| 释义 |
german, germane, a.1 and n.1|ˈdʒɜːmən, dʒəˈmeɪn, ˈdʒɜːmeɪn|
Forms: 4–5 germeyn(e, 4–6 germayn(e, 4–7 germain(e, (6 jarman, 7 jermaine), 4– german, 5– germane.
[a. OF. germain (= senses 1–2 below), ad. L. germān-us (sense 1, also ‘genuine, real’), whence Pr. german, girman, and the ns. Sp. hermano, Pg. irmão, Catal. germá, brother.]
A. adj.
I. Closely akin.
1. Having the same parents; ‘own’ (brother or sister). Obs. exc. in brother-german (q.v. for some variations of sense), sister-german.
1340[see brother-german]. 1382Wyclif 1 Kings xi. 19 He ȝaf to hym a wijf, the sister germayn of his wiif Taphnes, the queen. c1460Towneley Myst. v. 29 Iacob, that is thyne awne germane brother. 1530[see brother-german]. 1626Sandys Ovid's Met. vi. 117 For him the Nymphs, and german Satyres [L. Satyri fratres] weepe. 1663Blair Autobiog. ii. (1848) 21 A Christian friend, was my german brother..finding me in this case. 1751,1882[see brother-german].
2. That is the child of a ‘german’ brother or sister of either of (one's) parents; = ‘first’ or ‘own’ (cousin). Obs. exc. in cousin-german.
13..Guy Warw. (A.) 912 He is mi germain cosyn. c1380,c1450[see cousin-german]. 1502Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) iv. xiii. 204 Of the whiche degrees, the broder and syster make the fyrst, the chyldren the whiche ben germayne make the seconde. 1555, etc. [see cousin-german].
fig.a1555Ridley Treat, agst. Transubst. (1556) 51 This kind of oblation standeth vppon transubstantyacion his germayne coosyn. 1615Crooke Body of Man 158 Hippocrates sayth that milke is German Cousen to the menstruous blood.
†3. Closely related; akin. Obs.
1470–85Malory Arthur ii. xi, Basdemegus was his cosyn and germayn vnto kynge Uryence. 1607Shakes. Timon iv. iii. 344 Wert thou a Leopard, thou wert Germane to the Lion. 1611― Wint. T. iv. iv. 802 Those that are Iermaine to him..shall all come vnder the Hang-man.
fig.1657W. Morice Coena quasi κοινὴ Def. §23. 232 For their dear brethren, and such as are germane to them in principles, are most engaged in that guilt [etc.].
4. Closely connected; appropriate; relevant; pertinent. Const. to.
This sense arises from allusion to the Shakes. passage (quot. 1602), which is merely a fig. example of sense 3. The mod. form varies between ˈgerman, gerˈmane, and ˈgermane; the spelling germain has been used by some writers.
1602Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 165 The phrase would bee more Germaine [so 1623 (Fo. 1); 1603 (Qo1) has more cosin german; 1604 (Qo2) more Ierman; mod. edd. more german] to the matter: If we could carry Cannon by our sides. 1816Scott Antiq. xxviii, Edie..did not venture to repeat a query which was so little germain to the matter. 1840Mrs. Trollope Widow Married xxxiv, A piece of intelligence more well-timed, or more completely german to the subject of her thoughts. 1863J. G. Holland Lett. to Joneses vii. 102 Men who have..resisted all evidences germane to the subject. 1865–6H. Phillips Amer. Paper Curr. II. 96 The document..is not sufficiently germane to be reproduced in this place. 1870Huxley Lay Serm. iv. (1874) 57 Those studies which are immediately germain to physic. 1877Sparrow Serm. xxi. 274 An argument..not pertinent or germain to the subject. 1886Illustr. Lond. News Summer No. 24/3 The illustration was hardly germane to the case.
II.
5. Genuine; true; thorough. Obs. or arch.
1382Wyclif Phil. iv. 3, I preie thee, german felowe, helpe thou the ilke wymmen that traueliden with me in the gospel. 1542Becon Potat. for Lent Pref., Sincere, germane and true learning. 1642Nethersole Consid. upon Affairs 3 The miserable Distractions of this divided Kingdom, threatning a Germane desolation thereof. 1678Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §36. 575 Arius was a German or Genuine Disciple of Plato's. 1864J. H. Newman Apol. 7 That to be a pure, german, genuine Catholic, a man must be either knave or fool.
†B. n. One sprung from the same stock; a brother, a near relative. Obs.
1491Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) i. xxiii. 23 b/2 The whyche were not oonly bredren carnalle, but also in lyf, in religyon & in vertues they were germayns. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. v. 13 Goe now, proud Miscreant, Thyselfe thy message do to german deare. 1604Shakes. Oth. i. i. 114 You'le haue Coursers for Cozens: and Gennets for Germaines. 1721Bailey, Germain, a Brother or Sister by the same Father and Mother.
Hence gerˈmanely adv., in a germane manner; pertinently.
1844Blackw. Mag. LVI. 84 An embassy from the willow-wearers all—or to speak more germanely to the matter, of the Basket-bearers. |