释义 |
ivy-bush A bushy branch of ivy; fig. a place of concealment or retirement. †b. spec. A bush of ivy or a representation of it, placed outside a tavern as a sign that wine was sold there; often in phrase good wine needs no ivy-bush; hence, the tavern itself (obs.). Cf. bush n.1 5. † Hence fig. A sign or display (of anything) (obs.).
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 382 Hee is never from the Ivie bush: his lippes are alwayes staynd with the Juice of Bacchus his berries. 1580Lyly Euphues Ep. Ded. (Arb.) 204 Where the wine is neat, ther needeth no Iuie-bush. 1591Florio 2nd Fruites 185 Womens beauty..is like vnto an Iuy bush, that cals men to the tauern, but hangs itselfe withoute to winde and wether. 1612W. Parkes Curtaine-Dr. (1876) 12 Then Tobacco was an Indian, vnpickt and vnpiped, now made the common Iuy-bush of luxury. 1648W. Jenkyn Blind Guide i. 14 This Ivye-bush of boasting doth but shew the badnesse of his wine. 1699Locke Educ. (ed. 4) §94 An old Boy at his first appearance, with all the Gravity of his Ivy-Bush about him, is sure to draw on him the Eyes and Chirping of the whole Town Volery. 1738Swift Polite Conv. i. 94 ‘Pr'y thee, how did the Fool look?’ ‘Look! Egad, he look'd for all the World like an Owl in an Ivy Bush’. 1823A. Clarke Mem. Wesley Fam. 232 Mr. Wesley gave out the following line; ‘Like to an owl in ivy-bush’. 1869Hazlitt Eng. Prov. 262 Like an owl in an ivy-bush. |