| 释义 |
▪ I. convert, v.|kənˈvɜːt|
Also 6 conuart(e.
[a. OF. convert-ir = Pr. co(n)vertir, Sp. convertir, It. convertire:—pop. L. *convertīre, for cl. L. convertĕre to turn about, turn in character or nature, transform, translate, etc., f. con- together, altogether + vertĕre to turn.]
I. To turn in position or direction.
†1.
a. trans. To turn (a thing or oneself) about, to give a different (or specific) direction to. refl. = To turn (intr.). Obs.
1382Wyclif John i. 38 Sothli Ihesu conuertid [v.r. turnede; Vulg. conversus autem Jesus] and seynge hem suwynge him, seith to hem, What seken ȝe? 1572Forrest Theophilus 530 in Anglia VII, Which waye to converte hym, standinge in dowte. 1622–62Heylin Cosmogr. Introd. (1682) 18, Priests..who usually in their Sacrifices..Convert themselves unto the East. 1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. ii. i. 51 Electricity, that is a power to attract strawes or light bodies, and convert the needle freely placed. 1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. 29 By the volitive Power of the Soul..the Eye is converted to this or that object.
†b. In convert the visage, eyes, etc., the sense passes from literal to fig.: cf. 2. Obs.
1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 76/3 Unto the lord I conuerte my vysage. c1600Shakes. Sonn. vii, The eies..now conuerted are From his low tract and looke an other way. 1611Coryat Crudities, Kirchner's Orat., Upon thee I convert the minds and eyes of all my Auditors. 1677Gale Crt. Gentiles II. iv. 41 The mind that converts its eyes to that so great amplitude of the first Beautie. 1730–8Thomson Winter 39 These, the publick Hope And Eye to thee converting.
†2.
a. fig. To turn, direct; refl. to turn one's attention. Const. to, against, upon, from.
c1430tr. Th. à Kempis' Imit. ii. i, Lerne to despice outwarde þinges & to conuerte þe to inwarde þinges. 1533Bellenden Livy iv. (1822) 331 Quincius Cincinnatus began to convert his prayaris to the goddis. 1573G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 11 If I onc convert mi studdi to diuiniti. 1600Holland Livy i. lv. 38 After this he converted his mind to the affaires of the cittie. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage vi. xi. 523 Hee now..converts his forces against the King of Fez. 1647Stapylton Juvenal 203 He converted his fury upon himself, and..fell upon his own sword. 1655–60Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 66/1 Euripides..lastly converted himself to Tragic Poesie. 1771Goldsm. Hist. Eng. I. 268 The two kings..agreed to convert their whole attention to the rescuing Jerusalem.
†b. intr. To turn, direct one's attention (to). Obs.
1413Lydg. Pilgr. Sowle i. xxii. (1859) 25 Take hede now, and to thy selfe conuerte, And see what wretchydnesse is the withynne. 1570Dee Math. Pref. 14 That we may turne or conuert, toward heauenly thinges. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 73 Now conuert we to the Person and Court of this Sultan.
†3. trans. To turn back, cause to return; sometimes, to bring back, restore. Obs.
1388Wyclif Isa. xlix. 6 To conuerte the drastis of Israel. ― Jer. xxxiii. 6 Y schal conuert the conuersion [1382 turne the turning] of Jerusalem. c1477Caxton Jason 64 She was so angry that she might not conuerte Jason. 1633G. Herbert Temple Ps. xxiii. iii, Or if I stray, he doth convert, And bring my minde in frame.
†4.
a. To reverse the relative position of, to invert, transpose; to exchange the data and conclusion of (a proposition in mathematics). Obs. (exc. as in b.)
1547Boorde Brev. Health 82 b, A woman, the silables converted is a man in wo. 1551Recorde Pathw. Knowl. ii. lxxvii, This Theoreme is nothyng els but the sentence of the last Theoreme before conuerted.
b. Logic. To transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion (sense 4).
