| 释义 |
carriˈwitchet, carˈwitchet
Forms: 7 carwhichet, -whitchet, -wichet, corwhichet, 7–9 carwitchet, 8 carrawitchet, cary-whichit, carry witchet, 9 carwhichit, carriwitchet.
[Derivation unknown. Dr. Fitzedward Hall in Mod. Eng. asks ‘can it be a corruption of F. colifichet?’]
A pun, quibble; a hoaxing question or conundrum.
1614B. Jonson Barth. Fair v. i. (1631) 69 All the fowle i' the Fayre, I meane, all the dirt in Smithfield, (that's one of Master Littlewit's Carwhitchets now). 1630J. Taylor (Water P.) Wks. (N.) Devices..of planting the Ile of Dogs with whiblins, corwhichets, mushromes and tobacco. 1662Dryden Wild Gall. i. i, A bare Clinch will serve the turn; a Carwichet, a Quarterquibble, or a Punn. 1669Butler Rem. II. 120 Carwitchets, Clenches and Quibbles. a1743Savage Author to be let §4, I..deal in clinches, puns..and carry-which-its. c1750Arbuthnot Dissert. Dumpling (N.) Conundrums, and carrawitchets,—at which the king laughed till his sides crackt. 1822Scott Nigel xiii, Mortally wounded with a quibble or a carwitchet at the Mermaid. 1874Slang D. Carriwitchet, a hoaxing, puzzling question..as ‘How far is it from the first of July to London Bridge?’ |