| 释义 |
unoˈfficial, a. and n.
[un-1 7, 5 b, 12.]
1. Of things: Not having an official character or stamp.
unofficial strike: one not endorsed by the relevant union.
1798Monthly Rev. XXVI. 511 Impertinent and unofficial as it seems, it may have been intended to intimate [etc.]. 1866Geo. Eliot F. Holt Introd. 3 His sheep-dog following with a heedless unofficial air as of a beadle in undress. 1884Huxley in Life (1900) II. 80, I wrote to Evans an unofficial letter. 1946‘G. Orwell’ in Partisan Rev. Summer 321 There is resentment against long hours and bad working conditions, which has shown itself in a series of ‘unofficial’ strikes. 1955Times 24 June 4/3 The Minister of Labour could not deal with unofficial strikes in the normal way. That was a matter for the union concerned to re-establish its authority over its own members. 1972Guardian 24 Nov. 10/1 Lower-paid hospital workers are resorting to a series of unofficial strikes.
2. a. Of persons: Not holding an official position; not acting in an official capacity; spec. unofficial member = private member s.v. private a. 2 c.
1829Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) I. 124 Unofficial philosophers must be content to classify appearances as they rise. 1869J. Martineau Ess. II. 97 The theories of these unofficial masters of philosophy. 1879Tablet 31 May 709/1 An unofficial member. 1893Erskine May Law of Parl. (ed. 10) viii. 245 The relative precedence of government business, and business in charge of unofficial members,..is prescribed by the standing orders. 1970A. P. Herbert In Dark iii. 74 There spoke, besides two long-suffering Ministers, 14 private (or ‘unofficial’) members—12 against and 2 in favour.
b. n. One who is not an official.
1887Pall Mall G. 29 July 4/1 We have a letter this morning from St. Petersburg, the writer of which is a leader among the ‘unofficials’. |