| 释义 |
witty, a.|ˈwɪtɪ|
Forms: 1 wit(t)iᵹ, 3 witi(ȝ, -eȝ, 3–5 wytti, 3–6 witti, 4–6 wytty, wittye, 4–7 wittie, (4 witthi, Sc. vitty, 5 witte, 6 wyttie, -ye, Sc. (superl.) vittiast), 3– witty.
[OE. wit(t)iᵹ (also ᵹewittiᵹ) = MLG. wetig, OHG. wiz(z)ig (MHG. wizzic), ON. vitugr: f. wit n. + -y1.]
†1. Having wisdom.
a. Said of God or Christ: cf. wise a. 1 (b). Obs.
Beowulf 685 Witiᵹ god..haliᵹ dryhten. a1000Cædmon's Exod. 25 Hu þas woruld worhte witiᵹ drihten. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 6280 Swa witty and myghty es he Þat nathyng til hym impossibel may be. 1380Lay Folks' Catech. (L.) 531 This god is most myȝty þyng þat may be. The most wytty and most ryȝtful. c1400Love Bonavent. Mirr. i. (1908) 18 The persone of the sone [is] al wyse and witty. c1480Henryson Swallow vi, God in all his werkis wittie is.
†b. Of human beings: Having good judgement or discernment; wise, sagacious, discreet, prudent, sensible. Obs.
In quot. a 1562 advb. = wisely.
[1027–34Laws Cnut lxxvi, Hit wæs ær þyson, þæt þæt cild þe læᵹ on cradele,..þa ᵹitseras letan efen scyldiᵹ & hit ᵹewittiᵹ wære.] 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 588, I hald a man, noght witty Þat here es over-prowde and ioly. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 10 In þat þei seyn þat an heþene philosofre..is wittiere and trewere þan almyȝti god. c1400Destr. Troy 3807 Wise in his wordys, witte of counsaille. c1449Pecock Repr. i. v. 25 Ech witti man muste graunte that the first principal conclusioun bifore sett is trewe. 1531Elyot Gov. i. ii, Ioynynge to hym counsailours Nestor and the witty Ulisses. a1562G. Cavendish Wolsey (1893) 46 A..warnyng to use thy self more wittier hereafter. a1592Greene Jas. IV, 2022 To haue two meanes beseemes a wittie man. 1611Bible Ecclus. xxi. 12 He that is not wise [marg. or, wittie], will not be taught.
2. a. (a) Having (good) intellectual ability; intelligent, clever, ingenious; skilful, expert, capable. Obs. exc. dial.
[a1000Gifts of Men 74 Sum bið ᵹewittiᵹ æt winþeᵹe, beorhyrde god.] a1100Aldhelm Gloss. 39 in Napier O.E. Glosses 2/2 Per gymnosophistas, þurh wittiᵹe pleᵹmen uel gleawe gliᵹmen. c1205Lay. 21134 He wes ihaten Wygar, þe witeȝe wurhte [c 1275 þe wittye wrohte]. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 5 Wel artou witti,..wisdom to telle To Fayturs or to Fooles. a1425tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 28 A gode lech and a witty. c1440Gesta Rom. xiv. 45 A wise man, and witty in armys & in alle his werkys. 1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 24 In workemanship and artes they are marueylous wyttie. 1560Bible (Geneva) Wisd. viii. 19, I was a wittie childe [R.V. a child of parts]. a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. xxiii. §8 He (no more wittie to frame, then blinde to judge hopes). 1612Bacon Ess., Of Judicature (Arb.) 451 Iudges ought to be more Learned, then Wittie. 1617Moryson Itin. iii. 76 Witty Copernicus. a1656Hales Golden Rem. (1673) 196 God who is..πολύτροπος εἰς σωτηριὰν ἀνθρώπων..as Clemens speaks..is witty in inventing of means to bring us to him. 1709Prior Henry & Emma 82 In gentle Verse, the Witty told their Flame. 1725Watts Logic i. ii. §4 When we say the Boy is strong or witty, these are proper or inherent Modes. 1784Cowper Task i. 728 Now..show this queen of cities [sc. London], that so fair May yet be foul; so witty, yet not wise. 1886Cheshire Gloss.
(b) Of animals: = wise a. 1 (c): cf. wit n. 5 c.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. xxiv. (Bodl. MS.), Noþing is more witty and besie þanne hounde. 1600J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa ix. 336 This wittie beast [sc. the elephant] keepeth in the woods. 1606B. Jonson Hymen., Barriers 163 At her feet doe witty serpents moue. 1626Bacon Sylva §978 The Ape also is a Witty Beast, and hath a Dry Braine.
