| 释义 |
know-nothing, n. and a.|ˈnəʊnʌθɪŋ|
[f. know v. + nothing; cf. do-nothing.]
A. n.
1. a. One who knows nothing, a very ignorant person, an ignoramus. b. One who holds that nothing can be known; an agnostic.
1827J. F. Cooper Red Rover I. ii. 42 The fellow is a know-nothing! 1839J. Rogers Antipopopr. 140 Knownothing appears a desirable word to signify one very ignorant. 1871R. H. Hutton Ess. (1877) I. 24 The know-nothings really feel towards God as if they knew something of Him. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) II. 443 Socrates is represented in the character of a know-nothing.
2. A member of a political party in the United States, called also the American party, prominent during the years 1853–56; so named because, having been originally organized as a secret society, its members, to preserve this character, professed to outsiders complete ignorance regarding it.
The chief principle of the party was that none but native citizens should be permitted to share in the government. It disappeared about 1859.
1854Harper's Mag. Aug. 400/1 A secret combination designated as ‘Know-Nothings’..have operated with much success in local elections in many of the larger places. 1856Olmstead Slave States 15 Washington is, at this time, governed by the Know Nothings. 1878N. Amer. Rev. CXXVI. 22 In the campaign of 1855..the Know-nothings carried the state again by a large majority. 1884T. W. Barnes Mem. Thurlow Weed 224 (Cent.) If a member of the order was asked about its practices or purposes, he answered that he knew nothing about them, and ‘Americans’, for that reason, soon came to be called Know Nothings.
B. attrib. or adj.
1. a. That knows nothing; grossly ignorant. b. That holds that nothing can be known; agnostic.
a1825Forby Voc. E. Anglia s.v., A poor know-nothing creature! 1837Marryat Dog-Fiend xx, I'm..a know-nothing ninny. 1858Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. I. xxx. 116 The know-nothing or deceptive government at home. 1860Emerson Cond. Life vi. (1861) 121 Here are know-nothing religions, or churches that proscribe intellect. 1897Dublin Rev. Apr. 334 A rationalistic and know-nothing philosophy. 1959Encounter XII. ii. 32 He..sounds most like a know-nothing native writer. 1972Computers & Humanities VII. 13 Robert Wachal has offered a humorous account of the problems encountered by the know-nothing humanist who wishes to learn about computing.
2. Of or pertaining to the American Know-nothings: see A. 2.
1854Southern Lit. Messenger XX. 540/1 This Know Nothing movement will prove to be..a giant evil. 1856Olmsted Slave States 172 The Richmond Whig—the leading Know-nothing newspaper in the Southern States. 1875N. Amer. Rev. CXX. 394 The great Know-Nothing movement. 1885Lalor & Mason tr. Von Holst's Const. Hist. U.S. 116 One-half of the Know Nothing programme was unacceptable to the South. |