| 释义 |
bell-wether|ˈbɛlˌwɛðə(r)|
Forms: 5 belle-weder, belwedyr, 5–7 -weather, 6– -weder, -wedder, -weadder, 6–8 bellweather, 5– bel-wether, 6– bellwether.
[f. bell n.1 + wether.]
1. The leading sheep of a flock, on whose neck a bell is hung.
c1440Promp. Parv. 30/1 Belwedyr, shepe, titurus. 1549Compl. Scot. vi. 66 The bel veddir for blythtnes bleyttit rycht fast. 1591Spenser M. Hubberd 296 To follow after their Belwether. 1718Motteux Quix. (1733) I. 237 He that steals a Bell-weather, shall be discover'd by the Bell. 1847Lewes Hist. Philos. (1867) II. 254 Men are for the most part like sheep, who always follow the bell-wether.
2. fig. A chief or leader. (Mostly contemptuous.)
c1430Lydg. Bochas (1554) 224 a, I was cleped in my countrey The belweather. 1577Holinshed Chron. II. 40/2 Thomas being the ring-leader of the one sect, and Scotus the belweadder of the other. 1687T. Brown Saints in Upr. Wks. 1730 I. 73 The principal bell-weathers of this mutiny. 1794Southey Wat Tyler iii. i. Wks. II. 50 You bell-wether of the mob. 1848Lowell Biglow P. i, 'Taint afollerin' your bell-wethers Will excuse ye in His sight.
3. fig.
a. A clamorous person, one ready to give mouth.
b. (Used opprobriously.)
c1460Towneley Myst. 86 Go now, belleweder. 1598Shakes. Merry W. iii. v. 111 To be detected with a iealious rotten Bell-weather. 1620Shelton Quix. IV. xiii. 109 She made me weep, that am no Bell-weather. 1847Halliwell, Bell-wedder, a fretful child. North.
Hence bell-wethering, the fact of leading and being led ‘like sheep.’ bell-wetherishness, tendency to follow one who takes the lead.
1882Spectator 25 Mar. 388 But for the bell-wethering, there could have been no crinoline at all. Ibid. 387 The gregariousness, and bell-wetherishness of the English people, who must all do the same thing at once. |