释义 |
▪ I. prefix, n.|ˈpriːfɪks| [ad. mod.L. præfix-um, n. use of neut. of præfix-us, pa. pple. of præfīgĕre to fix in front: see pre- A. 1, 4 c, and fix v. So F. préfixe adj. and n. (18th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).] 1. Gram. A verbal element placed before and joined to a word or stem to add to or qualify its meaning, or (in some languages) as an inflexional formative: strictly applied only to inseparable particles, but more loosely including also combining forms, and independent words, esp. prepositions and adverbs, used in combination. All prefixes were originally distinct words, which have been reduced to one or two syllables, and sometimes to a single letter, as be- in be-fore, over- in over-ween, a- in a-rise, y- in y-clept, etc.
[1614Brerewood Lang. & Relig. ix. 63 Those adherents of words, which they call præfixa and suffixa.] 1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iii. xxiv. 170 The Greek word Bous, which is a prefixe of augmentation to many words in that language. 1764Harmer Observ. xiii. vi. 257 The prefix Lamed should in that case have been joined to the word Lips. 1845Stoddart Gram. in Encycl. Metrop. (1847) I. 77/1 The prefix a,..considered by some persons as necessary to distinguish Adverbs from their adjectives, as aloud from loud. 1851J. C. Bryant Zulu Lang. in Jrnl. Amer. Orient. Soc. I. 388 note, What we call the prefix in the Zulu is not something extraneous to the word and placed before it, but a part of the word itself. 1888Sweet Hist. Eng. Sounds 105 [In O.E.] Substantives corresponding to verbs with separable prefixes take the stress on the particle. 2. a. A title prefixed to a person's name, as Mr., Dr., Sir, Rev., Hon., Lord, etc.
1836Tennyson in Mem. (1897) I. 158 You had promised the Marquis I would write for him something... To write for people with prefixes to their names is to milk he-goats; there is neither honour nor profit. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. iv. xiv, Mr. Wegg expressly insisted that there should be no prefix to the Golden Dustman's name. b. A word placed at the beginning of the registered name of a pedigree animal, esp. a dog, to indicate the establishment in which it was bred.
1893[see affix n. 4]. 1922R. Leighton Compl. Bk. Dog 367 A Prefix or Affix shall constitute part of a name. 1954[see affix n. 4]. 1961C. H. D. Todd Popular Whippet 139, I remember some lovely dogs that sailed under the Poppy prefix. 1976C. Cooper Newfoundland i. 31 New names were coming to join those of established breeders, among them Lt-Col. Reid-Kerr with his Gleborchd prefix. 3. The act of prefixing. rare.
1793Beddoes Demonstr. Evid. 7 note, By a prefix of the letter N, of which the primary sense is not known, is signifies to have, to possess. 1871Roby Latin Gram. I. Pref. 18 A language..in which, like English,..the adjective great requires, in order to gain the same meaning as magni, the prefix of the definite article, or the addition of the word men. 4. attrib. and Comb., as prefix-language, a language inflected by means of prefixes, e.g. those of the Bantu family.
1881Whitney Mixt. Lang. 15 If we dispute..the validity of an à priori claim that a prefix-language and a suffix-language—as, for example, a South African and a Hamitic tongue—might mingle in a manner seen to be impracticable in the case of two Indo-European dialects. ▪ II. † preˈfix, ppl. a. Obs. rare—1. [a. F. préfix (1381 in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. præfix-us, pa. pple. of præfīgĕre: see prec.] Fixed beforehand.
c1500Melusine 336 Yf within a terme prefix none came there to be hermyte, he of the nerest Celle gooyng vpward muste entre into that other Celle so exempted. ▪ III. prefix, v. (see below) Also 7 præ-. [a. OF. prefixer (1392 in Godef. Compl.): see pre- A. 1, 4 c, and fix v.] I. In reference to time |ˌpriːˈfɪks|. 1. trans. To fix or appoint beforehand (esp. a point or space of time).
c1420Lydg. Assembly of Gods 549 The same day Pluto had prefyxyd for a gret mater. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 165 The day of examinacion was prefixede. 1598R. Barckley Felic. Man (1631) 459 About the end of the time by him prefixed both the Pope and the King dyed. 1607Norden Surv. Dial. iii. 116 You prefixe too short a time farre: for Oakes are slow of growth. 1738Hist. Crt. Excheq. x. 147 The first Thing is to prefix him [the sheriff] a day to account. 1770Amherst Records (1884) 50/1 Voted That the Select Men be a Com'tee to Lay out and prefix sufficient boundaries to the Burying Yard. 1883R. W. Dixon Mano i. i. 3 As the fatal hour prefixed drew near. 1977Daily Tel. 23 Feb. 32/3 Would-be exporters can ‘pre-fix’ the subsidy at the present level by arrangement with the European Commission in Brussels. †2. a. To fix, settle, or determine in one's mind beforehand; to set before oneself, resolve on, purpose; to make up (the mind) beforehand. Obs.
