释义 |
† Hiren Obs.|ˈhaɪərɪn| [A corruption of the female name Irene, F. Irène.] The name of a female character in Peele's play of ‘The Turkish Mahamet and Hyrin the fair Greek’ (a 1594); used allusively by Shakespeare and early 17th century writers as meaning ‘a seductive woman’, a harlot.
1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 173 Downe: downe Dogges, downe Fates: haue wee not Hiren here? 1598Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. iii. 35 Of charming Sin the deep inchaunting Syrens, The snares of vertue, valour-softning Hyrens. 1605Chapman, etc. Eastw. Hoe in O. Pl. IV. 218 (N.) 'Sfoot, lend me some money. Hast thou not Hyren here? 1615T. Adams Spir. Navigator Wks. (1630) 402 There be Sirens in the sea of this world. Sirens? Hirens, as they are now called..What a number of these Sirens, Hirens, Cockatrices,..in plaine English, Harlots, swimme amongst vs. |