释义 |
anewstadv.prep.Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: on prep., English neāwest. Etymology: < on prep. + Old English neāwest, neāwist (early Middle English nēawiste ) nearness, neighbourhood, presence, cognate with or formed similarly to Old High German nāhwist , Old Icelandic návist , návista , both in the sense ‘presence’ < the Germanic base of nigh adj. + the Germanic base of Old English wist being, existence (in this sense only as the second element of compounds), Old High German wist being, thing, etc. (see bewist n.).Form history. The β. forms show reduction of the first element (compare a prep.1, a- prefix3). The early Middle English form aneosten at β. forms (from the Caligula MS of Laȝamon’s Brut) shows nunnation, a very common feature of the language of this text in this manuscript, which has not been satisfactorily explained. Sometimes written as two words. (Word division in Old English and Middle English examples frequently reflects editorial choices of modern editors of texts, rather than the practice of the manuscripts.) Compare also discussion at newst adv. Specific senses. In sense A. 2 apparently influenced by on faste adv. (perhaps through association with onfast adv.) and also by early Middle English on oueste (also as an oueste ) in haste (attested only in the Caligula MS of Laȝamon’s Brut; reflecting Old English on ofoste , on ofeste < on on prep. + ofost haste, speed, cognate with Old Saxon ovast- (in ovastlīko speedily))̣. Some forms of these early Middle English adverbs can be difficult to distinguish, especially those that show phonological reduction of the second element. With later use in sense A. 3 compare also newst adv. With use as preposition compare anighst prep., reduced forms of which are sometimes difficult to distinguish from reduced forms of the present word (compare e.g. aneist at β. forms). Now rare ( English regional ( southern and south-western) in later use). A. adv.the world > space > distance > nearness > [adverb] OE Cynewulf 873 Þa þær menigo cwom,..ond gefærenne man brohton on bære beorna þreate on neaweste. OE Orky's Grant to Abbotsbury Guild in B. Thorpe (1865) 607 Gyf he on neawyste forðfaren sy, warnige man þone stiwerd to hwylcere stowe þæt lic sceole. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 12852 Forð þe king wende þat he com aneuste [c1300 Otho þat he anewest com]. 1598 J. Florio Aneust, anenst, very near, hard by. 1874 22 Oct. 358/1 Rain's anewst [near]—Old Mother Goring got her cap on. 1887 W. D. Parish & W. F. Shaw Anewst, over-against; near. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 12895 He..an neoste [c1300 Otho anewest] gon fuse touward þan fure. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 15330 Forð he gon liðe in-to Lundene and aneouste gunnen wende on-fast Westmustre. the world > relative properties > relationship > similarity > [adverb] > almost or nearly 1590 R. Harvey sig. D2 I know a newst what Circuit you are in. 1673 J. Ray S. & E. Countrey Words in 58 Anewst, nigh, almost, near hand, about, circiter. 1850 J. Hughes 183 A'd got anewst as long hair as our Miss Jemimy. 1886 W. H. Long 28 I louz 'tes anewse the saame thing. 1979 N. Rogers 72/1 Anewst, nearly. †B. prep.the world > space > distance > nearness > near to [preposition] eOE (Parker) anno 895 Þa þæs on hærfæste þa wicode se cyng on neaweste þare byrig, þa hwile þe hie hira corn gerypon.] c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 12887 Forð he gon steppen..Þat he com fusen an neouste [c1300 Otho anewest] þan furen. 1652 J. Tatham i. 5 Sey a cams aneust us mon, wees speeke toll him. 1726 E. Ward 6 A House that stood Anewst a Holy Brotherhood. 1888 B. Lowsley at Aneoust I zin 'in aneoust the chake pit. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2020; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < adv.prep.OE |