| 释义 |
nobleness|ˈnəʊb(ə)lnɪs|
Forms: 5 nobyl-, nobul-, 5–6 nobil-, 4– nobleness. Also 5 -nace, 5–7 -nes, 4–7 -nesse.
[f. noble a. + -ness.]
1. The state or quality of being noble, in various senses of the adj.; nobility.
14..in Tundale's Vis. (1843) 105 To do honor to hys nobylnes With hem thei toke gold and grete ryches. 1470–85Malory Arthur xi. ix. 585 All kynges..may not fynde such a knyghte for to speke of his nobylnesse and curtosye. 1509Fisher Funeral Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 290 This noblenes of blode they haue which descended of noble lynage. 1581Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 30 Wee can shewe the Poets noblenes. 1628Wither Brit. Rememb. vi. 1443 Whose vertues, and whose noblenesse, Brought honor to the seats they did possesse. 1660Sharrock Vegetables Ep. Ded., The whole piece..seems destitute of beauty, and without anything of worth, value, or nobleness. 1715J. Chappelow Way to get Rich (1717) 141 He tells you the lustre and nobleness of it, a jewel fit for the cabinet of a king. 1747Carte Hist. Eng. I. 21 Making his countrymen vye with the old Romans in the nobleness of their descent. 1775Johnson in Boswell 1 Apr., A fighting cock has a nobleness of resolution. 1846Ruskin Mod. Paint. II. iii. ii. §2 We must prove the nobleness of the delights, and thence the nobleness of the animal. 1874Green Short Hist. iv. §3. 176 There was a nobleness in Edward's nature from which the baser influences of chivalry fell away.
†b. With personal pronouns as a title. Obs.
a1400–50Alexander 2777 Nostanday, to ȝour nobilnes þat ay my nek bowis,..my-selfe I comand. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 122 Y here translate to youre Souerayne nobilnes the boke of arystotle. 1528Roy Rede me (Arb.) 84 As sone as my lady he dothe se..He saluteth her noblenes. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 306 They desyred his noblenesse to haue some consideration of them. a1592Greene Jas. IV, iii. ii, We will attend your nobleness. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 143 So please your nobleness, I intend to leave London.
†2. Display, splendour; an occasion of this. Obs.
1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xxxiv. 48 Ther might haue been sene great noblenesse, and baners and penons..wauyng in y⊇ wynde. 1657Howell Londinop. 62 If any Triumph or Noblenesse were to be done,..the said Leaden-Hall is the most meet and convenient place. 1679Lond. Gaz. No. 1453/4 The Entertainment was great and splendid, and all things performed with great Order and Nobleness.
†3. A noble person; collect. nobility. Obs.
c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 16 At the which battaylle..dyed greate noblenesses of kinges, princes, Dukes [etc.]. Ibid. 17 We have loste there ryghte greate chevalry and noblenesse. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxxxv. 332 The church that day was so full of noblenesse, that a man might nat a remoued his fete. |