释义 |
▪ I. spa, n.|spɑː, spɔː| Also 6, 8 spau, 6–9 spaw, 7 spawe. [A place-name (see sense 1).] 1. With capital. The name of a watering-place in the province of Liège, Belgium, celebrated for the curative properties of its mineral springs. † In early use the Spa.
1565in Burgon Life Gresham (1839) II. 93 And now do I the more feare the danger of this winter, for that I have now lost the comodity..of going to the Spa for this yere. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. xi. 30 Both Silo this, and Iordan did excell, And th'English Bath, and eke the german Spau. 1619in Eng. & Germ. (Camden) 200 For my health to goe drinke the waters of the Spaw for the few dayes yet remayning of their season. 1665Verney Mem. (1907) II. 243 The first inst. we arrived att the nasty Spaw, and have now began to drinke the horid sulfer watter. c1723Arbuthnot in Swift's Lett. (1766) II. 31, I have of late sent several patients in that case to the Spa, to drink there of the Geronster water, which will not carry from the spot. 1733Coote Ibid. (1768) IV. 59 A walking-stick, the manufacture of Spa, where she had it made for you. 1780J. Adams Wks. (1854) IX. 509, I have received your favour, written after your return from Spa. 1835Cycl. Pract. Med. IV. 475/2 The Geronstere is the most celebrated fountain at Spa after the Pouhon. b. In generalized sense.
1610Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady iii. i, He has yet past cure of Physick, spaw, or any diet, a primitive pox in his bones. 2. a. A medicinal or mineral spring or well.
1626E. Deane Eng. Spaw-Fountain 9 Doctor Timothy Bright..first gave the name of the English Spaw vnto this Fountaine about thirty yeares since, or more. 1652French Yorksh. Spaw vii. 67 For the better understanding of the nature of this Spaw, I made divers experiments thereof. 1727W. Mather Yng. Man's Comp. 390 The abundance of Medicinal-Waters.., particularly those of the Spaws in Yorkshire. 1778W. Pryce Mineralog. Cornub. 8 The migration and egress of Metals and Minerals, is obvious enough in the investigation of Mineral Spaws or Springs. 1843R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xx. 234 Sulphureous waters, such as the Lucan and Harrowgate Spas. 1901Besant Lady of Lynn vi, The town found itself the possessor of a Spa—and such a Spa! b. Also spa bath, spa pool. A health bath containing hot, aerated water. U.S.
1974Los Angeles Times 13 Oct. iii. 8 (Advt.), The Original Santa Barbara Hotub is a superbly-engineered spa that is beautiful furniture. 1976Outdoor Living (N.Z.) I. ii. 59/1 A spa pool is a large, hot bath with aerated water, bubbling softly around, massaging your body. 1977Times 29 Oct. 11/5 The latest craze [in Los Angeles] is bathing with your friends..in a jacuzzi or spa-bath. 1979Arizona Daily Star 8 Apr. j1/5 Spas in or next to the pools are also a hot item. Ragel says he sells spas with about 50 percent of his pools. 3. a. A town, locality, or resort possessing a mineral spring or springs; a watering-place of this kind.
1777Sheridan Trip Scarb. i. ii, Even the boors of this northern spa have learned the respect due to a title. 1807J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life xiv. 33 The inland Spa is not a jot behind the Fishing-town in the article of tortures. 1856Merivale Rom. Emp. xl. (1865) V. 17 Baiae, the most fashionable of the Roman spas, presented another and more lively spectacle. 1879T. H. S. Escott England I. 175 Bath..continues..to hold its own as one of the great inland spas of the kingdom. b. A commercial establishment which offers health and beauty treatment (esp. for women) through steam baths, exercise equipment, massage, and the like. U.S.
1960Life 8 Feb. 111/1 The submerged specter above..is getting a hydraulic underwater massage at a plush health spa near San Diego called the Golden Gate beauty resort whose customers are usually female. 1976Vogue Dec. 214/1 Most American spas are designed exclusively for women. 1981W. Safire in N.Y. Times Mag. 21 June 10/2 Only fuddy-duddies go to the gym,..the upscale..crowd goes to the spa. 4. attrib. and Comb., as spa-diet, spa-drinker, spa-fountain, spa-house, etc. See also spa-water.
1626E. Deane Eng. Spaw-Fountain 26 The most proper season to vndertake this our English *Spaw dyet.
1652French Yorksh. Spaw 100 Of the Dyet to be observed by *Spaw-drinkers.
1626E. Deane (title), Spadacrene Anglica, or, The English *Spaw-Fovntaine. 1630Hakewill Apol. (ed. 2) Z z, Who may perhaps with more benefit..pertake of this our English Spaw-fountaine.
1812Bigland in Beaut. Eng. & Wales XVI. 355 The *spaw-house is situated on the sea-shore.
1808Pike Sources Mississ. (1810) II. 137 On the west side of said ridge we found *spa springs.
1896Allbutt's Syst. Med. I. 330 The good effects produced by *spa treatment.
1652French Yorksh. Spaw 65 The *Spaw-well near Knares-borow. 1778Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Scarborough, The Spaw-well, as it is improperly called, is a spring a quarter of a mile S. of the town. 1815Scott Guy M. xxxix, At the spaw-well below the craig at Gilsland.
1652French Yorksh. Spaw ix. 83 Giving them such directions for the drinking the waters as the very *Spaw-women themselves laugh at. Hence spa (also spaa) v., (a) trans., to subject to spa-treatment; (b) intr., to frequent or visit a spa or spas.
1832in Medwin Angler in Wales (1834) II. 280 Here I am, after being ‘spaed’ for a week at Cheltenham. 1847W. E. Forster in Reid Life (1888) I. 206, I have been spaaing in this distinguished company now for three days. I joined them at Matlock on Friday morning. ▪ II. spa obs. form of spae. |