| 释义 |
▪ I. speer, n.1 Now dial.|spɪə(r)|
Forms: 4–5 spere, 6 sper, 7 speare, 9 spear, 5, 7– speer, 6, 9 speere.
[? a. MLG. speer, sper spar-work.]
A fixed screen for warding off an air-draught; a wooden partition near the door or by the fire-place; a chimney-post.
1379Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 131 In factura unius spere de Estlandbord' in Scakar Hostill. cum ligaturis ferreis et clavis. 1419Mem. Ripon (Surtees) III. 145 Pro dobyng ij sperys j mesuagii in Bondgate pro ij dies. c1440Promp. Parv. 468/2 Spere, or scuw,..scrineum, ventifuga. a1470H. Parker Dives & Pauper (W. de W. 1496) iv. iv. 1641 He was put out of the chambre & layde hym behynde the spere at the halle dore. 1530Palsgr. 274/1 Speere in a hall, buffet. 1538in Gage Hist. & Antiq. Hengrave (1822) 42 Item, y⊇ said hall to have ij coberds; one benethe, at the sper, wt a tremor; and another, at the hygher table's inde, wtout a tremor. a1600Heir of Linne 80 in Percy's MS. (1867) I. 78 When that he came to Iohn of the Scales, vpp at the speere he looked then. 1674Ray N.C. Words 44 The Speer. Chesh. The Chimney post. 1820Wilbraham Chesh. Gloss. 62 Speer, the chimney post on each side of the fire-place. 1886B. Brierley Cast upon World i. 9 The first object to be seen after the door was closed was a pinched face at the edge of the ‘speer’.
▪ II. † speer, n.2 Obs.
Also 8 spear.
[var. of spire n.1 (cf. spear n.2).]
A branch or prong of a deer's horn. (Freq. in Topsell's work.)
1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 327 They [sc. the horns] are sharp.., no where smooth but in the tops of the speers. 1658Rowland Topsell's Four-f. Beasts 97 These [harts] do excell all other in the beauty of horns,..branching forth into many speers. Ibid. 98 At one year old they have nothing but small bunches,..at three years they grow forked into two speers. [Hence in Blome Gentl. Recreat. (1686), Dict. Rust. (1704) s.v. Hart, Chambers Cycl. (1728) s.v. Head, etc.] 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. III. v. 113 [The stag's] horns are called his head; when simple, the first year they are called broches; the third year, spears.
▪ III. speer, n.3 Sc. rare.
Also spier.
[f. speer v.1]
An inquiry, questioning, or interrogation.
1788Macaulay Poems 134, I..had nae fear O' getting you wi' little spier, Being sure to find you. 1822Galt Steam-Boat x. 257 There was..a wonderful speer and talk about what we had all seen that day at the Coronation.
▪ IV. speer, n.4 rare.
Also Sc. spire.
[Of obscure origin.]
Spray.
1825Jamieson Suppl., Spire, spray. Sea-spire, the spray of the sea. Renfr[ew]. 1902‘M. Fairless’ Roadmender 70 The salt and speer of the sea, the companying with great ships, the fresh burden.
▪ V. speer, v.1 Chiefly Sc. and north.|spɪə(r)|
Also speir, spier. Forms: α. 1 spyrian, 4 spury-, spur-, 5–6 spure, spur, 6–7 spurre; 1 spirian, 4–5 spire, 4–6 spyre, 4–5, 9 spir, 5 spyr, spirr, spyrr, 5–6 spyrre, 5, 7 spirre. β. 4 speriȝe, 5 speryn, 4–6, 9 sper, 5 speore, 5– speir, 6 speire, 6–8 spear, 8– spier, 5– speer; 5 Sc. spar, 7 north. sparre.
[Common Teut.: OE. spyrian, = OS. *spurian (cf. the ns. spuringa, spuriđa), OHG. spurigen, spurien (MHG. spüren, spürn, G. spüren, dial. spieren, spiren), ON. (Icel. and Norw.) spyrja (Sw. spörja, Da. spørge, † spørje); cf. also MDu. spören (Du. speuren), LG. spören, sporen (hence Da. spore, Sw. spåra), obs. G. spören, speuren, spuren. For the relationship of the stem spur-, spor- see spoor n.
