| 释义 |
free lance
Also free-lance, freelance.
1. A term used by writers denoting one of those military adventurers, often of knightly rank, who in the Middle Ages offered their services as mercenaries, or with a view to plunder, to belligerent states; a ‘condottiere’, a ‘free companion’.
1820Scott Ivanhoe xxxiv, I offered Richard the service of my Free Lances. 1855C. M. Yonge Lances of Lynwood vi. (1864) 95 He..knew a d'Aubricour would be no discredit to his free lances. 1877Mrs. Oliphant Makers Flor. iii. 77 Those rude German free-lances, ever ready to sell themselves to the highest bidder.
2. fig. Applied esp. to a politician or controversialist who owns no fixed party allegiance, but from time to time assails one party or the other in a capricious or arbitrary manner; also, to one who in any department of speculation or practice follows the methods of no particular school. In recent usage, a person working for himself and not for an employer; freq. attrib.; also of occupations or work performed by free lances.
1864Standard 16 Apr., They may be Free Lances in Parliament so long as the guerilla career suits them. 1882J. Hatton Journalistic London v. 106 The name of Grenville-Murray..might be associated with clever work on many other English as well as French journals. The free lance par excellence of journalism was laid to rest..during..1881. 1883S. C. Hall Retrospect II. 135 The band of literary free⁓lances that..made Fraser's Magazine a name of terror. 1889Jessopp Coming of Friars v. 216 The Friars..were free lances with whom the bishops had little to do. 1901Westm. Gaz. 7 Mar. 9/1 Someone who calls himself a free-lance journalist. 1912W. Owen Let. 3 June (1967) 139 There entertained my guest, the Preacher—a funny old man who is a free-lance (as he vaunts) and answered the Vicar's advertisement. 1927Carr-Saunders & Jones Soc. Struct. Eng. & Wales 62 Free-lance professional men, doctors and barristers for instance. Ibid. 75 When members of a free-lance profession take salaried positions. 1950Science News XV. 7 If they had to rely on the free-lance articles which come in they could close down tomorrow. 1962McLuhan Gutenberg Galaxy 74 Leopold Bloom..is a free-lance ad salesman.
Hence free-lance v. intr., to act as a free lance; free-lancer, a free lance; free-lancing vbl. n. and ppl. a.
1903A. Bennett Truth abt. Author v. 60 What in Fleet Street is called ‘free-lancing’. 1904Westm. Gaz. 6 May 2/3 Lord Londonderry..has done a bit of free-lancing himself in his non-Ministerial days. 1907Ibid. 27 Mar. 4/2 Some free-lancing Parliamentary iconoclast. 1909Daily Chron. 7 Apr. 4/7 If the clergy were allowed to free-lance in each other's parishes. 1915W. J. Locke Jaffery i, He had a terrible time for a dozen years or so, taking pupils, acting, free-lancing in journalism. 1937Times 30 Dec. 6/3 My conviction that one could do more for the general cause of good architecture from within that body [sc. the R.I.B.A.] than as a rebel, free-lancing outside it. 1955L. Feather Encycl. Jazz i. 28 Mary Lou Williams, free-lancing along the Street. 1966New Statesman 11 Mar. 357/4 (Advt.), Journalism: occasional freelancer..seeks full-time position.
Add: ˈfreelance adv., as or by a freelance (sense 2); on a freelance basis.
1957L. D. Farrar How to make $18,000 a Year Freelance Writing 272 A writer who..is working free lance comes into contact with many opportunities to serve mankind. 1978Facts on File 6 Oct. 748/3 In addition to broadcasting BBC reports to Bulgaria, Markov had worked freelance for Radio Free Europe. 1980N.Y. Times 4 Nov. c3/4 Sex surrogates may work freelance or in collaboration with a therapist. |