| 释义 |
orc, ork|ɔːk|
Also 6–7 orque, orke, (7–8 orch).
[In sense 1, a. F. orque (16th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. orca, a kind of whale, taken as a specific or generic name in Zoology. Cf. also ON. orkn, örkn, a kind of seal.]
1. A cetacean of the genus Orca, family Delphinidæ; esp. the killer (Orca gladiator Gray, Delphinus Orca, Linn.). By earlier authors applied, after the mediæval L. writers, to more than one vaguely identified ferocious sea-monster.
[c1520L. Andrewe Noble Lyfe in Babees Bk. 236 Orchun is a monster of the se..& he is mortal ennemye to the balene, & tereth asonder the bely of the balene.] 1611Cotgr., Epaular, an Orke; a great sea-fish mortall enemie vnto the Whall. 1612Drayton Poly-olb. ii. 25 The uglie Orks that for their Lord the ocean wooe. 1638Rawley tr. Bacon's Hist. Life & Death (1650) 11 Touching that monstrous bulk of the Whale, or Orke, how long it is weilded by vitall spirit, we have received nothing certain. 1667Milton P.L. xi. 835 The haunt of Seales and Orcs, and Sea-mews clang. 1822W. Tennant Thane of Fife v. vi, Whole herds of sea-cows and of orcs appear. 1827tr. Cuvier's Anim. Kingd. IV. 455 There are two varieties of the Delphinus Orca, the Orc and the Grampus. 1869Browning Ring & Bk. ix. 972 Near and nearer comes the snorting orc.
2. Sometimes more vaguely (perh. derived from or influenced by L. Orcus, Romanic orco: see ogre, and cf. OE. orcþyrs oððe heldeofol ‘orc-giant or hell-devil’, also orcneas in Beowulf: see orken), A devouring monster, an ogre. Used by J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973) in his tales: one of an imaginary warlike people in whom are combined human and ogreish characteristics. Also attrib. and Comb.
1598Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. iii. Furies 51 Insatiate Orque, that even at one repast Almost all Creatures in the World would waste. 1656S. Holland Zara (1719) 5 Who at one Stroak didst pare away three Heads from off the shoulders of an Orke, begotten by an Incubus. 1865Kingsley Herew. I. i. 71 But beyond, things unspeakable—dragons, giants, orcs [etc.]. 1937J. R. R. Tolkien Hobbit vii. 149 Before you could get round Mirkwood in the North you would be right among the slopes of the Grey Mountains, and they are simply stiff with goblins, hobgoblins, and orcs of the worst description. 1954― Fellowship of Ring 15 The last battle..was beyond living memory: the Battle of Greenfields, S.R. 1147, in which Bandobras Took routed an invasion of Orcs. Ibid. 23 With the help of the ring he escaped from the orc-guards at the gate and rejoined his fellows. Ibid. 339 The orcs were dismayed by the fierceness of the defence. Ibid. 346 There was a guard of orcs crouching in the shadows behind the great door-posts towering on either side. Ibid. 350 The cut is not poisoned, as the wounds of orc-blades too often are. 1954― Two Towers 48 Orc-speech sounded at all times full of hate and anger. Ibid. 138 There the hugest Orcs were mustered, and the wild men of the Dunland fells. Ibid. 171 He was not so obviously orc-like as most of these were. 1955― Return of King 279 No welcome, no beer, no smoke, and a lot of rules and orc-talk instead. Ibid. 412 But Orcs and Trolls spoke as they would, without love of words or things; and their language was actually more degraded and filthy than I have shown it. a1973― Silmarillion (1977) x. 96 And when Thingol came again to Menegroth he learned that the Orc-host in the west was victorious.
†3. A large cask or vessel for liquor, etc.; a butt. (So L. orca.) Obs.
1638Whiting Hist. Albino & Bellama E v b, One bad them fill an Orke of Bacchus water. 1658Phillips, An Orch, or Ork, a monstrous fish,..also a Butt for wine, or figs.
4. Comb. (from 1), as orc-catcher, orc-killer.
1631P. Fletcher Sicelides F ij b, Because a lover, therefore an Orkekiller. Ibid., That Orke-catcher Ataches. Ibid. I ij, That Orke mouth of thine did crumme thy porridge with my grandsires braines.
Hence ork v. nonce-wd., to make an orc or monster of.
1631P. Fletcher Sicelides F ij b, I Orkt you once, and now Ile fit you for a Cupid. |