| 释义 |
difficultyn. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French difficulté; Latin difficultāt-, difficultās. Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman difficultee, difficultie, Anglo-Norman and Middle French difficulté (French difficulté ) quality or condition of requiring great effort to achieve (13th century in Old French), objection, unwillingness (1239), hindrance, obstacle (1352), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin difficultāt-, difficultās difficult situation, intractability ( < dif- dif- prefix + facultas faculty n.). Compare Catalan dificultat (1337), Spanish dificultad (late 14th century as †dificultat), Portuguese dificuldade (14th century as †deficuldade), Italian difficoltà (13th century as †difficultà).With the β. forms compare discussion of the β. forms at difficult adj. and n. 1. the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] a1382 (Bodl. 959) (1961) Num. xx. 19 No difficulte [L. difficultas] shal be in þe prise. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. xii. ii. 604 Ȝif..þe egle haþ þre briddes, sche þrowiþ out on of hire nest for difficulte of fedynge. ?c1450 (1891) l. 7969 (MED) His sonn with grete difficulte Gart his fader monke to be. a1535 T. More Hist. Richard III in (1557) 58/2 He spedely..wtout any difficulty brought ye matter to verye good conclusion. 1564 N. Haward tr. Eutropius ii. sig. E.iv That Fabricius..who wyth more difficulty can be made to forsake honesty, then the Sunne can be stopte to run hys course. 1617 F. Moryson ii. 158 The Fleete with much difficulty warped in, and recovered the Harbour. 1697 R. Pierce ii. ii. 268 In all the three Degrees of Difficulty in Breathing..some Humerous, some Nervous, some mix'd. 1719 D. Defoe 138 I had no great Difficulty to cut it down. 1753 S. Richardson II. xvi. 165 A wry face, and a strain'd neck, denoting her difficulty to get down but a lark's morsel. 1825 T. Hook 2nd Ser. I. 283 The young gentlemen..with difficulty suppressed a most uncivilized laugh. 1871 B. Jowett in tr. Plato I. 251 Socrates has no difficulty in showing that virtue is a good. 1957 J. Thurber (1962) 141 Peifer twisted around on the sofa, slowly and with difficulty, as if invisible blankets hampered his legs. 1972 31 Aug. 270/1 The standard pattern of war veterans..a difficulty in what is called ‘re-entry’, in getting back into the civilian society. 2003 K. Daswani (U.K. ed.) 225 Maybe Raju just had some difficulty expressing his true feelings. ?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius (BL Add. 10340) (1868) ii. pr. vii. l. 1526 What for difficulte [L. difficultate] of weyes, and what for diuersite of langages..þe fame of Citees ne may nat strecchen. 1576 R. Robinson tr. F. Patrizi vi. f. 61 The corne whiche is reaped..may bee kept and reserued, vntill such tyme as..the difficultie of Warre doe vrge, in hollow trenches couered in chaffe. 1659 R. Brathwait 149 With much cheerfull discourse and pleasant parlyance did these two amiable way-mates entertaine the time, and allay the difficulty of their Journey. 1747 in (1851) V. 103 The Length and Difficulty of the Bay. 1811 J. Black tr. A. von Humboldt II. iv. ix. 450 This circumstance, and the difficulty of the roads on the declivities of the mountains, present obstacles to its exportation. a1933 J. A. Thomson (1934) II. 1070 Many calcareous algae live in conditions of great difficulty. 2010 tr. B. Lemay 233 The strength of the fortress resided in the extraordinary difficulty of the terrain. the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [noun] society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > obscurity > [noun] c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer (Hengwrt) (2003) Prol. l. 8 Ye han heer touched..In scole matere greet difficultee. 1529 T. More ii. f. xxviiiv Because that of the dyffyculte of his [sc. St Paul's] wrytyng, they cach sumtyme some mater of contencyon. 1644 J. Milton 4 If the language be difficult..it is not a difficultie above their yeers. 