| 释义 |
▪ I. spanking, vbl. n.|ˈspæŋkɪŋ|
[f. spank v.1]
The action of beating or slapping with the open hand by way of punishment. Also fig.
1854A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss. 1859Slang Dict. 98 Spanking, a good beating. 1868in Sat. Rev. (1869) 30 Jan., I gave her what some American friends call ‘a spanking’, sharp, short and effectual. 1885Sala Let. in Queen 26 Sept. 307/3 The American lady doctor..suggested ‘spanking’ all round as a cure for the evil.
attrib.1899Westm. Gaz. 1 June 5/3 The Warden of Denver Penitentiary has introduced a ‘spanking chair’ into the list of punishments permitted in the State prison.
fig.1922H. Crane Let. 25 Feb. (1965) 80 Your translations amuse me without interesting me as thoroughly as your nicely administered spanking of McAlmon. 1978Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Dec. 1393/1 A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories receive a monstrous spanking for their promotion of snobbery and imperialist values.
▪ II. spanking, ppl. a. Chiefly dial. and colloq.|ˈspæŋkɪŋ|
[Of doubtful origin. Cf. Da. (and NFris.) spanke to strut.]
1. Very big, large, or fine; exceptionally good in some respect, freq. with implication of showiness or smartness.
a1666Fanshawe Love for Love's sake ii. (1671) 64 What a spanking Labradora! 1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Spanking, spruce, fine, jolly; as A spanking Lass. 1772Bridges Burlesque Homer 501 (Farmer), A table..Whereon she placed a spanking dish. 1780in W. Beckford Italy (1834) I. 16 The worthy dignitary..enjoys a spanking revenue. 1791O'Keeffe Wild Oats iv. i, Now for a spanking lie, to continue her in the belief that Jack is the man she thinks him. 1837Miss Mitford Country Stories (1850) 118 We must see what can be done for that boy—he's a fine spanking fellow. 1842S. Lover Handy Andy iv. 40 We'll have some spanking sport.
2. a. Of horses; esp. in later use: Moving or travelling at a rapid pace and in a smart and vigorous manner. (Cf. spank v.2 1 b.)
1738Bracken Farriery Impr. (1756) II. 167 He goes by the Name of Spanking Roger. 1802Colman Poor Gentleman iv. i, There are four spanking greys..here, that shall whisk us to town in a minute. 1863Sala About Shrimpington 110 As the ‘spanking tits’, which..were on this occasion more ‘spanked’ themselves than ‘spanking’, clattered along. 1897W. H. Thornton Remin. of West-Co. Clergym. iii. 96 We had a spanking sixteen-hands-high mare in a dogcart.
b. Of persons: Dashing, lively, boisterous.
1801M. Edgeworth Mlle. Panache ii. Wks. 1832 III. 254 This spanking horsewoman has frightened us all out of our senses.
3. Of a breeze: Blowing strongly or briskly; rattling.
1849Cupples Green Hand ii. (1856) 23 They..struck up the ‘Buffalo’, that finest of chants for the weather forecastle with a spanking breeze. 1862Lond. Rev. 16 Aug. 139 We are rushing through the water with a spanking breeze on our quarter. 1888Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 14 Aug. 1/2 Spanking Breeze for the Yachts.
4. Of a pace, rate, etc.: Rapid, smart, vigorous.
1857Hughes Tom Brown i. v, The wheelers in a spanking trot, and leaders cantering. 1882W. Ballantine Exper. xxiii. 230 We went at a spanking pace until suddenly brought to a stand-still. 1899F. T. Bullen Log Sea-waif 39 A large canoe..was coming off to us at a spanking rate.
fig.1858Bailey Age 61 He lives at what folks call a spanking rate.
5. Used as adv. Very, exceedingly; esp. as spanking new, brand-new. Cf. span-new a. colloq.
1886H. Baumann Londinismen 188/2 A spanking fine dinner. 1905Dialect Notes III. 71 Bran spankin' new,..absolutely new. 1925F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby i. 6 The [house]..on my right was a colossal affair..spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy. 1959Weekly Times (Melbourne) 30 Sept. 1 (Advt.), Imagine that great day..when you take delivery of your new working partner: a spanking new Ferguson 35. 1972Newsweek 10 Jan. 34/2 The spanking new city of Brasília was carved painfully out of the wilderness. 1977Time 19 Dec. 12/1 The spanking-white train chugged into Reading station. 1979Radio Times 5–11 May 4/1 Luxurious surroundings at Lewisham's spanking new leisure centre. 1979W. Styron Sophie's Choice vii. 164 On the driveway there now rested a spanking clean and polished Cadillac sedan.
Hence ˈspankingly adv., at a spanking pace; in a rapid and smart manner.
1803Couper Tourifications II. 16 A country lad, mounted on a spirited pretty galloway, came spankingly along. 1830Fraser's Mag. II. 439 The time put on his seven-leagued boots, and went spankingly away so rapidly that [etc.]. 1866Lond. Rev. 23 June 697/1 You are told how his reverence rode spankingly to church. |