| 释义 |
▪ I. vast, n.|vɑːst, væst|
[f. the adj.]
1. A vast or immense space. Chiefly poet., and freq. with adjs.
1604E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies i. 5 That great Chaos, and infinite Vast, which the ancient Philosophers affirmed to bee vnder the earth. 1608Shakes. Per. iii. i. 1 Thou god of this great vast, rebuke these surges. 1709–11Ken Anodynes Poet. Wks. 1721 III. 442, I then would higher soar, and cast My eyes o're the Ethereal Vast. 1725Pope Odyss. iv. 683 By Juno's guardian aid, the wat'ry Vast Secure of storms, your Royal brother past. 1794W. Taylor in Robberds Mem. (1843) I. 150 Our souls the bands of death shall tear, Through the whole starry vast to range. 1818Keats Endym. iii. 859 Far as the mariner on highest mast Can see all round upon the calmed vast. 1850Tennyson In Mem. Concl. xxxi, A soul shall draw from out the vast And strike his being into bounds. 1898T. Hardy Wessex Poems 72 And up from the vast a murmuring passed As from a wood of pines.
b. Const. of (heaven, sea, etc.). Also fig.
1610Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 326 Vrchins Shall for that vast of night that they may worke All exercise on thee. a1649Drummond of Hawthornden Poems Wks. (1711) 34/2 Such as do Nations govern, and command Vasts of the Sea and Emperies of Land. 1667Milton P.L. vi. 203 Through the vast of Heav'n It sounded. 1795W. Blake Song Los 42 And all the vast of Nature shrunk Before their shrunken eyes. 1838Eliza Cook England iv, I'd tread the vast of mountain range, or spot serene and flowered. 1872Geo. Eliot Middlem. xlv, Which need never stop short at the boundary of knowledge, but can draw for ever on the vasts of ignorance.
2. dial. A very great number or amount.
1793Piper of Peebles 14 A vast o' fouk a' round about Come to the feast. c1820Hogg Sheph. Wedding i, They couldna get them [sc. leisters] sindry, else there had been a vast o bludeshed. a1825–in dialect glossaries (E. Anglia, Yks., Leic., etc.). 1853R. S. Surtees Soapey Sp. Tour (1893) 30 It takes a vast of clothes, even at Oxford prices, to come to a thousand pounds. 1888Huxley in Life (1900) II. xii. 188, I took a vast of trouble (as the country folks say) about it.
▪ II. vast, a. and adv.|vɑːst, væst|
[ad. L. vastus void, immense, extensive, etc., or F. vaste (1611), It., Sp., Pg. vasto.]
1. Of very great or large dimensions or size; huge, immense, enormous.
1575–85Abp. Sandys Serm. 360 If ye compare..one of smale stature, with a vast giant,..the combat could not choose but seeme in all pointes verie vnequall. 1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 294 Unskilfull cutters..are of opinion that the enormous and huge statues, called Colosses, which they cut, will seeme more vast and mightie if they frame them stradling with their legs. 1666Boyle Orig. Forms & Qual. 171 These Bodies, that are the vastest and the most important of the Sublunary World. 1712–4Pope Rape Lock v. 92 Three seal-rings, which after, melted down, Form'd a vast buckle for his widow's gown. 1762–71H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) I. 222 A vast ruff, a vaster fardingale..are the features by which every body knows at once the pictures of queen Elizabeth. 1860Tyndall Glac. ii. xvii. 315 On the ice cascades..the river glacier has piled vast blocks on vaster pedestals. 1867M. E. Herbert Cradle L. vi. 155 It is not a single building, but rather a vast collection of chambers and galleries.
absol.1784Cowper Task v. 811 A ray of heav'nly light, gilding all forms Terrestrial in the vast and the minute. 1802Findlater Agric. Surv. Peebles. 18 The mountains,..too much upon the vast for beauty, are yet too tame for the sublime.
