| 释义 |
courtship|ˈkɔətʃɪp|
[f. court n.1 + -ship.]
†1.
a. Behaviour or action befitting a court or courtier; courtliness of manners. Obs.
1588Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 363 Trim gallants, full of Court⁓ship and of state. 1601Weever Mirr. Mart. A vj b, For valour, wit, and court-ship, few came nie me. 1627–77Feltham Resolves i. xcv. 148 A man may look in vain for Courtship in a Plowman; or Learning in a Mechanic. 1673[R. Leigh] Transp. Reh. 79 How one of his private condition and breeding could arrive to this degree of court-ship.
b. Courteous behaviour; courtesy. Obs.
a1640Massinger Very Woman i. i, Grant this, Which a mere stranger, in the way of courtship, Might challenge from you. 1665J. Webb Stone-Heng (1725) 113 This Doctor might have had so much Courtship, or common Civility at least. 1719D'Urfey Pills IV. 175 His Honour..in Courtship exceeding, Return'd a smart Speech.
c. with pl. Obs.
1631May tr. Barclay's Mirr. Mindes i. 211 Besides other elegancies and courtships which the customes of the age doe teach them. 1655Theophania 36 He was so unaccustomed to such Courtships, that he knew not what reply to make to his civil expressions.
†2. The state befitting a court or courtier. Obs.
1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. iii. 34 More Validitie..more Courtship. 1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 362 He liveth in better fashion of Courtship, than the other Princes.
†3. Office or position at court; position as a courtier, courtiership. Obs.
a1635Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 29 We take him now as he was admitted into the Court, and the Queens favour... Hitherto I have only touched him in his Courtship; I conclude him in his lance. 1658–9Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 62 I never had any office, nor any of my relations. I have no courtship.
†4. Practice of the arts of a courtier; courtcraft; diplomacy, flattery, etc. Obs.
[1592Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 12 a, The Frenchman..is whollie compact of deceiuable courtship.] 1625in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1659) I. 219 Courtship, Flattery and Pretence become not Kings Counsellors. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. viii. i. §6. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. 320 What-ever others out of fear or Courtship might call them. a1734North Lives (1826) III. 362 Who will think of rising by any means but courtship or corruption?
†5.
a. The paying of court or courteous attentions; esp. the paying of ceremonial or complimentary acts of courtesy to (a dignitary). Obs.
1593Shakes. Rich. II, i. iv. 24 Heere Bagot and Greene Obseru'd his Courtship to the common people..What reuerence he did throw away on slaues. 1638Ford Fancies Ded., A practice of courtship to greatness. 1641Milton Reform. ii. (1851) 58 The Magistrate..is to bee honour'd with a more elaborate and personall Courtship. 1729Swift To Dr. Delany, Who paid his courtship with the croud As far as modest pride allow'd.
b. with a and pl. Obs.
c1611Chapman Iliad xv. 86 She all their courtships overpast with solemn negligence. a1677Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 8 He..cannot imagine God..pleased with..superficial courtships of ceremonious address.
6. a. (a) The action or process of paying court to a woman with a view to marriage; courting, wooing.
1596Shakes. Merch. V. ii. viii. 44 Be merry, and imploy your chiefest thoughts To courtship, and such faire ostents of loue. 1676D'Urfey Mad. Fickle iv. i, Follow me, and I'll place you, where you shall, unseen, hear all their Courtship. 1682Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) I. 236 Pretending court⁓ship, as is said, to the lady Ann. 1711Addison Spect. No. 261 ⁋3 The pleasantest Part of Man's Life is generally that which passes in Courtship. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xiv, A newly-married couple who had visited Mr. and Mrs. Kenwigs in their courtship. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. v. 304 A like piece of vigorous courtship is recorded of one of æthelred's descendants.
(b) with a and pl.
1713Steele Englishm. No. 9. 57 The Conversation of a Courtship is more pleasing than ordinary Discourse. Mod. The comparative advantages of long and short courtships.
b. transf. of animals and plants.
1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 26 Every meadow and marsh resounds with their [birds'] different calls, to courtship or to food. 1807Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 614 Not Darwin's self had more delight to sing Of floral courtship, in th' awaken'd spring. 1874Sully Sens. & Intuit. 7 Deep sexual emotion built up during the courtships of unnumbered species.
c. fig.
1635Cowley Davideis ii. 60 Why does that twining plant the Oak embrace? The Oak for courtship most of all unfit. 1856Grindon Life v. (1875) 51 The plainest face improves under the courtship of the summer breezes.
7. fig. The action of courting, soliciting, or enticing; endeavour to win over or gain.
1727De Foe Syst. Magic i. iii. (1840) 86 The first attack the Devil made upon our Mother Eve we have had fully described..Mr. Milton has given us the particulars as distinctly..as if he had..heard the courtship, and how cunningly the Devil managed. 1816Byron Siege Cor. xiii, In vain from side to side he throws His form, in courtship of repose. 1824Westm. Rev. I. 454 Wallachia and Turkish Moldavia are open to Austrian courtship.
8. attrib. (chiefly sense 6 b).
1801Monthly Mirror Sept. 203 In the most unnatural court-ship scene with Lady Anne..I saw only the tyrant hatching plans. 1923J. S. Huxley Ess. Biologist iv. 135 In a large number of birds..the courtship-displays are mutual. 1924J. A. Thomson Sci. Old & New xxiii. 130 In the case of spiders, it appears highly probable that the courtship-dance serves to excite the interest and sex-instincts of the female. 1938Brit. Birds XXXI. 320 The courtship flight and trill is the chief form of courtship activity. 1948Ibid. XLI. 127 Courtship-feeding of Scottish Crossbill. 1950Oxf. Jun. Encycl. IX. 235/1 Courtship Dances..developed out of the fertility rites... Often in such dances the man shows off before the lady by performing the most spectacular tricks. 1959A. Hardy Fish & Fisheries i. 3 A male dragonet in courtship dress may flash with rainbow hues. |