| 释义 |
liberality|lɪbəˈrælɪtɪ|
Also 4 liberalte, 4–6 -ite, 5–6 lyberalite, -yte, -ytie, 5–7 liberalytie, 6 -itee, -ytye, 6–7 -itie, -itye.
[a. OF. liberalité (1262 in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. līberālitāt-em, n. of quality f. līberāl-is liberal.]
1. The quality of being liberal or free in giving; bountiful bestowal of gifts; generosity, munificence.
13..St. Ambrose 641 in Altengl. Leg. (1878) 18 In mony þinges he was comendable, Furst in liberalite. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 159 He was of so moche liberalte þat he made þe kynges and messes [? read kynges messes; L. fercula regalia] be diȝt redy foure tymes in a day. 1390Gower Conf. II. 390 Liberalite, Which is the vertu of Largesse. c1460Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. vii. (1885) 124 At thair departynge thai most nedis haue grete giftes and rewardes; ffor þat besitith þe kynges magnificence and liberalite. 1494Fabyan Chron. ii. xlviii. 32 A..feest was holden by the Kynge to all that wolde come, with most lyberalytie and plentie in all that was necessary to suche a feest. 1530–1Act 22 Hen. VIII, c. 15 The Kynge..of his mere mocion benygnitee and lyberalitee..hath gyuen and granted..pardon. 1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 30 The Canibales beyng allured by the lyberalitie & gyftes of our men. 1566Prayers in Liturg. Serv. Q. Eliz. (1859) 261 Good Lord, bless us and all thy gifts which we receive of thy large liberality. 1651Hobbes Leviath. i. x. 41 Riches joyned with liberality, is Power; because it procureth friends, and servants. a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) III. 436 His liberality knew no bottom but an empty purse, so bountiful he was to all in want. 1741Butler Serm. Wks. 1874 II. 263 Liberality..is apt to degenerate into extravagance. 1769Junius Lett. ii. 13 He was formed to excel in war, by nature's liberality to his mind as well as person. 1839Thirlwall Greece VII. 229 The extraordinary liberality with which Antipater weakened his own army to strengthen that of Antigonus. 1881Besant & Rice Chapl. of Fleet I. 150 Thanks to the Doctor's liberality in the matter of my weekly board [etc.].
b. An instance of this; a liberal gift or bounty; a largess. Now rare.
1526Tindale 1 Cor. xvi. 3 Them will I sende to brynge youre liberalite vnto Jerusalem. 1552Bk. Com. Prayer, Litany, Wee receyuinge thy bountiefull lyberalytye. 1598R. Grenewey Tacitus' Ann. xii. x. (1622) 167 There was..giuen..a donatiue to the souldiers, and a liberalitie to the people. 1658Whole Duty Man xiii. §31 This was to be paid, not as a charity, or liberality, but as a debt. 1751Johnson Rambler No. 169 ⁋5 Enriched by uncommon liberalities of nature. a1774Goldsm. Hist. Greece I. 374 He..found himself in a position to bestow great liberalities amongst the soldiers. 1859J. Cumming Ruth ii. 15 An attempt to escape responsibilities, duties, liberalities at home. 1865Grote Plato I. iv. 154 The name of Ptolemy was popular from his liberalities.
2. Breadth of mind; freedom from bias or prejudice; liberal-mindedness.
1808Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 109 Our opponents, who had not the liberality to distinguish between political and social opposition. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 491 With a liberality rare in his time, he considered questions of ecclesiastical polity as of small account when compared with the great principles of Christianity. 1853Lytton My Novel v. xiii, Where look for liberality, if men of science are illiberal to their brethren?
¶3. Liberalism in politics; liberals collectively.
Only in allusive nonce-uses.
1841Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 204 Liberality proving..quite as careful of its pounds, shillings, and pence, as Toryism. 1843Tait's Mag. X. 637 A strange jumble of all the systems, and philosophies, bigotries, and liberalities that have each had its day and its party in France. 1874Ruskin Fors Clav. IV. xxxviii. 39 With all the liberality of republican Europe rejoicing in his dignities as a man and a brother. |