still exhibit a figurative table.
4. a. Of speech: Based on, or involving the use of, figures or metaphors; metaphorical, not literal.
14..Prose Legends in Anglia VIII. 134 Legeauns & figuratif spekynges. a1568Coverdale Hope Faithf. xxvii, By a figurative and borrowed speech he declareth the horror..of the damned. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. iv. (Arb.) 24 The vtterance in prose..is also not so voluble..nor in fine allowed that figuratiue conueyance..as meeter is. 1607Topsell Serpents (1653) 653 A witty check, or a figurative flout. 1711J. Greenwood Eng. Gram. 217 Customary or Figurative Syntax is that which is used in the Forms of Speech..wherein Words are put together according to a Metaphorical or borrowed Sense. 1785Reid Int. Powers 15 There is a figurative sense in which things are said to be in the mind. 1845H. J. Rose in Encycl. Metrop. II. 891/1 Will it be contended that this was not figurative language? 1859Ecce Homo iii. (ed. 8) 26 The mistake of confounding a figurative expression with a literal one.
b. Metaphorically so called.
14..Prose Legends in Anglia VIII. 118 The figuratif body of Chryste þat is holy chirche. 1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 5 Also Princes, whom the prophets..have..made figurative Christs. 1832Lewis Use & Ab. Pol. Terms v. 44 Confound real with figurative Sovereignty. 1842S. Lover Handy Andy ii, He saw a real instead of a figurative blister.
5. Abounding in or addicted to figures of speech.
1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. vii. (Arb.) 166 Which thing made the graue iudges Areopagites..to forbid all manner of figuratiue speaches..in their consistorie of Iustice. 1693Dryden Juvenal Pref., Sublime subjects ought to be adorned with the sublimest and with the most figurative expressions. 1740J. Clarke Educ. Youth (ed. 3) 88 Tho' they are..easy Authors, yet they are more Figurative than Cæsar. 1783H. Blair Lect. I. xiv. 274 They will pour forth a torrent of Figurative Language. 1789Belsham Ess. I. ii. 25 Shakespeare..is the most figurative writer..in our language. 1878Browning Poets Croisic 113 La Roque..broke bounds Of figurative passion.
†6. Mus. = figurate a. 4. Obs.
1744Suppl. Harris's Lex. Techn. s.v. Counterpoint, Counterpoint is divided into simple and figurative..Figurative Counterpoint is of two Kinds, in one, Discords are introduced occasionally, as passing Notes..in the other, the Discord bears a chief Part of the Harmony. |