| 释义 |
foreshorten, v.|fɔəˈʃɔːt(ə)n|
[f. fore- prefix + shorten v.]
1. trans. Of the effect of visual perspective: To cause (an object) to be apparently shortened in the directions not lying in a plane perpendicular to the line of sight. Of a draughtsman: To delineate (an object) so as to represent this apparent shortening.
1606Peacham Art Drawing 28 If I should paint..an horse with his brest and head looking full in my face, I must of necessity foreshorten him behinde. 1650Bulwer Anthropomet. 261 Much Art being used to make the Foot shew as foreshortned. a1680Butler Rem. (1759) I. 263 'Tis a greater Mystery in the Art Of painting to foreshorten any Part, Than draw it out. 1784Sir J. Reynolds Disc. xii. (1876) 51 The best of the painters could not even foreshorten the foot. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. iii, His legs fore⁓shortened to the size of salt-spoons. 1853Herschel Pop. Lect. Sc. v. §9 (1873) 184 To fore-shorten its whole length into one joint.
transf. and fig.1768Spence Parallel 22 After he had taken to this way of fore-shortening his reading, if I may be allowed so odd an expression. 1850Tennyson In Mem. lxxvii, Lives, that lie Fore-shorten'd in the tract of time.
absol.1841W. Spalding Italy & It. Isl. II. 356 The master's mechanical skill, especially in foreshortening on the ceiling.
2. nonce-use. In literal sense: To shorten or curtail in advance.
1839Bailey Festus xiii. (1848) 122 Youth forestalling and foreshortening age.
Hence foreˈshortened ppl. a.
1654Marvel First Anniversary, Foreshortned time its useless course would stay. 1831Brewster Nat. Magic v. (1833) 122 The fore-shortened figure of a dead body lying horizontally. 1859Gullick & Timbs Paint. 147 It was by such means that Correggio painted his wonderful fore⁓shortened figures. 1874M. E. Herbert tr. Hübner's Ramble i. vii. (1878) 88 Placed close together these mountains all look to us foreshortened. |