| 释义 |
vivacity|vaɪˈvæsɪtɪ, vɪ-|
Also 5–6 vivacite, 6–7 -tie, 7 vivassity.
[a. OF. vivacite (F. vivacité, = It. vivacità, Sp. vivacidad, Pg. -idade), or ad. L. vīvācitāt-, vīvācitās natural vigour, vital force, liveliness, f. vīvāci-, vīvāx vivacious a.: see -ity.]
The state or condition of being vivacious.
1. Intellectual or mental animation, acuteness, or vigour; quickness or liveliness of conception or perception.
In the first group const. of (mind, spirit, thought, etc.).
(a)1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 337 Lanfrancus..restorede specially to monkes possessions taken from theyme; whom vivacite of mynde and favor of seynte Dunstan made bolde to do soe. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 216 b, He hath this viuacite or quycknes of wytte. 1598Rob. Barret Theor. Warres v. ii. 143 The Harqubutiers..inuring their horse, both to the crack and fire..wherein consisteth fine skill with viuacitie of spirite. 1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 57 In the vivacity of spirit there is none can paragonize or equall her. 1649Ogilby tr. Virg. Georg. ii. (1684) 80 The Invention, Light, and Vivacity of Mind. 1694Atterbury Serm., Prov. xiv. 6 (1726) I. 186 Wit indeed, as it implies a certain uncommon Reach and Vivacity of Thought, is an excellent Talent. 1796Morse Amer. Geog. II. 456 What is wanting in the robust frame of their bodies..is in a great measure made up to them by the vivacity of their minds. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. II. 217 That amplitude and acuteness of intellect, that vivacity of fancy,..belonged..to Halifax alone.
(b)1604E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies vi. ii. 433 Wherein..wee may well perceive the great signes of their vivacitie and good vnderstanding. 1607–12Bacon Ess., Young Men (Arb.) 256 Heat and vivacity in age is an excellent Composicion for busines. 1682Burnet Hale 122 He had great vivacity in his Fancy, as may appear by his Inclination to Poetry. 1728Pope Dunc. i. Notes (1736) 110 Mr. Colly Cibber, an author..of a good share of wit, and uncommon vivacity. 1763Cole in Coll. Top. & Gen. (1837) IV. 48 A fine youth,..of great parts and vivacity, at Eton School. 1836–7Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. (1877) I. xiv. 254 How many several objects can the mind simultaneously survey, not with vivacity, but without absolute confusion.
b. Of conceptions or ideas.
a1704T. Brown Eng. Sat. Wks. 1730 I. 27 His conceptions were..full of fire and vivacity. 1746in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. I. 295, I greatly apprehend that the Weakness of his Lordships Body will not be able to keep pace with the Vivacity of his conceptions. 1764Reid Inquiry ii. §5 Sensation, memory, belief and imagination when they have the same object are only degrees of strength and vivacity in the idea.
†2. Vital force or power; vitality. Obs.
This sense and sense 3 tend to merge into one another and are not always clearly distinguishable.
1611Cotgr., Vivaceté, viuacitie, liuelinesse, lustinesse, vigor, strength. 1635Heywood Hierarchy iii. 156 Aire,..of all the Elements the most noble, and fullest of vivacitie and liuelyhood. a1699Beaumont Psyche xii. 189 Ah, dead and rotten Faith, which can display No fruit to prove the Root's vivacity! 1724R. Welton Chr. Faith & Pract. 12 The grave shall surrender our crumbled ashes, redintegrated into a more perfect vivacity than ever. 1747tr. Astruc's Fevers 130 This fever is much more dangerous in young persons..than in old people; for the vivacity of the former..contribute[s]..to foment it constantly.
b. transf. and fig. Active force, power, vigour.
1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Exhort. §13. 9 Many cases do occurre, which need a president, and the vivacity of an excellent example. 1663Patrick Parab. Pilgr. (1687) 75 It is an active and busie affection; having as much Vivacity as it hath strength. 1746Hervey Medit. (1748) II. 8 See! how languishingly it [the departing sunlight] trembles on the leafy Spire... The little Vivacity, that remains, decays every Moment..While I speak, it expires. 1753N. Torriano Gangr. Sore Throat 66 To prevent the Vivacity of the Fever and other Symptoms. 1793W. Roberts Looker-on No. 36 (1794) II. 33 While this principle was in its full vivacity, all was sure to go well.
3. The property or fact of living for a long time; longevity. Now rare.
1616Bullokar Eng. Expos., Viuacitie, long life, liuelinesse. 1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iii. ix. 123 Fables are raised concerning the vivassity of Deere; for neither are their gestation or increment such as may afford an argument of long life. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. vi. 347 The vivacity of some of these Pensioners is little lesse than a Miracle, they survived so long. 1684T. Burnet Theory Earth i. 181 In their topical paradises also, they [the ancients] always suppos'd a great vivacity or longævity in those that enjoy'd them.
fig.1853Trench Proverbs 119 The vivacity of the truth, as contrasted with this short-lived character of the lie.
