| 释义 |
ways and means
Formerly also means and ways, moyens and ways, ways and grounds: see way n.1 13 b. Cf. F. voies et moyens (? after Eng. Parliamentary use).
1. a. The methods and resources which are at a person's disposal for effecting some object.
1433Rolls of Parlt. IV. 449/2 All the weys and menes by the whiche yei mowe enhaunce ye prises of her Merchandises. 1483in Lett. Rich. III & Hen. VII (Rolls) I. 48 His grace is wele content that his said commissioners finde suche weyes and meanes as the said Sir Rauff shalle move frely without enpechement or trouble. 1561T. Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer iii. (1577) O viij, After he had long attempted by all wayes and meanes to compasse hir. 1583Whitgift Serm. (1589) C 5 b, Gregorie..sought also waies and means secretly to murther him. 1699G. Harvey Van. Philos. & Physick v. 40 To preserve Health..no better ways and means can be used, than applying at certain intervals, to those cleansers or abstersives here before mentioned. 1710Steele Tatler No. 195 ⁋6, I send with this, my Discourse of Ways and Means for encouraging Marriage. a1737M. Green Seeker 30 Dominion and wealth are the aim of all three, Tho' about ways and means they may disagree. 1775Burke Sp. Concil. Amer. 22 Mar. 56 Fortunately I am not obliged for the ways and means of this substitute to tax my own unproductive invention. 1848Dickens Dombey liii, He has been devising ways and means all the way here of explaining himself, and has been satisfied with none. 1882‘Edna Lyall’ Donovan xv, It was true that there were ways and means of raising money. 1905P. Landon Lhasa II. 136 In Tibet there are ways and means unknown to western nations.
†b. rarely in sing. way and mean. Obs.
c1400Apol. Loll. 83 In þe þrid maner is a þing seid better þan an oþer, in þis, as it helpiþ better by sum wey and mene to þe ȝend of a þing, þan an oþer doþ. 1500–20Dunbar Poems lxxvii. 70 The for to pleis thay socht all way and mein. [1530Palsgr. 287/2 Wey or meane, acheison.]
2. a. spec. In Legislation: methods of procuring funds or supplies for the current expenditure of the state. Also attrib.
Committee of Way and Means. (a) A committee of the whole House of Commons, which sits to receive the annual financial statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and to consider the means of procuring the necessary annual supply. (b) U.S. A standing committee of the House of Representatives, to which are referred bills dealing with revenue, tariff, etc.
1644Jrnl. Ho. Comm. III. 509/1 This Committee, or any Four of them, is to consider of all Ways and Means for raising of Monies..and to make Report to the House. 1685Ibid. IX. 759/1 The House then..resolved into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Ways and Means to raise his Majesty's Supply. 1695–6Luttrell Brief Rel. IV. 16 The commons were yesterday in a committee of the whole house upon wayes and means for raising two millions. 1695(title) An Essay upon ways and means of supplying the war. [By C. Davenant.] 1737Gentl. Mag. VII. 654/1 When we take this Affair into our Consideration in the Committee of Ways and Means. 1738Johnson London 245 Ye Senatorian Band, Whose Ways and Means support the sinking Land. 1767Sterne Tr. Shandy ix. xi, The first Lord of the Treasury thinking of ways and means, could not have returned home, with a more embarrassed look. 1785Rolliad, Prob. Odes xi. 92 Rapt in St. Stephen's future scenes, I sit perpetual Chairman of the Ways and Means. 1798T. Jefferson Let. to J. Madison 26 Apr., Writ. 1854 IV. 237 The Committee of Ways and Means have voted a land tax. 1824Macaulay Prophetic Acct. Epic Poem Misc. Writ. 1860 I. 149 His Lordship..advises him [Mr. Vansittart] to look after the ways and means, and leave questions of peace and war to his betters.
attrib.1867Oregon State Jrnl. 5 Jan. 2/2 The Ways and Means Committee decided to postpone an action on Mr. Boutwell's bill. 1919Lit. Digest 22 Mar. 21/2 Mr. Fordney, of Michigan,..will probably be..Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. 1973B. J. Sims Suppl. to Sergeant on Stamp Duties (ed. 6) a55 This section and the associated Ways and Means Resolution provides powers whereby changes in stamp duty may be given effect to by means of a Budget Resolution. 1977Time 12 Dec. 34/2 Al Ullman, the House Ways and Means chairman, has been pleading with Carter for a ‘minimalist’ rather than a ‘maximalist’ tax bill.
fig.1699Garth Dispensary vi. 108 No Ways and Means their Cabinet employ, But their dark Hours they waste in barren Joy.
b. Pecuniary resources in general.
† to be upon ways and means, to be trying to raise money.
1738Gentl. Mag. VIII. 41/2 So have I known a buxom lad..taught by kind mamma at home; Who gives him many a well try'd rule, With ways and means—to act a fool. 1760Foote Minor ii. Wks. 1799 I. 250 People that are upon ways and means, must not be nice. 1791Smeaton Edystone L. §313 And whenever it shall appear to be necessary to renew it [sc. the gilding], I doubt not but ways and means will be found. 1869A. Macdonald Love, Law & Theol. x. 159 The party then adjourned to McGroggy's large room, and..resolved themselves into a committee of ways and means. 1872Geo. Eliot Middlem. lviii, She had not yet had any anxiety about ways and means. 1879‘Edna Lyall’ Won by Waiting xxi, She..went to the nursery, to discuss ways and means with Bella's nurse. |