| 释义 |
▪ I. killing, vbl. n.|ˈkɪlɪŋ|
[f. kill v. + -ing1.]
1. a. The action of the vb. kill, in various senses.
c1440Destr. Troy 6635 Þere was kyllyng of knyghtis, crusshyng of helmys. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 15, I beleeue we must leaue the killing out, when all is done. 1607Hieron Wks. I. 208 All delaies are euen a very killing to the soule. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 247 It is a very odd..Notion, which the Vulgar entertain, with relation to (what they call) killing of Quick-silver. 1748Anson's Voy. iii. iii. 325 The killing and preparing of provisions. 1890Boldrewood Col. Reformer (1891) 306 Killing is not the fashion much in this country.
b. attrib. and Comb., as killing-clothes, killing-floor, killing-ground, killing-house, killing-tackle, killing-yard; also killing bottle, a bottle containing a poison for killing captured insects, etc.; killing-circle, the area within which, at a certain range, the charge of shot from a gun is sufficiently compact to kill the game; cf. pattern n. 11; killing-sheep, a sheep intended or fit to be killed for food; killing-time, (a) the time at which an animal is (fit to be) killed; (b) in Sc. Hist., part of the year 1685, during which many covenanters were put to death (by later writers extended to 1683–85, or even the whole period 1679–88); killing-value, the value of stock when killed for food.
1877Encycl. Brit. VI. 134/2 Beetles when caught may..be dropped..into what is known as the ‘*killing bottle’, the bottom of which contains cyanide of potassium covered over with a layer of gypsum. 1960B. K. Wilson Lovely Summer ii. 21 He could not understand how his mild-mannered father could trap the butterflies in his killing-bottle with such enthusiasm. 1974Guardian 20 Sept. 17/8 Insects hitting a panel dangling below the tent will fly up into the dome, where they will be anaesthetised by fumes being given off by a killing bottle.
1886Walsingham & Payne-Gallwey Shooting: Field & Covert vi. 94 The charge of a 20-bore is smaller, lighter, and has a less *killing circle than has a 12-bore. 1892W. W. Greener Breech-Loader 148 For ordinary sporting purposes a gun which shall give its largest killing circle at 30 yards with the first barrel, and at 40 with the second, will be found the most convenient of good shots.
1828Moir Mansie Wauch v. 40 Out flew the flesher in his *killing-claiths. 1855Whitman Leaves Grass, Songs of Myself 12 The butcher-boy puts off his killing-clothes.
1897R. Kipling Seven Seas, Rhyme Three Sealers 70 He'll lie down on the *killing-grounds.
1578Nottingham Rec. (1889) IV. 180 No butcher shall put into y⊇ medowes aboue fiue score *killinge shepe.
1687A. Shields Hind let loose 200 In the beginning of this *killing-time, as the Country calls it, the first author and authorizer of all these mischiefs, Charles II, was removed by death. 1732P. Walker Life Cargill 90 He was taken in November 1684, the two slaughter years of Killing-Time being begun in the 15th day of August before. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. xviii, It was in killing time, when the plowers were drawing alang their furrows on the back of the Kirk of Scotland. 1842J. Aiton Domest. Econ. (1857) 236 The pig..will be about a year old at killing time.
2. A large profit; a quick and profitable success in business, etc. slang (orig. U.S.).
1888Texas Siftings 24 Mar. 13/2 Fred Jarvis..getting $15,000 in The Louisiana State Lottery drawing... Many..would like to know something relative to the man who was fortunate enough to ‘make a killing’. 1912T. Dreiser Financier xxx. 340 Railroad securities..were considered weak under the present circumstances, and a great killing was expected. 1938‘N. Shute’ Ruined City i. 11 I'm a banker, of course. I don't take tips, and I don't make any great killings, but in my quiet way I get along all right. 1959F. Hobson Death on Back-Bench x. 136 Instead of making a financial killing which would have made him far wealthier and more powerful than ever before, he was going to be worse off than he had ever been. 1967M. McCarthy in Observer 30 Apr. 12 Their personal..aim..was to make a killing..in Vietnamese real estate. 1972Wodehouse Pearls, Girls & Monty Bodkin iv. 52 If Soapy Molloy made a killing nobody could be more eager to celebrate than Dolly. 1972Times Lit. Suppl. 12 May 544/2 Authors hold on in the hope of making a killing on film rights.
Add:[1.] [b.] killing zone, (a) chiefly Mil. (orig. U.S.), a sector of a military engagement with a high concentration of fatalities; an area bombarded with heavy artillery fire, etc.; also transf. and fig. (b) orig. U.S., an area of the human body where entry of a projectile would cause fatal injury, esp. as indicated on a practice target.