†b. Tenacity of life. Obs.
1663Boyle Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos. ii. i. 16 The strange vivacity we have sometimes..observed in Vipers: Since..their Hearts clearly sever'd from their Bodies may be observ'd to beat for some hours. 1664Power Exp. Philos. i. 6 Many more observables there are in Common Flyes, as their Vivacity; for, when they appear desperate..they will be revoked into life, and perform its functions again.
4. Vigorous or energetic action; activity, energy, vigour; spirit. Now rare.
1652Kirkman Clerio & Lozia 137 He himself killed the Prince of Doudonne, who for a time defended himself with much vivacity. a1656Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 35, I was enabled with much..vivacitie to perform that service. 1736T. Lediard Life Marlborough II. 494 They were charg'd with a great deal of Vivacity by the Enemy. 1750H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 359 Robbing is the only thing that goes on with any vivacity. 1787Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 301 The preparations were pushed with such vivacity on the part of England, that it was believed she had other objects in view. 1815J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 65 The vivacity with which sounds are transmitted through solid substances, is very remarkable. 1863Kinglake Crimea II. 337 Of course, the vivacity of France and England tended to place Austria at her ease. 1885Bancroft Hist. U.S. III. 61 The promise..stimulated their irregular vivacity to enforce laws which had become obsolete.
5. The quality, condition, or fact of being animated or lively; esp. lively or spirited conduct, manner, or speech; animation or liveliness of demeanour or disposition; briskness, sprightliness.
Also (b) const. of (the disposition, etc.).
(a)1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §7 Whoever considers the Acts of power and injustice..in those intervals of Parliament, will not be much scandalized at the warmth and vivacity of those meetings. 1654Ld. Broghill Parthenissa 209 He had a look so spiritual and full of vivacity, that no effeminate Beauty was comparable to it. 1711Addison Spect. No. 128 ⁋1 As Vivacity is the Gift of Women, Gravity is that of Men. 1766Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767) I. v. 173 Is not extreme vivacity a near borderer on folly? 1791Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest vii, Her natural vivacity resumed its long-lost empire. 1828D'Israeli Chas. I, II. vi. 156 The noisy vivacity which the French usually assume when they would carry their point. 1847S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. III. 511 The ambassador remarked, with all the vivacity consistent with his respect for the pope, how important the affair was. 1879Dixon Windsor III. viii. 74 A man with the vivacity of a boy.
(b)1702W. J. Bruyn's Voy. Levant xxix. 109 The Oppression under which they groan has extinguish'd all the Vivacity of their Minds. 1716Pope Lett. (1735) I. 286 There is a Vivacity and Gaiety of Disposition almost peculiar to him. 1800Charac. in Asiat. Ann. Reg. 32/2 The natural ardour and gay vivacity of his disposition. 1826Scott Woodst. i, The vivacity of his eye indicated some irascibility of temperament. 1835Jas. Martin's Disc. Memoir p. xliii, The spring and vivacity of his spirit became almost like those of a boy discharged from school.
b. As a literary or artistic quality.
1762H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1765) II. 126 An admirable half length..painted and finished with the greatest vivacity and clearness. 1824L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 195 When narration is full of images or events, the omission of connectives may..give a sort of picture of hurry and tumult, and so heighten the vivacity of description. 1827Scott Chron. Canongate Introd., The reckless play of raillery which gave vivacity to his original acting. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 308 The first great painter of life and manners has described, with a vivacity which makes it impossible to doubt that he was copying from nature, the effect [etc.].
c. A vivacious or lively act, expression, scene, etc. Usu. in pl.
1692Dryden tr. St. Euremont's Ess. 375 The most fertile Spirits come to exhaust themselves,..the most enlivened Vivacities either repulse you or weary you. 1712Steele Spect. No. 448 ⁋2 Persons who fall into that Way purely to recommend themselves by their Vivacities. 1756H. Walpole Lett. to Mann (1846) III. 217, I have read..the Pucelle,..throughout there are many vivacities; but so absurd, perplexed a story is intolerable. 1847L. Hunt Jar Honey v. (1848) 58 The Scotch, appear to have been driven by a jovial desperation into the vivacities inspired by the sunshine of the south. 1851Carlyle Sterling ii. iii, He was full of bright speech and argument; radiant with arrowy vitalities, vivacities and ingenuities.
6. Brightness, brilliancy (of light or colour).
1734tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) I. Pref. 19 The splendour and vivacity of whose colours charm the eye. 1735Dict. Polygraph. s.v. China, The vivacity of this colour appears no less in glass of lead than in crystal. 1808Sir W. Herschel in Phil. Trans. XCVIII. 157 The vivacity of the light of the comet..had a much greater resemblance to the radiance of the stars. |