| 释义 |
momentous, a.|məʊˈmɛntəs|
[f. moment n. + -ous.]
†1. Having motive force. Obs.
1652L. S. People's Liberty x. 18 In such particulars.., as are not momentous to the impairing of the publick welfare.
2. Of moment; of great weight, consequence, or importance; important, weighty.
1656Jeanes Mixt. Schol. Div. 15 There remaineth a second objection, which is the more momentous. a1761Cawthorn Poems (1771) 202 Who..could decide whene'er they met Momentous truths without a bett. 1844Thirlwall Greece VIII. lx. 77 His death forms a momentous epoch in Grecian history. 1874Green Short Hist. vi. §6. 325 The ten years which follow the fall of Wolsey are among the most momentous in our history.
3. Of persons: Having influence or importance. Now rare.
1667J. Corbet Disc. Relig. Eng. 2 The Roman-Catholicks in England,..being Rich and Powerful,..are very momentous, and seem to be capable of great Designs. 1824–9Landor Imag. Conv. Wks. 1846 I. 464 Epaminondas was undoubtedly a momentous man, and formidable to Lacedæmon. 1898G. B. Shaw Plays I. Widower's Ho. 13 Cokane, hardly less momentous than Sartorius himself, contemplates Trench with the severity of a judge.
†4. Pertaining to momentum. Obs.
1775Whitehurst in Phil. Trans. LXV. 278 It seems reasonable to infer, that the momentous force is much superior to the simple pressure of the column IK.
Hence moˈmentously adv.
1748J. Lind Lett. Navy ii (1757) 73 A person may offend very notoriously and momentuously [sic]. 1880Kinglake Crimea VI. ix. 250 Two or more courses of action momentously different. |