| 释义 |
contriver|kənˈtraɪvə(r)|
Also 6 controvar, -or.
[f. contrive v.1 + -er1: cf. OF. controveor, mod.F. controuveur.]
One who contrives.
1. One who ingeniously or artfully devises the effecting of anything; one who effects by plotting or scheming; a schemer, plotter.
1513Douglas æneis xi. viii. 70 Controvar [1553 contruwar] of mony wickit slycht. 1601Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 158 Marke Antony..we shall finde..A shrew'd Contriuer. 1605― Macb. iii. v. 7. 1607 T. Rogers 39 Art. Pref. 6 A principal contriver of this uniformity in religion. 1670Cotton Espernon i. ii. 82 To return the mischiefs..upon the heads of the first contrivers. 1738Warburton Div. Legat. I. 456 A mere cold-headed Contriver. 1863Kinglake Crimea I. 210 By the sheer exigencies of his inheritance..Prince Louis was driven to be a contriver.
†b. An inventor of falsehoods. Obs.
1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 23 Bakbyters, Contryuers or Reporters of tales. 1670Blount Law Dict., Controvor, he that of his own head, devises or invents false bruits, or feigned news.
2. The deviser or inventor of an institution, system, machine, etc.
a1652J. Smith Sel. Disc. vi. 237 The contriver and orderer of the prophetical stage. 1678Aubrey in Ray's Corr. (1848) 129 The learned contriver of those [analytic] tables, Mr. Ray. 1711Addison Spect. No. 121 ⁋8 It would..not a little redound to the Glory of the All-wise Contriver. 1794G. Adams Nat. & Exp. Philos. I. vi. 238 Man is the contriver of musical instruments. 1841–71T. R. Jones Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4) 604 Machines..more or less adapted to accomplish the object of the contriver.
3. A (good or bad) manager.
1766Goldsm. Vic. W. i, She was an excellent contriver in housekeeping. 1860–1F. Nightingale Nursing 49 Accidents which will happen among the best contrivers. 1864N. & Q. Ser. iii. VI. 6/1 (Cornish Proverb) My wife Joan is a good contriver, and a good contriver is better than a little eater. |