1714 A. Pope Let. 30 Jan. in (1956) I. 208 There are indeed, a sort of underling auxiliars to the difficulty of a work, call'd Commentators and Critics. 1778 W. Mason in T. Gray IV. 80 He..might therefore well have excused himself, by the nature of his subject, from any superadded difficulty of language. 1825 May 548/2 It is submitted to the classical scholar, whether the following explanation does not remove the difficulty of the passage. 1860 F. W. Farrar i. 21 The difficulty and obscurity of the phrase. 1912 6 353 Exercises containing original problems, some of considerable difficulty. 1949 G. Highet xx. 460 Nietzsche admired Greek art for its intensity; its difficulty. 2002 L. McLoughlin viii. 160 Myths about the unique difficulty of Arabic. 2. the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] > a difficulty a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xviii. x. 1136 And fondeþ for to slen him and passe alle difficultees [L. difficultates] and space and weyes. 1516 (Pynson) f. cxxviiv I promysed a man to take his parte in all his difficultyes by reason wherof he was so bolde that he attempted many thynges ayenst the kyng and the lawe. 1599 R. Hakluyt (new ed.) II. i. Ep. Ded. sig. *4v Besides the foresaid vncertaintie, into what dangers and difficulties they plunged themselues..I tremble to recount. 1656 T. Hobbes 297 This term of insufficient cause..is not intelligible, but a word devised like Hocus Pocus, to juggle a difficulty out of sight. 1692 R. South I. 530 They mistake Difficulties, for Impossibilities. 1708 i. 27 These are all Difficulties which may quash the Scheme we may have proposed to our selves to raise our Fortune by. 1775 E. Burke Let. 22–3 Aug. in (1961) III. 193 I see indeed many, many difficulties in the way. 1809 21 150 But with all who have the courage to speak out, a difficulty remains. 1856 J. A. Froude (1858) I. ii. 130 As difficulties gathered round him, he encountered them with the increasing magnificence of his schemes. 1879 X. 753/2 In extremely frosty weather..they acquire so little moisture that then a difficulty arises from their over-dryness. 1922 E. K. Strong i. i. 12 The first stage in solving a difficulty is always within the individual. 1963 20 May 16/5 The technical difficulties were not insuperable. 1986 B. Lopez iii. 118 Drugs like Sernylan.., which appeared to induce psychotic reactions and cause breathing difficulties. 2013 Nov. 37/2 Once I'd got their trust I had no difficulties instilling discipline in my team. the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [noun] > instance of ?1504 M. Beaufort tr. Thomas à Kempis (Pynson) iv. xviii. sig. civv That symplenesse is well to be praysed: that leueth the wayes of dyfficultyes [Fr. les voyes difficiles], & questyons. 1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger I. i. iii. sig. B.vij/1 There is no cause for any man by reason of a few difficulties, to despaire to attaine to the true vnderstandinge of the Scriptures. 1610 T. Bell ix. 292 The..great learned Schoole doctor Durandus, disputeth this difficultie..soundly and plainely. 1692 R. L'Estrange ccccxciv. 471 When People have been Beating their Brains about a Difficulty, and find they can make Nothing on't. 1719 D. Defoe 259 A Casuist, or a Solver of Difficulties. 1770 J. Beattie ii. 160 Let us see, then, whether..we can make any discoveries preparatory to the solution of this difficulty. 1834 J. H. Newman I. xvi. 242 Difficulties in revelation are especially given to prove the reality of our faith. 1893 21 Mar. 3/2 There are difficulties..in the poem. 1919 C. E. Popplestone p. xiii Seize the first opportunity of getting your teacher's assistance to explain each difficulty. 2004 13 May 32/4 The key to both the beauties and difficulties of his greatest work. the world > action or operation > adversity > [noun] > tribulation, trouble, or affliction the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] > difficult state of things > predicament or straits 1667 (single sheet) I am as innocent from Corruption, as from any disloyal thoughts, which after near thirty years service of the Crown, in some difficulties and distress, I did never suspect would have been objected to me in mine Age. a1715 Bp. G. Burnet (1724) I. 200 The King was under no difficulties by any thing they had done. 1797 E. Inchbald ii. i. 37 I have got poor Mandred into a difficulty, and it is my duty to get him out of it. 1831 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. in (1878) III. 68 Mr Brunton..is in ‘difficulties’ (civilized plural for debt). 