| 释义 |
topaz|ˈtəʊpæz|
Forms: 3 tupace, 3–7 topace, 4–6 topias, 5 thopas, topeus, tapace, (topyes), 5–7 topas, topaze, topase, 6– topaz. β. 4 topasie; (topazius), 7 topasius.
[ME. a. OF. topaze, topace, -ase (Roland, 11th c.), mod.F. topaze = Prov. topazi, Sp. topacio, Pg. topazio, It. topazio, ad. L. topazus (also later topazius, -ion), a. Gr. τόπαζος, -ιον, a foreign word; according to Pliny named from an island in the Red or Arabian Sea, where it abounded; but thought by some to be connected with Skr. tapas heat, fire.]
1. The name given (with or without distinguishing adjunct) to several highly valued precious stones.
a. According to King, Antique Gems 26, given by the Greeks and Romans to the yellow topaz or oriental topaz, a yellow sapphire or corundum; by Pliny, also to the modern chrysolite.
b. In modern use (true topaz or occidental topaz), a fluo-silicate of aluminium, usually in prismatic crystals, transparent and lustrous, yellow, white, pale blue, or pale green, found in Brazil, Mexico, Saxony, Scotland, the Ural Mountains, etc.
Also with distinctive adjuncts: false topaz, a transparent pale yellow variety of quartz; pink t., pink or rose-coloured topaz, artificially produced from the yellow Brazilian stone by exposure to strong heat; Scottish or smoky t., the smoky variety found in Scotland; Siberian t., a bluish white variety; Spanish t., a golden brown variety of smoky quartz; star-topaz, a yellow asteriated sapphire.
a1272Luue Ron 172 in O.E. Misc. 98 Hwat spekstu of eny stone..Of Amatiste, of calcydone, Of lectorie, and tupace? a1300Floriz & Bl. 287 And suþþe riche cassidoines And Jacinctes and topaces. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints vi. (Thomas) 279 With brycht & schenand preciuse stanys, As sardiane, topias fyne, Iaspis. 1382Wyclif Job xxviii. 19 Topasie of Ethiope. c1400Emaré 91 Of topaze and rubyes, And oþur stones of myche prys. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 6719 Hyr Rokys..Wer makyd of a ryche stoon, Of a Thopas. c1420Anturs of Arth. xxviii, The tassellus were of topeus, that was ther-to tiȝte. a1440Sir Degrev. 635 With topyes and trechoure Overtrasyd that tyde. 1481Caxton Myrr. ii. vii. 79 A stone called Topace whiche is of colour lyke vnto fyn golde. 1567J. Maplet Gr. Forest 22 The Topaze..Plinie sayth, is a Gem of grassie colour: although that in Germanie it is found like to Golde. 1584R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. xiii. vi. (1886) 239 A topase healeth the lunaticke person of his passion of lunacie. 1645Evelyn Diary 21 May, Many pearls, diamonds, amethysts, topazes. 1738Glover Leonidas iv. 266 The flaming topaz with its golden beam. 1888Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 446 The topaz of modern mineralogists was unknown to the ancients.
c. The dark yellow colour of topaz.
1908Sears, Roebuck Catal. 360/2 These colors are..sapphire blue, emerald green, topaz, etc. 1942W. Faulkner Go down, Moses 237 A horse stands, blinking his sleepy topaz eyes at nothing. 1974Times 2 Dec. (Wines & Spirits Suppl.) p. iii/5 Pale topaz with a gentle grapey aroma..it [sc. a wine] costs less than {pstlg}12 a dozen.
2. Her. In blazoning by precious stones, the designation of the tincture Or.
1562Leigh Armorie 4 b, That precious stone, which y⊇ Herhaughts do vse in blason, for, and in y⊇ name of this metall [or] and Planett [the sun] that is called a Topace. 1572J. Bossewell Armorie ii. 56 The field is parted per fesse embattyled, Topaze and Emeraude, two Lyciskes passant conterchanged of the fielde. 1766–87Porny Heraldry Gloss., Topaz, the name of a precious Stone used instead of Or, in blazoning the Arms of the English Nobility only.
3. attrib. and Comb., as topaz-colour, topaz-fire, topaz-gleam, topaz-seal, topaz-stone; topaz-coloured, topaz-tailed, topaz-throated, topaz-tinted adjs.; also topaz humming-bird, two S. American species of humming-bird of brilliant colours, Topaza pella and T. pyra; topaz-pycnite Min., a variety of topaz, occurring in columnar aggregations; topaz-rock: see quot. 1796.
1902Westm. Gaz. 2 Aug. 2/1 The yellow cat lay motionless and supine, its *topaz-coloured eyes rolling from one to the other.
1816J. Scott Vis. Paris App. (ed. 5) 321 An infinity of glass lamps..sparkling with green, crimson, and *topaz fires.
1782Latham Synopsis Birds I. ii. 746 *Topaz Humming-Bird. This bird is not much inferior to a Wren in size.
1839Ure Dict. Arts 1243 The rare mineral called *topaz pycnite is found in this mine.
1796Kirwan Elem. Min. (ed. 2) I. 368 *Topaz rock..presents a compound of topaz, quartz, shorl, and lithomarga, confusedly compacted together.
1812Scott Let. to J. B. S. Morritt 10 Dec. in Lockhart, A pretty *topaz seal, with a talisman which secures this letter.
c1470Henry Wallace vii. 77 Off *topastone him thocht the plumat was. 1595Locrine ii. i. 24 Enthronized in seates of Topace stones.
1811Shaw Gen. Zool. VIII. 335 *Topaz-tailed Humming-bird... Length four inches: Native of Paraguay.
Ibid. 274 *Topaz-throated Humming-bird... The throat..is of the most splendid *topaz yellow.
1867A. J. Wilson Vashti xiv, The glassy stretch of *topaz-tinted sea. 1845Lindley Veg. Kingd. (1846) 114 Barley-straw melts into a glass of a topaz yellow colour.
Hence ˈtopazy a. (nonce-wd.) [see -y], like topaz.
1892Stevenson Vailima Lett. xxii. (1895) 224 The colour..is a topazy yellow. |