| 释义 |
responsiˈbility
[See next and -ity. So F. responsabilité, It. -ita, Sp. -idad.]
1. The state or fact of being responsible.
1787Hamilton Federalist No. 63 II. 193 Responsibility in order to be reasonable must be limited to objects within the power of the responsible party. 1796Burke Regic. Peace iii. Sel. Wks. (1892) 258 Where I speak of responsibility, I do not mean to exclude that species of it [etc.]. 1827Southey Hist. Penins. War II. 746 He was made to understand that any risk which he incurred would be upon his own responsibility. 1874Sayce Compar. Philol. viii. 305 It is only when the conception of the individual has been reached that the idea of responsibility begins. 1973Black Panther 17 Nov. 3/1 The attack was deliberate and appears to be associated with the letter from the ‘Symbionese Liberation Army’ claiming responsibility. 1974Oxford Mail 26 Oct. 1/4 Four explosions shook New York's business and financial districts within a few minutes today and a self-styled Puerto Rican liberation movement claimed responsibility.
b. Const. of the thing done or to be done.
1840Dickens Old C. Shop xvii, Then the entertainment began..; Mr. Codlin having the responsibility of deciding on its length. 1847Prescott Peru (1850) II. 137 He still shrunk from the responsibility of the deed. 1881W. Collins Black Robe viii, I took the responsibility of leaving him undisturbed.
c. Const. for.
1903G. B. Shaw Man & Superman i. 17 Mamma knows that she is not strong enough to bear the whole responsibility for me and Rhoda without some help and advice. 1928E. O'Neill Strange Interlude ii. 66 Looks damnably upset... Wants to evade all responsibility for her, I suppose. 1971G. K. Roberts Dict. Polit. Analysis 190 The individual responsibility of British ministers for the actions of their civil servants. 1974Black Panther 19 Jan. 3/1 A communique signed by the Symbionese Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack. 1975Times 20 Aug. 13/1 Just as one was wondering who would ‘claim responsibility’ for spoiling the Headingley wicket—Saór Eire, the Women's Liberation Army..—up popped the Campaign to Free George Davis. 1981M. Spark Loitering with Intent ii. 32, I can't take responsibility for your mother this afternoon.
2. a. With a and pl. A charge, trust, or duty, for which one is responsible.
1796Burke Regic. Peace iii. Sel. Wks. (1892) 258 That confidence..fixes a responsibility on the Ministers entire and undivided. 1847C. Brontë J. Eyre iv, Anxious to be relieved of a responsibility that was becoming irksome. 188019th Cent. Apr. 687 As the responsibilities became greater and warfare more scientific.
b. A person for whom one is responsible.
1832Marryat N. Forster xxxvi, [He] would hand over to Newton's charge any one of the unmarried responsibilities.
c. A person to whom one is responsible; a person in authority. nonce-use.
1893E. Dowson Let. c 22 Mar. (1967) 275, I have to let the responsibilities know exactly how many people I have invited.
3. U.S. ‘Ability to answer in payment; means of paying contracts’ (Cent. Dict. 1890). |