1638Chillingw. Relig. Prot. i. iv. §23. 204 Punies in Logick, know that universall affirmatives, are not simply converted. 1724Watts Logic ii. ii. §3 ‘No spirit is an animal’ may be converted, ‘no animal is a spirit’. 1887Fowler Deduct. Logic 80 A proposition is said to be converted when its terms are transposed, so that the subject becomes the predicate, and the predicate the subject.
†5. fig. To reverse the course of, turn in the opposite direction; pa. pple. = opposite, contrary.
1612Drayton Poly-olb. viii. Notes 124 Fortune conuerted by martiall opportunity, they were at last by Camillus..put to the sword. 1703Moxon Mech. Exerc. 188 Soft Wood, because its being loose, will not endure scraping without leaving a roughness upon the Work; but hard Wood, or Ivory (for the Reason converted) will.
†6. To turn, twist; pa. pple. = twisted. Obs.
1782A. Monro Compar. Anat. (ed. 3) 41 The cornua uteri..are..converted in form of a snail.
7. To turn or apply to (another or a specific use or purpose), to divert; spec. in Law, wrongfully or illegally to appropriate and apply to (one's own private use). (Cf. conversion 7.)
1480Bury Wills (1850) 57 That alle the issues..be houly conuertyd and applyid to thuse and profitys of thynhabytauntys. 1542–3Act 34–35 Hen. VIII, c. 2 §1 Receiuours of his reuenues..conuerted the same to their owne singuler profit. 1547in Eng. Gilds 248 Landes and possessions..wch are nowe..conuerted..to dedes of charyte. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 76 The great and wastfull expences bestowed at Rome might..have bene converted to their..flocks committed unto them. 1623Bingham Xenophon 53 Much Lead, which they conuerted to the vse of slings. 1635E. Pagitt Christianogr. i. (1646) 215 Converting all their goods and moveables into his own coffers. 1772Hist. Rochester 190 He rarely converted his..knowledge to an improper use. 1798Webbe in Owen Wellesley's Disp. 10 Large supplies of dollars..intended for the China investment, were converted to the purposes of the war. 1890Ld. Esher in Law Times Rep. LXIII. 693/2 One Bates converted to his own use this deed more than six years ago.
II. To turn or change in character, nature, form, or function.
†8.
a. trans. To turn in mind, feeling, or conduct; to bring into another state (of mind, etc.). Obs.
c1374Chaucer Troylus i. 301 Blessid be Love, that can thus folk convert. 1382Wyclif Ezek. iii. 20 If the riȝtwis man shal be convertid fro his riȝtwisnes, and shal doo wickidnes. c1532G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 921 A man doutfull and suspect of jelous is sone converted and tourned in smerte. 1555Eden Decades (Arb.) 50 Conuertynge them to a better mynde. 1560Rolland Crt. Venus i. 180 Bot at that time, I traist he was conuart. 1577J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 88 Least the custome of pleasure shoulde..conuerte vs..from God and good workes.
†b. intr. To turn from a course of conduct, purpose, disposition, etc.; to turn aside. Obs.
c1374Chaucer Troylus iv. 1412 But I make hym soone to conuerte And don my red with-Inne a day or tweye. c1386― Doctor's T. 212 Al wolde he from his purpos not conuerte. 1596Edward III, ii. i, When thou convert'st from honours golden name. c1600Shakes. Sonn. xi, When thou from youth conuertest.
9. a. trans. To cause to turn to and embrace a (specified) religious faith, usually implying that the turning is to truth from error or ignorance. (Without qualification, usually = ‘to convert to Christianity’.)
a1300Cursor M. 19134 (Cott.) Þar was conuerted thusand fiue. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 4502 Þai sal drawe And convert þe Iewes til cristen lawe. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xxv. 117 Cristend and conuerted to Cristen faith. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. iii. v. 37 In conuerting Iewes to Christians, you raise the price of Porke. 1632Lithgow Trav. x. (1682) 448 Repent thee of thy wickedness, and be converted to the Holy Mother Church. 1642Rogers Naaman 9 Except it be granted that Naaman was converted, the whole scope of our Saviours speech is overthrowen. 1704Nelson Fest. & Fasts ii. vii. (1739) 540 When Philip the Deacon had converted..the Men of Samaria. 1849Parker Goth. Archit. i. i. (1874) 9 When the Saxons were converted to Christianity.
b. transf. To cause to turn to and adopt (what is implied to be) a better opinion, belief, party, etc.