2. Of great or immense extent or area; extensive, far-stretching.
1590Shakes. Mids. N. v. i. 9 One sees more diuels then vaste hell can hold. 1600J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa vii. 290 Betweene which two Kingdomes lieth a vast desert being much destitute of water. 1615W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 23 The top hath the vast aire to spread his boughs in. 1663Butler Hud. i. i. 327 Thorough Desarts vast And Regions Desolate they past. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 531 Such an extent of Plains, so vast a Space Of Wilds unknown..Allures their Eyes. 1722Wollaston Relig. Nat. v. (1724) 79 What a vast field for contemplation is here opened! 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) I. 100 The river..overflowed the adjacent country, like a vast lake. 1816J. Wilson City of Plague ii. iii. 292 Another month, and I am left alone In the vast city. 1865W. G. Palgrave Arabia I. 391 The circle of vision here embraces vaster plains and bolder mountains. 1871Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xvii. 70 Ruling over vast territory which had been held by the Earls.
Comb.1861Ld. Lytton & Fane Tannhäuser 85 The sun, About him drawing the vast-skirted clouds. 1888F. Hume Mme. Midas i. Prol., From thence it spread inland into vast-rolling pastures.
b. Qualifying nouns of dimension.
1677Miége Fr. Dict. i. s.v. Vaste, A Country of a vast extent. 1688Prior An Ode i, The mysterious Gulph of vast Immensity. a1721― To C'tess Dowager of Devonsh. i, That Both, their Skill to this vast Height did raise, Be ours the Wonder, and be yours the Praise. 1725De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 345 A pit or hole of a vast depth. 1774Pennant Tour. Scot. in 1772 6 The church stands at a vast height above the town. 1809–14Wordsw. Excurs. iv. 1161 A temple framing of dimensions vast, And yet not too enormous for the sound Of human anthems. 1865Kingsley Herew. x, His vast breadth of shoulder.
c. In transf. or fig. uses.
1736Butler Anal. ii. ii. Wks. 1874 I. 173 The scheme of nature..is evidently vast, even beyond all possible imagination. 1738Wesley Ps. c. iv, Vast as Eternity thy Love. 1784Cowper Task vi. 218 But how should matter..satisfy a law So vast in its demands, unless impell'd [etc.]. 1806R. Cumberland Mem. (1807) I. 160 Time whelms us in the vast Inane. 1852H. Rogers Ecl. Faith (1853) 142 It must be accomplished in a cycle vast as those of the geological eras. 1869Kingsley Lett. (1878) II. 292 Science is grown too vast for any one head. 1884Congregational Year Bk. 56 Mightier wonders and vaster problems.
3. Of the mind, etc.: Unusually large or comprehensive in grasp or aims.
1610Holland Camden's Brit. 464 Cardinall Wolsey,..whose vast minde reached alwayes at things too high. 1650R. Stapylton Strada's Low-C. Wars ii. 38 But the Prince of Orange and Count Egmont..were of vaster spirits then the rest. 1692Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 372 Her Spirit is extensive without being Vast, never rambling so far in general Thoughts, as not to be able to return easily to singular Considerations. 1710Steele Tatler No. 209 ⁋1 The Account we have of his vast Mind. 1743Francis tr. Horace, Odes i. xxxvii. 12 Vast in her Hopes, and giddy with Success. 1815Shelley Alastor 287 With voice far sweeter than thy dying notes, Spirit more vast than thine.
4. Very great, immense, enormous, in respect of amount, quantity, or number.
1637Verney Mem. (1907) I. 114 Yet what is all this but a small part of those vast treasures left him by his father. a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) II. 571 Sir Thomas Cooke, late lord mayor of London, one of vast wealth. 1681J. Flavel Meth. Grace xix. 341 No wise man expends vast sums to bring home trifling commodities. 1730A. Gordon Maffei's Amphith. 64 The vast Rain which fell at that Time. 1760R. Brown Compl. Farmer ii. 62, I have known vast crops of rye upon barren lands that have been old warrens, and well dunged with rabbits. 1796H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Study Nat. (1799) I. 93 The members of the vast family of Mankind. 1838Thirlwall Greece IV. 369 Carrying away vast herds of cattle. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xii. III. 210 The same tyranny..had robbed his Church of vast wealth. 1872Raymond Statist. Mines & Mining 224 The Colorado River..sends a vast body of water to the Gulf of California.
b. With nouns of quality, action, etc.
