| 释义 |
▪ I. † serene, n.1 Obs.
Forms: 6–7 seren, 7 serene, -eine, -ain(e, syren(e, 8 serein. See also serena and serein.
[a. F. serein of the same meaning (OF. serain, sierain evening) = Pg. serão:—popular L. *sērānum, f. sēr-um (F. soir) evening, subst. use of neut. of L. sērus late.
The word seems to have been confused in Fr. with serein serene a. The Sp. sereno serena may be from Fr.]
A light fall of moisture or fine rain after sunset in hot countries (see serein), formerly regarded as a noxious dew or mist.
1591Florio 2nd Fruites 153 The Seren neuer hurts a man in these colde countries. 1605B. Jonson Volpone iii. vii, Some serene blast mee, or dire lightning strike This my offending face. 1616Bullokar Eng. Expos., Seraine, a foggy mist or dampish vapour falling in Italie about sunne set, at which time it is vnwholesome to be abroad especially bareheaded. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 219 When the Syren or dew falls at night, they keepe themselves within dores till it be dried up. 1622F. Markham Bk. War iii. vii. 105 Which not to acknowledge, would hang as a Sereine or rotting Mildew vpon any thankfull nature. 1636G. Sandys Paraphr. Ps. cxxi. 205 Nor unwholsome Serene shall From the Moons moyst influence fall. c1645Howell Lett. (1650) II. 7 Have a care of your health, take heed of the seren's. 1682Phil. Collect. XII. 148 To preserve the Brain from the Serenes that fall in hot Countries. [1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Serein (Fr.), a dampish and unwholesome Vapour, that falls after Sun-set in hot Countries; a kind of Mildew.]
▪ II. serene, a. and n.2|sɪˈriːn|
[ad. L. serēn-us clear, fair, calm (of weather, etc.). Cf. OF. seri, serin, serain, mod.F. serein, Sp., Pg., It. sereno.]
A. adj.
1. Of the weather, air, sky: Clear, fine, and calm (without cloud or rain or wind).
1508Dunbar Gold. Targe 108 Quhill loud resownyt the firmament serene. a1513Fabyan Chron. vi. ccxviii. 238 To perce the heuyns that beeth so serene. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. i. i. i. v, As the heauen it selfe is, so is our life, sometimes faire, sometimes ouercast, tempestious, and serene. 1634Milton Comus 4 Where those immortal shapes Of bright aëreal Spirits live insphear'd In Regions milde of calm and serene Ayr. 1660R. Coke Power & Subj. 108 Whether it will be serene, or stormy weather. a1771Gray Song 9 Western gales and skies serene Speak not always winter past. 1829Chapters Phys. Sci. 200 Timely alternatives of serene and rainy days. 1867H. Macmillan Bible Teach. v. (1870) 91 So pure and serene is the air that..the faintest far-off sounds are heard with surprising distinctness.
b. Of the heavenly bodies: Shining with a clear and tranquil light.
1704Pope Winter 6 The moon, serene in glory, mounts the sky. 1744Akenside Pleas. Imag. i. 61 Ere the radiant sun Sprung from the east, or 'mid the vault of night The moon suspended her serener lamp. 1817Shelley Pr. Athanase i. 61 Through which his soul, like Vesper's serene beam..Shone, softly burning.
c. Hence as a poetic epithet of colour: Pure, clear, bright. Also (cf. 2 b), Quiet, sober.
1750Gray Elegy 53 Full many a gem of purest ray serene. 1846Landor Pentameron Wks. II. 343 Serener colours are pleasanter to our eyes and more becoming to our character.
2. Of other natural phenomena (e.g. the sea): Calm, tranquil.
1812J. Wilson Isle of Palms iii. 397 And gazed where inland waters lay Serene as night. 1816Shelley Mont Blanc 61 Mont Blanc appears—still, snowy, and serene. 1821― Hellas 1067 A brighter Hellas rears its mountains From waves serener far. 1870A. O'Shaughnessy Epic of Women 76 Through each shock of sound that shivers The serene palms to their height.
b. transf. Restful to the eye, expressive or suggestive of repose.
1849Ruskin Sev. Lamps ii. §8. 36 The magnificent and serene constructions of the early Gothic. Ibid. iii. §21. 88 Laws as inviolable and serene as those of nature herself.
