| 释义 |
senseless, a.|ˈsɛnslɪs|
Forms: see sense n. Also superl. 6–7 sense-, sencelest.
[f. sense n. + -less.]
1. Of persons, their bodies or organs: Destitute or deprived of sensation; physically insentient.
1557N. Grimalde Cicero's Death in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 125 Popilius flyeth, therwhyle: and, leauyng there The senslesse stock, a gryzely sight doth bear Vnto Antonius boord, with mischief fed. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. iv. iv. 25, I would I were senselesse sir, that I might not feele your blowes. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 306 His cheekes must not be pinched by the bridle, least the skin grow sencelesse. 1621G. Sandys Ovid's Met. ii. (1626) 37 And stifning cold benums her senselesse lims.
transf.1883R. W. Dixon Mano ii. ii. 67 One that among us was in company Felt his knees smitten with a senseless cold.
b. That is in a state of unconsciousness.
1585Forman Diary (1849) 18, I was sensles eight howares. 1595Caxton's Blanchardyn liv. 212 More to hasten on deathes speedy pace to this sencles olde man. 1778F. Burney Evelina xxxiii, I was almost senseless with terror. 1820Byron Juan iv. xxx, Strange state of being! (for 'tis still to be) Senseless to feel, and with seal'd eyes to see. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 433 His wife..was carried senseless to her chamber. 1889Gretton Memory's Harkback 109 Where the poor fellow was lying senseless from his fall.
†c. Said of sleep, death, the grave, etc. Obs.
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 67 What harme can there be in death? which if it were not senselesse, might much rather be termed immortalitie, then death. a1586Sidney Arcadia iii. (Sommer) 343 With that, he stabbed himselfe into diuers places of his breast and throte, vntill those wounds..brought him to the senselesse gate of death. 1627Bernard Guide Grand-Jury i. ii. 13 In another disease..the sicke are..surprized with a senselesse trance. a1674Traherne Poet. Wks. (1903) 71 Those joys and praises must repair To us, which 'tis a sin To bury in a senseless tomb.
d. Of things: Incapable of sensation or perception.
1577tr. Bullinger's Decades ii. ii. (1592) 123 What needest thou any more hereafter, to hunt after senselesse Idoles? 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Feb. 205 Semed, the sencelesse yron did feare, Or to wrong holy eld did forbeare. 1602Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 496 Then senselesse Illium, Seeming to feele his blow, with flaming top Stoopes to his Bace, and with a hideous crash Takes prisoner Pyrrhus eare. 1610Tofte Hon. Acad. 15 Love doth willing draw The hardest hearts and sencelest rocks of Epyr with great awe. 1720A. Hill Zara iii. i. (near end), I stand, immoveable, like senseless marble! 1825T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. viii. III. 105 As he reflected whither the senseless paper [a letter] was soon to be conveyed. 1871R. Ellis Catullus lxiv. 165 The brutish winds..senseless, voiceless, inhuman Utter'd cry they hear not, in answers hollow reply not.
2. Destitute of mental sensibility, incapable of feeling or perception. Also, having no sense, feeling, or consciousness of something. Now rare or Obs.
1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. iv. 4 b, Those that chokyng the light of nature, do of purpose make them selues senselesse [F. s'abrutissent]. 1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 50 b, Which is a signe not onelie of presumptious arrogancie, but also of senseless brutishnesse. 1602Marston Antonio's Rev. i. i, Piero..is no nummed lord, Senselesse of all true touch. 1611Shakes. Cymb. i. i. 135, I am senselesse of your Wrath. 1612Peacham Gentl. Exerc. i. xvii. 59 To draw Mars like a yong Hippolitus with an effeminate countenance..proceedeth of a sencelesse & ouercold a iudgement. 1680Otway Orphan v. vii. 2068 Why wert thou Deaf to my Cries and senseless of my Pains. 1784Cowper Task i. 516 Not senseless of its charms. 1796Coleridge Lett. (1895) 171 Your poor father is, I hope, almost senseless of this calamity. 1818Shelley Eugan. Hills 36 Senseless is the breast, and cold, Which relenting love would fold.
†b. Unconscious that. Obs.
1603Drayton Bar. Wars v. xiii, As though he thought not on it, As he were senseless that it should forgoe him.
3. Of a person, etc.: Devoid of sense or intelligence, stupid, silly, foolish.
1565J. Calfhill Answ. Martiall's Treat. Cross ii. 42 b, I think there is none so senslesse as yourselfe, but consters his words otherwise than you. 1580Lupton Sivquila 55 Far more senselesse, than the senselest or brutest beast in the world. 1602Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. i, An honest senselesse dolt, A good poore foole. a1660Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) II. 99 Will both churche and laitie be soe senclesse as not to disclaime against such a Nero. 1670Cotton Espernon ii. viii. 400 His Lieutenant..being so senseless as to come upon the draw Bridge of the Castle to talk with them. a1716South Serm. (1737) IV. 47 To hold forth, and harangue the multitude,..wheresoever, and howsoever they could clock the senseless and unthinking rabble about them. 1819Shelley Cenci v. iii. 36 What! Will you give up these bodies to be dragged At horses' heels, so that our hair should sweep The footsteps of the vain and senseless crowd. 1855Brewster Newton II. xxiv. 345 But when Eusebius asked her if she knew the man, she answered that she would not be so senseless as to accuse such men.
†b. quasi-adv. Unreasonably. Obs. rare—1.
1594Shakes. Rich. III, iii. i. 44 You are too sencelesse obstinate, my Lord, Too ceremonious, and traditionall.
4. Of actions, words, dispositions, etc.: Proceeding from lack of sense or intelligence, foolish. Also, without sense or meaning; unmeaning, meaningless, purposeless.
The two uses, related to different meanings of sense n., are often blended; unequivocal examples of the sense ‘meaningless’ are rare.
1579E. K. in Spenser's Sheph. Cal. Ep. Ded. §1 What so they vnderstand not, they streight way deeme to be sencelesse. 1588Marprel. Epist. (Arb.) 3, D. Bridges hath written in your defence, a most senceless book. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 627 The Rabbines haue another as senselesse a dreame that Phineas was Elias. 1645Ussher Body Div. (1647) 419 Which thing yet were senslesse to doubt of. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. ii. §86 Cheap senseless libels were scattered about the city. 1693Locke Educ. §11 (1699) 16, I cannot but conclude there are other Creatures, as well as Munkeys, who, little wiser than they, destroy their young Ones by senseless fondness, and too much embracing. 1709Steele Tatler No. 26 ⁋10 Putting all my Force against the horrid and senseless Custom of Duels. 1839F. A. Kemble Resid. Georgia (1863) 129 Cheerful music and senseless words. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 441 The senseless and dastardly wickedness of mixing noxious drugs with the food of a young girl whom he had no conceivable motive to injure. 1864Pusey Lect. Daniel (1876) 150 It is senseless to bring the Ptolemies into the line of Syrian kings. 1884Brett in Law Rep. 14 Q.B. Div. 799 If that argument be true, the clause..was an absolutely futile and senseless one. |