| 释义 |
free-rider, n.
Brit. |ˈfriːˌrʌɪdə|, |friːˈrʌɪdə|, U.S. |ˈfriˌraɪdər|, |ˌfriˈraɪdər|
[‹ free adj. + rider n. In sense 2 after free ride n., free-riding n. Compare later free-ride v.]
1. A mounted soldier, mercenary, etc., not belonging to a regular or established military body (cf. freelance n. 1, rough-rider n. 2b); (also) a bandit, a freebooter. Now rare.
1837N.Y. Mirror 18 Feb. 268/2, I have not trusted myself within your reach..without a score or two of my free riders from Mount Semering to regulate your conscience. 1853H. W. Herbert Chevaliers of France viii. 101 A Saxon outlaw..known far and wide throughout France as a free rider by the title of the green esquire, a soldier of much renown in the field. 1887Overland Monthly June 578/2 Pedro in his youth had been a soldier, a free rider, of whom strange tales were told. 1902H. Drummond Seigneur de Beaufoy 37 He set himself..the task of clearing out the brigands, free-riders, and the like from the woods. 1908Anaconda (Montana) Standard 23 Feb. 2/3 Chief among the plotters is a mysterious free-rider, Red Feather.
2. orig. U.S. Originally: a person who rides a train, bus, etc., without having paid for it (when others have). Now chiefly: a person who, or organization which, benefits (or seeks to benefit) in some way from the effort of others, without making a similar contribution. Also attrib., in free-rider problem. Cf. free-ride v. 1, free-riding n. 1b.
1859Amer. Railway Times 5 Mar. 2/6, 2,110,993 passengers, not including commuters and free riders. 1923Olean (N.Y.) Evening Times 16 Aug. 11 (advt.) The free rider which we miss doesn't help build up our service. 1937Ironwood (Mich.) Daily Globe 23 Feb. 3/4 There is an example of unusually friendly cooperation between the Stock Exchange and a government agency..in the handling of the ‘*free rider’ problem. 1941R. A. Brady in Polit. Sci. Q. 56 222 It is a characteristic common to practically all leading trade associations and cartels that they seek to eliminate ‘outsiders’ or ‘free-riders’. 1942Washington Post 24 Feb. 23/6 A new ruling by the Treasury designed to block out the ‘free riders’. Free riding consists of subscribing to a new issue with the expectation of selling out almost at once at a slight profit. 1985Fiscal Stud. Aug. 41 The free-riders have lower costs (since they do not themselves provide the pre-sales services even though they benefit) and hence can offer lower retail prices. 2000Business Day (S. Afr.) 27 Jan. ii. 20/3 Assuming you are a team player and not a free rider, there is a high level of commitment in terms of input at syndicate meetings..and so forth. 2002I. Mallick in A. K. Bagchi Money & Credit Indian Hist. 216 What is missing is the appreciation of the free-rider problem which pervades provision of public goods.
3. Sport. A person who participates in free-riding (free-riding n. 2).
1990Skiing Dec. 218/1 The board rode well in the soft flats. A great choice for the female free-rider. 1995Times 21 Oct. (Weekend section) 13/1 There are..freeriders who roam the mountain looking for jumps and powder. 2001Motocross Jrnl. June 42/1 Jeremy learned to do Superman seat grabs in the off-season and wanted the world to know that he is as good as any freerider. |