| 释义 |
▪ I. † quain, v. Obs. rare.
[a. ON. kveina = OE. cwánian, Goth. qainôn: an ablaut-var. appears in MDu. and MLG. quînen (Du. kwijnen) to complain, be ill (cf. MHG. verquînen, OE. ácwínan to waste away).]
intr. (also refl.) and trans. To lament, bewail, bemoan. Hence quaining vbl. n.
a1300Cursor M. 10488 Sco quainid eft on þis maner, Oft sco said, ‘allas! allas!’ Ibid. 10495 To quils sco quainid þus hir care. Ibid. 12495 Quen iesus herd þis quaining gret. Ibid. 21886 Þarof him quaines iesu crist. [A possible instance of quain n. (cf. ON. kvein) occurs in line 11577.]
▪ II. quain, n.|kweɪn|
[Prob. var. of quoin n.]
In the poetical terminology of G. M. Hopkins: an angle, a wedge-like corner; angularity. Hence quain v.2, ˈquaining vbl. n.2
1868G. M. Hopkins Jrnls. & Papers (1959) 170 Swiss trees are, like English, well inscaped—in quains. Ibid., Before sunrise..saw a noble scape of stars—..Cassiopeïa on end with her bright quains pointing to the right. Ibid. 171 The straight quains and planing of the Alps were only too clear. Ibid. 176 Sycomores grew on the slopes of the valley, scantily leaved, sharply quained and accidented by perhaps the valley winds. 1871Ibid. 205 And if you look well at big pack-clouds overhead you will soon find a strong large quaining and squaring in them which makes each pack impressive and whole. Ibid. 206 Below it [sc. the bud]..is a half-moon-shaped sill as if once chipped from the wood and this gives the twig its quaining in the outline. a1889Ibid. 290 The figure may be repeated runningly, continuously, as in rhythm (ABABAB) or intermittently, as in alliteration and rhyme (ABCDABEFABGH). The former gives more tone, candorem, style, chasteness; the latter more brilliancy, starriness, quain, margaretting. 1953W. H. Gardener in G. M. Hopkins Poetry & Prose 114 In July the principal stars of this constellation form a sort of flattened W on end—its two base angles (‘quains’) pointing to the right.
▪ III. quain
obs. variant of quoin n. |