| 释义 |
sparingly, adv.|ˈspɛərɪŋlɪ|
[f. prec. + -ly2.]
1. In a sparing or saving manner; frugally, economically.
c1440Jacob's Well 206 Þi wyif & chyld muste sparyngly as hem nedyth spendyn of þi euyl getyn good. 1571Golding Calvin on Ps. xxxvii. 19 He teacheth us thriftynesse, by dealing out sparingly. 1598R. Bernard tr. Terence, Andr. i. i, Si. At the first she lived chastely, sparingly, and hardly, earning her living by wooll and webbe. 1611Cotgr., Frugalement, frugally, thriftily, sparingly. 1776Adam Smith W.N. ii. i. (1869) I. 275 He consumes his stock as sparingly as he can. 1781Cowper Hope 521 He..Is sober, meek, benevolent, and prays, Feeds sparingly. 1873Symonds Grk. Poets xi. 368 Your goods enjoy, as if about to die; As if about to live, use sparingly.
2. In a restricted or limited manner; very moderately, scantily, slightly.
1555Lydgate's Chron. Troy To Rdr., He shall be compelled to put on..theyr fantasye, and yet..sparinglye. 1588A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 175 He quha saues sparinglie sal scheer sparinglie, as the Apostle witnessis. 1617Moryson Itin. i. 36 We passed..through a Fenny ground and woods of Oake, yeelding some corne, but sparingly. 1684–5Boyle Min. Waters 79 To make some estimate, how copiously or sparingly the Liquor is impregnated with it. a1722Lisle Husb. (1757) 236 The clover has not come up at all, or but very sparingly. 1784Cowper Tiroc. 198 And taught at schools much mythologic stuff, But sound religion sparingly enough. 1812New Botanic Gard. I. 42 They should be often but sparingly watered. 1843R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xxvi. 331 Cases where the chancre had..suppurated sparingly. 1871L. Stephen Playgr. Eur. (1894) ii. 54 A bit of rough scenery..might be admitted into descriptions, though sparingly.
b. Of eating or drinking: In great moderation; abstemiously.
1574Newton Health Mag. 37 All kindes of Shelfishes..are seldom and sparingelie to be eaten. 1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 52 Their Wines..are hurtfull to all,..except sparingly taken. 1668H. More Div. Dial. v. i. (1713) 400 But both you and Philotheus ate so sparingly. 1717L. Howel Desiderius (ed. 3) 171 Pray, how must I tast or eat this Fruit? Very sparingly, says he. 1760Phil. Trans. LI. 849 By.. his living sparingly, and being confined to his bed, he became much emaciated. 1805Southey Madoc ii. iv, Sparingly Drink, for it hath a strength to stir the brain. 1865Cornh. Mag. XI. 489 He sipped sparingly the other in acknowledgment of our politeness.
c. Of speaking, etc.: With reserve or restraint; not fully or copiously.
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 80, I wrote of you (by my credite and honestie) sparingly and timorously. 1583G. Babington Commandm. (1590) 402 When a man speaketh of himselfe, let him speak sparinglie, but not falsely. 1605Earl Stirling Alexandr. Trag. ii. ii, Speake sparingly of vice, praise virtue much. 1681J. Flavel Meth. Grace vii. 145 Though there be such a thing as an explicit faith sometimes spoken of among them, yet it is very sparingly discoursed. 1754Chatham Lett. Neph. iv. 21 Deliver your own opinions sparingly, and with proper diffidence. 1796H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 111 They reasoned sparingly on the subject of those Sacred Books. 1825Lytton Falkland 39 Which in modern writings have been so sparingly exposed.
d. To a slight extent; in a small degree.
1796Withering Brit. Plants (ed. 3) III. 565 Stalks naked: leaves sparingly serrated. 1804Phil. Trans. XCIV. 428 Octaedral crystals.., that are very sparingly soluble in water. 1835J. Duncan Beetles (Nat. Lib.) 268 The head and thorax are black and shining, the latter sparingly punctured. 1855Scoffern in Orr's Circ. Sci., Elem. Chem. 502 Silver is sparingly attacked by strong hydrochloric acid. 1871Garrod & Baxter Mat. Med. (ed. 3) 47 Soluble in water, more sparingly in spirit.
3. With restriction to a few occasions; seldom, infrequently.
1590Swinburne Testaments 13 When Codicilles were first inuented, they were vsed very sparinglie. c1643Ld. Herbert Autobiog. (1824) 89 As for hunting in his Forests I told him I should use it sparingly. 1666Dryden Ann. Mirab. Pref. (1910) 21 A grave Sentence, affected by Lucan, but more sparingly used by Virgil. 1748Hartley Observ. Man i. iv. §1. 426 Discords..sparingly introduced so as to make a strong Contrast. 1803Med. Jrnl. 271 The lancet, however, was more sparingly employed. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iii. I. 297 Military punishments were doubtless inflicted..; but they were inflicted very sparingly. 1876Freeman Norm. Conq. V. xxiv. 389 The Parliament of England has, for some ages, but sparingly exercised its right of personal election.
4. Leniently, gently.
1863M. E. Braddon Aurora Floyd i. 5 Autumn's red finger has been lightly laid upon the foliage—sparingly. |