| 释义 |
▪ I. comely, a.|ˈkʌmlɪ|
Forms: 1 cýmlíc, 3 cumelich, 4 comliche, -lych, com-, kom-, cumli, 4–6 cumly, 4–7 comly, 5 comeliche, coum-, commly, 6 cum-, cumelie, com-, comeli, 6–7 comelie, 4– comely. comp. 4 comelokur, 5 comlyar, 6– comelier. superl. 4 comlokest, 5–7 comliest, 7– comeliest.
[OE. cýmlíc, f. cýme exquisite, fine:—WGer. kûmi- + -líc: see -like, -ly1. OE. cýme, cýmlic, appear to have the sense ‘beautifully constructed’, ‘fine’, ‘handsome’; but the cognate OHG. adv. chûmo, mod.G. kaum, means ‘with trouble or difficulty, hardly’, Fr. à peine, the MHG. adj. kúm, kúme = frail, weak, and the deriv. OHG. chúmíg = weak, delicate, sickly; cf. the ME. kime weak, silly, and akimed. These various developments of use appear to indicate for WGer. kûmi- a general sense of ‘delicate’, as applied to workmanship or to constitution; perh. going back to the notion of ‘elaborate, made with trouble or difficulty’. (See however Kluge in Paul u. Braune's Beitr. XI. 557.) In English, nearly the whole range of meaning during the historical period is covered by the modern colloquial use of ‘nice’ i.e. pleasant to the sight (‘nice-looking’), pleasant to have to do with, pleasing to the moral sense, or æsthetical faculty, to the sensations or perceptions generally. The sense-development is also largely parallel to that of the same word. The original long vowel of cýmlíc (see Sievers, Beitr. X. 497) was subsequently shortened by position, and cymlíc was thus brought into association with the cym- forms of cuman to come, so as to be made at length cumli, comly; along with this went a gradual modification of the sense, introducing the notion of ‘becoming’. It is noticeable, however, that MHG. had komlich, komenlich, and early mod.Du. komlick, komelick (Kilian), as actual derivatives of komen: cf. also L. conveniens, OF. avenant.]
1. Fair, pretty, beautiful, ‘nice’.
a. Of things. (? orig. Delicately fashioned.) Hence, in later times affected by b. and sense 3, so as to express decent, sober, or quiet beauty, as in quots. 1535, 1632. arch.
c1000Ags. Ps. cxxi. 3 Hierusalem, ᵹeara ðu wære swa swa cymlic ceaster ᵹetimbred. c1325E.E. Allit. P. B. 546 In his comlych courte þat kyng is of blysse. 1399Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 174 In comliche clothinge as his statt axith. 1535Coverdale 1 Tim. ii. 9 That they araye them selues in comly apparell. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 364 Banners, Penons, Standards of silke, so sumptuous and comely that it was a marvell to beholde. 1630R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. 133 Broader streets, comelier monuments, and handsomer buildings. 1632Milton Penseroso 125 Civil-suited Morn..Not trickt and frounc't..But Cherchef't in a comly Cloud. 1870Hawthorne Eng. Note-Bks. II. 199 Surrounded by ancient and comely habitations.
b. Of persons: Fair, pretty, ‘nice-looking’, pleasing: in modern use implying a lower or homelier style of personal beauty, which pleases but does not excite admiration.
c1340Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 53 He þe comlokest kyng þat þe court haldes. c1450Castle Howard Life St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 533 He was so comely and so fayre. c1485Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 67 No comlyar creatur of goddes creacyon. 1655–60Stanley Hist. Philos. 10 He was a Comely Man, and had a Majestick Mien. 1718Hickes & Nelson Kettlewell i. §9. 30 He was a Youth of a very comely Form. 1718Gay Let. 9 Aug., Sarah Drew might be rather called comely than beautiful. 1888Mahaffy Tour Holl. & Germ. iv, The women comely, but not often handsome.
†c. Applied in courtesy to those of noble station; and hence to God and Christ. (Cf. Fair sir.) Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 23961 (Gött.) Þe car all of þat cumli king [Christ]. a1400–50Alexander 354 Ȝa, quod he, comly qwene. Ibid. 470 Nay, quod þe comly kyng. c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 2874 Cumly Crist, that heried hell. c1460Towneley Myst., Processus Noe 21 Comly kyng of mankyn.
