| 释义 |
purity|ˈpjʊərɪtɪ|
Forms: 3–6 purete, 4–5 purte, 4–6 puryte, 6 purite, purety, 6–7 puritie, 6– purity.
[ME. purte (rare), a. OF. purte (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.); but usually, from the beginning of 13th c. in a later F. form purete, mod.F. pureté, and at length more fully conformed, as purite, -itie, -ity, to L. pūritās, -tātem (f. pūr-us pure: see -ity). Cf. Pr. purtat, -etat, -itat, It. purità, Sp. puridad.]
The quality or condition of being pure, in various senses.
1. In physical sense: The state of being unmixed; freedom from admixture of any foreign substance or matter; absence of any other ingredient; esp. freedom from matter that contaminates, defiles, corrupts, or debases; physical cleanness.
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 228 This corruptible body shall be indued with purite & incorupcyon. 1550Acts Privy Counc. (1890) II. 430 French crownes..of the goodnes, purety, and waight, as they be curraunt in Fraunce. 1611Shakes. Wint. T. i. ii. 327 To..Sully the puritie and whitenesse of my Sheetes. 1727–46Thomson Summer 1267 This [bathing] is the purest exercise of health... Even from the body's purity the mind Receives a secret sympathetic aid. 1832G. R. Porter Porcelain & Gl. 164 To insure the absolute purity of the ingredients. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xx. 138 Snow of perfect purity.
b. quasi-concr. Pure substance or part.
1460–70Bk. Quintessence 5 Þe purete of þe quinte essencie schal be sublymed aboue, & þe groste schal abide byneþe. c1720Prior 2nd Hymn Callimachus 147 The nymphs..from little urns Pour streams select, and purity of waters.
2. In non-physical or general sense: The state of being unmixed; freedom from any foreign or extraneous element, esp. from such as corrupt or debase; unalloyed or unadulterated condition; faultlessness, correctness.
1561tr. Calvin's 4 Godly Serm. i. C iiij, To abolish al superstitions, yt the true religion mai be set in her own puritie & holines. 1563Nowell in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 21 The purity of the Latine tongue. 1661Evelyn Diary 10 Nov., He shew'd that the Church of England was for purity of doctrine..the most perfect under Heaven. 1700Dryden Fables Pref., in Ess. (ed. Ker) II. 254 From Chaucer the purity of the English tongue began. 1704Norris Ideal World ii. iii. 182 The metaphysical purity..of thought is the immateriality..of its object. 1841Elphinstone Hist. Ind. I. i. i. 35 The daughters of such connections, if they go on marrying Bramins for seven generations, restore their progeny to the original purity of the sacerdotal class. 1875Freeman Venice (1881) 257 The slight touch of Renaissance in some of the capitals..in no sort takes away from the general purity of the style.
3. Of persons, their faculties, actions, attributes, etc.: Freedom from moral corruption, from ceremonial or sexual uncleanness, or pollution; stainless condition or character; innocence, chastity, ceremonial cleanness. (The earliest sense in Eng.)
a1225Ancr. R. 4 All muwen & owen holden one riwle onont purete of heorte. 1340Ayenb. 202 Þis chastete, þis clennesse, þis purte acseþ þet me loki þe herte uram euele þoȝtes. 1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 22985 Whanne it is songe off good entente, In clennesse and in purete. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 145 b, Whan we be gyuen..to clennesse of vertue & purite of lyfe. 1598Shakes. Merry W. ii. ii. 258, I could driue her then from the ward of her purity, her reputation, her marriage-vow. 1611Bible 1 Tim. v. 2 Intreate..The elder women as mothers, the yonger as sisters with all puritie. 1634Milton Comus 427 No savage fierce..Will dare to soyl her Virgin purity. a1661B. Holyday (J.), Is it the purity of a linen vesture, which some so fear would defile the purity of the priest? 1729Law Serious Call vii. 109 Every thing about her resembles the purity of her soul. 1816Byron Siege Cor. xxi, 'Tis said the lion will turn and flee From a maid in the pride of her purity. 1827Heber Hymn ‘Holy, holy, holy’ iii, Perfect in power, in love, and purity. 1905W. Sanday Crit. 4th Gosp. iv. 120 The strictest ritualistic purity was required of those who took part in the feast.
b. quasi-concr. An embodiment of purity; a stainless being. nonce-use.
1602Marston Ant. & Mel. i. Wks. 1856 I. 14 She comes: creations puritie, admir'd, Ador'd amazing raritie. |