| 释义 |
‖ novus homo|ˈnəʊvəs ˈhɒməʊ|
Pl. novi homines.
[L., lit. ‘new man’.]
Orig. used in ancient Rome of the first man in a family to rise to a curule office; hence, a man who has recently risen to a position of importance from insignificance; an upstart.
1589T. Smith Commonw. of Eng. i. xx. 36 Those which were noui homines, were more allowed, for their vertues new and newly shewen, than the old smell of auncient race. 1764Smollett Let. 2 July in Trav. (1766) I. xvii. 280 Of these, three or four families are really respectable: the rest are novi homines, sprung from Bourgeois, who have saved a little money by their different occupations and raised themselves to the rank of noblesse by purchase. 1824J. S. Mill in Westm. Rev. II. 391 The military leaders, being novi homines, were the great opponents of the aristocracy. 1956A. Toynbee Historian's Approach to Relig. xvi. 211 All of which had to draw their diplomats from among novi homines. 1960Times 17 Sept. 7/2 The competition of radical politicians—the novi homines of Africa—has weakened it [sc. the tribal system]. |