| 释义 |
impostor|ɪmˈpɒstə(r)|
Forms: α. 6–7 imposture, (6 -ur). β. 7–9 imposter. γ. 7 impostour, 7– impostor.
[a. F. imposteur (16th c.) = Sp., Pg. impostor, It. impostore, ad. late L. impostor, agent-noun f. impōnĕre to impose (ppl. stem imposit-, impost-). At its first adoption into English, the word was app. confused with the older imposture, the termination being subsequently altered to -er and -or, the latter of which, agreeing with the original L. form, has survived.]
One who imposes on others; a deceiver, swindler, cheat; now chiefly, one who assumes a false character, or passes himself off as some one other than he really is.
α1586Jas. VI in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 21 To takk..thaime to be malicious imposturis, as suirlie they are. 1591Horsey Trav. (Hakluyt Soc.) 161 Ther mett him an impostur or magician, which they held to be their oracle. 1634Sir. T. Herbert Trav. 145 Mahomet the great Imposture.
β1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 301 This thing haue the imposters of the World vsed for a Phyltre. 1687T. Brown Saints in Uproar Wks. 1730 I. 81 They are seven as arrant imposters as ever deluded the credulous world. 1845Ford Handbk. Spain 113 The fanatics and imposters of the early ages.
γ1624Capt. Smith Virginia iii. xii. 94 Being found a meere Impostor, he dyed most miserably. a1682Sir T. Browne Tracts (1684) 3 The Impostour Barchochebas. 1711Addison Spect. No. 35 ⁋4 There is an Impostor abroad, who takes upon him the Name of this young Gentleman. 1825Lytton Zicci i. i, It is very clear that this Zicci is some impostor.
fig.1605Shakes. Macb. iii. iv. 64 These flawes and starts (Impostors to true feare).
attrib.1660F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 14 The Impostor-Prophet Mahomet. 1678Wanley Wond. Lit. World iv. li. §10. 453/2 He commanded all those Impostor Priests to be crucified. 1738Warburton Div. Legat. I. Ded. 40 What says our Imposter Jew to this? 1837H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 70 An unworthy bondage of mean fear to some impostor opinion. |