| 释义 |
▪ I. amen, adv., int., n.|ˌeɪˈmɛn, often ˌɑːˈmɛn|
[a. L. (or Fr.) āmēn, a. Gr. ἀµήν, a. Heb. ā-mēn, ‘certainty, truth,’ f. vb. āman to strengthen, confirm; used adverbially ‘certainly, verily, surely’ as an expression of affirmation, consent, or ratification of what has been said by another (Deut. xxvii. 26, 1 Kings i. 36); adopted in Gr. by the LXX., whence in N.T., and in early Christian use, in Gr. and L., as a solemn expression of belief, affirmation, consent, concurrence, or ratification, of any formal utterance made by a representative; thus with prayers, imprecations, confessions of faith. App. not so used in OE., but transl. by Sóðlice!, Swá hit ys or sý! Added however as a concluding formula to Luke and John in the Ags. Gospels.]
A. int. or adv.
1. As a concluding formula (merely transferred from L.) = Finis.
c950Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xxiv. 53 Lofando & gebloedsando gód. Soðlice. c1000Ags. G. ibid., God herᵹende & hyne eac bletsiᵹende. Amen. [1611Ibid. Praising and blessing God. Amen.]
2. a. A solemn expression of concurrence in, or ratification of, a prayer, or wish; Be it so really!
c1230Ancr. R. 430 He beo euer i-heied from worlde to worlde, euer on ecchenesse! Amen. c1300in Wright Lyric P. xv. 51 God us lene of ys lyht, That we of sontes habben syht, ant hevene to mede! Amen. 1382Wyclif Matt. vi. 13 But delyuere vs fro yuel. Amen, that is so be it. a1400Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 37 Say we Amen, þat es to say swa be it. 1535Coverdale Ps. lxxi. 19 Blessed be the name of his maiesty for euer..Amen, Amen. 1605Shakes. Macb. ii. ii. 28, I could not say, Amen, When they did say, God blesse vs. 1615Bedwell Moham. Imp. ii. §90 To morrow if God Almighty say, Amen, we will meet. 1859Tennyson Elaine 1217 An end to this! A strange one! Yet I take it with Amen!
b. attrib. amen corner, seat U.S., that part of a meeting-house occupied by persons who assist the preacher with occasional and irregular responses; also transf.; Amen glass, an eighteenth-century drinking-glass with part of the Jacobite version of ‘God Save the King’, concluding with the word ‘Amen’, engraved upon the bowl.
1860Harper's Mag. Jan. 279/2 The Rev. Judson Noth, a local Methodist preacher,..was one of the best ‘scotchers’ that occupied the ‘Amen Corner’. 1868All Year Round 31 Oct. 490/1 Sunday found them, judge and lawyers, seated in the ‘amen corner’. 1877J. Habberton Jericho Road xiv. 128 In an ‘amen’ seat sat an old half-breed. 1884Congress. Rec. 24 Apr. 3207/1 When commiserated upon the fact that he was compelled to go to what is commonly known here as the amen corner, [he] frankly said that any seat in the Senate was better than none. 1894Ibid. Jan. 1502/2 One of those saintly Republican monopolists who sit in the ‘Amen corner’ of protected privilege. 1904Harben Georgians vii. 67 [They] were in their places in the ‘amen corner’, at the right of the crude pulpit.
[1897A. Hartshorne Old Eng. Glasses xxiv. 349 This glass also has on the bowl the first two verses of the song, and the crowned cypher with amen under it.] 1924J. Bles Rare Eng. Glasses XVII & XVIII Cent. 98 This interesting goblet is engraved in diamond point with the crowned cypher JR, forward and reversed with the figure 8..in the same manner as the majority of ‘Amen’ glasses. 1926G. R. Francis Old Eng. Drinking Glasses xvi. 167 Of this type are most of the ‘Amen’ glasses, which were all similar in the inscription; some ten or twelve are now known to exist. 1936Burlington Mag. May xvii/1 An Amen Jacobite glass, with the full Jacobite National Anthem inscribed upon it, had realised as much as {pstlg}300 last year.
