| 释义 |
pernickety, a.|pəˈnɪkɪtɪ|
[Of obscure origin; originally Scotch (and perh. north. Eng. dial.: see Eng. Dial. Dict.); but in common use in U.S., and more recently introduced in literary English by writers of Scottish nationality.
There is a shorter Sc. form pernicky, which may have been a childish attempt at particular (quasi partickie, parteckie): of this, pernickety may be an onomatopœic expansion. Association with the knick group of words, knick-knack, knick-knacket, knickety-knock, etc. may have been vaguely present. Cf. the colloquial variant pernackity, pernackety.]
Of persons, their attributes or actions: Precise or particular about minutiæ or trifles; fastidious, punctilious. Of things: Requiring precise or particular handling or care; ticklish.
1808–18Jamieson, Pernickitie..precise in trifles; applied also to dress, denoting trimness, S. perjink synon. 1814Hill in Macm. Mag. (1881) XLV. 72/2 Dear Doctor, I received yours last night, and a..vexing, pernickety, humorous, witty, daft letter it is. 1822Galt Provost xxxi. I never saw any mortal man look as that pernicketty personage, the bailie, did at this joke. 1868G. Macdonald R. Falconer II. 152 But Robert wadna like me to tak siller whaur I did nae wark for't... He's some pernickety, Robert. 1884E. Ingersoll in Harper's Mag. May 875/2 Any white man..grows lame and impatient at such confining and pernickety work. 1885A. Birrell in Contemp. Rev. Jan. 30 The pernickety little player [Garrick] was chary about lending his splendidly bound rarities. 1891B. Matthews Americanisms & Brit. (1892) 29 The grammarian, the purist, the pernicketty stickler for trifles. 1892Spectator 27 Feb. 290/1 Restrictions, some of them a trifle pernickety. 1899A. Lang in Blackw. Mag. Aug. 271/1 Our age is more precise, more pernickety..as to evidence.
Hence perˈnicketiness.
1890in Century Dict. 1900Spectator 15 Dec. 877 It behoves every Minister to be careful to the point of fastidiousness, or, if you will, pernickittiness. |