| 释义 |
Molly Maguire Now Hist.|ˈmɒlɪ məˈgwaɪə(r)|
[A female name (see molly n.1; Maguire is a common Irish surname) assumed together with the female disguise: see quot.]
a. A member of a secret society formed in Ireland in 1843 for the purpose of resisting the payment of rent.
1868W. S. Trench Realities Irish Life vi. 82 These ‘Molly Maguires’ were generally stout active young men, dressed up in women's clothes... The ‘Molly Maguires’ became the terror of all our officials. 1908L. H. Dawson Nicknames & Pseudonyms 202 Molly Maguires, young men, usually dressed in women's clothes, who formed an Irish association to resist distraint for rent in 1843. Their name was derived from Connor..Maguire, 2nd Baron of Enniskillen, who in 1641 took a prominent part in the Catholic conspiracy. 1909Westm. Gaz. 19 Feb. 2/3 There were Molly Maguires in Ireland..long before the time of Mr. William O'Brien. 1971E. Norman Hist Mod. Ireland iii. 57 The secret societies formed to stimulate local violence on behalf of individual tenant claims;..societies which adopted the awful names of ‘Whiteboys’, ‘Rockites’, ‘Levellers’, ‘Whitefeet’, ‘Molly Maguires’, ‘Ribbonmen’, and so on.
b. transf. A similar society formed in the mining districts of Pennsylvania for purposes of intimidation, but suppressed in 1876.
1867Dixon New Amer. II. 299 The judge who tried this murderer was elected by the Molly Maguires; the jurors who assisted him were themselves Molly Maguires. 1886P. Stapleton Major's Christmas 86 There come among us some men that belonged to a band of murderers that called themselves Molly Maguires. 1970Guardian 14 May 10/1 The Molly Maguires were a group of rebel miners who fought a brave and reckless losing battle with employers who stopped at nothing to destroy them. |