3. Of a person, his mind, circumstances, etc.: Calm, tranquil, untroubled, unperturbed. Of the countenance: Expressive of inward calm, unruffled.
a1635[see serenity 2]. 1640Fuller Abel Rediv., Huss (1867) I. 19 Stokes, an Englishman then present at the council, his serene antagonist. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §67 The duke heard him without the least commotion, and with a countenance serene enough. a1687Petty Pol. Arith. vii. (1691) 103 The ordinary charge of the Government, in times of deep and serene Peace. 1712Steele Spect. No. 282 ⁋5 He who resigns the World..is in constant Possession of a serene Mind. 1818Byron Juan i. lxxxiii, A quiet conscience makes one so serene! 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 460 His serene intrepidity distinguished him among thousands of brave soldiers. 1870E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. III. 144 A great event in her serene life. 1911Athenæum 8 July 35/1 Mr. Austin surveys his mental development with serene satisfaction.
b. all serene, a slang phr. for ‘all's well’, ‘all right’. Also jocularly all sereno.
1856K. H. Digby Lover's Seat I. vi. 161 Well I never, all serene, stunning,..and such like phrases. 1859Hotten's Slang Dict., Serene, all right; ‘its all serene’, a street phrase of very modern adoption, the burden of a song. 1873Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 378/1 ‘All serene, Ben’, was the general reply. 1901F. Hume Golden Wang-ho i, ‘All sereno!’ sung out Teddy.
4. An honorific epithet given to a reigning prince (esp. of Germany), formerly also to a member of a royal house, etc.; sometimes jocularly applied to anything appertaining to a person so designated. Also most serene = med.L. serenissimus, It. serenissimo, F. sérénissime. Cf. serenity 4.
1503Dunbar Poems lxxxix. 11 Borne of a princes most serene. 1552Lyndesay Monarche 3074 And send one Message to the Quene, Prayand hir Maiestie serene That scho wald [etc.]. 1629Massinger Picture i. ii, You are like me a subiect. Her more then serene Maiesty being present. 1660Trial Regic. 17 A Warrant for the Execution of His late Sacred and Serene Majesty. 1673Ogilby Asia Ded., To His Most Serene, and Most Excellent Majesty, Charles II. 1711Act 10 Anne c. 4 The most serene Elector of Brunswick-Lunenburgh. 1740Gray Let. 20 May, Poems (1775) 83 His Highness the Duke of Modena..laid his most serene commands upon me to write to Mr. West. 1745H. Walpole Let. to Mann 24 June, The Duke of Saxe Weissenfels..is not of so serene a house but that he might have known something of the motions of the Prussians. 1746― Let. to G. Montagu 17 June, The Serene Hessian is gone. 1772Ann. Reg. 153/2 Genoa, Dec. 26. On the 22d instant..died..the serene John Baptist Cambiaso, Doge of this republic. 1860Thackeray Four Georges i. (1861) 26 There were 600 horses in the Serene stables. Ibid. 29 The lovely sisters..journeyed to Hanover, and became favourites of the serene house there reigning. 1879Baring-Gould Germany I. 29 Princes to whom the predicate of durchlaucht (‘your serene highness’) is accorded.
5. drop serene: Milton's rendering of mod.L. gutta serena amaurosis: see gutta1 1 b. Hence allusively (quot. 1843).
1667Milton P.L. iii. 25 So thick a drop serene hath quencht thir Orbs. 1843Carlyle Past & Pr. i. ii, Thick serene opacity, thicker than amaurosis, veiled those smiling eyes of his to Truth.
6. quasi-adv.
1655Fanshawe tr. Camoens' Lusiad iii. lv. 57 Her pleasant Vale..Which Thou, sweet Tagus, waterst so serene. 1728Young Love Fame ii. 43 Serene quoth Adam, ‘Lo! 'twas crush'd by me’. 1769Gray Install. Ode 93 The Star of Brunswick smiles serene. 1847Emerson Poems, Threnody Wks. (Bohn) I. 488 Gentlest guardians marked serene His early hope, his liberal mien.
B. n. (absol. use of the adj.). [Similarly L. serēnum (neut.), It. sereno, OF. seri, serain.] Now rare or Obs.
a. A condition of fine quiet weather.