1814D'Israeli Quarrels Auth. (1867) 395 On speculative points any man may be suddenly converted. 1832Campbell To Sir F. Burdett ii, Convert the men who waver now, and pause Between their love of self and human kind. 1883G. Lloyd Ebb & Flow I. 48 Do you care for Venetian glass? Ah, not so very much, I see; but you would be converted, I am sure you would, by my chandelier.
†c. refl. Obs.
c1400Rowland & O. 1153, I rede þt þou converte the in hye, And then sall saughtyll with thyn Eme sir Garcy. c1430Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. xxiv. (1869) 85 Ne were it, þe jewes wolden come to hire, and conuerte hem.
†d. (a) intr. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 22367 (Cott.) Þe iuus sal convert, als it sais. c1440Partonope 3994 Yf thow wylt conuerte and crystened be. 1560Bible (Genev.) Jonah Argt., That they which were of the heathen, should conuert. 1625Purchas Pilgrims ii. 1292 If a Christian haue deserued death..if hee will conuert, they will..remit his punishment. 1649Alcoran 171 Your Lord shall pardon you, if you convert.
† (b) with complement: To become, ‘turn’. Obs.
1574Hellowes Gueuara's Fam. Ep. 383 But the doctors of your law, perceiving that many Jewes did convert Christians, and that..they gathered that Christ was the true Messias.
10. Theol.
a. (trans.) To cause to turn from a sinful or irreligious life to one marked by love of God and pursuit of holiness; to turn to godliness.
c1340E.E. Psalter (E.E.T.S.) l[i]. 14 Þe wicked shul ben conuerted to þe. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 110 Comune wommen conuerted and to good torned. 1382Wyclif John xii. 40 That thei be conuertid, or al turned, and I heele hem. c1400Rom. Rose 7189 The grace..That doth the synfulle folk converte, And hem to Jhesu Crist reverte. c1450Knt. de la Tour (1868) 139 Thow hast..conuerted her with thine longe prechinge and good ensaumples. 1549Bk. Com. Prayer, Collect Gd. Friday, Rather that he should be conuerted and liue. 1611Bible Jas. v. 20 Hee which conuerteth the sinner from the errour of his way. 1745Wesley Answ. Ch. 35 That none but those who are converted..ought to communicate. 1832McCheyne in Bonar Life i. 27 If worldly motives go with me I shall never convert a soul. 1875W. P. Mackay Grace & Truth v, When a wicked companion gets converted, his old associates wonder at his boldness in preaching.
†b. refl. Obs.
c1475Rauf Coilȝear 924 Wald thow conuert the in hy, and couer the of sin Thow suld haue..mekle pardoun.
†c. intr. Obs.
a1400Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.) II. 169 Convertes to me moste mightelye I shall save you. 1460in Pol., Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 454 The synneful schulle to þee conuerte. 1530Rastell Bk. Purgat. ii. i, Many of them do never converte from those vyces. 1554Knox Godly Lett. B j, They haue hardened their faces harder then stones, they will not convert. 1557N. T. (Genev.) Luke xv. 7 Likewyse ioye shal be in heauen ouer one sinner that conuerteth. 1611Bible Isa. vi. 10 Lest they..vnderstand with their heart, and conuert and be healed. 1630Prynne Anti-Armin. 113 By which they may conuert, repent, beleeue, and be saued. a1703Burkitt On N.T. Matt. iii. 2 Arguments to move a sinner to repent, and to convert to God. 1826E. Irving Babylon II. vi. 91 The infatuated world! It will not convert! it must be destroyed.
11. trans. To turn or change into something of different form or properties; to transform:
a. something material.
