| 释义 |
▪ I. brevet, n.|ˈbrɛvɪt|
Also 4–5 breuette, 8 brevitt.
[a. F. brevet a note, dim. of bref letter, etc.: see brief.]
†1. An official or authoritative message in writing; esp. a Papal Indulgence. Obs.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 71 He bonchede hem with his Breuet and blered heore eiȝen. 1377Ibid. B. v. 649, I wil go fecche my box with my breuettes. 1430Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. xii, This worthy Kyng..Hath his breuettes and his letters sent For his lordes to holde a parlement. 1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 462 He gave unto them..two brevets or letters to carrie unto the Ephori. 1652Proc. Parliament No. 109. 2659 Ingaged to signifie that Bul with the Brevet and Excommunication before the King here. 1721Bailey, Brevet, a Brief, a Pope's Bull. Old word. a1754Carte in Gutch Coll. Cur. II. 107 Council Brevitts, though of no authority in point of Evidence, yet for Information are often useful. [Not in Johnson 1755.]
2. An official document granting certain privileges from a sovereign or government; spec. in the Army, a document conferring nominal rank on an officer, but giving no right to extra pay.
1689Burnet Tracts I. 25 Had a brevet to be a Marischal of France. 1721Lond. Gaz. No. 5952/2 The Duke of Chartres..holds this Employment by a Brevet only. 1811Wellington Let. in Gurw. Disp. VII. 557 Six Majors..to be promoted by brevet to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. 1844Regul. & Ord. Army 3 When Regiments or Detachments are united..in Camp..the Eldest Officer, whether by brevet or otherwise, is to command the whole.
b. transf. and fig.
1819Edin. Rev. XXXI. 279 Any blockhead who could produce a sonnet..obtained a brevet of poet. 1861Sat. Rev. 23 Nov. 533 The Church..offers an easy entrance to the stupid..a brevet of gentility to those who feel their need of it.
3. attrib. or quasi-adj., as in brevet officer, brevet rank.
1781A. Hamilton in Sparks Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853) III. 302, I have used the term Brevet..as signifying, in general, all officers not attached to any established corps. 1796Morse Amer. Geog. I. 243 All the commissioned and brevet officers of the army and navy. 1836Penny Cycl. V. 402/1 Brevet rank does not exist in the royal navy. 1868Regul. & Ord. Army ⁋27 Captains having the brevet rank of Field Officers..do duty as field Officers in Camp and Garrison.
b. transf. and fig.
1829Scott Demonol. x. 357 One of those accredited ghost tales which attain a sort of brevet rank as true. 1856Thackeray Christmas Bks. (1872) 21 The two old ladies have taken the brevet rank, and are addressed as Mrs. Jane and Mrs. Betsy.
▪ II. brevet, v.|ˈbrɛvɪt|
Pa. tense and pple. breveted.
[f. prec.: cf. F. breveter.]
trans. To raise to a certain rank by brevet; also fig.
1839Fraser's Mag. XX. 519 Women, in the court of France, were but just brevetted to the rank of ladies. 1879Tourgee Fool's Err. iv. 18 He is colonel now; has been breveted a brigadier-general. |