In OE. the original senses of ‘to make or follow a track’, ‘to go in search of’, ‘to seek after’, are fully represented.]
I. intr.
1. To put a question or questions; to make inquiries; to ask. Also with advs. as about, in.
αc888K. ælfred Boeth. xxvi. §2 Ᵹenoh ryhte þu spyrast; swa hit is swa þu seᵹst. a1300Cursor M. 11475 ‘Gais,’ he said, ‘and spirs well gern’. 13..Seuyn Sages (W.) 3832 The seriantes..spird obowt als he tham bad. 1375Barbour Bruce iii. 486 And on sic maner spyryt he, That he knew that it wes the king. c1400Destr. Troy 4297, I will tell..How sprittis in hom spake to qwho þat spirre wold. c1475Babees Bk. 37 Yf there be eny worde That yee kenne nouhte, spyrre whils yee yt ken. 1530Palsgr. 731/1, I spurre, I aske a questyon. 1659Somner Dict. Sax. Lat.-Angl. s.v. Spyrian, Lanc. to spirre.
βc1375Sc. Leg. Saints xxx. (Theodera) 228 Þane mad þe kerlyng sum dangere, wittand scho suld þe ȝarnare spere. c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 6820 He that was the maryner Went aboute fast to spere; Of this mariage he herd tel. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 51 Sen thow speiris, I the tell All the suith hale. 1535Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 75 Exploratouris than haif tha send..That was expert, to speir about. 1774Fergusson Leith Races Poems (1845) 30 Where do ye win? if ane may speir. c1780Burns Tarbolton Lasses v, And should ye ride by yon hill-side, Speer in for bonie Bessie. 1808Mayne Siller Gun iii. xix, ‘It sets ye weel, indeed, to speer,’ The sutor answer'd.
b. Const. about or anent, after, for, into, of (= concerning).
αa1300Cursor M. 11444 Þai toke þair gesting in þe tun, And spird him efter vp and dun. Ibid. 13628 Quar-for spir yee o þat gom? 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 112 Þe kyng in þat forest A moneth lay, to spire for wod & wilde beste. c1400Destr. Troy 12429 The kynges into councell callit hir þan, To spir of hor spede. c1440Alph. Tales 122 Þai went vnto þis clerkis howse & spirrid after þer maister & his suster.
β1375Barbour Bruce iv. 494 Heir I saw the men, That ȝhe speir eftir, mak luging. Ibid. xvi. 21 And he..sperit of his brotheris fair. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 300 He wendes forthe..Of þis nouelry to sper. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxvii. 573 Whan he founde not his mayster in the chirche he..spered after him. a1550Freiris Berwik 59 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 287 Freir Robert sperit eftir the gud man. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 258 [He] come..cryand and speirand for the king. a1700? Sempill Maggie Lauder v, Gin ye should come to Anster Fair, Spier ye for Maggie Lauder. 1717Ramsay Elegy Lucky Wood xii, And after ages bairns will spear 'Bout thee and me. 1795Burns Braw Wooer vii, I speered for my cousin..Gin she had recovered her hearin'. 1815Scott Guy M. i, Troth, I kenna, unless ye like to..speer for quarters at the Place. 1824― Redgauntlet let. xi, Speer as little about him as he does about you. 1866H. Kingsley Leighton Court xxxiii, Of whom were ye speiring?
c. Const. at (also † of) a person. Cf. 4.
a1300Cursor M. 15899 Gladli wald he spek and sper, Bot at quam he ne wate. 1375Barbour Bruce v. 39 The King..sperit at hym how he had done. 1441Plumpton Corr. (Camden) p. lvi, Sir William Plompton..spirred of the said tenants..of the governance & rule that night. 1470–85Malory Arthur xxi. viii. 852 Syr Launcelot spyrred of men of douer where was kyng Arthur become. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xc. 33 Gif..he be blinde, and can nocht at the speir. 1585Jas. I Ess. Poesie (Arb.) 48 I speared at him..What word of Phœnix which was flown away? a1724in Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 28 He first speer'd at the guidman. 1792Burns ‘An' O for ane-and-twenty’ ii, At kith or kin I need na spier. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. x, What needs ye be aye speering then at folk? 1903Pilot 22 Aug. 169/1 These things can only be ascertained by ‘speiring’ at the Colonies themselves.