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 228 b, The same asshes or dust in to the whiche mannes body is conuerted. 1614Day Festivals (1615) 290 Even as the Wind..is sometimes converted to be a Plague. 1632J. Pory in Ellis Orig. Lett. ii. 273 III. 274 Some redd spottes appeared on his face and breast, which..were converted into the Small Poxe. 1651Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxix. 171 As if the poyson endeavoured to convert him into a Dogge. 1799G. Smith Laboratory I. 299 Take any animal matters..and convert them into a black coal, by heating them. 1839R. S. Robinson Naut. Steam Eng. 170 One cubic foot of water must be converted into steam per hour. 1857Livingstone Trav. iii. 70 The trunk is often converted into canoes.
b. something immaterial.
1382Wyclif Amos vi. 13 Ȝe conuerten dom in to bitternesse. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 190 Crist haþ conuerted þe kynde of ryghtwisnesse In-to pees and pyte. 1548Hall Chron. 216 b, Not knowynge that or night, hys tryumphynge shoulde be torned to trymblynge, and hys solempnitie converted into mournyng. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. ii. 60. 1671 Milton Samson 1564 That still lessens The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy. 1790Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 264 Did they convert a legal claim into a vexatious extortion? 1878R. B. Smith Carthage 286 He was obliged to convert the siege into a blockade.
c. To change in character or function; to turn (into, to).
1557North tr. Gueuara's Diall Pr. 155 a/1 Since they [men] are conuerted vnto adulterers, tyrauntes, etc. 1570–6Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 197 Lately converted by the Townesmen into a Free schoole. 1587Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 142 Whose skull he did convert into a pot. 1639Fuller Holy War ii. xlvi. (1647) 106 Solomons Temple he converted to a Mosque. 1760Goldsm. Cit. W. lxxii. 'Tis yours to..convert Hymen to a broker. 1787Gentl. Mag. 1115/2 Curaçoa and St. Eustatius are now converted into complete magazines for all kinds of European goods. 1836Emerson Nature, Lang. Wks. (Bohn) II. 150 Nouns or names of things, which they convert into verbs.
†d. spec. To turn into one's own bodily substance; to assimilate, digest. Obs.
c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 73 Wiyn..is soone converted of kyndely heete & for he is so sotil..he assendiþ soone into þe heed. 1613J. Salkeld Treat. Angels 56 Angels have somtimes beene knowne to eate..although they did not convert the meate..into their owne substance. 1667Milton P.L. v. 492 Wonder not then, what God for you saw good If I refuse not, but convert, as you, to proper substance.
†e. intr. To turn, change, undergo a change of form or nature (into or to something else). Obs.
1549–62Sternhold & H. Ps. xxxii. 4 All my blood and humors moyst to drines did convert. 1579Fenton Guicciard. (1618) 17 His reuenues would conuert to nothing in a moment. 1605Shakes. Macb. iv. iii. 229 Let griefe Conuert to anger. 1658Willsford Nature's Secrets 196 The drops distill'd from Clinos convert to blood. 1700Dryden Fables, Cinyras & M. 342 Her solid bones convert to solid wood.
f. Rugby Football. To kick a goal from (a try); also absol. Similarly in N. Amer. Football, to complete a goal after scoring (a touchdown). Also in Assoc. Football, etc., to score a goal, basket, from (a penalty kick, free throw, etc.).
1896Field 12 Dec. 957/2 Bell, with a very fine place kick, converted the try. 1900Ibid. 17 Nov. 772/2 Douglass..gained a try, Franks converting. 1919E. B. Poulton Ronald Poulton 179 Ronald gained two tries, both converted by Turner. 1932N.Y. Times 4 Dec. iii. 1/6 Wolf, replacing Mauney for the purpose of converting the try for a point, kicked wide. 1950Sport 22–28 Sept. 4/4 He has handed over the responsibility of taking penalty kicks to left-back ‘Jock’ Ferrier, who converted a spot-kick last Saturday. 1961G. Smith Business of Loving iii. 124 Hammond converted and Shallerton came back as if berserk. 1970Globe & Mail (Toronto) 25 Sept. 33/3 Peter Dittman converted twice, Ted Jankowski kicked a 45-yard single. 1985Times 5 Dec. 30/1 Oxford's only answer was an 80th-minute penalty converted by Aldridge.
g. intr. To be able to be changed to (now usu. into) a different form, so as to perform a different function; to be convertible.
