| 释义 |
ˈfire-brand
[f. fire n. + brand n.]
1. A piece of wood kindled at the fire.
c1205Lay. 25608 Sloȝen [floȝen ?] of heore hæȝene swulc fur-burondes. c1300K. Alis. 6848 Theo kyng sygh a lem, so a fuyrbrond. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xiii. 57 A wikked man..kest a brynnand fyrebrand at oure Lord. 1591Spenser Virg. Gnat 343 Tisiphone..doth shake..Her flaming fire brond. 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1862) 296 As the Proverb is, he could have bit a Fire-brand, had it stood in his way. 1786tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 6 Eyes which glowed like firebrands. 1828Berry Encycl. Her. I, Fire-brand inflamed ppr., fire brands, borne in coat-armour, are generally represented raguly. 1887Bowen Virg. æneid i. 525 We..Pray thee the firebrand fell from the Trojan vessels to keep.
†b. transf. One who is doomed or deserves to burn in hell; usually firebrand of hell. Obs.
1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 7421 Or he us made for noght els to dwelle In erth, bot to be fyre brandes in helle. 1551Crowley Pleas. & Pain 270 Eternall fyre is redy for eche hell fyrebrande. 1560Becon New Catech. Wks. 1844 II. 204, I was by nature..a very firebrand of hell.
2. fig. One who, or a thing which, kindles strife or mischief, inflames the passions, etc.
1382Wyclif Isa. vii. 4 Thin herte be not ferd of the two tailes of these smokende fyr brondis. 1581Savile Tactius' Hist. ii. lxxxvi. (1591) 104 This man..became a principall fire⁓brande of the warre. 1583Exec. for Treason (1675) 16 Dr. Sanders the Popes firebrand in Ireland. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. iv. (1702) I. 293 And so this firebrand of Priviledge inflamed the City at that time. 1690Norris Beatitudes (1692) 67 Meer Firebrands in Society, that kindle and lay waste where-ever they come. 1791Burke Corr. (1844) III. 278 These fierce republicans, even the very firebrands of the Jacobins. 1860Motley Netherl. I. iv. 132 Not peace, but a firebrand..had the King held forth to his subjects.
†3. = brand-mark. Obs.
1675Lond. Gaz. No. 1049/4 A speckled Mare..marked with a Fire-brand on the near shoulder. 1704Ibid. No. 4037/8 A..Cart Gelding..a Firebrand on the near Shoulder.
4. A local name for the redstart.
1890in Gloucest. Gloss.
5. attrib. firebrand-new (dial.) = brand-new.
c1420Pallad. on Husb. iv. 328 Umbidelve The rootes, and dryve ynne a firbronde pynne. 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. ii. ii. 110 Our fire-brand Brother Paris burns vs all. 1882W. Worc. Gloss., Fire-brand-new..quite new.
Hence ˈfire-branded ppl. a., (a) = brand-marked (obs.); (b) furnished with fire-brands. ˈfire-brandism (nonce-wd.), the disposition or behaviour of a (social) fire-brand.
1673Lond. Gaz. No. 764/4 The Gelding is brown..the Letter R firebranded on the farther buttock. 1818Keats Endym. iii. 7 Who..will see unpack'd Fire-branded foxes to sear up and singe Our gold and ripe-ear'd hopes. 1887Sat. Rev. 5 Nov. 643 Firebrandism of this kind is..an act either of unpardonable folly or..wickedness. |