| 释义 |
mercenary, a. and n.|ˈmɜːsɪnərɪ|
Also 4–7 mercenarie, (5 -ye), 6 mercennary, mercionary, 6–7 mercinary, (7 -ie).
[ad. L. mercēnārius, earlier mercennārius, f. mercēd-, mercēs reward, wages: see mercy. Cf. F. mercenaire (OF. also mercenier), Sp., Pg., It. mercenario.
The n. occurs in Eng. earlier than the adj.: the oldest uses refer to the ‘hireling’ (Vulg. mercenarius) of John x. 12.]
A. adj.
1. Of persons: Working merely for the sake of monetary or other reward; actuated by considerations of self-interest. Hence of motives, dispositions, etc.
1532More Confut. Tindale Wks. 507/2 A mercennary preacher and an hired, which seketh his own temporal aduauntage & commoditie. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 418 And I deliuering you, am satisfied, And therein doe account my self well paid, My mind was neuer yet more mercinarie. 1616Sir R. Dudley in Fortesc. Papers (Camden) 17 And that, whether you move this suite or noe, for I am not mercenarie. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. iii. §1 Without any such mercenary eye (as those who serve God for their own ends). 1762Goldsm. Cit. W. xiii, Such wretches are kept in pay by some mercenary bookseller. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. iv, Haven't I told you what a mercenary little wretch I am?
b. Of conduct, a course of action, etc.: That has the love of lucre for its motive.
1532More Confut. Tindale Wks. 362/2 They holde that it is not lawfull to loue..God..for obteining of reward, calling this maner of loue..seruile bonde and mercennary. 1680–90Temple Ess. Learning i. Wks. 1731 I. 168 Learning has been so little advanced since it grew to be mercenary. 1711Shaftesbury Charac. ii. iii. (1737) I. 97 They have made Virtue so mercenary a thing, and have talk'd so much of its Rewards. 1837H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 128 The disgusting spectacle of mercenary marriages. 1861Dickens Lett. 6 Nov., They are all old servants,..and..are under the strongest injunction to avoid any approach to mercenary dealing.
2. Hired; serving for wages or hire. Now only of soldiers. (Cf. B. 2.)
1589Greene Tullies Love (1616) G 4, A simple shepheard, who was a mercenary man. 1590Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weap. 49 b, They..began..to go ouer to serue as mercenarie soldiers in the Low Countries. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, iv. vii. 79 Many of our Princes..Lye drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood. 1611Coryat Crudities (1776) I. 214 Of these Gondolas..sixe thousand are priuate..and foure thousand for mercenary men, which get their liuing by the trade of rowing. 1640Walton Life Donne, 80 Serm. A 6 He continued that employment.., being daily usefull (and not mercenary) to his friends. 1871Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xviii. 232 William at this time dismissed the mercenary part of his army.
†b. Of services, an office, etc.: Salaried, stipendiary. Of a profession, etc.: Carried on for the sake of gain. Obs.
1656Stanley Hist. Philos. vi. Aristotle xv. 27 He shut up his poor shop, and gave over his mercenary profession. 1664Evelyn Diary 5 Feb., I saw ‘The Indian Queene’ acted, a tragedie..so beautified with rich scenes as the like had never ben seene..on a mercenary theater. 1726Ayliffe Parergon 319 Such Things..the Judge may despatch by his mercenary Office. 1782Pennant Journey 96 These livings at that time were good rectories; now poor vicarages, or mercenary curacies, annexed to the bishoprick.
B. n.
1. One who labours merely for hire; a hireling, a mercenary person. ? Obs.
c1386Chaucer Prol. 514 He [the parson] was a shepherde and noght a Mercenarie [cf. John x. 12]. c1430Lydg. St. Giles 183 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 373 Pastor callid, nat a mercenarye. 1643Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §52 Mercenaries that crouch unto him in feare of Hell..are indeed but slaves of the Almighty. 1805Tooke Purley ii. 3 Punish the wickedness of those mercenaries who utter such atrocities. 1844Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) II. xii. 238 The monastic institute was looked upon with scorn, as calculated only for mercenaries and slaves.
2. One who receives payment for his services; chiefly, and now exclusively, a professional soldier serving a foreign power.
1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccv. 242 The Almaygnes, and mercenaryes of strange countreis. 1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 74 The reading ministers, after they be hired of the parishes (for they are mercenaries). 1638G. Sandys Paraphr., Job vii. 10 He a poore mercenary serves for bread. 1687Dryden Hind & P. ii. 290 Like mercenaries, hired for home defence, They will not fight against their native prince. 1776Jefferson Wks. (1859) I. 23 He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries. 1840Browning Sordello iv. 51 Lean silent gangs of mercenaries ceased Working to watch the strangers. 1849Grote Greece ii. lx. (1862) 279 Greeks continental and insular..volunteers and mercenaries..were all here to be found.
fig.1861J. Pycroft Ways & Words 285 Literary mercenaries, ready to serve under friend or foe. |