| 释义 |
round ˈrobin
Also Round Robin.
†1. (See quots.) Obs.
1546Coverdale tr. Calvin's Treat. Sacr. Pref. A ij, Certayne fonde talkers..applye to this mooste holye sacramente, names of despitte and reproche, as to call it Jake in the boxe, and round roben, and suche other not onely fond but also blasphemouse names. 1555Ridley in Foxe A. & M. (1570) 1924/2 There were at Paules..fixed railing bils against the Sacrament, terming it Jacke of ye boxe, the sacrament of the halter, round Robin, with lyke unseemely termes.
†2. Applied to persons. Obs.
1592Greene Conny Catch. Wks. (Grosart) X. 36 There in faith round Robin his deputie, would make them, like wretches, feel the waight of his heauiest fetters. 1636R. N. in Ann. Dubrensia (1877) 66 Thou art he in whom All the brave Robins meet to make vp one, Round-Robin. a1671Hacket Abp. Williams ii. (1692) 177 These Wat Tylers and Round-Robins being driven or persuaded out of Whitehall.
3. a. A document (esp. one embodying a complaint, remonstrance, or request) having the names of the subscribers arranged in a circle so as to disguise the order in which they have signed. Now used loosely of any such document signed by many persons, freq. in alphabetical order to indicate that responsibility is shared.
Originally used by sailors, and frequently referred to as a nautical term.
(a)1730Weekly Jrnl. 3 Jan. 3/4 A Round Robin is a Name given by Seamen, to an Instrument on which they sign their Names round a Circle, to prevent the Ring⁓leader being discover'd by it, if found. 1731Gentl. Mag. I. 238 The Method used by Sailors when they mutiny, by signing their names in an orbicular manner, which they call a round Robin. 1742J. Campbell Lives Admirals (1750) II. 98 The sailors on board the fleet, signed, what is called by them, a round Robin, that is, a paper containing..their names subscribed in a circle, that it might not be discerned who signed first. 1828Lancet 21 June 382/2 If thirteen physicians..had written what seamen call a round robin to an authority. 1847H. Melville Omoo xx, I proposed that a ‘Round Robin’ should be prepared and sent ashore to the consul. 1870Thornbury Tour rd. Eng. I. 192 [He] so tormented his crew that they signed a round robin, and sent it to the Admiralty.
(b)1755Chesterfield in World No. 146 ⁋8 If I thought it could be of any use, I could easily present them with a round robin to that effect of above a thousand..names. 1791Sir W. Forbes in Boswell (Oxf. ed.) II. 60, I enclose the Round Robin. This jeu d'esprit took its rise one day at dinner at our friend Sir Joshua Reynolds's. 1829Farmer's Jrnl. Oct. 330 Last week the whole of the tenants..sent a round-robin to his lordship's steward. a1859Macaulay Biog. (1867) 217 He tried to induce a large number of the supporters of the government to sign a round robin desiring a change. 1896J. D. Coleridge Eton in the Forties 133 The headmaster suggested our signing and sending a round robin of congratulation. 1978B. Levin in K. Gregory First Cuckoo 13 Writers of round robins (‘We, the undersigned, each in his or her personal capacity..’) also choose The Times for preference, the second elevens being accommodated elsewhere.
transf.1816Coleridge Lay Serm. (Bohn) 349 Such a round robin of mere lies, that you knew not which to begin with. 1977N.Y. Rev. Bks. 4 Aug. 7/1 As if to point up the homosexual theme, rather than to offer a round robin of sexuality.
b. orig. U.S. A tournament in which every player or team competes once with each of the others. Freq. attrib.
1895Official Lawn Tennis Bull. 3 Jan. 1/2 The so⁓called round-robin tournament, where each man plays every other, furnishes the best possible test of tennis skill. Ibid. 3/1 No one would..argue that a man of that rating could win in a round-robin. 1904J. P. Paret Lawn Tennis iii. 24 Invitation tournaments are of American origin, and the matches are generally played on what is called the ‘round robin’ system, each of the players meeting all of the others in turn. Ibid. iv. 65 The British visitors next played a round-robin at Chicago. 1943M. Kraitchik Math. Recreations ix. 231 In a round⁓robin tournament among teams of four or two we must arrange a schedule by which every team meets every other just once. 1952E. Lasker Chess Secrets 379 Arrange the players in groups, and have the winners, or the first two or three of each group, play a final round robin. 1974Times 20 Apr. 11/1 The ‘Aces’ of America [sc. a bridge team] held their own against the Italians in the preliminary round-robin to decide who should compete in the final. 1978Time 3 July 50/1 In June, the 14 survivors and the West German team..moved to Argentina to join the host country's team in an exhausting series of round-robin matches.
c. (See quot. 1976.)
1972J. Wambaugh Blue Knight (1973) x. 171 Would you care for a round robin or a three-horse parley to-day? 1976Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 26 Mar. 31/4 Round robin, three horses linked in Up and Down bets on each pair, plus three doubles and a treble (10 bets).
†4. (See quot.) Obs.—0
1688Holme Armoury iii. 97/2 Round Robins, narrow Ruffs only about the Doublet Collar.
5. Mech. (See quots.)
1794W. Felton Carriages (1801) II. 195 The round Robin is a broad rim fixed to the end of the axletree bed, to prevent dirt falling in to injure the Arms of the Axletree. 1875Knight Dict. Mech. 669/1 Cuttoo-plate,..otherwise called a dirt-board, or round robin.
6. a. U.S. The fish Decapterus punctatus.
1876Goode Fishes Bermudas 46 The Round Robin is seined in great numbers in Hamilton Harbor.
b. The angler-fish, Lophius piscatorius.
1880E. Cornwall Gloss. (E.D.S.).
7. Devon dial.
a. A small pancake.
1847Halliwell.
b. Herb Robert; Ragged Robin.
1882Devonsh. Plant Names.
Hence round-robiˈneer, a subscriber to a round robin (sense 3 a), an importuner; round-ˈrobining, the act of subscribing to a round robin (sense 3 a).
1933H. P. Long Every Man a King xii. 179 If ever again you fifteen round-robineers find me drowning, for Heaven's sake, let me drown! 1968Guardian 13 July 8/6 On Tuesday—after much round-robining—hundreds of BBC secretaries and studio staff intend boycotting the corporation's canteen. |