3. Of concurrence in a formal statement, confession of faith, etc.: It is so in truth.
[a1000Creed in Rel. Ant. I. 35 Ic ᵹe-lyfe on þone halᵹan gast..& þat éce lif. Sy it swa.] c1220Creed in Morris E.E. Hom. I. 217, Ibileue on ðe holi goste..eche lif efter deað; amen. 1662Bk. Comm. Prayer, Nicene Creed, I believe in..the life of the world to come. Amen.
4. Retained in the Bible from the original Gr. or Heb.: Truly, verily.
c1382Wyclif 2 Cor. i. 20 Therefore and by him we seyn Amen to God, to oure ioye. 1582N. T. (Rhem.) John viii. 34 note, The Reader may see great reason why vve also say Amen, Amen, and durst not translate it. 1611Bible 2 Cor. i. 20 The promises of God in him are Yea, and in him Amen.
B. n.
1. The word Amen! at the end of a prayer, etc.
c1230Ancr. R. 24 And efter þe amen, ‘Per Dominum: benedicamus Domino.’ 1597T. Morley Introd. Mus. 82, I finde no better word to say after a good praier, then Amen. 1711Addison Spect. No. 285 ⁋6, I have spoke the Assent to a Prayer with a long Amen. 1829Southey All for Love iv. Wks. VII. 175 The Choristers, with louder voice, Intoned the last Amen!
2. An expression of assent; an assertion of belief.
1579W. Fulke Heskins's Parl. 227 Be thou a member of the bodie of Christ, that thy Amen may be true. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. i. 24 Gard. I wish it grubb'd vp now. Lov. Me thinkes I could Cry the Amen. 1851Mrs. Browning Casa Guidi Wind. 119 False doctrine, strangled by its own amen.
3. transf. Concluding word or act; conclusion. (Cf. Culorum in P. Pl. A. iii. 264.)
1677Hale Contemp. ii. 95 That such an act as this should be the Amen of my Life. c1860Chairman of Public Meeting (at Hawick): —‘You must hear the speaker to Amen, and then ask your questions.’
4. Retained in the Bible from the original, as a title of Christ; = The faithful one.
1388Wyclif Rev. iii. 14 Thes thinges seith Amen the feithful witnesse. 1611ibid., These things saith the Amen, the faithfull and true witnesse. 1704Nelson Fest. & Fasts ii. ii. (1739) 478 Jesus, who is the Truth is called Amen.
▸ In non-religious contexts, expressing approval, concurrence, or relief, usually as a concluding response to the statement of another: ‘quite right’; ‘I couldn't agree more’; ‘I very much hope so’. Esp. in amen to that.
Chiefly in speech or representations of speech.
1605King Leir i. sig. E4v, Gon. God continue it. Am. What, Madam? Gon. Why, her health. Am. Amen to that. 1620Swetnam, Woman-hater ii. sig. C2v, Lis. Crowne your wishes to your hearts desire. Nic. Amen, Anthonio, I'le say Amen to that. 1783Double Conspiracy 59 Gibb. That's a good toast:—Here's a health to King George, and all his good friends in America. Fid. Amen to that, by my old leather breeches. 1837Dickens Pickwick Papers xxvi, ‘Ah, I wish they had the reward that every kind and generous heart would be inclined to bestow upon them!’ said the gratified Mrs. Bardell. ‘Amen to that,’ replied Sam, ‘and a fat and happy livin' they'd get out of it!’ 1920A. Christie Mysterious Affair at Styles iv. 70 ‘We do hope, if there has been foul play, to bring the murderer to justice.’ ‘Amen to that,’ said Dorcas fiercely. 1984A. F. Loewenstein This Place 127 ‘It's a wonderful idea.’.. ‘A-men,’ chanted Gladdy, confirming this impression. 2001Western Daily Press (Electronic ed.) 29 Mar. Mr Denham said the Government's aim is to make the NHS more patient-focussed by providing services based around their needs. Amen to that.
▪ II. amen, v.|ˌeɪˈmɛn|
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To say Amen to: hence a. To ratify solemnly. b. To conclude, say the final word to.
1854Thackeray Newcomes II. 188 Is there a bishop on the bench that has not amen'd the humbug? 1812Southey Lett. (1856) II. 281, I am come to the ‘End’..of my third year's ‘Register’;..this very evening I have Amen'd the volume. |