| 释义 |
alabastern.adj. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French alabastre; Latin alabaster. Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman and Middle French alabastre, alabaustre, Middle French alebastre, allebastre (French albâtre ) white, translucent stone (c1165 in Old French as aubastre ), vase made from this material (c1190), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin alabaster, alabastrum (in post-classical Latin also alabastum , alabaustrum ) box for perfume, antimony, in post-classical Latin also denoting the substance described at sense A. 1 (frequently from 13th cent. in British sources) < ancient Greek ἀλάβαστρος (in Hellenistic Greek also ἀλάβαστρον , neuter), variant (after words in -τρος and especially nouns in -τρον denoting instruments) of earlier ἀλάβαστος box for perfume (often made of alabaster), of uncertain origin; probably a loanword. Compare Old Occitan alabaustre (early 15th cent.), Catalan alabastre (14th cent.), Spanish alabastro (c1270 or earlier), Portuguese alabastro (14th cent.), Italian alabastro (14th cent.). With sense A. 2 compare earlier alabastrum n. and later alabastron n.The Latin word was also borrowed into many of the Germanic languages: compare Dutch albast , noun (1555; c1350 in Middle Dutch as albaster ; 1285 as alabastre in adjectival use), Middle Low German alabaster , German Alabaster (15th cent. in Middle High German denoting the stone and vessels made from it), Swedish alabaster (early 16th cent.), Danish alabast . Compare also (directly < Greek) Gothic alabalstraun alabaster flask (with the second -l- apparently arising as a transmission error or by association with another word). The β. forms apparently show epenthetic insertion of -l- into the third syllable of the word by assimilation to the first, possibly by association with various words in bla- denoting whiteness or white substances (compare e.g. blanch v.1, blake adj., blank adj., etc.). The γ. forms show remodelling of the β. forms by association with plaster n. A. n.society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > stone or rock > [noun] > alabaster the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > sulphates > [noun] > gypsum > alabaster the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > carbonates > [noun] > hexagonal > calcite > varieties the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > sulphates > [noun] > gypsum > alabaster > massive fine-grained c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xxvi. 7 A womman hauynge a boxe of alabastre [L. mulier habens alabastrum] of preciouse oynement, came niȝ to hym. c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 1052 Of Alabastre [c1410 Harl. 7334 alabaster] whit and reed Coral. (Harl. 221) 8 Alabaster, a stone, alabastrum, parium. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour (St. John's Cambr.) xx. 588 Schir archibald his sone gert syne Of alabast bath fair and fyne, Ordane a towme full richly. a1500 in J. Evans & M. S. Serjeantson (1933) 68 Alabastre is a stone þat is cendre & whiȝt when it is grounde. Whoso drinkeþ him with eysel, he is good for all maner sores in þe fote or in þe knee. 1600 W. Shakespeare i. i. 84 Why should a man whose blood is warme within, Sit like his grandsire, cut in Alablaster? 1600 T. Dekker sig. E4v It were better to let the memory of him shine in his owne vertues..than in Alablaster. 1676 J. Beaumont Let. 7 Apr. in H. Oldenburg (1986) XII. 244 A piece of Alabaster weighing fower pounds & carv'd in ye shape of a Tortoyse. 1771 T. Smollett I. 170 He had a skin as fair as alabaster. a1798 T. Pennant (1948) 172 The altar is composed of alabasters and beautifull marbles. 1823 tr. A. von Humboldt 291 The whole mass is diaphanous like the finest eastern alabaster (memphitic or phengite marble of the ancients). 1870 J. Yeats 374 Statuary Alabaster is obtained from the Miocene and Pliocene strata in Tuscany and in Egypt. 