| 释义 |
barrenness|ˈbærənnɪs|
Forms: 4 barynes, 4–5 bareynes(se, 5 -ines, -aynesse, 6 barenes, barraynesse, -ennis, -ennes, 7 -ennesse, -eness, 7– barrenness.
[f. as prec. + -ness.]
1. Incapacity for child-bearing; sterility as regards offspring. The opposite of fertility.
1382Wyclif Isa. xlvii. 9 Comen shal to thee..bareynesse and widewehed. a1400Cov. Myst. 75 My barynes he may amend. 1526Tindale Rom. iv. 19 Nor yet considered he..the barenes of Sara. 1615Bp. Hall Contempl. N.T. i. i, Among the Jewes, barrennesse was..a reproach. 1856Froude Hist. Eng. II. 141 Providence had not pronounced against the marriage by a sentence of barrenness.
2. Unproductiveness or sterility of the earth; hence, dearth, scarcity, famine.
1388Wyclif Gen. xxvi. 1 Hungur roos on the lond aftir thilke bareynesse. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxxi. 247 For defaute of rayne ther was grete barines of corn. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. iii. ii. 123 Where Scotland? Dro. I found it by the barrennesse, hard in the palme of the hand. 1611Bible Ps. cvii. 34 A fruitfull land into barrennesse. 1866J. Murphy Comm. Ex. xvi. 4 The very barrenness of the wilderness gave way to the bountiful hand of the Lord.
3. fig. Unproductiveness; hence, poverty of supply, lack of fullness or copiousness, bareness, scantiness, meagreness, poverty.
1586Thynne in Animadv. Introd. 70 Carping at my barrennes in writing, because I omit manie things. a1617Hieron Wks. II. 337 Such a generall barrennesse in mens hearts..that they know not what to say vpon such occasions. a1797H. Walpole Mem. Geo. II (1847) I. iv. 94 Great hesitation in his elocution, and a barrenness of expression. 1879Froude Cæsar xvii. 286 The barrenness of practical results.
4. Lack of intellectual capacity; mental poverty, slowness, dullness.
1552Huloet, Barrennes properlye of capacitie, segnities. 1599Thynne Animadv. 2 The barrennesse of my feble skyll. 1750Johnson Rambl. No. 19 ⁋8 The barrenness of his fellow students forced him..into other company. 1837Whewell Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857) I. 238 The prevalent feebleness and barrenness of intellect.
5. ‘Aridity, want of emotion or sensibility.’ J.
a1667Jer. Taylor (J.) The greatest saints sometimes are fervent and sometimes feel a barrenness of devotion. |