| 释义 |
humanitarian, n. and a.|hjuːmænɪˈtɛərɪən|
[f. humanity, after unitarian, trinitarian.]
A. n.
1. Theol.
a. One who affirms the humanity (but denies the divinity) of Christ.
1819Moore Diary 30 Jan., The sect of the Humanitarians. Parr..more shocked as a grammarian at the word than as a divine at the sect. 1819M. Stuart Lett. to W. E. Channing 144 Now [in New England] ..there are scarcely any of the younger preachers of Unitarian sentiments who are not simple Humanitarians.
b. An anthropomorphite: see quot.
a1844R. Balmer Lect. & Disc. (1845) I. 193 The opinion of the humanitarians or anthropomorphites as they are called..that the Deity possesses a material body.
2. One who professes the ‘Religion of Humanity’, holding that mankind's duty is chiefly or wholly comprised in the advancement of the welfare of the human race: applied to various schools of thought and practice.
1831Fraser's Mag. IV. 54 Herder..in his work, entitled, the History of Humanity, is merely what may be termed a Humanitarian. 1844Blackw. Mag. LVI. 589 M. Pierre Leroux, most distinguished of the Humanitarians, the last sect which figures on the scene, bidding for disciples. 1876C. M. Davies Unorth. Lond. (ed. 2) 400 The fifteen rules or doctrines of the Humanitarians. 1882–3Schaff Encycl. Relig. Knowl. II. 1038/1 Humanitarian, a name applied..to such parties as profess the ‘religion of humanity’..the spontaneous perfectibility of the human race.
3. One who advocates or practises humanity or humane action; one who devotes himself to the welfare of mankind at large; a philanthropist. Nearly always contemptuous, connoting one who goes to excess in his humane principles.
1844Ld. Ashburton in Croker Papers (1884) III. xxiii. 18 The most mischievous men of our day are our conceited political economists and our ultra humanitarians. 1851Gallenga Italy II. i. 20 The patriot merged into the humanitarian. 1861Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. III. clxxvii. 213 Who can stand being called ‘humanitarian and abolitionist’? 1891H. S. Constable Horses, Sport & War 84 A man cannot be too really humane, but the typical humanitarian is only sentimental.
B. adj.
1. Holding the views or doctrines of humanitarians; held or practised by humanitarians (in the senses, A 1, 2).
1846Worcester cites Church Observer. 1876C. M. Davies Unorth. Lond. (ed. 2) 413 The Humanitarian Solemnization of Matrimony. 1886Dict. Nat. Biog. V. 180/2 The original Calvinism of the race had changed to Arianism, and he himself became humanitarian in his Christology.
2. Devoted to humanity or the human race as an object of worship.
1861Goldw. Smith Lect. Progr. 4, I am not aware that so much as the rudiment of a new religion has yet been actually produced, unless it be the Humanitarian religion of M. Comte.
3. Having regard to the interests of humanity or mankind at large; relating to, advocating, or practising humanity or humane action; broadly philanthropic. Often contemptuous or hostile.
1855Motley Dutch Rep. (1861) I. 219 However open to criticism upon broad humanitarian grounds. 1882A. W. Ward Dickens iii. 58 Pecksniff presents himself as a humanitarian philosopher. 1894Westm. Gaz. 10 Feb. 2/3 These are the aims of the Humanitarian Movement, and with their realisation will come the regeneration of the race. 1897F. N. Maude Volunt. v. Compuls. Service 33 All the nonsense of humanitarian sentimentalists.
Hence humaniˈtarianism, the system, principles, or practice of humanitarians (in any of the senses above); humaniˈtarianize v. trans., to make humanitarian.
1833J. Martineau Ess. (1890) I. 11 His [Priestley's] transition from Low Arianism to Humanitarianism. 1850Tait's Mag. XVII. 84 The puerile whimperings of an effeminate humanitarianism. 1857Toulm. Smith Parish 364 Specious but most mischievous humanitarianism, and self-exalting but hollow philanthropy. 1865Gladstone Farew. Addr. Edinboro' Univ. 27 A still deeper trace of humanitarianism lay in the transportation of the family order into heaven. 1895Columbus (Ohio) Disp. 10 July 10/4 Persons who desire to humanitarianize capital punishment. |