| 释义 |
† ˈcopemate, copesmate Obs.
[orig. copemate, f. cope v.2 + mate; the change to copesmate was prob. through association with copesman, or with other words in which the first element is a n. in the genitive, as craftsman, tradesman, etc.]
1. A person with whom one copes or contends; an adversary, antagonist.
α1565Golding Ovid's Met. xii. (1593) 279 Against my toother copemate will I use the same.
β1605Chapman All Fooles Plays 1873 I. 138 Rin. Walke not too boldly, if the Sergeants meete you; You may have swaggering worke your bellie full. Val. No better Copesmates. 1612W. Parkes Curtaine-Dr. (1876) 39 He..needes not care..what Copesmate encounters him next. 1624Bp. R. Montagu Gagg To Rdr. 1 Being put upon such a copesmate. 1645Milton Colast. (1851) 372 This ponderous confuter, elected..to bee my copes-mate.
2. A partner or colleague in power, office, etc.; an associate, companion, comrade.
α1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 392 They will not leave [it] to Christ, but will herein also joyne a copemate with him, that Romish vicar. 1626Bernard Isle of Man (1627) 12 This lewd companion Sinne and his Cope-mates.
β1577G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 57 In soothe their odd copesmate thou werte. 1592Greene Upst. Courtier (1871) 4 They vanished away like Cadmus' copesmates that sprung up of vipers teeth. 1637R. Humfrey tr. St. Ambrose i. 137 O ye my noble copesmates, drinke your fill. 1656Trapp Comm. Matt. xvi. 24 That he might not be..made collateral, a very copesmate, to Christ himself. [1807W. Irving Salmag. xvii. (1824) 324 My copesmates, for what wait we here?]
b. fig. of things.
1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 145 b, Freewill must of necessitie be copemate with Grace. 1593Shakes. Lucr. 925 Mis-shapen Time, copesmate of ugly Night. 1686Goad Celest. Bodies ii. iii. 191 Then let him say, whether {female} looks not..as Potent as her Lower and less Copesmate.
3. spec.
a. An accomplice in cheating; a confederate at cards, dice, or the like.
1570T. Wilson Demosthenes 73 These Copesmates, and corrupt bribe takers. 1586A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 44 There was no..privy pilferer but..he was a copesmate for him. 1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. 246 How often had I a Copesmate that stood by..who would tell me what cards they went upon, and what their game was?
b. A paramour.
1593Tell-Trothe's N.Y. Gift 17 Were taken by their husbands with other of their copesmates. 1598B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iv. viii. Wks. (Rtldg.) 24/2 O, this is the female copesmate of my sonne. 1615Crooke Body of Man 309 Iulia the daughter of Augustus Cæsar..playd false and had many copesmates. a1693Urquhart Rabelais iii. xlvi. 373 Who is to be the Copesmate of your Wife.
c. A partner in marriage; a husband or wife.
1631Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 17 Husbands..and wiues..contracting second marriages, before..their cope mates be cold in their graues. 1639Ford Lady's Trial v. i, Was ever such a tatter'd rag of man's flesh, Patch'd up for copes⁓mate to my niece's daughter!
4. = fellow, in the vague and often contemptuous sense. (Cf. companion n.1 4.)
1592G. Harvey Pierce's Super. 74 For a time I was vainely suspected by such madd copesmates that can surmize any thing for their purpose. 1598R. Bernard tr. Terence (1607) 127 Oh wise fellow, without doubt! This copsemate will bring men..quite beside themselves. 1625Lisle Du Bartas 41 Fooles, idiots, jesters, anticks, and suche copes-mates as of naught-worth are suddenly start up. 1633W. R. Match at Midn. ii. i. in Hazl. Dodsley XIII. 30 What cope's-mate's this, trow? who let him in? 1744Ozell tr. Brantome's Sp. Rhodomontades (ed. 2) 151 An odious, filthy ill-favoured Copes-mate. |