| 释义 |
▪ I. infer, v.|ɪnˈfɜː(r)|
Also (6 infarre, enferre), 6–7 inferre, 7–8 inferr. Inflected inferred, etc.
[ad. L. inferre to bear, bring, or carry in, to inflict, make (war), to cause, occasion, to introduce; in med.L., to infer; f. in- (in-2) + ferre to bear. Cf. F. inférer to allege, show, infer (16th c.).]
†1.
a. trans. To bring on, bring about, induce, occasion, cause, procure; to bring upon (a person, etc.), to inflict; to wage (war) upon. Obs.
c1540Boorde The boke for to Lerne C iv a, Immoderat slepe..doth induce and infarre [1542 ― Dyetary viii. (1870) 245 infer] breuyte of lyfe. 1543–4Act 35 Hen. VIII, c. 12 The same frenche kyng..hathe inferred and done vnto his maiestie..intollerable displeasures. 1566Painter Pal. Pleas. I. B ij b, Determined by common accorde, to inferre warres vppon the Romaines. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 160 If any wound be inferred with force of forreigne weapon. 1589Nashe Almond for Parrat 11 b, A wicked mind..eyther meditates the iniuries which he is about to inferre, or feares some reproch to be inferred by others. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, iv. iv. 343 Inferre faire Englands peace by this Alliance. 1596Spenser F.Q. vi. viii. 31 Faire Serena; who..fled fast away, afeard Of villany to be to her inferd. 1640Bp. Reynolds Passions iii. 16. 1697 Potter Antiq. Greece i. xxvi. (1715) 178 He who wilfully infers Damage, shall refund twice as much. 1754Edwards Freed. Will ii. xii. 123 If absolute Decrees are inconsistent with Man's Liberty as a moral Agent..it is not on account of any Necessity which absolute Decrees infer.
†b. To confer, bestow. Obs.
1571Campion Hist. Irel. (1633) 45 That the Metropolitanes See was inferred upon meere lay persons of the blood royall. 1589Nashe Anat. Absurd. Epist. ⁋iij, What ever content felicitie or Fortune may enferre. 1614Raleigh Hist. World i. ii. 363 That this honour might bee inferred on some one of the bloud and race of their ancient King.
†c. with compl. To cause to be; to make, render. Obs. rare.
1667Milton P.L. vii. 116 To glorifie the Maker, and inferr Thee also happier.
†2. To bring in, introduce (in discourse or writing); to mention, report, relate, tell; to bring forward (as an argument, etc.), adduce, allege. (With simple obj., or more rarely obj. clause.) Obs.
1526Skelton Magnyf. 61 Somewhat I could enferre Your consayte to debarre. 1584R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. xiii. vii. (1886) 245 The Jasper stone, touching which..I have inferred Marbodeus his verses. 1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. ii. 44 Full well hath Clifford plaid the Orator, Inferring arguments of mighty force. 1607Drewill's Arraignm. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) III. 60 This oath..hauing beene..read..he was required to alleadge or inferre against any part thereof what he colde. a1668Davenant Play House Wks. (1673) 103 Towards the conclusion, it infers the Voyages of the English thither, and the amity of the Nations towards them. 1710Prideaux Orig. Tithes iii. 152 note, The Canon of the Council of Friuli..is too long to be here at full inferred.
3. a. To bring in or ‘draw’ as a conclusion; spec. in Logic, To derive by a process of reasoning, whether inductive or deductive, from something known or assumed; to accept from evidence or premisses; to deduce, conclude. (With simple obj. or obj. clause.)
1529More Dyaloge i. Wks. 147/1 Wherupon is inferred eftsone al that the messenger wold haue fled fro by force. 1568in H. Campbell Love Lett. Mary Q. Scots (1824) 18 They inferred upon a letter of her own hand that there was another meane..devised to kill the king. 1584Fenner Def. Ministers (1587) 3 Because the strength of a consequence doeth hange..vppon..the necessitie of the illation, let vs marke what hee inferreth. 1624Sanderson Twelve Serm. (1632) 468 We should from the premisses inferre something for our farther use. 1717Prior Alma iii. 312 What I never meant Don't you infer. 1738Warburton Div. Legat. II. 225 From this State of Antiquity I would inferr these two Things. 1843Mill Logic (1856) Introd. §4 The truths known by intuition are the original premises from which all others are inferred. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. vi. 423 Cnut hastily inferred that they had deserted. 1871B. Stewart Heat §13 It will be inferred from what we have said that [etc.].
b. absol. To draw a conclusion or inference; to reason from one thing to another.
1577T. Vautrollier Luther on Ep. Gal. 155 Reason hearing this, by and by doth thus inferre: Then God gaue the lawe in vaine. 1634Milton Comus 408 I do not, Brother, Infer, as if I thought my Sister's state Secure. 1769Burke Late St. Nation 76 These reasonings, which infer from the many restraints under which we have already laid America, to our right to lay it under still more..are conclusive..as to right; but the very reverse as to policy and practice. 1828Whately Rhet. in Encycl. Metrop. 242/1 To infer is to be regarded as the proper office of the Philosopher;—to prove, of the Advocate. 1876Jevons Logic Prim. 12 When we thus learn one fact from other facts, we infer or reason, and we do this in the mind.
4. To lead to (something) as a conclusion; to involve as a consequence; to imply. (Said of a fact or statement; sometimes, of the person who makes the statement.)
This use is widely considered to be incorrect, esp. with a person as the subject.
c1530More Answ. Frith Wks. 840/2 The fyrste parte is not the proofe of the second, but rather contrary wyse, the seconde inferreth well y⊇ fyrst. 1581Mulcaster Positions xliii. (1887) 277 Socrates findes a good scholer which in naturall relation inferreth a good maister. 1633Earl of Manchester Al Mondo (1636) 110 Solomon saying that the day of death was better than the day of birth, inferred that there was a faire way of doing well. 1667Milton P.L. viii. 91 Consider first, that Great or Bright inferrs not Excellence. 1736Butler Anal. i. vii. Wks. 1874 I. 134 These assertions..would infer nothing more than that it might have been better. 1813J. S. Stanhope in A. M. W. Pickering Mem. (1902) II. 377 He said nothing that could in any way infer the necessity of a retreat of the allies. 1814Scott Wav. II. xviii. 284 They are..more benign in demeanour than their physiognomy or aspect might infer. 1818Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. vi. 583 Yet, what did the proposition of the Governor-General to the Council infer? 1884Academy 10 May 327 Socrates argued that a statue inferred the existence of a sculptor. 1946M. Peake Titus Groan 373 That he had fulfilled his intention of inveigling his enemy to the place of his own choosing must surely infer that the initiative once again lay with him. 1969Bennison & Wright Geol. Hist. Brit. Isles i. 5 A. Holmes deprecated the use of the term ‘Absolute’ age as inferring an accuracy which is unwarranted. 1970Private Eye 2 Jan. 12, I can't stand fellers who infer things about good clean-living Australian sheilahs. 1973Daily Tel. 30 June 14, I have seen references..to the watering of Ascot racecourse, inferring that the water has been taken from public mains at a time when economy is being urged on all consumers.
†5. To carry to the grave, to bury (= L. inferre). Obs. rare. (But perh. the word is interred.)
c1555Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 200 Her dead corpse was carried to Peterborough and there inferred.
†6. To carry in, insert; to figure as inserted or projecting into. Obs. rare.
1572J. Bossewell Armorie ii. 27 Engrayled..because two colors, or any mettal or colour, be gradately inferred one into the other, that no partition, but onely the Purflue, maie be seene betwene them.
▪ II. infer
see infare n. |