†b. In unfavourable sense: Crafty, cunning, wily, artful; skilful in contriving evil; also, foolishly ingenious in devising something to one's own hurt. Obs.
a1425tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 30 Þat any oþer witty man perceyuyng his werk mow vsurpe it to hymself. 1580T. Vautrollier Luther on Ep. Gal. 282 They are maruelous witty and wily in finding fault with other mens doings. 1599Shakes. Much Ado iv. ii. 27 A maruellous witty fellow I assure you, but I will goe about with him. 1608Bp. Hall Char., Vnconstant 111 He is..wittie to wrong himselfe. 1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 19 As simple as they seeme, they are witty enough in craft, revenge, and villany. a1656Hales Golden Rem. (1673) 123 They are unexpectedly, and..wonderfully prompt and witty to villany and wickedness. a1683Oldham Passion of Byblis Wks. (1686) 125 How came I witty to my ruin thus? a1699J. Beaumont Psyche xxi. iv, Witty too in Self delusion. 1706S. Centlivre Love at a Venture Epil., You Men are grown so witty in Deceit.
†3.
a. Endowed with reason, rational.
b. In full possession of one's wits, of sound mind. rare.
c1000ælfric Saints Lives vii. 428 Wearð..his suna wittiᵹ. c1300Kenelm 219 in E.E.P. (1862) 53 Whan no man nolde þat witti was of him habbe munde A dombe best wiþoute witte hadde aȝe cunde. c1350Will. Palerne 158 Þus was þis witty best werwolf ferst maked. 1672Wiseman Wounds i. x. 130 The Child returned to her friends perfectly in health, is a witty Girle, but it's doubted she will be but a dwarf.
†4. Having knowledge, knowing, learned. Obs.
a1225Leg. Kath. 532 Ha somet seiden, þt wittiest ha weren of alle þe meistres. 1340–70Alex. & Dind. 1121 Wise & wittie of lorus. 1388Wyclif Deut. i. 13 Witti [Vulg. gnaros] in mennus thingis. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xvii. 219 The wyttiour that eny wight is..The biterour he shal a-bygge, bote yf he wel worche. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 79 Men that war symple and nocht witty of perpetuale thingis.
†5. (transf. from 2.) Showing or demanding intellectual ability; (later, esp. of discourse) clever, ingenious, or subtle in conception or expression. Also ironically. Obs.
13..Cursor M. 4677 (Gött.) Ioseph..comandid..Depe celers for to delue, And thoru his aun witti rede Fild þaim wid wines, quite and rede. 1463Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 62 It [sc. the matter] must have wytty gydyng. 1551Recorde Pathw. Knowl. Pref., Neuer was arte so wonderfull witty..as is good Geometry. 1551R. Robinson tr. More's Utopia Ep. Transl. (1895) 18 The wittie inuencion, and fine..disposition of the matter. a1562G. Cavendish Wolsey (1893) 5 A mete & apte person to be preferred to wytty affayers. 1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) 20 The wittie answeres which hee made touching this purpose. 1611Bible Prov. viii. 12, I wisedome dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inuentions. 1633G. Herbert Temple, Forerunners ii, If I please him, I write fine and wittie. 1653H. More Antid. Ath. i. viii. §2 (1712) 22 That's the witty Fallacy his unwariness has intangled him in. 1700Locke Hum. Und. iv. xvii. §4 (ed. 4) 409 The Fallacies that are often concealed in florid, witty or involved Discourses.
†b. Skilfully devised for an evil purpose; cunning, crafty; (of torment, etc.) ingeniously contrived, ‘exquisite’. Obs.
16022nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. i. i. 111 Stale sinnes are stale: now doth the world begin To take sole pleasure in a witty sinne. 1619Fletcher Knt. Malta v. i, Expect a witty, and a fell revenge! 1623Massinger Dk. Milan v. ii, Let me pronounce vpon this wretch all torture That witty cruelty can inuent. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. i. Disc. iv. 128 Some..in witty torments excelled the cruelty of many of their persecutors. c1670Hobbes Behemoth (1679) 254 He call'd a Parliament, and gave it the Supreme Power, to the end that they should give it to him again; was not this witty? 1681–6J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 612 The most witty and exquisite Torments.
