| 释义 |
▪ I. curtsy, curtsey, n.|ˈkɜːtsɪ|
Forms: α. See courtesy. β. 6 curtsye, 6–7 -sie, 7 courtsie, curt'sie, 8 court'sie, court'sy, curt'sy, 8–9 courtsey, 6– curtsy, curtsey. γ. 6–7 curtchie, 7 courchie, 6–8 curchie. δ. 6–7 cursie, -sey, 7 -sy, -see, 8 coursey.
[A variant of courtesy, reduced to two syllables, and then sometimes altered to curtchie, cursie.]
1. = courtesy in various senses (esp. 1 c, 6, 7).
1575Churchyard Chippes (1817) 111 Our enmyes now became more circumspect And curtsie made so nere our camp to come.
†2. The customary expression of respect by action or gesture; = courtesy 8.
α1513, etc. [see courtesy 8].
βa1553Udall Royster D. iii. iii. (Arb.) 48 To come behind, and make curtsie. 1599Shakes. Much Ado ii. i. 56 It is my cosens dutie to make curtsie.
γ1587Churchyard Worth. Wales (1876) 79 Will curchie make.
δ1546St. Papers Hen. VIII, XI. 13 We receyved many curseys of them that offered. 1580Lyly Euphues 275 Thankes and cursie made to each other, we went to the fire.
3. An obeisance; now applied to a feminine movement of respect or salutation, made by bending the knees and lowering the body. Commonly to make, drop a curtsy.
α1575Laneham Lett. (1871) 42 At this, the minstrell made a pauz & a curtezy, for Primus passus. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 57 Put of thy cappe boye. Make a fine curtesie, Bowe thy right knee..As it hath bene taught thee. 1665Sir C. Lyttelton in Hatton Corr. (1878) 47 She was dressd in a vest, and, instead of courtesies, made leggs and bows. 1679Trials White & Other Jesuits 79 She says she saw his Face, and made him a Curtesie. 1710Steele Tatler No. 253 ⁋2 The whole female Jury paid their Respects by a low Courtesie. 1747Chesterfield Lett. I. cxxv. 334 At Vienna men always make courtesies, instead of bows, to the Emperor. 1866G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. vi. (1878) 72 [She] dropped such a disdainful courtesy.
β1681Otway Soldier's Fort. iv. i, Make me a Curt'sy and give me a kiss now. 1700Dryden Fables, Wife of Bath's T. 228 One only hag remained And drop'd an awkward court'sie to the Knight. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede 72 Hetty dropped the prettiest little curtsy. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xviii. (1889) 171 The sound of light footsteps..made her turn round and drop a curtsey.
γ1616Lane Sqr.'s Tale 571 With a crooked curtchie, wried aright, Goglinge bothe eies, sayd, ‘At your service dight’. c1685Bagford Ballads (1876) 53 The Hostess, the Cousin, and Servant..Made Courchies. 1719D'Urfey Pills (1872) I. 353 Why, set thy face, and thy best Curchy make. 1786Burns Holy Fair iii, An' wi' a curchie low did stoop, As soon as e'er she saw me.
δ1594Sec. Pt. Contention (1843) 155 The match is made, she seales it with a cursie. 1694R. L'Estrange Fables cccx. (1714) 325 She very Civilly dropt him a Cursie. 1705Hickeringill Priest-cr. ii. Pref. A iv. b, I hope..the Women will make me a Coursey.
†4. A ‘mannerly’ or moderate quantity, a small quantity. Obs.
α1530, etc. [see courtesy 10].
β1528Paynell Salerne's Regim. R, The figges..myngled with a curtsy of the water that they were sodde in. Ibid., With the water shulde be mixed a litell curtsy of vineger. 1584R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. v. viii. 84 If anie woman had..borrowed a curtsie of Seasing.
γ1571Golding Calvin on Ps. lxxii. 16 But a little cursie of wheate (namely, but as much as a man can holde in the palme of his hand). 1592Warner Alb. Eng. vii. xxxvii. (1612) 178 The Owle..feasteth in her house The Swallow with a cursee of her then disgorged wheat.
5. attrib. and Comb.
1591Sylvester Du Bartas i. iii. 1060 Great Scipio, sated wth fain'd curtsy-capping, With Court-Eclipses. 1603Breton Dignitie & Indign. Man 196, I am no capper nor curtsie man.
▪ II. curtsy, curtsey, v.|ˈkɜːtsɪ|
[f. prec. n.]
1. intr. To make a curtsy; to do reverence to; now, like the n., said only of women.
a1553Udall Royster D. i. iv. (Arb.) 26 Curtsie whooresons, douke you, and crouche at euery worde. 1567Triall Treas. (1850) 14 Curchy, lob, curchy downe to the grounde. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. iv. 58 Mer. Such a case as yours constrains a man to bow in the hams. Rom. Meaning to cursie. 1672Westminster Drollery ii. 80 And every Girle did curchy, Curchy, curchy on the Grasse. 1712Steele Spect. No. 284 ⁋6 She was all the while curtsying to Sir Anthony. 1804Jane Austen Watsons (1879) 323 Emma curtsied, the gentleman bowed. 1866Geo. Eliot F. Holt (1868) 26 She liked to be curtsied and bowed to by all the congregation.
β1741Richardson Pamela (1824) I. vi. 20, I curtesied to him, and to Mrs. Jervis for her good word. 1752Chesterfield Lett. III. cclxxxix. 323 It is respectful to bow to the King of England..it is the rule to courtesy to the Emperor. 1845S. C. Hall Whiteboy v. 45 Mistress M. entered, curtesied down to the ground, etc.
b. With advb. extension.
1824Byron Juan xvi. ci, Ladies rose, And curtsying off, as curtsies country dame, Retired. 1849Miss Mulock Ogilvies xvi, As she curtseyed herself out.
c. transf. and fig.
1588Shakes. Tit. A. v. iii. 74 Shee whom mightie kingdomes cursie too. 1599― Hen. V, v. ii. 293 O Kate, nice Customes cursie to great Kings. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge x, The plump pigeons..were skimming and curtseying about it. 1887Lowell Democr. 142 He had fancied that the laws of the universe would curtsy to the resolves of the National Convention.
2. trans. To make a curtsy to.
1566Drant Horace's Sat. i. ix. (R.), To leade him home, to curtsey him, and cap him when he stayes. a1592H. Smith Serm. (1622) 207 How would they cap me, and courtsie me? 1654Gayton Pleas. Notes i. iii. 13 The Ladies..curtesied him.
b. To give or express by curtsying.
1775Sheridan Rivals Epil., She smiles preferment, or she frowns disgrace, Curtsies a pension here—there nods a place. 1798Jane Austen Northang. Abb. (1833) II. vii. 145 She courtesied her acquiescence.
Hence ˈcurtsying vbl. n. and ppl. a.
1668Wilkins Real Char. 327 Curcheeing, Genuflexion. 1714Mandeville Fab. Bees (1725) I. 38 The first rude essays of curt'sying. 1870Daily News 16 Apr., Curtseying maidens and obsequious hinds, anxious to do honour to the man. |