| 释义 |
▪ I. obstacle, n.|ˈɒbstək(ə)l|
Forms: 4–5 ost-, obstakil, -kyl, -kele, 5–6 -kell, 6 -cul, 4– obstacle.
[a. OF. obstacle, earlier ostacle, ostancle (13th c. in Godef.), ad. L. obstācul-um, f. obstāre to withstand, resist]
1. Something that stands in the way and obstructs progress; a hindrance, impediment, obstruction.
a1340Hampole Psalter xvii. 32, I sall ouerpasse þe wall þat is obstakil of synn. c1386Chaucer Frankl. T. 572 And whan he knew þat ther was noon obstacle. 1434Misyn Mend. Life 107 Violence he doys to all his lettars, & all ostakyls he byrstis to-gidyr. 1489Caxton Faytes of A. i. xxiii. 72 Maken an obstakell that on the baksyde they be not enuahysshed. Ibid. ii. xiv. 118 They made hourdeys or obstacles full thykke of thornes. 1538Starkey England ii. i. 148 Seyng that matrymony ys the only or chefe mean polytyke..we must..study to take away al obstaculys and lettys wych we fynd therto. 1691T. H[ale] Acc. New Invent. p. c, The Obstacle the course of the Tide meets with by London-bridge. 1709Steele Tatler No. 55 ⁋1 He should remove the Obstacle which prevented the Use of his Sight. 1845Darwin Voy. Nat. vii. (1879) 131 The great table-land presents an obstacle to the migration of species. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. vii. 52 A glacier..when released from one opposing obstacle will be checked by another.
†2. Resistance, opposition, objection: in phr. to make obstacle, to offer opposition. Obs.
c1400Mandeville (1839) xxi. 226 Whan the Chane saghe that thei made non obstacle to performen his commandement thanne he thoughte wel that he myghte trusten in hem. 1489Barbour's Bruce xvi. 260 (Edin. MS.) Throw all the land planly thai raid, Thai fand nane that thaim obstakill maid. 1632Lithgow Trav. iii. 126 The French men making obstacle to pay that which I had giuen.
3. Comb., as obstacle course (see quot. 1961); also transf. and fig.; obstacle-race, a race in which natural or artificial impediments have to be surmounted; also transf.
1961Webster s.v., Obstacle course n, a military training area filled with obstacles (as hurdles, fences, walls, ditches) that must be surmounted. 1973Black Panther 31 Mar. 14/3 Could you describe some of the more known programs used in ‘boot camp’ such as the obstacle course and the firing range? 1976J. Wainwright Who goes Next? 145 As an obstacle course the yard was a nothing. 1977New Yorker 27 June 26/1 Then he picked two miracles attributed..to Neumann..and started them over what Father Litz called the Vatican obstacle course. 1869Sporting Life 17 Mar. 4/2 Among the races on the [Thames Club] programme was one of a character entirely new to the athletic world, viz. an ‘Obstacle Race’. [Mr. Walter Rye (late Hon. Sec. Lond. Athl. C.) informs us that this was the occasion of the introduction of the term, he having then invented it.] 1875Cliftonian (Cl. Coll. Mag.) IV. 74 Obstacle Race... This race was two lengths, over two and under one obstacle placed across the bath. 1888H. Pottinger in Fortn. Rev. Jan. 93 For some time he [the elk] becomes engaged in a terrible obstacle-race and makes little progress.
Hence ˈobstacle a. (obs. except dial.), obstinate, stubborn; † ˈobstacleness, obstinacy.
1536Will of S. Humbell (Somerset Ho.), Yf they or any of them be obstakell & roune away. 1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark ix. 63 b, O faythlesse nacion..Howe long shall I..striue with youre vnfaythfull obstaclenesse? 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. iv. 17 Fye Ione, that thou wilt be so obstacle.
▪ II. ˈobstacle, v. rare.
[a. obs. F. obstacle-r (16th c. and in Cotgr.), f. obstacle n.]
a. trans. To place obstacles or difficulties in the way of.
b. intr. (Mil.) To erect obstacles to impede the progress of the enemy. Hence ˈobstacling vbl. n.
1656S. H. Gold. Law 18 Let not the passions of..love or hate obstacle ingenious judgement. Ibid. 64 Solomon also opprest the People so,..as it obstacled his son Rehoboams Kinging. 1882Daily News 30 Aug. 3/5 The day for obstacling has also been changed..to give the men [engineers] a change from pick and shovel work. 1889Ellen V. Talbot Diary of Ann Page in Voice (N.Y.) 24 Oct., Alack! that our pleasant friendship..should have been so soon obstacled. |