†2. To inquire one's way; to make one's way, proceed or go, to a place, etc. Obs.
c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6166 Be hir tellyng men wer steryd, And diuers to þe saynt speryd, and come in pilgrimage. 1513Douglas æneid ii. vi. 52 To quhilk other forthres sall we speir? Ibid. vi. v. 147 Speir to the portis quhilkis Velinos hait. 1615R. Brathwait Strappado (1878) 131 Heere stood I musing..Till Iockie wha dost thinke speard vp to me.
II. trans.
3. With objective clause: To inquire or ask how, what, who, etc.
αc900tr. Baeda's Hist. xvii. (1722) 499 Hi ða spyredan hwæt and hwonan he wæs. 13..K. Alis. 2569 (W.), He..spirred whider Darie is went. 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 327 He spired as he ȝede, who did suilk trespas. 1390Gower Conf. I. 198 This lord to spire Began, fro whenne that sche cam. c1440Alph. Tales 264 Þan þis duke besoght þaim to spur who did þis trispas. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 77/1 Therfore spyre and aske how thou maist goo to hym.
βc1325Metr. Hom. 95 The king..sperid in quat time, and quat cyte, That Goddes sun suld born be. 1375Barbour Bruce x. 522 Tharfor preuely sperit he Gif ony man mycht fundin be [etc.]. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 1 He speris quhat thing is bataill. a1470Harding Chron. cxvii. viii, Buryed he was, but where no man durste spere. 1549Compl. Scot. xi. 100 His sone pontius sperit quhou he suld vse hym contrar the romans. a1572Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 241 ‘What sayis thow of the Messe?’ spearis the Erle of Huntley. 1637Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. lxxix. 202 Rouse..your soul, and speer how Christ and your soul met together. 1686G. Stuart Joco-ser. Disc. 13 I speer'd what news in this gude town. c1770Beattie To A. Ross vi, Naebody car'd For anes to speer how Scota far'd. 1818Scott Rob Roy xviii, And is't the way to Glasgow ye were speering if I ken'd? 1871C. Gibbon Lack of Gold, xiv, You needna' speir how I ken.
4. To make inquiries concerning, to ask questions regarding (a thing or fact). Also const. at or of (a person).
13..E.E. Allit P. B. 1606 Alle þat he spured hym..he expowned clene. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints ii. (Paul) 229 At þame spere but mare Þe cause quhy I gert ȝou cum þare. 14..King & Barker 13 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 4 Howr kyng bad hes men abeyde, And he welde sper of hem the wey. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2622 When many thinges sho had speryd. c1500Lancelot 1169 At qwhome ful sone than gan scho to Inquere, And al the maner of the ostis till spere. 1549Compl. Scot. Prol. 15 Gyf ony persone vald speir at me the maneir of the gouernyng of ane battel. 1646Row Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) p. xxxiii, To informe of thingis that I sall speir at him. 1686G. Stuart Joco-ser. Disc. 14 Ye speer the Gate ye kenn right weel. 1830Galt Lawrie T. ix. viii. (1849) 434 Oh, no great sum; ye needna speer that. 1858–61E. B. Ramsay Remin. ii. (1870) 21 It's no the day to be speering sic things.
b. With special objects, as tidings, price, etc.
to speer (one's) price, to ask one's terms, to ask in marriage.
(a)a1300Cursor M. 5682 Moyses..sett him þar a wel bi⁓side, Tiþand for to spir and bide. 1375Barbour Bruce xix. 599 Ilkane at othir sperit tithing. a1400–50Alexander 237 And þar [she] hire spakid with his speche & spird of him wordis. 1513Douglas æneid iii. ii. 155 My fadir exhortis ws..Apollois ansueir speir. a1585Montgomerie Cherry & Slae 946 Ȝe culd not luck..That all opinions sperit.
