| 释义 |
spider-catcher
[spider n.]
1. One who catches spiders. Chiefly fig., and freq. as a vague term of abuse (obs.).
1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love Brief Descr. p. iii, Not only in the priuate assemblies..did these spidercatchers swarme together. 1599Peele Sir Clyom. vii. 64 Charm, enchant, make a spider-catcher of me, if I be false to you ever. 1620Bp. Hall Hon. Marr. Clergy iii. ii. (1628) 793 He that would doubt whether such an Epistle were written..may doubt whether spider-catcher, corner-creeper C.E...wrote a scurrilous letter. 1625Shirley Love-Tricks i. i, If I fail, call me spider-catcher. 1711Addison Spect. No. 21 ⁋7 Innumerable Retainers to Physick..: Not to mention the Cockleshell-Merchants and Spider-catchers.
b. A monkey (Halliwell, 1847).
2. One or other of certain birds which catch or eat spiders, as: (a) The wall-creeper, Tichodroma muraria. (b) One or other of the East Indian sunbirds belonging to the genus Arachnothera; a spider-hunter. (c) local. (See quot. 1854.)
1668Charleton Onomast. 86 Picus Murarius,..the Creeper, or Spider-catcher. 1678Ray Willughby's Ornith. ii. vi. §2. 143 The Wall-creeper, or Spider catcher. Picus murarius... It is somewhat bigger than a House-Sparrow. 1764G. Edwards Glean. Nat. Hist. iii. 320. 1840 tr. Cuvier's Anim. Kingd. 207 The Spider-Catchers (Arachnotheres) have the same long, arcuated beak, as the Sun⁓birds. 1854A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., Spider-catcher, the spotted Fly-catcher or Beam-bird, Muscicapa grisola.
†3. (See quot.) Obs.—0
a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Spider-catcher, a Spindle for a Man. |