†2. Pleasing, agreeable, ‘nice’, to the senses or feelings generally. Obs. or arch.
c1300K. Alis. 6055 Two quenes of Amazoyne, With twenty thousand..Faire maydenes..That weore wyght in bataile, And comly in bed. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 444 Cloth þat cometh fro þe weuyng is nouȝt comly to were, Tyl it is fulled. 1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. 51 Their haire would..ouergrowe their faces, rather like monsters, than comlie sober christians. 1624Capt. Smith Virginia iii. v. 56 The King was the comliest, proper, civill Salvage we incountred. 1671Milton Samson 1268. 1883 Stevenson Silverado Sq. (1886) 45 They said many kind and comely things about the people.
3. Pleasing or agreeable to the moral sense, to notions of propriety, or æsthetic taste; becoming, decent, proper, seemly, decorous. arch. or Obs.
[c1230Hali Meid. 25 Ba of god & of uuel, of cumelich & of uncumelich.] c1440Promp. Parv. 88 Comely, or semely in syghte, decens. 1561Bp. Parkhurst Injunctions, A comelie and honest pulpet to be set in a comeli place of the Churche. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 62 Robert Bishop of Hertford offered himself to beare his crosse, rather than he should so do, for that was not comely. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxv. §9 For the comelier and better exercise of our religion. 1611Bible Ps. xxxiii. 1 Prayse is comely for the vpright. 1614Bp. Hall Contempl. O.T. vii. v, How justly doe wee take care of the comely burials of our friends. 1646F. Hawkins Youth's Behaviour vii. 31 It is not comely to sup ones broath at Table, it ought to be eaten with a spoon. a1677Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 298 Nothing is more comely and agreeable to humane nature than peaceable living. 1725Pope Odyss. iii. 499 Marching home In comely order.
†b. Befitting the purpose, appropriate, proper.
1612Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 1 A fine launcet is most comely, and much fitter than a larger incision knife.
†4. absol. or as n. Fair one. (Cf. bright B. 2., clear C. 1., fair, etc.) Obs.
c1350Will. Palerne 873 Kurteyslyche kneling þat komli he grett. c1400Destr. Troy 552 Jason..þat comly [Medea] can clip in his close armes.
5. Comb., as † comely-looked a., having comely looks; comely-looking adj., † comely-wise adv.
c1440Promp. Parv. 108/2 Comly, or cumlywyse. Decenter. 1664Pepys Diary 21 Jan., A comely-looked man he was. 1841Borrow Zincali I. x. §i. 167 One [woman] was more comely looking than the other.
▪ II. † comely, adv. Obs.
Forms: 1 cýmlíce, 3 cumeliche, 4 comeliche, comliche, cumli, commli, 4–5 comly, 5 cumly, 6 cumlie, comelie, (combly), 6–8 comely.
[OE. cýmlíce adv. f. cýmlíc adj.: see -ly2. Phonetic and sense history, as in the adj.]
Handsomely, nicely, suitably; in a seemly or becoming manner.
a1000Beowulf 75 Ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol ᵹeᵹyrwan. a1225St. Marher. 19 Þet ha cumeliche faren. a1300Cursor M. 15209 Quen þis hus was commli dight. c1350Will. Palerne 2220 A cite nobul Enclosed comeliche aboute wiþ fyn castelwerk. c1435Torr. Portugal 1707 Tho sye they..Men of armes ffaste ride, On coursers comly dight. c1510Barclay Mirr. Good Mann. (1570) A iij, Grauitie Which to both our states more comely may agree. 1597Shakes. Lover's Compl. 65 Comely distant sits he by her side. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. ii. (1651) 237 Decently and comely attired. 1651Jer. Taylor Serm. i. Ep. Ded., He speaks comely.
▪ III. † comely, v. Obs. rare—1.
[f. comely a.]
trans. To make comely; to grace, adorn.
1573Tusser Husb. (1878) 189 One diligent seruiture, skilfull to waight, more comelieth thy table than other some eight, That stand for to listen, or gasing about. |