1934Heal & Son Catal.: Better Furnit. 10 Child's chair..converts to high chair. 1969Sears Catal. 86 Stroller converts to carriage. 1980Freemans Catal. Spring & Summer 606 Four seater settee easily converts into a double bed.
12. trans. Hence, in many technical uses in Manuf.
a. Steel Manuf. To turn (iron) into steel. Cf. converter 3 b.
1837Whittock Bk. Trades (1842) 225 The steel employed for files..undergoes a longer process in the conversion. It is said to be doubly converted. 1875Ure Dict. Arts III. 899 Thin bars of iron are much sooner converted than thick ones.
b. Shipbuilding. (a) To reduce (timber) from the rough state into pieces of nearly the required shape and size. (b) To change (a vessel) from one class to another by alteration of size or rig.
1862Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. xx. 393 Most of the steam-vessels..could be converted easily into men-of-war. 1865Dockyard Accts. (Blue Bk. 8. 465-1) There is a great excess of offal timber..resulting from a larger quantity of rough timber having been converted.
c. Fire-arms. To change (e.g. a muzzle-loader) into (a breech-loader).
1874Knight Dict. Mech., From among the various competing plans for converting the Enfield rifle of the English service into a breech-loader, that of Snider was adopted.
d. Watchmaking. (See quots.)
1884F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 67 A converted watch is one in which an escapement of a different kind has been substituted for the original one. Ibid., In converting a watch from a verge to a lever.
e. Building. To make structural alterations in or to. Also intr.
1805Times 7 Nov. 4/4 Two substantial Brick Houses..converted into a roomy warehouse. 1937M. Sharp Nutmeg Tree xviii. 233 It was the cloak-room arrangements... They're going to begin converting next month. 1939M. Spring Rice Working-Class Wives viii. 196 It is immediately practicable to ‘convert’ a large number of existing dwellings into..homes for small families. 1959G. M. Wilson Shadows on Landing i. 7 She had the place converted after the war.
III. To change by substituting something of equivalent purport or value.
†13. To turn into (another language), translate, render. Obs.
1538Starkey England i. iv. 136 Hyt ys necessary..to haue hyt conuerted into our tong. 1573(title) æneidos of Virgill..converted into English Meeter by T. Phaër. 1651Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxiii. 204 The seventy Interpreters that converted the Bible into Greek.
14. Arith. To reduce to a different denomination; to ‘turn into’. ? Obs.
1594Blundevil Exerc. iii. ii. xiv. (ed. 7) 397 The difference of the Longitudes converted into miles. 1660Willsford Scales Comm. 27 The common rule of Three..by which means any one thing may be converted into the species of another, in respect of value or quantity.
15. To change by substitution of something of equivalent value; spec. in Law, to change (actually or constructively) the quality of property (see conversion 16 b),
a. from real to personal or vice versâ,
b. as between partners.
1793S. C. Cox in W. P. Williams Rep. III. 22 The court was of opinion that upon the construction of the will the real estate was converted into personalty for all the purposes of the will. 1827Jarman Powell's Devises II. 67 Until the trustees should think proper to convert the property. 1849G. Spence Equit. Jurisd. Crt. Chanc. II. 235 Where money is devised to be laid out in land, the same principle applies as where land is directed to be converted into money. 1860Sir N. Lindley Partnership (1888) 334 It is competent for partners by agreement amongst themselves to convert that which was partnership property into the separate property of an individual partner. 1867Smiles Huguenots Eng. x. (1880) 161 Those who possessed goods and movables, made haste to convert them into money.
Add:[II.] [9.] [d.] Restrict † Obs. to sense (b). (App. Obs. before 1700 and not recorded again until the mid-20th c.) (Later examples.)
