释义 |
‖ ridotto, n.|rɪˈdɒtəʊ| Also 8 ridotta. Obs. exc. Hist. [It. ridotto, = F. réduit, med.L. reductus, f. the pa. pple. of L. redūcĕre to reduce. Florio's definition of ridotto is ‘a home or retiring place. Also a gaming house, an ordinary or tabling house or other place where good company doeth meete’.] An entertainment or social assembly consisting of music and dancing. Introduced into England ‘in the year 1722, at the Opera House in the Haymarket’ (Busby Dict. Music), and a marked feature of London social life during the eighteenth century.
1722Steele Consc. Lovers i. i, The poor Fool..loves to hear me talk of the World, and the Plays, Opera's, and Ridottos, for the Winter. 1753Richardson Grandison I. v. 24, I am to be carried by her to a masquerade, to a ridotto. 1778F. Burney Evelina xii, On Monday we go to a ridotto. 1806H. Siddons Maid, Wife, & Widow II. 170 She never talks of anything but the masquerades, balls, or ridottos of the fashionables. 1859Thackeray Virgin. xliii, There were masquerades and ridottos, frequented by all the fine society. attrib.1826M. Kelly Reminisc. I. 204 The ridotto rooms, where the masquerades took place, were in the palace. 1832Miss Mitford Village Ser. v. (1863) 428 The festoons of flowers and foliage which one sees round..ridotto tickets of Hogarth and Bartolozzi. Hence † riˈdotto v., to hold a ridotto. Obs.—1
1758J. G. Cooper Retreat of Aristippus, And heroines, whilst 'twas the fashion, Ridotto'd on the rural plains. |