| 释义 |
lioness|ˈlaɪənɪs|
Forms: 4 leoun-, lioun-, (lyenn-), 4–5 leon-, 4–7 lyon-, lyonn-, 4–8 lionn-; 4 -es, 4–7 -ess(e, (5 -asse, -ys); 7– lioness.
[a. OF. lion(n)esse, leonesse (now superseded by lionne), f. lion lion.]
1. The female of the lion.
a1300Cursor M. 12336 Right be þat water side lai a leoness [Fairf. liones, Gōtt. leones]. 13..Sir Beues (MS.A.) 2465 Stoutliche þe liounesse þan Asailede Beues. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xlix. (Tecla) 210 Ymang þai bestis ves richt stark & fel a lyonnes. c1386Chaucer Wife's Prol. 637 Stibourne I was as is a Leonesse. 1461Rolls of Parlt. V. 475 The Office of kepyng Lyons, Leonesses and Leopardes, within oure Toure of London. 1588Shakes. Tit. A. iv. ii. 138 The chafed Bore, the mountaine Lyonesse. 1667Milton P.L. viii. 393 They rejoyce Each with thir kinde, Lion with Lioness. 1717Pope Iliad x. 213 The gaunt Lioness, with Hunger bold. 1726Ayliffe Parergon 46 Lyons do in a very severe manner punish the adulteries of the Lyoness. 1813Byron Giaour 1215 Go, when the hunter's hand hath wrung From the forest-cave her shrieking young, And calm the lonely lioness.
b. fig. Applied to persons.
1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) i. xv. 12 Yet wote I wel that leon is he nought ne thou ne myght no leonesse be. 1595Shakes. John ii. i. 291 Were I at home At your den sirrah, with your Lionnesse, I would set an Oxe-head to your Lyons hide. 1847Tennyson Princess vi. 147 O fair and strong and terrible! Lioness That with your long locks play the Lion's mane.
2. A female celebrity; a woman who is lionized. † Also (Oxford Univ. slang), a lady visitor to a member of the university.
1808Scott Let. to Lady Louisa Stuart 19 Jan. in Lockhart, Miss Lydia White..is what Oxonians call a lioness of the first order, with stockings nineteen times nine dyed blue. 1824― St. Ronan's vii, Bring Mr. Springblossom—Winter⁓blossom—and all the lions and lionesses. 1848J. H. Newman Loss & Gain v. 26 He..had promised him tickets, for some ladies, lionesses of his, who were coming up to the Commemoration. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xxv, The whole load,..were on the look-out for lady visitors, profanely called lionesses. 1894Fenn In Alpine Valley I. 8 She was received in society and petted as the new lioness. |