| 释义 |
▪ I. invent, v.|ɪnˈvɛnt|
[f. L. invent-, ppl. stem of invenīre to come upon, discover, find out, devise, contrive, f. in- (in-2) + venīre to come. Cf. F. inventer (1539 in R. Estienne).]
†1. trans. To come upon, find; to find out, discover. (Obs. exc. in reference to the Invention of the Cross: see invention 1 b.)
(Often implying ‘to find out or discover by search or endeavour’, and so passing into the later senses.)
c1475Songs & Carols (Percy Soc.) 64 Syns that Eve was procreat owt of Adams syde, Cowd not such newels in this lond be inventyd. 1541R. Copland Galyen's Terapeut. 2 C j, They shuld inuent and knowe that there be two fyrste dyfferences of the functions and actions of medycyne. 1546Langley Pol. Verg. De Invent. ii. xii. 68 Gold..Cadmus, as Plinie affyrmeth, found it in the mount Pangeus, in Thrace; or as some thynke, it was Thoas and Eaclis that inuented it in Panchaia. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VII 34 b, Because none of their Masters were invented culpable of thys naughtye acte, the kynge..restored them to their libertie. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. v. 10 Florimell..vowed never to returne againe Till him alive or dead she did invent. 1668Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat., At the beginning of the Colon, a Valve is placed..invented by Baubinus. 1717J. Keill Anim. Oecon. Pref. (1738) 11 Inventing many Propositions concerning the Motion of the Blood. 1887J. A. L. Riley Athos v. 71 note, According to the popular belief amongst the Greeks it was in a bed of this tender herb [sweet basil] that Our Lord's Cross was invented.
2. To find out or produce by mental activity.
†a. To devise, contrive; to plan, plot. Obs.
1539Lisle Papers 9 Aug. V. 26 (MS.) He will invent all means he can to be stayed here. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. v. 288 Throw counsell of his wyf he inuented the kings slauchtre. 1641J. Jackson True Evang. T. iii. 199 A plot..invented, one would imagine, not by men, but by Cacodæmons. 1750Johnson Rambler No. 77 ⁋14 For laboured impiety, what apology can be invented? 1821Keats Lamia 315 And there had led Days happy as the gold coin could invent Without the aid of love.
†b. To compose as a work of imagination or literary art; to treat in the way of literary or artistic composition. Obs. or merged in c or 3.
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 323 note, Your braine or your wit, and your pen, the one to invent and devise: the other to write. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. iv. iii. 29, I say she neuer did inuent this letter, This is a mans inuention, and his hand. a1683Oldham Art Poetry Wks. (1686) 20 Take a known Subject and invent it well. 1697Dryden æneid Ded. (R.), A poet is a maker, as the word signifies: and he who cannot make, that is, invent, hath his name for nothing.
c. To devise something false or fictitious; to fabricate, feign, ‘make up’.
1535Coverdale Susanna 43, I neuer dyd eny soch thinges, as these men haue maliciously inuented agaynst me. a1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV 237 b, He invented a cause of his commyng,..to pertracte the tyme, till his men [etc.]. 1676tr. Guillatiere's Voy. Athens 74 [She] confessed that she had invented the news. 1791Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest x, She directed Peter to invent some excuse for his absence. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 158 The calumnies which..he had invented to blacken the fame of Anne Hyde. 1871Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. xviii. 137 His real history is well-nigh as marvellous as anything that legend could invent.
3. To find out in the way of original contrivance; to create, produce, or construct by original thought or ingenuity; to devise first, originate (a new method of action, kind of instrument, etc.). The chief current sense.
1538Starkey England i. i. 12 We schal see infynyte strange artys and craftys inuentyd by mannys wyt. 1546Langley Pol. Verg. De Invent. iii. x. 78 b, Dædalus..firste inuented the art of Carpentrie with these instrumentes folowyng, the Sawe, Chippe axe, and Plumline. 1568Grafton Chron. I. 54 Esdras..invented the same Hebrew Charectes which are used at this day. 1601R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 27 They invented the art of printing. 1665R. Hooke Microgr. Pref. b ij b, There may be yet invented several other helps for the eye. 1783Blair Rhet. I. x. 195 Galileo invented the telescope. 1882C. Pebody Eng. Journalism xiii. 94 The Morning Chronicle had the credit..of inventing the leading article. 1883Huxley in Academy 24 Nov., I only said I invented the word ‘agnostic’.
†4. To originate, introduce, or bring into use formally or by authority; to found, establish, institute, appoint. Obs.
1546Langley Pol. Verg. De Invent. vii. iv. 139 Dominicke..inuented a newe fraternite named Dominicans, black Friers, or Friers preachers. 1577J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 44 Festiual dais in old time were inuented for recreation. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 589 Who first invented the order of the Mamalukes. 1665Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 926 That all Taxes invented during the War should be abolished. 1692Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 6 The first Tarquin to give more Dignity to the Senate..invented Ornaments, and gave marks of Distinction.
†5. With inf. (in senses 2–4): To plan, plot, devise, contrive, find out how (to do something).
a1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV 238 When as kyng Edward sought, invented and studied dayly and howerly to bryng hym selfe to quietnesse. 1563Shute Archit. B j b, The Tuscanes..inuented to buylde stronglye after the maner aforsayde. 1660–1Pepys Diary 8 Feb., If they do invent to bring their masters in so much a week by their industry or theft. 1661Feltham Lusoria, etc. (1696) 64 What Pliny said of him that first invented to saw stones. 1729Butler Serm. Govt. Tongue Wks. 1874 II. 41 They will invent to engage your attention.
▪ II. † invent, n. Obs.
[ad. L. invent-um, n. use of neut. of inventus, pa. pple of invenīre: see prec.]
1. Something invented; a device, contrivance: = invention 6, 9.
1555Abp. Parker Ps. cvi. 308 But they more oft rebeld: With theyr inuentes and so for sinne they were but iustly feld. 1623Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. To Rdr. 4 Many notable inuents, and works of old time, haue perished.
2. Inventive faculty: = invention 4.
a1605Montgomerie Sonn. xxix, Thy Homers style, thy Petrarks high invent, Sall vanquish death, and live eternally.
▪ III. † inˈvent, ppl. a. Obs.
[ad. L. invent-us, pa. pple. of invenīre to invent.]
Found out, discovered, invented. (Const. as pa. pple.)
a1500Colkelbie Sow 680 The king..a cornar of a cuntre seuerall, Nocht than invent, inhabit as it lay, Gaif him be seile heretable for ay. a1520Barclay Jugurth (Pynson, ed. 2) 46 b, For at that tyme..they were nat yet inuent. |