1923 D. A. Mackenzie ii. 14 Vases, bowls, jars, platters, and other vessels were made of such costly stones as diorite, alabaster, and porphyry. 1990 C. Pellant 79/1 Satin spar is a fibrous form [of gypsum]; massive and granular habit occur, the latter being alabaster. 2003 Mar. 6/3 Inside, the alabaster and marble, the mosaics and the ceilings, were taken from Ravenna, Siena, Florence and Rome. society > occupation and work > equipment > receptacle or container > box > [noun] > for ointments or unguents 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus I. Matt. xxvi. f. cxviv A certayne woman came vnto hym [sc. Jesus], hauynge an alabaster of precious oyntement, who broke the alabaster, and powred the oyntment vpon hys heade. 1656 H. Hammond 21 The boyes carrying about unguents in alabasters and other golden vessels. 1753 Suppl. (at cited word) Others define alabaster by a box without a handle, deriving the word from the privative α and λαβη handle. 1857 14 Feb. 97/2 An alabaster of such precious ointment as shall emit the odour of everlasting praise. 1891 in (1896) Jan. 116 Vases in the shape of wine jugs, two-handled amphoræ, and drop-shaped alabasters. 1931 17 229 Shaft tomb 766 contained three very badly worked alabasters. 1999 A. J. Domínguez in G. R. Tsetskhladze xii. 319 A gold ring, a glass alabaster, [etc.]. the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > [noun] > liquid measure of capacity > specific units of liquid measure > ancient Greek and Roman unit > ancient Roman units 1753 Suppl. Alabaster is also said to have been used for an ancient liquid measure, containing 10 ounces of wine or 9 of oil..In this sense the alabaster was equal to half the sextary. B. adj.society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > stone or rock > [adjective] > made of alabaster 1503 in J. B. Paul (1900) II. 274 Payit to Johne Gelis, Inglisman, for alabast stanis and plaistir brocht hame be him furth of Ingland. 1526 Matt. xxvi. 7 A woman, which had an alablaster boxe of precious oyntment. [ Genev., Rhem., 1611, alabaster box; Wyclif, boxe of alabastre.] 1605 29 Take your beries and grinde them in a Alablaster morter. 1674 T. Duffett iii. iv. 35 An Alabaster Figure, for your own Tomb. 1712 J. Henley tr. B. de Montfaucon xx. 326 Opposite the Alabaster Column is the Vatican Archive. 1782 T. Pennant 88 His figure..is engraven on the incumbent alabaster slab. 1815 W. Scott iii. xxviii. 117 Mermaid's alabaster grot. 1863 C. Boutell (ed. 2) xx. 300 The very perfect alabaster effigy of a knight. 1937 Apr. 67/2 The davenport end table lamps have white alabaster bases. 2008 15 Mar. (Mag.) 3/3 The alabaster disciples inside St Mark's Cathedral. the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > [adjective] > specific beautiful attribute the world > matter > colour > named colours > white or whiteness > [adjective] > pure white > as marble or alabaster 1566 W. Painter I. xlv. 254v Then a little shamefast colour, began to renew her Alablaster cheekes. 1597 W. Shakespeare iv. iii. 11 Tender babes..girdling on another, Within their innocent alablaster armes. View more context for this quotation 1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault iii. xlix. 537 Tender and delicate peares, such as..the Alabaster peare. 1649 R. Lovelace 63 Thy Alablaster Lady will come home. 1754 Dec. 623/1 Her alabaster neck, her lovely shape, and sprightly air. 1786 H. Cowley ii. 24 The fire of those eyes can't be quench'd, nor that alabaster skin shrivell'd, in less than twenty years. 1851 J. Ruskin I. xxi. 239 Look at the clouds, and watch the delicate sculpture of their alabaster sides. 1898 M. E. Braddon II. ii. 58 She had let him kiss her hand at parting—that alabaster hand which everybody praised. 1908 L. M. Montgomery xxvi. 290 Geraldine had an alabaster brow, too. I've found out what an alabaster brow is. 1977 Sept. 31/1 The alabaster yachts of Naples. 2007 Nov. 94/1 Her alabaster skin is flawless. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021). <  n.adj.c1384 |
