| 释义 |
ˈstand-still, ˈstandstill, n. and a.
[f. vbl. phrase to stand still: see still a.]
A. n.
1. A state of cessation of movement; a halt, pause. lit. and fig. Chiefly in to come, bring to a standstill, to be at a standstill.
1702C. Mather Magn. Chr. vii. App. (1852) 597 We will here..come to a little stand still, and with mournful hearts look upon the condition of the captives. 1786F. Burney Diary 23 Dec., I had advanced straight forward..; a matter contrary to all etiquette, which exacts a dead stand-still, and retiring to the side of the walls or houses, when any of the Royal Family appear. 1809Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1837) IV. 346 If the army was not most successful this very circumstance would probably bring us to a stand⁓still. 1849Robertson Serm. Ser. i. iv. (1866) 66 The business would be at a standstill. 1852C. W. Hoskyns Talpa i. (1854) 3 The plough comes to a standstill. 1870Lowell Study Wind. (1886) 47 Those stand-stills of the air..forebode a change of weather. 1878M. Foster Physiol. iii. v. §2. 479 Stimulation with a strong constant current causes a stand still in diastole. 1882Vines tr. Sachs' Bot. 875 The growth of the motile zone is by no means at a standstill when the flowers are not performing any movements. 1890A. W. Du Bray Upland Shooting 433 When the shooter is at a standstill—be it in a blind, boat or on a pass.
2. The state of being unable to proceed, owing to exhaustion; in phrases to ride (a horse) to a standstill, to row (a competitor) to a standstill, and the like.
1811Sporting Mag. XXXVII. 168 Osbaldeston rode his horse to a stand-still. 1912Throne 7 Aug. 227/1 Barry..rowed the New Zealander to a standstill a hundred yards from the winning post.
B. adj.
1. That stands still; that is deficient in advancement or progress.
1856Miss Warner Hills Shatemuc xii, 'Taint a stand⁓still world, this; what's up to-day is down to-morrow. 1876J. Parker Paracl. ii. Epil. 387 A standstill policy is in its very essence a blunder and a crime. 1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. xlii, They are a stand-still people.
2. a. Characterized by the absence or restriction of movement.
1829P. Egan Boxiana 2nd Ser. II. 233 Jem had now reduced the ‘big one’ to his own weight, and had also placed him upon the stand-still system. 1852J. Reynolds Hist. Illinois 266 The cotillions, or stand still dances, were not then known. 1927Daily Express 27 Dec. 1 A ‘standstill’ order prohibiting all movements of cattle, sheep, pigs, or goats in thirteen counties. 1975J. G. Evans Environment Early Man Brit. Isles ii. 46 Intervening organic horizons represent standstill phases when the climate ameliorated sufficiently for a continuous vegetation cover to form.
b. Econ. Of an agreement, etc.: that seeks to maintain the present state of affairs, esp. by deferring the necessity to repay an international debt. Also transf. and of the debt itself.
The original standstill agreement was concluded in 1931 between German and U.S. and other Allied banking and commercial concerns, and allowed for the postponement of German short-term credit repayments in the light of the country's severe economic plight.
1931Times 17 Aug. 9/2 The agreements negotiated between the national ‘standstill’ committees and the German bankers will..be mentioned in the report. Ibid. 20 Aug. 9/1 The ‘standstill’ agreement for the prolongation of short-term credits to Germany was signed..today. 1932Sun (Baltimore) 12 Sept. 7/4 The standstill agreement..was designed to lift the pressure of world creditors on Germany until that nation could nurse its financial affairs back into something like normal vigor. 1938H. V. Hodson Slump & Recovery ix. 331 The story of Germany's ‘standstill’ debt in this period. 1940Economist 10 Aug. 191/2 The new standstill agreement was signed on behalf of the British, American and Swiss Banking Committees. 1955Ann. Reg. 1954 425 Although further ‘reactivation’ of standstill debts was effected during the war, the amount of standstill debts declined substantially. 1970Internat. & Compar. Law Q. 4th Ser. XIX. ii. 270 Even an obligation of member States merely to abstain—a so-called standstill clause..must be clear enough as to permit its direct application. 1980Wall St. Jrnl. 6 June 1/2 Diamond International disclosed that it is discussing several courses of action that include a ‘standstill agreement’ with Cavenham Holdings.
Hence stand-stillism. (nonce-wd.)
1863W. Phillips Speeches xxiv. 560 The stupid stand⁓still-ism of the Cabinet. |