| 释义 |
Brobdingnag|ˈbrɒbdɪŋˌnæg|
Often incorrectly Brobdignag.
The name given by Swift in Gulliver's Travels to an imaginary country where everything was on a gigantic scale. Hence used attrib. as: Of, or pertaining to, that country; of huge dimensions; immense; gigantic.
(Swift subsequently wrote a mock letter from ‘Captain Gulliver’ to his cousin Sympson (purporting to be dated 27 April 1727, but first published in Dublin ed. 1735), complaining that Brobdingnag had been erroneously printed for Brobdingrag; but this was only a feint to mystify the public by a pretended solicitude for minute accuracy. The early editions have all Brobdingnag. See Craik Life of Swift (1882) 535–7.)
1731Pope Mor. Ess. iv. 104 Such a draught As brings all Brobdignag before your thought. 1814Southey in Q. Rev. XI. 65 The houses..have the appearance of Brobdignag beehives. 1840Carlyle Heroes i. 56 Huge untutored Brobdignag genius.
Hence Brobdingnagian |brɒbdɪŋˈnægɪən|, a. and n. Also -digˈnagian, -naggian. (a) adj. = Brobdingnag; (b) n. An inhabitant of Brobdingnag, a giant, a person of huge size.
1728Morgan Algiers II. v. 319 Brobdingnaggian Leagues would scarce suffice. 1797Godwin Enquirer i. vii. 61 The final triumph of my Brobdingnagian persecutor. 1870Disraeli Lothair lxxxi. 428 A bran-new brobdignagian hotel. 1881Grant Allen Evolutionist at large i, Known to our Brobdingnagian intelligence as grains of sand.
1729T. Cooke Tales, Prop. &c. 119 In Wit we Brobdignaggians are. 1835T. Hook G. Gurney II. v. (L.) ‘Sally!’ screamed the Brobdingnagian..‘a gentleman wants a bed!’ |