1595Shakes. John iv. iii. 152 Vast confusion waites..The iminent decay of wrested pompe. c1600Life & Death Long Meg of Westm. ii, On this Sir John de Castile, in a bravado, would needs make an experiment of her vast strength. 1647Hamilton Papers (Camden) 148 Soe unequall..where there is so vast a disproportion in the knowledge, abilities, and interests of the persons. 1718Rowe tr. Lucan i. 89 Vast are the thanks thy grateful Rome shou'd pay To wars, which usher in thy sacred sway. 1765Museum Rust. IV. 166 The same vast superiority will be found in every article of employment to which these waggons can be put. 1796Burke Regic. Peace Wks. VIII. 393 Most of them engage, for a short time at a vast price, every actor or actress of name in the metropolis. 1833H. Martineau Fr. Wines & Pol. i. 15 Vast labour will be required to render these lands productive once more. 1856Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. ii. 174 His reading was vast, especially in theology.
c. With nouns denoting number or amount. (Passing into next.)
(a)1677Miége Fr. Dict. ii, A vast quantity, une grande quantité. 1716Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to C'tess of Bristol 25 Nov., The vast number of English crowds the town so much. 1748Anson's Voy. i. vii. 105 These rocks terminate in a vast number of ragged points. 1823Edin. Rev. XXXIX. 49 To put vast quantities of men into prison. 1857Buckle Civiliz. I. vii. 325 Disputes..now regarded with indifference by the vast majority of educated men. 1884Marshall's Tennis Cuts 154, I saw a vast number, and examined them very carefully.
(b)1718Hickes & Nelson J. Kettlewell iii. cxvi. 478 He took a vast deal of Pains, nicely to Examine every Thing. 1802M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. v. 27 Mackenzie, with artificial admiration, said a vast deal more than he thought. 1858Dickens Lett. (1880) II. 75 We have done a vast deal here. 1872Black Adv. Phaeton xviii. 246 He showed her a vast amount of studied respect.
5. In weakened sense as a mere intensive.
Common in fashionable use in the 18th cent.: cf. vastly adv. 3.
1696Phillips (ed. 5) s.v., Figuratively we say, such a one has a vast Fancy, a vast Wit, vast Parts, &c. 1700S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 120 Every new and full Moon, the Sea drives 'em up in a vast way. a1704T. Brown Beauties Wks. 1730 I. 45, I saw Armida, to my vast surprize, So rich in charms. 1764Reid Inquiry ii. §1 That most other bodies while exposed to the air are continually sending forth effluvia of vast subtilty. 1801Strutt Sports & Past. ii. i. 61 They shot with vast precision to that distance. 1840Hawthorne Biogr. Sk., Pepperell (1879) 186 An object of vast antipathy to many of the settled ministers. 1861F. Metcalfe Oxonian in Iceland iii. (1867) 33 Their wise heads go everlasting..nidding, nodding, with vast solemnity.
b. a vast many, a great many. ? Obs.
1695Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth i. 49 By..perpetual Circulation a vast many things in the System of Nature are transacted. 1722De Foe Plague (1754) 22 The Restoration had brought a vast many Families to London. 1771T. Hull Sir W. Harrington (1797) III. 207 Jacob was sent out a vast many times. 1833T. Hook Parson's Dau. ii. ii, But there are a vast many persons in the neighbourhood who would make suitable husbands for such a girl. 1853Hawthorne Tanglewood T., Pomegranate Seeds, It troubled her with a vast many tender fears.
c. adv. = vastly adv. Now dial.
1687Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. 11, A vast rich Town, une Ville fort riche. 1756T. Amory Buncle (1770) II. 264 Many vast high ones [sc. mountains] we crossed, and travelled through very wonderful glins. 1757H. Brooke Female Officer i. viii, He is vast expert at his weapon, truly! c1790‘M. P.’ [Dorothy Kilner] Anecd. Boarding School I. 47, I cannot say that I am vast fond of her. Ibid. 98 Half a dozen of them all at once calling out, O! vast fine! vast fine! 1809–in dialect glossaries, etc.
▪ III. vast
southern ME. var. fast n., a., and adv.; obs. Sc. f. waste.
▪ IV. † vast, v. Obs.—1
[ad. L. vast-āre.]
trans. To lay waste, destroy.
1434Misyn Mending Life 119 For þe..fleschly sawle in-to behaldyng of þe godhede is not rauischyd bot if it be gostely, all fleschly lettyngis vastyd. |