1962‘K. Orvis’ Damned & Destroyed xv. 106, I can't marry out of my religion. I can't..and Helen won't convert. 1977Times Lit. Suppl. 27 May 654/5 Some protest too should be raised against the extraordinary use of the verb ‘convert’—he did not ‘convert to Christianity’, ‘she had converted to the Christian faith’. 1979C. Freeman Portraits lxviii. 614 So he marries a goyisheh maidel who converts and becomes more Jewish than any of them. 1986‘J. le Carré’ Perfect Spy xiv. 371 He never even told us whether he converted... It took a jolly good talking to from Father D'Arcy before Harrison saw the light.
▪ II. convert, a. and n.|ˈkɒnvɜːt|
Also 6 conuart.
[app. f. convert v.; perh. by abbreviation for converted, but possibly partly due to converse n.2, a. F. convers: cf. sense 2.]
A. adj.
1. = converted 2. Now rare.
1622Bacon Hen. VII, Wks. (Bohn) 387 John Osbeck, a convert Jew. 1711Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) III. 78 By means of a convert emperor, the heathen church-lands..became transfer'd to the Christian clergy. 1812J. & H. Smith Rejected Addr., Archit. Atoms (Rtldg.) 128 When convert Christians read No sacred writings but the Pagan creed.
†2. convert brother, convert sister: = convert n. 2, converse n.2 2. Obs.
1639H. Glapthorne Wit in Const., More mony..Than would for convert-sisters build ten almes houses. 1693tr. Emillianne's Hist. Monast. Ord. xvii. 179 The Convert Brothers shall recite..seventy seven times the Lord's Prayer.
B. n.
1. A person converted to, or brought to embrace and profess, any religious faith or doctrine.
1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iii. 191 [They] appoint certaine dayes to their newe conuertes, during the which they must exercise themselues in penance. 1611Bible Isa. i. 27 Zion shall be redeemed with iudgement, and her conuerts with righteousnesse. a1680Butler Rem. (1759) I. 265 A Convert's but a Fly, that turns about After his Head's pull'd off, to find it out. 1704Nelson Fest. & Fasts i. (1739) 17 An early Convert to Christianity. 1794Paley Evid. ii. ix. §2 Converts properly so called, that is..adults voluntarily embracing Christianity. 1876J. H. Newman Hist. Sk. I. i. ii. 87 In Sogdiana and Khorasan they had become converts to the Mahometan faith.
b. transf. A person brought over to any opinion, belief, or party.
1641W. Hakewill Libertie of Subject 3, I did forsake my former opinion as erroneous, and do now embrace the contrary..and so am now become a convert. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. ii. xv. (1675) 144 If..our new Convert shall consider things of this Nature. 1771Junius Lett. liv. 287 A convert to triennial parliaments. 1859Smiles Self-Help iv. 87 For some time, he did not make a single convert, and gained nothing but..abuse.
†2. = converse n.2 2. Obs.
1577Holinshed Chron. II. 336 One of his owne seruants did conspire with a conuert of that abbeie.
†3. That which has undergone conversion; that into which anything is turned. Obs. rare.
1589Warner Alb. Eng. vi. xxxi. (1612) 157 When his sudden eies admir'd the boan-flesht faire Conuart Deriued from his Side. [Adam's rib ‘converted’ into Eve.]
4. Canadian Football. [f. sense 11 of the vb.] A goal completed by kicking the ball between the goal posts, or by running the ball over the goal line, after a touchdown.
1950Toronto Daily Star 23 Oct. 19/3 Fred Wilmot booted four converts. 1958[see safety touch s.v. safety 11]. 1968Globe & Mail (Toronto) 11 July 32/4 Mann, whose punting average was 43 yards in 13 attempts, also kicked five converts. 1985Ibid. 10 Oct. c4/2 The actual kicks — punts, field goals, kickoffs and converts — get the attention because they are easily quantified.
5. Comb. (in sense 1).
1738Lond. Mag. 390 A Missioner in Ireland, and a very busy Convert-Monger. |