| 释义 |
prolixity|prəʊˈlɪksɪtɪ|
Also 5–6 -ite, -yte, -itye, etc.
[a. F. prolixité (13th c. in Littré), ad. late L. prōlixitās, f. prōlix-us prolix: see -ity.]
The state or quality of being prolix.
1. Lengthiness of spoken or written matter; length of discourse; copiousness and minuteness of detail; esp. tedious or tiresome lengthiness.
c1374Chaucer Troylus ii. 1515 (1564) But flee we now prolixite beste is. 1483Caxton Cato I. ix, For to eschewe prolyxyte and longe wordes. c1555Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 84 Which for avoiding of prolixity I do pretermit. 1678R. R[ussell] tr. Geber ii. i. ii. xv. 64 Without prolixity or tediousness of Words. 1755Washington Lett. Writ. 1889 I. 201, I hope your Honor will..excuse the prolixity of this. 1864Burton Scot Abr. II. ii. 135 The confusion, ambiguity, and verbose prolixity of the narrative.
b. Tedious slowness of action. rare.
1827Lytton Pelham lviii, An appetite once thrown away can never, till the cruel prolixity of the gastric agents is over, be regained.
†2. Of time: Long or wearisome duration. Obs.
a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI 91 Twenty other, whiche for prolixitie of tyme I thinke necessary to be omitted. 1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 187 When he hath exactly sifted every one of you by experience and prolixitie of time.
3. Material length. Now humorous.
1543in Sharpe Cal. Let. Bk. D. Lond. (1902) p. xi, [Wearing a beard] of more notable prolyxyte or length. 1650Bulwer Anthropomet. 56 Haire long or short,..the prolixity or brevity whereof we cannot positively determine. 1784Cowper Task i. 265 These chesnuts rang'd in corresponding lines;..The obsolete prolixity of shade. 1851Hawthorne Ho. Sev. Gables xi, The monkey..with a thick tail curling out into preposterous prolixity from beneath his tartans, took his station at the Italian's feet. |