| 释义 |
▪ I. chouse, n.|tʃaʊs|
Also 7 chiaus(e, chews, showse, 7–8 chowse.
[Generally taken to be the same word as chiaus, chaus (so spelt about 1600), a Turkish official messenger; but the connexion of meaning is not made out.
As to the origin of the Eng. use, Gifford (1814) in a note on the quot. from Ben Jonson says, ‘In 1609, Sir Robt. Shirley sent a messenger or chiaus to this country as his agent from the Grand Signior and the Sophy to transact some preparatory business.’ The latter ‘chiaused the Turkish and Persian merchants of {pstlg}4,000’ and decamped. But no trace of this incident has yet been found outside of Gifford's note; it was unknown to Peter Whalley, a previous editor of Ben Jonson 1756; also to Skinner, Henshaw, Dr. Johnson, Todd, and others who discussed the history of the word. Yet most of these recognized the likeness of chouse to the Turkish word, which Henshaw even proposed as the etymon, on the ground that the Turkish chiaus ‘is little better than a fool’. Gifford's note must therefore be taken with reserve.]
†1. = chiaus, choush, q.v. Obs.
1632W. Lithgow Trav. 138 Accompanied with..Bashawes, Chowses, and Hagars. Ibid. 202 The Showse stroke off his head. 1639Ford Lady's Trial ii. i. 256 Gulls or Moguls, Tag, rag, or other, hogen-mogen, vanden, Skip⁓jacks, or chouses.
†2. A cheat, a swindler.
(This is probably the meaning in Ben Jonson; it is certainly so in quot. 1658: possibly the vb. arose out of this sense, and sense 3 in turn out of the vb.)
[1610B. Jonson Alch. i. ii. 25 D. What doe you thinke of mee, That I am a Chiause? F. What's that? D. The Turk was here—As one would say, doe you think I am a Turke? Ibid. 29 Come, noble Doctor, pray thee lets prevaile. This is the gentleman, and he is no chiause. Ibid. 34 One that will thank you richly, and h' is no chiause.] 1658tr. Bergerac's Satyric. Char. xxv. 91 Told our Nephews, that you were not a Chouse, since you go roundly to Worke. [Fr. que vous n'estiez point fourbe.]
†3. One easily cheated, a dupe, gull, tool. Obs.
1649Marquis of Newcastle The Variety, Dramatis Personae..Simpleton, a Country Chiause. 1671Skinner Etymolog., A Chowse, quod stultum notat. 1678Butler Hud. iii. iii. 531 Sillier than a sottish Chews, Who when a Thief has Rob'd his house, Applies himself to Cunning men, To help him to his Goods again. a1680― Rem. II. 279 [A cheat] can do no feats without the co-operating assistance of the Chowse whose Credulity commonly meets the Imposter half-way. 1698Def. Dram. Poetry 81–2 At no less Price than his Ruin..he buys the knowledge of finding himself a Chouse. 1755Johnson, A chouse, a bubble: a tool: a man fit to be cheated.
4. slang. [f. the vb.] A trick, swindle, sham, ‘sell’.
1708Kersey, Chowse, a Cheat, Trick, or Sham. 1755Johnson, Chouse, a trick or sham. 1888Mrs. Parr in Longm. Mag. Apr. 639, I say, what a chouse for Adda!
▪ II. chouse, v.1 colloq.|tʃaʊs|
Forms: 7 chiause, chiauze, chews, 7– chowse, chouse.
[f. chouse n.]
trans. To dupe, cheat, trick; to swindle or defraud of or out of.
a1659Shirley Honoria & Mam. ii. iii, We are In a fair way to be ridiculous..Chiaus'd by a scholar! 1654Gayton Fest. Notes iv. xviii. 261 But our Barber..is chiauz'd, a very Pigeon..and is caughd like a young Jack Daw. 1662Dryden Wild Gallant ii. i, You shall chouse him of Horses, Cloaths, and Mony. 1664Butler Hud. ii. iii. 1010 He stoal your Cloak, and pick'd your Pocket, Chews'd and caldes'd ye like a Block-head. 1708S. Centlivre Busie Body iii. (1723) 94 To chouse a very civil..gentleman out of an hundred Pound. 1782F. Burney Cecilia ii. iii. (1783) 188 Bristol stones won't buy stock; [he] only wants to chouse you. 1826Scott Woodst. vii, Not to be..choused out of my lump of loyalty. 1878Browning Poets Croisic cliii, Had Fortune pleased posterity to chowse. 1886Law Rep. 33 Ch. Div. 496 Is it to be said that they are to be choused of their remedy?
Hence choused ppl. a., chousing vbl. n.
1682D'Urfey Butler's Ghost 104 Yet [he] gave worse Reasons for so doing, Than e're chous'd Cully did for wooing. 1881A. J. Duffield Don Quix. II. 562 Mingled with evil, fraud, and chousing.
▪ III. chouse, v.2 U.S.|tʃaʊs|
Also chowse.
[orig. unkn.]
trans. To disturb or harry (cattle).
1920J. M. Hunter Trail Drivers Texas 313 The round-up boss would let no one ride through the herd and ‘chouse’, or unnecessarily disturb them. 1930J. F. Dobie Coronado's Children 116 While they were ‘chousing’ a bunch of outlaw cattle. 1948Sat. Even. Post 10 July 84/1 When you chowse 'em around they lose weight. |