1861 S. Smiles II. 142 A serious difficulty occurred between him and his wife on this very point, which ended in a separation. 1904 W. B. Yeats July (1994) III. 623 A returned emigrant, who helps his old sweetheart out of a difficulty by insisting on losing money at cards to her husband. 2010 D. Smith xii. 117 Chancellor Alistair Darling..was told a major British bank was in difficulties. the mind > will > wish or inclination > unwillingness > [noun] ?c1450 (1891) l. 6491 (MED) [Cuthbert consented] With full grete difficulte, Ordaynd bischop forto be. 1548 f. lxxv To obeye vs without opposicion, contradiccion or difficultee. a1608 F. Vere (1657) 119 Her Majesty..with some difficulty (as her manner was) granted the men to be levied. 1740 D. Hume 16 Mar. (1932) I. 39 With regard to abstract Ideas, 'tis with Difficulty I can entertain a Doubt on that head, notwithstanding your Authority. 1769 W. Robertson II. vi. 433 This she granted with some difficulty. 1853 Mar. 134/2 The same prejudice denied him the last offices of religion, and with difficulty conceded him a grave. 1978 A. L. Higginbotham (1980) Acknowl. p. xii I conceded, with difficulty, the soundness of their criticisms. 2007 A. Alayarian ix. 148 She agreed with difficulty that if her mental health did not improve, perhaps her children would be better separated from her. Phrasesa1535 T. More Hist. Richard III in (1557) 65/1 The protectour made difficultie to come..vnto them. 1579 G. Fenton tr. F. Guicciardini vi. 310 The marchands making difficultie..to accept the billes of exchaunge that were sent out of Fraunce. 1687 T. Smith in J. R. Bloxham (1886) 18 Hee making severall difficultyes. 1700 tr. M.-D. de La Bizardière 70 The only thing that the Poles had to apprehend, was lest a Prince so well accomplished as he..should make a Difficulty to accept a Crown. 1704 Duke of Marlborough Let. 22 Apr. in H. L. Snyder (1975) I. 276 If you make difficulty in doing what I desire, you will leave mee on the rack of uncertainty. 1769 O. Goldsmith II. 355 Apollonius..made no difficulty of coming from Greece to Rome. 1864 A. Trollope I. xxxvii. 292 Mr. Vavasor's lawyer, who would no doubt be able to make difficulty as to raising ready money. 1873 H. B. Tristram xiii. 239 They..never made any difficulties or demands. 1926 S. T. Warner ii. 108 Mrs. Leak had made no difficulties. She was..sparing of her words and moderate in her demands. 1936 W. S. Churchill III. xxv. 487 Harley had been called upon..to restore the plate furnished him for his official use... He had made difficulty about this, alleging his poverty. 1994 S. Braude xii. 70 And then Father Roger comes and tries to make difficulties for us. 1765 18 Mar. As they [sc. officers] are supposed to be more guilty of irregularities and imprudencies than other people, they are much less pitied when they get into difficulties and confinement. 1794 3 Nov. 4 He was very little acquainted with the minutes of their proceedings, nor did he ever dream of their getting into difficulties. 1826 3 Aug. The gate-keeper observed, that a person of that name had got into difficulties, and had been transported. 1895 73 21/2 The annuity was regularly paid up to 1878, then Mr. Harle got into difficulties. 1954 27 Jan. 11/3 He got into difficulties through the publication of articles held to be inflammatory. 1999 Mar. 52/3 If a company was to get into difficulties, its bond holders would have to be paid out first before its shareholders received a penny. 2005 24 Feb. (Review section) 6/3 Anyone who gets into difficulties while swimming, and has to be rescued by lifeguards will be charged £30 to £140. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022). <  n.a1382 |
