| 释义 |
† ˈancienty Obs.
Forms: 4 anciente, 5 -yaunte, aunciente, 5–6 -yente, -ientee, -ientye, -yauntye, ancianitie, 6–7 aunc-, ant-, ancientie, 6–8 ancienty.
[a. AFr. ancienté for OFr. ancienneté, f. ancien ancient, cogn. w. Pr. ancianetat, It. anzianità, Sp. ancianidad. (Of Romanic formation: if the word had been L., the OFr. would have been ancienté: see -ity.) The erroneous association of ancien(t) with ppl. forms in -ent, finally caused ancienty to be corrupted to anciency. Only in Scotch did the regular ancianitie (cf. christianity, etc.) appear in 16th c.]
gen. The quality of being ancient, ancientness, antiquity.
1. Remoteness in past time; distance back from the present.
1485Caxton Chas. Gt. 25 the Romans whyche of grete ancyaunte were of grete apporte. 1563Pilkington Burning of Pauls (1841) 586 We know what ancienty and authority they be of. 1579W. Fulke Heskins's Parl. 281 No one writer of like auncientie sayth it is not the verie bodie.
2. The time long past; the ancient or olden time; antiquity.
1489Caxton Faytes of Armes iii. v. 175 That the lande were bounde so to doo of auncyente. c1525Skelton Ph. Sparowe 767 These poetes of auncyente. 1602Carew Cornwall 236 Their Wooll..hath (from all auncientie) beene transported, without paying Custome.
3. concr. The people of old times; the ancients.
1556Veron Godly Saiyngs (1846) 15 We do synne no lesse..than the auncyauntye dyd synne in the Arke of the Lordes covenante.
4. The quality of having existed since a remote period, or of extending back from the present to a time long past; old standing.
1524Suppl. for Beggers (1845) 12 For the..auncientie of your kyngdome whiche was bifore theyrs. a1572Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 281 The ancianitie of the blood of my Hous. 1592Greene Quip for Upst. Courtier in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) II. 228 To preach, and shew the antiquitie and antientie of his house. 1623Sanderson Serm. Ad. Mag. ii. 106 We may not deny them the ancienty of their descent;..semen serpentis, the spawn of the old Serpent.
5. The quality of being aged; agedness, oldness.
1375Barbour Bruce vi. 252 A gret stane..That throw the gret anciente Was lowsyt, reddy for to fall. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 426/1 He, fylled with benewred auncyente of dayes..rendred hys sowle. 1569T. Newton Cicero De Senect. 17 a, My gray heares, and my auncientie of yeres.
6. Seniority; priority of birth or appointment.
1549W. Thomas Hist. Italy 39 The Cardinalls bestowed themselfes after their auncientee in certaine stalles. a1604Hanmer Chron. Irel. 194 For the eldest can demand..the chiefe mease by reason of her auncienty. 1775Ash, Ancienty (a law term), Seniority, priority of birth. |