| 释义 |
Methuselah|mɪˈθjuːzələ|
Also 4–5 Matus(s)ale, Matusalem, 6 Mathusalah, 7–8 Methusaleh, -salem.
[Heb. m⊇thūˈshelah.
The corruption Methusalem (after Jerusalem) still survives in vulgar use. Purvey 1388 has Matusalem beside Matusale, perhaps from the accusative form Matusalam in the Vulgate.]
1. The name of one of the pre-Noachian patriarchs, stated to have lived 969 years (Gen. v. 27); hence used as a type of extreme longevity.
a1380Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xxxix. 186 Ȝif a Mon may libben heer As longe as dude Matussale. 1647Cowley Mistr., Love & Life i, So though my Life be short, yet may I prove The great Methusalem of Love. 1711tr. Werenfelsius' Meteors of Stile 225 The Heliotrope is the Methusalem of Flowers. 1756H. Walpole Let. to Conway 4 Mar., It is impossible not to laugh at him as if he was a Methusaleh! 1849H. Rogers Ess. II. vi. 316 A good book is the Methuselah of these latter ages. 1888J. B. Bailey (title) Modern Methuselahs, or Short Biographical Sketches of a few Advanced Nonagenarians, or actual Centenarians.
2. transf. A very large wine-bottle (see quots.).
1935A. L. Simon Dict. Wine 172 Methuselah, double Jeroboam, holding 8 reputed quarts or 6·40 litres, equal to 225·350 fluid ounces. 1951Bohemian Life (Bohemian Distrib. Co., Los Angeles, U.S.A.) Apr., Out-size bottles include the..Methuselah..8 bottles or 213·30 ounces. 1959Gloss. Packaging Terms (B.S.I.) 28 Methuselah, a wine bottle—capacity 9 reputed quarts. 1962[see Balthazar]. 1972E. Meigh Story Glass Bottle 73 Wine bottlers ransacked the Old Testament for names of kings and captains to name the bottles in which their valuable liquids were confined: thus, in ascending order of magnitude are jeroboams, rehoboams, methuselahs.
Hence Meˈthusalemess, a female ‘Methuselah’.
1790H. Walpole Let. to Miss A. Berry 29 Nov., Madame Grifoni..would now be a Methusalemess. |