1970W. C. Woods (title) The *killing zone. 1974W. Garner Big enough Wreath i. 7 ‘Five in K5 again...’ K5 was the killing zone. The marksman laid the cards alongside the rest. 1981Time 9 Nov. 116/2 Harrison scores well on the firing range: his humor usually strikes in the killing zone. 1985Washington Post 10 Aug. d3/2 In describing a U.S. rocket and bomb attack on the North Vietnamese base camp or rangers caught in the killing zone of a flawlessly executed NVA ambush, Scott puts the reader in the middle of the violence and confusion, the pain, the horror. 1990Match Fishing Feb./Mar. 14/2 The bait will get down to the ‘killing zone’ within two to three seconds.
▪ II. killing, ppl. a.|ˈkɪlɪŋ|
[f. kill v. + -ing2.]
1. a. That kills or deprives of life. lit. and fig.
1435Misyn Fire of Love 89 Bittyr hony & kyllande fruyte. 1609Bible (Douay) Jer. xxii. 7, I wil sanctifie upon thee a killing man and his weapons. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, iii. ii. 355 The third day, comes a Frost; a killing Frost. 1646P. Bulkeley Gospel Covt. i. 95 These are the killing and destroying sinnes, that leave no remedy. 1703Kelsey Serm. 130 The killing Interpretations of Pharisaical Pride. 1821Shelley Hellas 234 Apollo, Pan, and Love..Grew weak, for killing Truth had glared on them.
b. Of bait, etc.: Deadly; sure to kill.
1681J. Chetham Angler's Vade-m. iv. §25 (1689) 56 As killing a Bait as any whatever. 1867F. Francis Angling i. (1880) 46 Fishing with the young frog is a very killing method of fishing for chub.
2. In hyperbolic use: Able to kill.
a. Crushing, oppressive; fatal.
1615G. Sandys Trav. 194 Where they say that the blessed Virgine..fell into a trance at the sight of that killing spectacle. a1711Ken Serm. Wks. (1838) 184 It was a killing consideration, to lie buried in such a sorrow. 1790Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 193 The killing languor..of those who have nothing to do. 1841Catlin N. Amer. Ind. (1844) II. xxxvii. 37 Unshackled by the killing restraints of society. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair xxix, The General went on with killing haughtiness.
†b. Of a proof or argument: That ‘settles’ an opponent; overpowering, fatal. Obs.
1654Bramhall Just Vind. (1661) 249 To this supposed killing argument I give three clear solutions. 1673Ess. Educ. Gentlewom. 32 This is the killing Objection. 1676Marvell Mr. Smirke 30 Away he goes with it..and knocks all on the head with a killing Instance.
c. Overpoweringly beautiful or attractive.
1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. Ded. A ij b, Those who are suddenly taken with a killing beautie. 1676Wycherley Pl. Dealer ii. Wks. (Rtldg.) 115/2 With you ladies too, martial men must needs be very killing. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 40 The maid..tiffing out her mistress in a killing attire. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge xx, Curling her hair on her fingers,..and giving it some killing twists.
d. Physically overpowering; exhausting.
1850T. A. Trollope Impress. Wand. xxv. 383 The last three hours of our journey were the most killing part of the day's work. 1855W. H. Russell The War xxvii. 17 The pace at which they went was really ‘killing’.
e. ‘Excruciatingly’ funny; that makes one ‘die’ with laughing. colloq.
1844‘J. Slick’ High Life N.Y. I. xvi. 255 Then the tall man in whiskers would begin to look as if he raly had been a killing critter with the women folk. 1874L. Troubridge Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 83 She was in her dressing-gown and looked too killing, exactly like those fat chinamen flying kites on Amy's Japanese screen. 1889‘Mark Twain’ Connecticut Yankee 111 A lecturer..flooded an audience with the killingest jokes for an hour. 1923[see dine v. 1 b]. 1960M. Spark Bachelors iii. 47 ‘That's exactly what I expected you to say,’ Marlene said. ‘I think you're killing.’
3. As adv. = killingly.
1670Dryden Conq. Granada ii. i, Having seen you once so killing Fair, A second Sight were but to move Despair. 1883Stevenson Silverado Sq. (1886) 3 The ocean breeze blew killing chill.
Hence ˈkillingly adv., in a killing manner; ˈkillingness.
[1593Nashe Christ's T. (1613) 134 Sight-killingly.] 1641Milton Animadv. Pref., Nothing could be more killingly spoken. 1642J. Eaton Honey-c. Free Justif. 124 We must all preach it [the Law]..as killingly as we can. 1730G. Lillo George Barnwell i. ii, Mill. How do I look to-day, Lucy? Lucy. Oh, killingly, madam! A little more red, and you'll be irresistible. 1839Bailey Festus xx. (1852) 313 There are three things I love half killingly. 1840R. Bremner Excurs. Denmark, etc. I. 314 A large bunch of flowers in the hand, or on the breast, which most of the young fellows displayed with conscious killingness. |