| 释义 |
topical, a. (n.)|ˈtɒpɪkəl|
[f. as topic + -al1.]
A. adj.
1. a. Of or pertaining to a place or locality; local.
1588J. Harvey Disc. Probl. 121 Is it..to be supposed, that the Verticall, Perpendicular, or Topicall stars haue now conspired together to desolate, or oppresse the seuerall regions which they aspect? 1610Healey St. Aug. City of God, Vives' Comm. ii. xxiii. (1620) 89 The Topicall gods, that is, the locall gods of such and such places. 1624Bp. R. Montagu Gagg 44 Particular and topical churches have erred. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. 473 Rites or Opinions that are but Temporary or Topical. 1722Wollaston Relig. Nat. v. 92 If [the flood] was only topical, affecting some one tract of the globe. 1870Lowell Among my Bks. Ser. i. (1873) 177 Their truth is not topical and transitory, but of universal acceptation.
b. Med. That belongs or is applied to a particular part of the body.
1608Topsell Serpents (1658) 621 First I will speak of such means as are topical, or such as are outwardly applyed. c1645Howell Lett. (1688) IV. 503 This..Powder heals at a distance without topical Applications to the place affected. 1733G. Cheyne Eng. Malady i. vii. §4. 65 Small and Topical Disorders of the Nervous Kind. 1800Med. Jrnl. IV. 173 The symptoms..may be divided into topical and general. 1871Garrod Mat. Med. (ed. 3) 157 It [creasote] is..used as a topical styptic in hæmorrhages.
fig.1673O. Walker Educ. (1677) 98 In Religion lies the universal and never failing remedy of all the evils of the Soul. But many times particular and topical ones are also to be applied.
c. topical colour, topical colouring: see quot. 1877.
1839Ure Dict. Arts 234 After printing-on the topical colour, the goods must be dried at a gentle heat. 1877Knight Dict. Mech., Topical coloring, a term used in calico-printing to indicate that the color or mordant is applied to specific portions of the cloth forming the pattern.
†2. Pertaining to a topic or general maxim; hence, not demonstrative but merely probable.
1594Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits iii. 24 Aristotle..with a purpose of crossing Plato..turned to reuiue the former opinion, and with topical places to make it probable. 1624Bedell Lett. v. 86 This Argument is..but Topicall and probable. a1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. ii. i. 132 It cannot be expected in an Argument of this nature,..that Evidences of Fact can be no more than topical and probable. 1697tr. Burgersdicius his Logic ii. xv. 65 A Syllogism Dialectical is also..called Topical,..because its Propositions tho' true, are yet Contingent. 1710Norris Chr. Prud. viii. 385, I am now upon the larger and more topical part of my Subject.
3. a. Of or pertaining to a general heading, a topic or subject of discourse, composition, etc.
1856Masson Ess., Milton's Youth 40 He passes, by a very slight topical connexion, into an account of himself, his education, his designs, and his relations to the matter in question. 1879Morley Burke vi. 122 Conversation..was..ever taking new turns, branching into topical surprises. 1890Nature 2 Jan. 196/2 The writer expects that the topical skeleton furnished by him will be clothed upon by the lessons of the intelligent teacher.
b. Of or pertaining to the topics of the day; containing local or temporary allusions.
1873Punch 15 Mar. 111/1 The popular ‘topical’ song which delights music-hall politicians. 1881Daily News 8 Nov. 5/2 A great many ‘topical’ allusions to events of the hour, and rough political hits. 1899Month Apr. 410 A review accustomed to bestow articles on topical subjects as they came up. 1905Westm. Gaz. 18 Jan. 12/1 M. Combes, whose resignation makes him topical, is a man with few recreations.
B. as n.
1. = topic B. 4. Obs. rare—1.
1656Ridgley Pract. Physick 98 Apply purgative Topicals.
2. A film dealing with topical events. (Now disused.)
1912F. A. Talbot Moving Pictures 123 This point of view is responsible for the apathetic American attitude toward the ‘topical’, as it is called in Great Britain. 1915B. E. Jones Cinematograph Bk. 33 Something may here be said about topicals or ‘newsy’ films. 1917C. N. Bennett Guide to Kinematogr. 123 Fourpence or fivepence a foot will be the most a country showman will pay for a local topical. 1976Oxf. Compan. Film 500/2 The early ‘topicals’ were very short, often less than a minute long, each dealing with a single event. The regular issue of newsreels in the conventional sense—several short items grouped under no general heading other than topicality—was begun by Pathé in 1908.
Hence topiˈcality, the quality of being topical (see 3 b); an instance of this, a topical allusion.
1904Longm. Mag. Nov. 93 The Beck case gives the subject a curious topicality. 1905Westm. Gaz. 10 June 2/2 Fair actresses recite, and Pantomimes Rattle with Fiscal topicalities. |