| 释义 |
commissioner|kəˈmɪʃənə(r)|
Forms: 5 comyscyoner, commyssyoner, 6 -ar, -issionar, -yssioner, etc., 5– -issioner.
[In form, f. commission n.1 + -er1, but really an anglicized form of F. and Anglo-F. commission(n)aire, corresp. to med.L. commissiōnārius, f. commissiōn-em: see -ary, -er2; the sense being ‘one belonging to or entrusted with a commission’.]
1. a. One appointed or deputed by commission to carry out some specified work, such as a judicial or other investigation, the negotiation of a treaty, peace, etc.; a delegate; also, a member of a commission charged with such a business.
1448J. Shillingford Lett. (Camden Soc.) App. 139 Payde to the mynesters of the seide citee..or to other comyscyoners. 1474Caxton Chesse 153 Vycayrs, lieuetenauntes or commyssyoners of the kyng. 1557Paynel Barclay's Jugurth 44 Electe to be one of the examinours or commyssioners to make inquisicion of these thre pointes. 1625Sir J. Stradling Div. Poems 112 The Devil had Commissioners abroad. 1759Robertson Hist. Scot. I. iii. 183 No commissioner appeared in the name of the king and queen. 1844H. H. Wilson Brit. India III. 65 Two several missions had arrived..to propose a conference at Donabew with the British commissioners. 1848Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 93 [In the Scottish Parliament] the commissioners of the burghs were considered merely as retainers of the great nobles. 1863H. Cox Instit. i. ix. 155 Inquiries by Royal commissioners are instituted solely by exercise of the Royal prerogative, or may be regulated by statute.
b. A member of a permanently constituted commission or government board; esp. in the titles of such boards, as the Railway and Canal Traffic Commissioners, Charity Commissioners, Civil Service Commissioners, Ecclesiastical Commissioners, Commissioners of Inland Revenue, Commissioners of Income Tax, etc. In Scotland, one of the persons elected to manage the affairs of a non-corporate town, corresponding to the bailies or councillors in burghs.
In 17th c. applied to a J.P., as a member of the Commission of the Peace.
1532Act 23 Hen. VIII, c. 5 Euery of the said Commissioners shall haue and perceiue foure shillings for euery day that they shall take paine in the execution of this commission of Sewers. 1613Beaum. & Fl. Coxcomb v. i, What a clod-pole commissioner is this! 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. (1843) 40/1 The Arch Bishop..was..made one of the Commissioners of the Treasury. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. vi. §51 One Hynde called before the Commissioners Ecclesiastical for Usury. 1716Lond. Gaz. No. 5449/3 Charles Cockburn, Esq., to be one of the Commissioners of Police in North-Britain. 1803Med. Jrnl. X. 169 The Commissioners of Stamps..did their best to prevent the prosecution of individuals for the sale of what I term innocent articles. 1851Mayhew Lond. Labour II. 457 (Hoppe) The sewers within the City..are in a distinct and strictly defined jurisdiction, superintended by City-Commissioners. 1886Whitaker's Almanack 143 Charity Commissioners for England and Wales..Chief Commissioner..Second Commissioner..Commissioners..Assistant Commissioners.
c. The representative of the supreme authority in a district, governmental department, etc.; now the recognized title of officials at the head of various branches of the public service, etc. High Commissioner: (a) the chief officer of a colonial territory or dependency; (b) the head of the British diplomatic mission (the High Commission) in a Commonwealth country.
1535Coverdale 1 Macc. ii. 25 Matathias..slewe y⊇ kynges commissioner, that compelled him to do sacrifice. 1609Bible (Douay) II. Index, Heliodorus a sacrilegious commissioner was severely beaten by Angels. 1640W. Bradshaw Unreas. Separation 100 That..the civil magistrate hath power to set over the churches of Christ in his dominions, commissioners and overseers which are not specially appointed by Christ in his Testament. 1884R. G. W. Herbert in Pall Mall G. 17 Nov. 8/1 You have been selected by her Majesty's Government for the appointment of Special Commissioner in Bechuanaland. 1886Whitaker's Almanack 140 Works and Public Buildings..First Commissioner. Ibid. 148 Metropolitan Police Office..Commissioner..Assistant-Commissioner. Ibid. 296 Provinces, etc. under the Administration of..Chief Commissioners, Assam, British Burma, Central Provinces.
1881Times 30 June 9/6 Sir Alexander Galt, High Commissioner for Canada,..leaves Liverpool for the Dominion to-day. 1910Encycl. Brit. VI. 776/1 In some British possessions in Africa and the Pacific the head of the government is styled high commissioner. 1935Chambers's Encycl. III. 382/1 All the British Dominions and India have High Commissioners in London. 1946Ann. Reg. 1945 157 A High Commissioner from the United Kingdom would be appointed to take over from the Viceroy duties connected with the representation of Britain in India.
d. † commissioner of bankrupt: an official formerly appointed by commission of the Lord Chancellor to administer the estate of a bankrupt. Lord High Commissioner: the representative of the Crown at the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
1708–15Kersey, The King's High Commissioner in Scotland, a Nobleman, who represents the Person of the King of England. 1766Cowper Let. J. Hill 27 Oct., If every dealer and chapman was connected with creditors like you, the poor commissioners of bankrupts would be ruined. 1767Blackstone Comm. II. 285 Commissioners for that purpose, when a man is declared a bankrupt, shall have full power to dispose of all his lands and tenements. 1809Tomlins Law Dict. s.v. Bankrupt, The Lord Chancellor grants a commission to such discreet persons as to him shall seem good, who are then styled commissioners of bankrupt. 1883Whitaker's Almanack 199 The established Church of Scotland..the General Assembly..is presided over by a Moderator..the Sovereign is represented by a Lord High Commissioner.
e. An agent, steward, factor. Sc.
1884Queen Victoria More Leaves 202 Mr. Loch's father was the commissioner for the late Duke..and the present Mr. Loch..is commissioner to the present Duke.
†2. c. of Newmarket heath: a foot-pad. slang.
1592Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 6 a, I am vacuus viator, and care not though I meete the Commissionars of Newmarket-heath at high midnight.
3. A betting-broker; a book-maker. slang.
1860All Y. Round No. 75. 582 Legs—that is Blacklegs—the betting brokers were formerly called; but now..they are Turfmen or Commissioners. 1887E. J. Goodman Too Curious viii, Right you are, sir, exclaimed the commissioner, taking out his betting-book and pencil.
†4. One who commits a crime, etc. Obs.
a1677W. Greenhill in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. ix. 12 Authors, contrivers, and commissioners of this scarlet sin.
5. Sometimes used for commissionaire.
In mod. Dicts.
6. One who commissions.
In mod. Dicts.
7. attrib. and Comb.
1640in Rushw. Hist. Coll. iii. (1692) I. 49 They had served His Majesty in quality of Commissioners-Ambassadors. 1725De Foe Voy. round W. (1840) 39, I caused my commissioner letter of mart to be read to them all. 1837Syd. Smith Let. Singleton Wks. 1859 II. 268/1 The love of what is just had not excited the Commissioner-Bishops. |