| 释义 |
merciful, a.|ˈmɜːsɪfʊl|
[f. mercy n. + -ful.]
Of persons, their actions, attributes, etc.: Having or exercising mercy; characterized by mercy.
a1300E.E. Psalter cxliv. 8 Mercifulle and milde herted in lande Lauerd, and mikel milde-herted and tholand. 1382Wyclif Matt. v. 7 Blessed be mercyful men, for thei shuln gete mercye. a1425Cursor M. (Trin.) 18359 Lord..þi wille is merciful wiþynne So þou dost awey oure synne. 1509Fisher Funeral Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 291 Mercyfull also & pyteous she was vnto suche as was greuyd & wrongfully troubled. 1531Tindale Expos. 1 John (1537) 2 Understandynge them [ye promises of mercye]..after the mercifullest fashion. 1552Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 25 How gratious and mercifull he is to al trew penitent persones. 1610Shakes. Temp. v. i. 178 Though the Seas threaten they are mercifull, I haue curs'd them without cause. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. ii. vi. §11 The mercifull nature of God. 1715De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. i. (1841) I. 19 But God is merciful too, child. 1851Dixon W. Penn xxvii. (1872) 247 She had obeyed the merciful promptings of her heart in sheltering a fellow-creature. 1886C. F. Woolson East Angels xxxvii. 577 Merciful Heaven!..do you care for him?—is that it?
absol.138.Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 328 Blissed be þe mercyful. c1460Wisdom 1136 in Macro Plays 72 Þe ouer parte of yowur reasun, Be wyche ye haue lyknes of Gode mest, Ande of þat mercyfull very congnycion.
b. In sarcastic use.
1805Med. Jrnl. XIV. 566 It was merciful not to add a thousand [facts] whilst he was about it. |