1644Dering Prop. Sacr. Pref. b 2, It is indeed the present issue of thunder and tempest, but was begotten in a quiet serene. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1859) I. 220 No more than ye can see the gloom of last winter in the smiling serene of a summer's evening.
b. The unruffled expanse of clear sky or calm sea.
1769Sir W. Jones Palace Fortune Poems (1777) 28 And twinkling stars emblaz'd the blue serene. 1781Cowper Charity 132 The bark that plows the deep serene. 1812Byron Ch. Har. ii. lxx, As winds come whispering lightly from the west, Kissing, not ruffling, the blue deep's serene. 1834M. Edgeworth Helen I. xiii. 279 Not a cloud obscured the deep serene. 1870A. O'Shaughnessy Epic of Women 172 And some have..through the blue serene Gone up to heaven and been lost.
c. Calm brightness, quiet radiance.
1821Shelley Epipsych. 506 With moonlight patches..Or fragments of the day's intense serene. 1863I. Williams Baptistery ii. xxiii. (1874) 84 Upon the dark and ruin'd scene Throwing a beautiful serene.
d. Serenity, tranquillity (of mind, conditions, etc.).
1742Young Nt. Th. vii. 40 Deep in rich pasture will thy flocks complain? Not so; but to their master is deny'd To share their sweet serene. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) IV. 107 The serene of heart-felt happiness has little of adventure in it. 1762–9Falconer Shipwr. i. 127 The calm domestic scene Had o'er his temper breathed a gay serene. 1851Mrs. Browning Casa Guidi Wind. ii. 335 Behold, the people waits, Like God. As He, in His serene of might, So they, in their endurance of long straits.
▪ III. serene, v. Now rare or Obs.|sɪˈriːn|
[ad. L. serēnāre, f. serēn-us serene a. Cf. 16th c. F. serener (Ronsard).]
trans. To make serene.
1. To make (the sky, air) clear, bright, and tranquil. † Also, to clear from (cloud). Also fig.
1613J. Davies Muses Teares (Grosart) 15/1 Then let Fates Snuffes and Puffes as winds of Grace, Serene the Heauen of your Maiestick Face. 1639J. Saltmarsh Pract. Policy 4 If your businesse be perplexed and obscure..the best course heere for clearing and serening, is to divide the parts that are mingled and more obscure. 1655Fanshawe tr. Camoens' Lusiad ix. xxiv. 178 She, where she passes, makes the Wind to lye With gentle motion, and serenes the skye. a1711Ken Edmund Poet. Wks. 1721 II. 322 Heav'n which before in Rivulets ran down, Its Face seren'd, clear from all cloudy Frown. 1747Mallet Amyntor & Theodora iii. 42 As Reason thus the mental storm seren'd. 1828Blackw. Mag. XXIII. 486 Homer and Shakspeare..so far from being unfit for the gross atmosphere of human nature,..soared through it like eagles,..serened it like a calm.
†b. To clarify, make clear and bright (a liquid).
1708J. Philips Cyder ii. 68 The hoary Frosts and Northern Blasts take care Thy muddy Bev'rage to serene, and drive Præcipitant the baser, ropy Lees.
†c. To expose to the air (articles suspected of infection). Obs.[Littré has F. sérénage for the action of doing this.] c1750M. Mackenzie Plague in Phil. Trans. XLVII. 385 To what purpose..keep ships in Sandgate-Creek for weeks, and even months, without landing and serening the goods?
2. To make (a person, his mind, etc.) calm and tranquil. † Also, to render free from (anything that perturbs).
1654Whitlock Zootomia 226 This temper Serenes the Soule from Passion. 1707Norris Treat. Humility viii. 339 It calms and serenes the regions of the breast. 1742Young Nt. Th. vii. 1465 Hope, like a cordial,..Man's heart, at once, inspirits, and serenes. 1854Bailey Festus (ed. 5) 164 Thus serened, speak on.
absol.1830Blackw. Mag. XXVIII. 886 Something that serenes or troubles, soothes or jars.
b. To make (the countenance, brow) calm, unruffled, or cheerful.
1648–99J. Beaumont Psyche xv. ccxvii. (1702) 237 When he seren'd his Father's gloomy Frown. 1718Pope Iliad xv. 178 While a Smile serenes his awful Brow. 1813T. Busby Lucretius iii. 316 While Air, all calm and gentle, soothes the breast, Serenes the face, and lulls the soul to rest.
▪ IV. serene
obs. form of siren. |