| 释义 |
▪ I. Meg1|mɛg|
[var. of Mag n.2]
A pet form of the female name Margaret, used dial. to indicate a hoyden, coarse woman, etc.; also in the proverbial phrases Meg's delight or Meg's diversions, ‘the deuce and all’, ‘the very mischief’ (see E.D.D. and cf. Mag n.2 1). Long Meg, Meg of Westminster, the appellation of a virago whose exploits were famous in the 16th c.; hence proverbially in allusive uses.
c1538Lyndesay Supplic. Syde Taillis 67 Ane mureland Meg, that mylkis the ȝowis. 1572Satir. Poems Reform. xxxii. 37 And we, agane, wald by ane Fraer of Fegges,..and sell to landwart Megges. 1582(title) The life and pranks of Long Meg of Westminster. 1593Nashe Strange News Wks. (Grosart) II. 223 Thou art a puissant Epitapher. Yea? thy Muses foot of the twelues; old long Meg of Westminster? Then, I trowe thou wilt stride ouer Greenes graue and not stumble. 1602Dekker Satiro-mastix F ij b, Tis thou makst me so, my Long Meg a Westminster, thou breedst a scab, thou ―. 1611Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girl K j b, Was it your Megge of Westminsters courage that rescued mee? a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Long-meg, a very tall Woman. 1725Ramsay Gentle Sheph. i. i, Then fare ye weel Meg-Dorts. 1813W. Beattie Yule Feast (1871) 11 Twa bunching megs. 1834,1849[see Mag n.2 1]. 1874S. Beauchamp Grantley Grange I. 202 Well, it were Meg's delight, sir; and in the middle on it all..he roars out [etc.].
b. The great 15th c. gun in Edinburgh Castle was called Mons Meg (? from having been cast at Mons in Flanders), Muckle Meg, Great Meg. Also Roaring Meg.
1650in Scott Provinc. Antiq. (1826) p. xxi note, The great iron murderer called Muckle Megg. 1650Art. Rendition Edinb. Castle 4 Three Iron Guns, besides the Great Mag. 1753Maitland Hist. Edinb. 164 A huge Piece of Ordnance, resembling an old-fashioned Mortar..denominated Mounts-Megg.
▪ II. Meg3
see Megger. |