| 释义 |
▪ I. portress1, porteress|ˈpɔətrɪs, ˈpɔːtərɪs|
Forms: α. 5–6 porteresse, 6 Sc. -aress, 6– -eress. β. 5–7 portresse, 6 -res, 7– portress.
[f. porter n.1 + -ess.]
A female porter; a woman who acts as porter or door-keeper, esp. in a nunnery.
c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 2615 Of the gardyn and the close She is the chiefe porteresse, Of the entre lady and maistresse. 1509Hawes Past. Pleas. iv. (Percy Soc.) 16, I came to ryall gate, Where I sawe stondynge the goodly portres. 1548Q. Catherine in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 152 That yowr porteresse may wayte at the gate..for yow. 1613–31Primer our Lady 264 The wench..that was portresse sayth to Peter, art not thou also of this mans disciples? 1797Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xiii, The porteress appeared immediately upon the ringing of the bell. 1862‘Shirley’ Nugæ Crit. viii. 364 The old porteress, with her rusty keys, will admit you within the deserted church. 1895F. M. Crawford Casa Braccio iv, The portress and another nun came to let him in.
b. fig., or in personification.
1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 4577, I am my-sylff the porteresse, (Maad off verray Ryghtwysnesse,) Off the releff that ye sen her. 1521R. Copland in Barclay Introd. to wryte French, In eschewynge of ydlenesse the portresse of vyces. 1607T. Walkington Opt. Glass 48 The Goddesse of eloquence and perswasion was the portresse of his mouth. 1792S. Rogers Pleas. Mem. ii. 8 Sweet Memory..Thee, in whose hands the keys of Science dwell, The pensive portress of her holy cell.
▪ II. † ˈportress2 Obs. rare—1.
[? corruption of obs. F. portice (16th c. in Godef.):—L. (porta) postica a postern. (The ending perh. influenced by fortress.)]
The gate of a fortification.
1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 158 The wall..has a dozen Portresses [ed. 1665 adds or Gates], of which, foure are shut up. |