| 释义 |
marathon|ˈmærəθən|
Also Marathon.
[The place-name Marathon (Gr. Μαραθών) on the north-east coast of Attica: see Marathonian a.]
a. The name first given on the occasion of the revived Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896 to a long-distance foot-race (now usu. of 26 miles 385 yards), with allusion to the run of Pheidippides at the time of the battle at Marathon in 490 b.c., as recorded in Herodotus and later sources. Also attrib.
Herodotus records that Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta to secure aid before the battle, but the race instituted in 1896 was based on a later less sound tradition that Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens with news of the Persian defeat.
1896Fortn. Rev. June 950 We now come to the great glory of the Greeks—the victory in the Marathon Race. 1905Programme of Olympic Games Athens 1906 3 Flat Races..e. Marathon Race, 42 kilometres. From Marathon to Athens on the road. 1908T. A. Cook Olympic Games 82 The whole of Hellas seemed concentrated at Athens to see the result of the great Marathon Race in the stadium. 1908Westm. Gaz. 22 July 1/3 There are two things which no one who wishes to win the Marathon can ever afford to forget. 1936Discovery Feb. 48/2 Never speak to me again about a snail's pace except with reference to a Marathon runner or a racing car. 1955J. H. Peters In Long Run viii. 71 On July 21st..the A.A.A. Marathon Championship was due to be run at Birmingham on a roughly circular out-and-home course. 1964M. Watman Encycl. Athletics 108/1 Owing to the disparity in the nature, if not distance, of various courses, marathon times should not be taken too seriously. Ibid., The only woman on record as having completed a full marathon is Dale Greig. 1966J. Hopkins Marathon 11 British runners are to be found among the leaders in almost every international Marathon.
b. In extended uses, applied to other long-distance races or competitions calling for endurance. Also attrib. (and as quasi-adj.).
1908Daily Chron. 5 Nov. 1/2 A competition..under a title of ‘The Murphy Marathon’ was decided last night... It was intended that the contestants should..peel a quarter of a hundredweight of potatoes. 1928Daily Express 2 July 11/5 The dance marathon here ended at midnight, nine couples left in the competition stopping together after twenty days of continuous dancing. 1932G. Morton Mystery of Hermit's End ii. 19 The latter was taking intensive training for marathon swimming. That form of sport had caught on of late. 1932Times Lit. Suppl. 26 May 393/1 His friend Cap Bridges, the marathon swimmer. 1968Radio Times 28 Nov. 8/3 The London-Sydney Motor Marathon. Progress Reports. 1969New Yorker 20 Dec. 64/2 One of the phenomena of America's Depression days was the marathon dance. 1975Ibid. 10 Mar. 100/2 It's an album of pictures: line dancing, marathon dancing, the Lindy.
c. Other transf. and fig. uses. Esp. an event or activity of long duration.
1915‘Bartimeus’ Tall Ship x. 185 ‘That was a bit of a Marathon, wasn't it?’ He measured the distance across the lawn with a humorous eye. 1951N.Y. Herald-Tribune 29 Nov. 3 The House of Commons finally went home..after sitting through a marathon session of 20 hours and 20 minutes. 1953C. Day Lewis Italian Visit iii. 39 After a marathon walk through the Vatican galleries. 1955W. Gaddis Recognitions ii. vii. 613 There's been somebody tagging around after me all day, this marathon walker, I met him in a bar. 1971Britannica Bk. of Year 1970 779/2 Marathon, specif., a group session in which members remain together for an extended period (as 24 hours) and interact openly and responsively so as to increase self-understanding. 1972Daily Tel. 2 June 2/3 The question whether a judge and special assessors should replace the conventional jury in complicated and marathon criminal cases.
Hence ˈmarathon v. intr., to run as in a marathon race (rare); ˈmarathoning ppl. a. (rare).
1920Chambers's Jrnl. Aug. 519/2 Do I have to marathon ten miles and back? 1964M. Watman Encycl. Athletics 107/2 He [sc. Kolehmainen] won by less than 13 sec...the closest result in Olympic marathoning history.
Add: ˈmarathoner n., one who competes in a marathon.
1925Lit. Digest 9 May 68/2, I knew I was tackling the best bunch of Marathoners that ever took part in such a race. 1962G. MacEwan Blazing Old Cattle Trail xi. 72 The minister preached and prayed with the stamina of a marathoner. 1985Times 3 Apr. 13/2 Virgin marathoners have no sense of competition with their fellow runners, only with themselves. |