| 释义 |
▪ I. humdrum, a. and n.|ˈhʌmˈdrʌm|
Also 6 humtrum.
[Found c 1550: app. a reduplicating formation from hum v.; it is doubtful whether the second element had any distinct connexion with drum n.]
A. adj.
1. Lacking variety; of a routine character; commonplace; monotonous; dull.
1553Bale Gardiner's De Vera Obed. D vj, Because I rather vse a newe makinge of distinccion, than þ⊇ old accustumed Humtrum distinccion. 1702Vanbrugh False Friend ii. Wks. (Rtldg.) 400/2 A very hum-drum marriage this. 1711Addison Spect. No. 9 ⁋6 The Hum-Drum Club..was made up of very honest Gentlemen, of peaceable Dispositions, that used to sit together, smoak their Pipes, and say nothing 'till Mid-night. 1782F. Burney Diary 30 Dec., We had rather a hum-drum evening. 1823W. Irving in Life & Lett. (1864) II. 158, I am writing in a sad, humdrum vein. 1864J. H. Newman Apol. Note C (1873) 313 A plain humdrum Sermon.
†2. (adj. or adv.) Without decision or distinction; undecided. Obs.
1660R. Coke Power & Subj. 132 He..divides Jus into Jus naturale, and voluntarium; which may signifie either of them, or both together hum drum. 1663Butler Hud. i. iii. 112 Shall we (quoth she) stand still hum drum, And see stout Bruin all alone By numbers basely overthrown? 1710Brit. Apollo III. No. 58. 3/1 Your Wiser Rival..Ne'er stood Hum Drum, with Shilly Shally.
B. n.
1. A humdrum person; a dull, monotonous, commonplace fellow.
1598B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. i. i, By gadslid I scorne it, I, so I doe, to be a consort for euery hum-drum. 1710Brit. Apollo III. No. 66. 2/2 A Plodding Hum-Drum, A Schollar that's Grum. 1812Religionism 59 Heed not the lazy beneficed hum-drums. 1894Blackmore Perlycross 158 There are none but hum-drums, and jog-trots.
2. Dullness, commonplaceness, monotony; dull monotonous talk; with a and pl., A humdrum saying, conversation, debate, etc.
1727Art Speaking in Publick 71 (Jod.) Still in the same key to the tune of humdrum without either division or variety. 1748Richardson Clarissa (1811) III. xxxii. 191, I am frequently forced to go to my harpsichord and silence his humdrum. 1840F. Trollope Widow Married xxiii, To stand listening for an hour together to mamma's humdrums. 1854W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 62, I have been to hear a debate, or a hum-drum, in the House of Lords. 1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. ii, She was living with some intensity, and escaping humdrum.
†b. in pl. Dullness; = doldrums 2. Obs.
1757E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances (1867) I. 140, I fear my epistle will..give you the hum-drums.
Hence humˈdrummery, humˈdrumminess, humˈdrumness, the quality or state of being humdrum; humdrum action. humˈdrummish a., characterized by humdrum, monotony, or dullness; whence humˈdrummishness.
1732Mrs. Delany in Life & Corr. I. 385 Their two eldest daughters are beauties..but not entertaining, so we passed that day hum-drumish. 1830Blackw. Mag. XXVII. 414 His ‘discretion and taste’..mean humdrumishness and humbug. 1831Fraser's Mag. IV. 52 The deity still that illumed my humdrummery, My Magnus Apollo was Robert Montgomery. 1886Daily Tel. 23 Apr. 2/3 A sort of humdrumness that seemed to steal into the ship's inner life. 1889Spectator 9 Nov. 626/2 Plain men, of..fair capacities, and an unsurpassable humdrumminess of nature and deportment. 1893Leland Mem. II. 72 To break out of orthodox humdrumness.
▪ II. ˌhumˈdrum, v.
[f. prec. n.]
intr. To proceed in a humdrum, monotonous, or undecided fashion. Also to humdrum it.
1733Swift Let. to Sheridan 27 Mar., I humdrum it on..endeavouring to write, but write nothing, merely out of indolence and want of spirits. 1825T. L. Peacock Wks. (1875) III. 223 If you stand hum-drumming [etc.]. 1862Motley Corr. (1880) II. 108 We are humdrumming on as usual. 1894A. d'Heristal Discord. Life xii. 99, I cannot humdrum with him in the Darby and Joan style.
Hence humˈdrumming ppl. a., monotonous, commonplace.
1698F. B. Modest Censure 14 He is none of those hum⁓drumming Authors. 1894F. S. Ellis Reynard the Fox 189 To the humdrumming round, Wherein most men are bound, He furnishes pleasant variety. |