†6. (transf. from 1 b.) Showing, or springing from, good judgement or discernment; wise, discreet, sensible. Obs.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 220 Þei louen more..þe most witti reulis of ihū crist þan þe vnwitti constitucions of synful..men. a1475G. Ashby Active Policy 741 Your manly & wytti diligence. 1553M. Wood tr. Gardiner's De Vera Obed., Bonner's Pref. 3 b, What a witti part it is, for a man to suspend his iudgement, and not to be rashe in geuing of sentence. c1560Ingelend Disob. Child Peror. G iv, Here ye maye learne a wyttie lesson. a1593Marlowe Ovid's Elegies i. viii, Trust me, to giue, it is a witty thing. 1656R. Fletcher tr. Martial ix. Epigr. vi, Thou very fain wouldst Priscus wed, I wonder not, 'tis witty so to doe. 1710Brit. Apollo III. No. 79. 3/1 The Bold assert 'tis Witty to be Brave,..The Timerous Wittily decline all Strife.
7. Possessing wit (see wit n. 7); capable of or given to saying (or writing) brilliant or sparkling things, esp. in an amusing way; smartly jocose or facetious.
1590Shakes. Com. Err. iii. i. 110, I know a wench of excellent discourse, Prettie and wittie. 1653Walton Angler ii. 45 Viat. Is not mine Hoste a witty man? Pisc. Sir, To speak truly, he is not to me; for most of his conceits were either Scripture-jests, or lascivious jests; for which I count no man witty. 1684W. Winstanley England's Worthies 345 Plautus,..by his conversing with jocular Wits,..became so famously witty, or wittily famous, as..he attained to an extraordinary height in the Comique strain. 1731–8Swift Pol. Conversat. Introd. 14 Whatever Person would aspire to be completely witty, smart, humourous, and polite. 1849Froude Nem. Faith (ed. 2) 103 We are witty if it be so, not for applause but for affection. 1878Browning La Saisiaz 596 Learned for the nonce as Gibbon, witty as wit's self Voltaire.
†b. Sharply critical, censorious, sarcastic. Obs. or merged in prec. sense.
1601Shakes. All's Well ii. iv. 32 Go too, thou art a wittie foole. 1632G. Herbert Priest to Temple xxvi. (1652) 106 Being partiall to themselves and witty to others. 1712Addison Spect. No. 530 ⁋2 Will Honeycomb, who was so unmercifully witty upon the Women. 1748Richardson Clarissa (1768) II. 75 My Mother..says, I am too witty; Anglicè, too pert.
8. Of speech or writing: Characterized by or full of wit (see wit n. 8); cleverly amusing, ‘sparkling’, smartly facetious or jocular; † sarcastic.
1588Shakes. L.L.L. v. i. 4 Your reasons..haue beene..witty without affection, audacious without impudency. 1601― Twel. N. iii. ii. 46 Be curst and briefe: it is no matter how wittie, so it bee eloquent, and full of inuention. 1639N. N. tr. Du Bosq's Compl. Woman i. 30 The Melancholy [humour]..is..too grosse for witty conceits and apt replies. 1700T. Brown tr. Fresny's Amusem. 152 Your Gentlemen that speak sharp and witty Things. 1702Steele Funeral ii. 27 This is not one of your Tringham Trangham Witty things, that your Poor Poets write. 1733Swift Apol. Lady Carteret 146 The powder'd courtier's witty sneer. 1744Corbyn Thomas Ess. Wit, Humour, etc. 37 Satire is a witty and severe Attack of mischievous Habits or Vices. 1829Lytton Devereux i. i, He told the wittiest stories in the world without omitting anything in them but the point. 1880‘Ouida’ Moths i, ‘Of course! One always marries girls; how stupid you are’, said Lady Dolly... The counsellor smiled grimly, ‘And then you will be a grandmother’, he said... ‘I suppose you think that witty’, said Lady Dolly.
9. Comb. (parasynthetic and adverbial), as witty-brained, witty-conceited, witty-feigned, witty-pated, witty-pretty adjs. (all in sense 2, and obs. or arch.).
1591Sylvester Du Bartas i. vi. 746 Japhetus' witty-fained Son. 1599Nashe Lenten Stuffe 50 Some politique delegatory Scipio, or witty pated Petito. 1600Breton Strange Fortunes 14 No lesse witty conceited of her dreame, then noting the cariage of her humor. 1606Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. ii. Magnificence 684 Queint witty-pretty Toyes. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. xii, The smart witty-pated lawyers. 1820― Monast. xv, A witty-brained..and accomplished courtier. |