1523Fitzherb. Husb. §157 This texte may gyue the a courage to prefyx thy mynd to make there thy purchase. 1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 166 When he had prefixed & appoynted to take a certain castle & fortresse. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 194 b, This therfore dyd he pretende to bee the cause of a newe trouble and disturbaunce of the weale publicke whan he had prefixed it long before. 1610J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xii. (1660) 158 The order that I prefix to myself in treating of these Beasts. 1652Earl of Monmouth tr. Bentivoglio's Hist. Relat. 109 As all Pylots prefix the haven for their end..so all war hath peace for its end. †b. pass. To be determined or purposed. Obs.
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 201 He was prefixed to haue expressed Dauid his Psalter in Frenche metre. Ibid. 210 b, The enemies are fully prefixed to retourne to the sege of the cassel. 3. a. To ‘fix’, make fast or permanent beforehand: see fix v. 5.
1893Photogr. Ann. 290 The troublesome and risky prefixing acid clearing bath is not necessary. b. Biol. To fix with the first of two consecutively used fixatives.
1963Jrnl. Cell Biol. XVII. 32 It was found that material prefixed in glutaraldehyde or acrolein..and refixed in osmium tetroxide contained numerous dense particles of diffuse contours..occupying the glycogen areas. 1971Nature 29 Oct. 622/2 Even when the final suspension was prefixed by adding osmium tetroxide, damaged liposomes were not seen. II. In reference to order and place |prɪˈfɪks, ˈpriːfɪks|. 4. To place before or at the beginning of a book, chapter, account, or writing of any kind, esp. as an introduction or title.
1538Coverdale N.T. Ded., Wks. (Parker Soc.) II. 32, I did..direct an epistle unto the king's most noble grace; trusting that the book, whereupon it was prefixed, should afterward have been as well correct as other books be. 1551Cranmer Answ. Gardiner 1 Here before the beginnyng of your boke, you haue prefyxed a goodly title. 1625Bacon Ess. Ded. to Dk. Buckhm., I do now publish my Essays... I thought it therefore agreeable to my affection and obligation to your Grace to prefix your name before them. 1675Ogilby Brit. Introd., We have concluded it necessary to præfix an Illustration. 1782Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. Pref. 23 These Discourses are prefixed to ten..volumes. 1833Cruse Eusebius vii. xxv. 298 The evangelist does not prefix his name. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 9 The legislator..will prefix preambles to his principal laws. 5. In reference to place generally: To fix, fasten, or put in front. rare.
1604R. Cawdrey Table Alph., Prefixed, set in the forepart. 1616Bullokar Eng. Expos., Prefixe, to fasten before. 1805E. de Acton Nuns of Desert I. 157 He produced a pistol, and prefixed the muzzle to his breast. 1898Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. CXC. 85 The skin and musculature of the arm of Man are somewhat prefixed as compared with Macacus. 6. Gram. To place (a word or particle) before a word, esp. in combination with it: cf. prefix n. 1. Const. before (rare), to.
1605Camden Rem. 104 All which in Latine old Evidences have had De præfixed. 1719Waterland Vind. Christ's Div. iii. Wks. 1823 I. ii. 48 You remark, that ‘the article is prefixed before θεός, in an absolute construction, when spoken of the Father; but omitted when predicated of the λόγος’. 1845Stoddart Gram. in Encycl. Metrop. (1847) I. 69/1 In English, we generally prefix the relative Article to the names of our rivers, but seldom to those of our mountains. 1876T. L. Papillon Manual Compar. Philol. (1877) 162 Language seems originally to have employed.. the augment—in Sanskrit a, in Greek ε..prefixed to aorist, imperfect, and pluperfect tenses in both these languages. Hence preˈfixing vbl. n. and ppl. a.
1691tr. Emilianne's Frauds Rom. Monks (ed. 3) 327 They have not the patience themselves to stay out the time of their own prefixing. 1893[see 3]. 1897[see postfix v.]. |