| 释义 |
▪ I. -s, suffix1
forming adverbs, was originally -es, identical with the suffix of the genitive singular of many neuter and masculine ns. and adjs. Several of the adverbs in -es that existed in OE. are genitives either of ns. (neut. or masc.) as dæᵹes by day, nédes needs, þances voluntarily, or of neuter adjs., as sóðes truly; on the analogy of these, -es was added, with adv.-forming function, to feminine nouns, as in nihtes by night, endebyrdes in order. OE. had also advs. compounded of tó prep. and a genitive governed by it, as tó-ᵹeᵹnes (see to-gains), tó-middes (see to-mids); side by side with these there existed parallel and synonymous advs. like on-ᵹeᵹn again, on-middan amid, in which the dat. or accus. was governed by a prep. Hence there arose in early ME. mixed forms such as aȝeines, amiddes; and the frequent coexistence of the two forms of the same adv., one with and the other without s, led to the addition of s to many advs. as a sign of their function. In some instances the extended form prevailed, as in eftsoons; in others it survived only in dialects, as in oftens, gaylies (Sc.). See also the articles -ling2, -lings, -ward, -wards, -way, -ways.
In once, twice, thrice, hence, since, etc., the suffix is written differently. In against, alongst, amongst, amidst, and the dialectal onst (see once), the original -es, -s has become -st.
▪ II. -s, suffix2
A shortened form of the hypocoristic dim. suffix -sy, added to the same classes of words, as Babs, Toots; ducks (see duck n.1 3 c), moms. |