| 释义 |
veliˈtation Now rare.
Also 7 vellet-.
[ad. L. vēlitātio, n. of action f. vēlitārī, f. vēlit-, vēles: see next.]
1. A slight or preliminary engagement with an enemy; a skirmish.
1616Bullokar Eng. Expos., Velitations, skirmishes, fightings. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. iii. iv. i. iv, Let him read those Pharsalian fields fought of late in France for religion, their massacres,..and he shall find ours to be but velitations to theirs. 1692O. Walker Grk. & Rom. Hist. 160 If any one killed an Enemy in any Velitation or pickering when they fought man to man, he was rewarded with a Spear without a head, call'd Hasta pura. 1832J. P. Kennedy Swallow B. xxix. (1860) 265 In which latter species of employment it was his luck to hold frequent velitations with the enemy.
2. fig. A wordy skirmish or encounter; a controversy, debate, or dispute not carried to extremes. (Very common in 17th cent.)
1607B. Barnes Divils Charter ii. i. D 4 b, Forbeare your idle velletations. 1657W. Morice Coena quasi κοινὴ xxiv. 249 In all these velitations against their dear brethren..the Apologists..have not drawn much blood. 1679Jenison Narr. Popish Plot Pref. 9 This Censure is but a light Velitation, if compar'd with that black charge of guilt. 1702C. Mather Magn. Chr. vii. ii. (1852) 503 All the velitations were peaceably furled up in this result. 1722Wollaston Relig. Nat. iii. §4 That question in Plato may have place among the velitations of philosophers; but a man can scarce propose it seriously to himself. 1824Scott St. Ronan's viii, While the ladies..were engaged in the light snappish velitation, or skirmish, which we have described. 1831De Quincey in Blackw. Mag. XXIX. 905 The very best of his performances being mere velitations, skirmishes, or academic exercises. |