(b)1583Leg. Bp. St. Androis 794 For a pair of schone he ast. Bot or he sperit the price to pay them [etc.]. 1785Burns Scotch Drink xiv, Monie..hardly, in a winter season, E'er spier her price. 1823Galt Entail II. xxviii. 268, I was past thirty before man speer't my price. 1837Lockhart Scott vi. I. 186 We've stood here an hour by the Tron, hinny, and de'il a ane has speered our price.
c. To request the return of (money); to ask back.
1818Scott Hrt. Midl. xlix, This siller binds me to naething, and can never be speered back again.
d. To ask for (advice); to beg (leave).
1724in Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 101 Love speers nae advice Of parents o'er wise. a1835Child Maurice xii. in Child Ball. II. 268/1 She maun cum to the merrie green⁓wud, And speir the leive o nane. 1866J. Young Life J. Welsh 403 ‘It's right like, Sir,’ said she; ‘for we never speired his advice’. 1895Crockett Men of Moss-hags xxxv. 253 Dinna bide to speer her leave.
5. To trace or find out by inquiry. Usu. with out.
c1375Sc. Leg. Saints vi. (Thomas) 10 Bisily fore to spere a man, þat sic palace can make. 1390Gower Conf. III. 324 He bad his man to gon and spire A place wher sche myhte abyde. 1562Turner Herbal ii. (1568) 39 Perchance som of vs..myght spere it out and fynd it by that name. 1637Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 434 Oh that people would speer out Christ! 1648Burgh Rec. Glasgow (1881) II. 157 To speir out men fitting to be employet for the Manufactorie. c1746J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. (1775) 41 I soyn sperr'd the Gentlemon's Hoah eawt. 1863S. S. Jones Northumbld. 64/1 Tryin' tae speer oot his station an' character. 1854A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss. s.v., Speer it out if you can. With us it is almost obs.
6. With cognate object (see also 7): To ask (a question).
c1460Towneley Myst. xxx. 206 Whi spir ye not, sir, no questyons? 1549Compl. Scot. xvi. 143 The preist of peblis speris ane questione in ane beuk that he conpilit. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 56 But you begyn here to..spurre questions at me on all sides. 1816Scott Old. Mort. xxxvii, I hae had sae mony questions speered at me in my day. 1889Barrie Window in Thrums 168 Ye shouldna spier sic annoyin' queistions.
7. To question or interrogate (a person). Usually with const., as of, interrogative clause, or cognate object (cf. 6).
Still in Sc. use; also spec. to propose marriage to (a woman).
a1300Cursor M. 3826 He spird þaim queþen þai ware. c1400Anturs of Arthur xx, Of thies sperituale thynges spyre me na mare. 1484in Cely Papers (Camden) 153 He speryd me noo oder questyans. 1568tr. Montanus' Inquisit. 22 b, He shall ride the racke, and there be spurred certeyne questions. 1594Lyly Mother Bombie iv. ii, Ile be so bolde as spurre her, what might a bodie call her name? 1600Holland Livy xxiii. xii. 481 b, Seeing a Senatour bluntly spurreth me the question.
†b. To call upon or demand formally. Obs.—1
1493Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 193 All those..that haue ben spyred thryse in holy chyrche themselfe wyttynge.
c. To invite.
1818Scott Br. Lamm. ix, Just that ye suld speer ony gentleman hame to dinner.
Hence ˈspeerer, an inquirer. rare—1.
c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machor) 1140 Þarfor lewe forthir to spere..; for sperer of his maieste fra his Joy sall donne thrungine be.
▪ VI. speer, v.2 dial. and U.S.|spɪə(r)|
[perh. identical with prec., influenced by peer v.]
intr. To peer. Const. at, into, out.
1866Blackmore Cradock Nowell xlv. (1873) 293 Out went Eöa, speering around for the tracks of Bob. 1866J. Sleigh Derby Gloss. (E.D.D.), To speer and pry into any thing. 1885B. Harte Maruja i, She a flirt, speerin' at men with that modest, downcast air? 1895Pall Mall G. 2 Dec. 3/2 We all speered out to catch a glimpse of the Injiman.
▪ VII. speer
variant of spere a. Obs.
▪ VIII. speer(e
obs. forms of spear, sphere. |