| 释义 |
prodigy|ˈprɒdɪdʒɪ|
[ad. L. prōdigi-um, f. prōd-, early form of prō, pro-1, retained before a vowel + (?) prim.L. *agiom a thing said: cf. L. āio I affirm, also adagium adage.]
1. Something extraordinary from which omens are drawn; an omen, a portent. Now rare.
1494Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxv. 252 Many wonderfull prodygyes & tokyns were shewed in Englonde, as y⊇ swellyng or rysyng of the water of Thamys. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 285 A prodigie [printed perdigie] of the Sunne. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 448 This slaughter was foretold by many Prodigies. a1658Cleveland Rustick Ramp. Wks. (1687) 478 The Insolency of injust Men is a Prodigy of their Ruin. 1741Middleton Cicero II. xii. 553 The province of interpreting prodigies, and inspecting the entrails, belonged to the Haruspices. 1758Johnson Idler No. 11 ⁋8 Omens and prodigies have lost their terrors. a1816Joyce Sci. Dial., Astron. xxiv, Were not comets formerly dreaded, as awful prodigies intended to alarm the world? 1882Farrar Early Chr. I. 73 The air was full of prodigies. There were terrible storms; the plague wrought fearful ravages.
2. An amazing or marvellous thing; esp. something out of the ordinary course of nature; something abnormal or monstrous.
1626Middleton Women Beware Wom. iv. ii. 61 He's a villain As monstrous as a prodigy and as dreadful. 1653Gataker Vind. Annot. Jer. 52 What is a prodigie, but some thing that comes to passe besides, beyond, above, or against the cours of nature? 1677W. Harris Lemery's Chym. (1686) 154 Quicksilver is a prodigy among Metals. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. vi. 189 A climate, where rain is considered as a prodigy, and is not seen in many years. 1852C. M. Yonge Cameos (1877) I. xxviii. 236 Did not our innate generosity restrain us, I would confound him, and make him a prodigy to all the world!
†b. Of a person: in bad sense, A monster. Obs.
15942nd Pt. Contention (1843) 130 Or where is that valiant Crookbackt prodegie? 1656Petition to Chas. II in Clarendon Hist. Reb. xv. §113 That prodigy of nature, that opprobrium of mankind,..who now calls himself our Protector.
3. Anything that causes wonder, astonishment, or surprise; a wonder, a marvel.
[a1638Mede Wks. (1672) 757, I cannot but think it a prodigium that any man should think otherwise.] 1660Sharrock Vegetables Ep. Ded., A multitude of monstrous untruths, and prodigies of lies. 1680H. More Apocal. Apoc. 341 It is a most incredible prodigy..that he should so rashly reject what he had so devotionally received. 1722Macky Journ. Eng. II. 30 It's a Prodigy, how so wise a People as the English can be gulled by such Pick-Pockets. 1874H. R. Reynolds John Bapt. v. i. 303 The hand and breath of one Ecclesiastic is made to convey to another the power to perform invisible and undemonstrable prodigies.
b. A wonderful example of (some quality).
1646Evelyn Diary Apr.–June, Julius Cæsar Scaliger, that prodigie of learning. 1689–90Temple Ess. Heroic Virt. Wks. 1731 I. 194 Alexander was a Prodigy of Valour. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) V. 277 This bird, he asserts,..is a prodigy of understanding. 1844W. Smith Dict. Gr. & Rom. Biog. (1867) III. 193/2 Pericles..performed prodigies of valour. 1867M. E. Herbert Cradle L. iii. 104 The knights..by prodigies of valour, maintained their position. 1874Deutsch Rem. 208 If Christianity is a prodigy of sanctity, Hellenism is a prodigy of beauty.
c. A person endowed with some quality which excites wonder; esp. a child of precocious genius.
1658Eveleyn Diary 27 Jan., Died my deare son Richard,..5 yeares and 3 days old onely, but at that tender age a prodigy for witt and understanding. 1794Sheridan Duenna ii. i, Aye, but her beauty will affect you—she is, tho' I say it, who am her father, a very prodigy. 1824W. Irving T. Trav. I. 204 The juvenile prodigy, the poetical youth, the great genius. 1831D. E. Williams Life Sir T. Lawrence I. 51 This infant prodigy had excited so much attention that his likeness was taken, and engraved by Sherwin. a1862Buckle Civiliz. (1869) III. v. 453 Whose almost incredible achievements entitle them to be termed the prodigies of the human race.
4. attrib. (chiefly appositive).
1889Daily News 29 Jan. 6/6 The ‘prodigy’ season..began yesterday, when Master O― H― made his rentrée in London. 1891Ibid. 8 Jan. 5/4 The deceased..made his début at the age of thirteen as a prodigy pianist. 1900Ibid. 19 June 4/7 He was a ‘prodigy’ violinist at the age of eight. |