optimismn.

Brit.

/ˈɒptᵻmɪz(ə)m/, U.S.

/ˈɑptəˌmɪz(ə)m/

Forms: 1700s optimisme, 1700s– optimism.

Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French optimisme.

Etymology: < French optimisme (1737 in sense 1a (see note below); 1788 in sense 3) < classical Latin optimus best (see optimum n.) + French -isme -ism suffix. With sense 3 compare earlier optimist n. 1.Leibniz, in his Théodicée (1710), uses optimum as a technical term, on the model of maximum and minimum. Hence the Mémoires de Trévoux, in the issue for Feb. 1737, gives the name optimisme to his doctrine:1737 Mém. de Trévoux (Fév.) 207 En termes de l'art, il l'appelle la raison du meilleur ou plus savamment encore, et Theologiquement autant que Géométriquement, le systême de l'Optimum, ou l'Optimisme. It owes its general diffusion to the satirical attack upon the doctrine by Voltaire in Candide ou l'optimisme (1759).

1. Contrasted with pessimism n. 3.

a. Philosophy. The doctrine propounded by Leibniz (1710) that the actual world is the best of all possible worlds. Also: any of various similar philosophical doctrines of earlier or later thinkers.Leibniz argued that this world was chosen by the Creator out of all the worlds that could have been created, as that in which the most good could be obtained at the cost of the least evil.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > philosophy > philosophy of optimism > [noun] > Leibniz' philosophy of optimism and its adherents

Leibnizian1754

optimism1759

optimist1770

Leibnizianism1874

1759 Bp. W. Warburton Lett. (1809) 289 The professed design is to ridicule the Optimisme, not of Pope, but of Leibnitz.

1782 J. Warton Ess. on Pope (ed. 4) II. ix. 124 That this Platonic scheme, of Optimism, or the best, sufficiently accounts for the introduction of moral and physical evil into the world.

1793 D. Stewart Outl. Moral Philos. ii. 195 By some modern authors, the scheme of Optimism has been proposed in a form..which leads to a justification of moral evil, even with respect to the delinquent.

1842 W. T. Brande Dict. Sci., Lit. & Art 849/1 The optimism of Leibnitz was based on the following trilemma:—If this world be not the best possible, God must either, 1. not have known how to make a better, 2. not have been able, 3. not have chosen.

1917 Mind 26 12 The pedantic optimism of popular theology extracted from Leibnitz and ridiculed by Voltaire.

1989 Encycl. Brit. XII. 427 Voltaire wrote several contes (tales), including..Candide (1758), a satire on philosophical optimism, which became his best-known work.

b. A view or belief which assumes the ultimate predominance of good over evil in the universe.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > doctrine of human perfectibility > [noun] > belief in power of good

optimism1841

1841 R. W. Emerson Ess. 1st Ser. (Boston ed.) vii. 188 One might find argument for optimism, in the abundant flow of this saccharine element of pleasure, in every suburb.

1878 T. Sinclair Mount 18 The optimism that may well be considered fanciful is that of Hegel, Buckle, republicans like Hugo,..Whitman, and the development men generally.

1888 Mrs. H. Ward Robert Elsmere III. vi. xlii. 240 The young reformer's social simplicity, his dreams, his optimisms.

1900 W. L. Courtney Idea of Trag. 67 A shallow optimism is the last theory of all to which a thinking man ought to consent.

1956 R. C. Zaehner in A. Pryce-Jones New Outl. Mod. Knowl. 65 Nineteenth-century optimism, then, is comparable to Buddhism in the emphasis it lays on individual effort in the battle for salvation.

1991 Independent 28 Nov. 35/7 Billetdoux's was a controversial refreshing and, above all, actable talent,..dogged, for all the pride of his Christian optimism, by misunderstanding.

†2. Contrasted with pessimism n. 1.

a. The character or quality of being for the best. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being the best > [noun] > for end result

optimism1795

optimality1944

optimum1955

1795 R. Southey in J. Cottle Early Recoll. (1837) II. 3 Of all things it is most difficult to understand the optimism of this difference of language.

1821 Ld. Byron 2nd Let. Bowles' Strict. in Wks. (1832) VI. 403 It may be wrong, but it does not assume pretentions to Optimism.

b. The quality of being the best, perfection. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being the best > [noun]

bestness1548

preseance1591

presidency1608

primity1643

superlativenessa1649

supreme1681

optimism1797

1797 R. Southey Lett. from Spain xvii. 282 Portugal is the best part of Spain... So much for the beauty and optimism of Portugal.

3. Hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view. Contrasted with pessimism n. 2.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > optimism > [noun]

optimism1812

positive energy1830

the mind > emotion > pleasure > cheerfulness > [noun] > cheerful optimism

sanguine1530

toujours gai1711

optimism1812

buoyancy1819

buoyance1821

rhathymia1936

1812 M. Edgeworth Absentee xvi, in Tales Fashionable Life (ed. 2) VI. 416 Said she, ‘Women have not always the liberty of choice, and therefore they can't be expected to have always the power of refusal.’ The mother, satisfied with her convenient optimism, got into her carriage.

1859 F. C. L. Wraxall tr. J. E. Robert-Houdin Mem. xix. 277 His disposition to look at the bright side of everything. He was the incarnation of optimism.

1893 H. P. Liddon et al. Life E. B. Pusey I. viii. 158 Pusey's optimism as to the existing state of German Protestantism.

1940 W. S. Churchill in J. F. Kennedy Why Eng. Slept (1962) vii. 131 I must say I am astounded at the wave of optimism, of confidence, and even of complacency.

1963 M. L. King Strength to Love x. 84 In a seemingly hopeless situation, they fashioned within their souls a creative optimism that strengthened them.

1996 Maclean's 4 Mar. 30/1 The optimism of his campaign slogan, Ready for a Better Tomorrow, cannot mask the daunting challenges that lie ahead.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	optimism
释义	optimismn. Brit. /ˈɒptᵻmɪz(ə)m/, U.S. /ˈɑptəˌmɪz(ə)m/ Forms: 1700s optimisme, 1700s– optimism. Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French optimisme. Etymology: < French optimisme (1737 in sense 1a (see note below); 1788 in sense 3) < classical Latin optimus best (see optimum n.) + French -isme -ism suffix. With sense 3 compare earlier optimist n. 1.Leibniz, in his Théodicée (1710), uses optimum as a technical term, on the model of maximum and minimum. Hence the Mémoires de Trévoux, in the issue for Feb. 1737, gives the name optimisme to his doctrine:1737 Mém. de Trévoux (Fév.) 207 En termes de l'art, il l'appelle la raison du meilleur ou plus savamment encore, et Theologiquement autant que Géométriquement, le systême de l'Optimum, ou l'Optimisme. It owes its general diffusion to the satirical attack upon the doctrine by Voltaire in Candide ou l'optimisme (1759). 1. Contrasted with pessimism n. 3. a. Philosophy. The doctrine propounded by Leibniz (1710) that the actual world is the best of all possible worlds. Also: any of various similar philosophical doctrines of earlier or later thinkers.Leibniz argued that this world was chosen by the Creator out of all the worlds that could have been created, as that in which the most good could be obtained at the cost of the least evil. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > philosophy > philosophy of optimism > [noun] > Leibniz' philosophy of optimism and its adherents Leibnizian1754 optimism1759 optimist1770 Leibnizianism1874 1759 Bp. W. Warburton Lett. (1809) 289 The professed design is to ridicule the Optimisme, not of Pope, but of Leibnitz. 1782 J. Warton Ess. on Pope (ed. 4) II. ix. 124 That this Platonic scheme, of Optimism, or the best, sufficiently accounts for the introduction of moral and physical evil into the world. 1793 D. Stewart Outl. Moral Philos. ii. 195 By some modern authors, the scheme of Optimism has been proposed in a form..which leads to a justification of moral evil, even with respect to the delinquent. 1842 W. T. Brande Dict. Sci., Lit. & Art 849/1 The optimism of Leibnitz was based on the following trilemma:—If this world be not the best possible, God must either, 1. not have known how to make a better, 2. not have been able, 3. not have chosen. 1917 Mind 26 12 The pedantic optimism of popular theology extracted from Leibnitz and ridiculed by Voltaire. 1989 Encycl. Brit. XII. 427 Voltaire wrote several contes (tales), including..Candide (1758), a satire on philosophical optimism, which became his best-known work. b. A view or belief which assumes the ultimate predominance of good over evil in the universe. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > doctrine of human perfectibility > [noun] > belief in power of good optimism1841 1841 R. W. Emerson Ess. 1st Ser. (Boston ed.) vii. 188 One might find argument for optimism, in the abundant flow of this saccharine element of pleasure, in every suburb. 1878 T. Sinclair Mount 18 The optimism that may well be considered fanciful is that of Hegel, Buckle, republicans like Hugo,..Whitman, and the development men generally. 1888 Mrs. H. Ward Robert Elsmere III. vi. xlii. 240 The young reformer's social simplicity, his dreams, his optimisms. 1900 W. L. Courtney Idea of Trag. 67 A shallow optimism is the last theory of all to which a thinking man ought to consent. 1956 R. C. Zaehner in A. Pryce-Jones New Outl. Mod. Knowl. 65 Nineteenth-century optimism, then, is comparable to Buddhism in the emphasis it lays on individual effort in the battle for salvation. 1991 Independent 28 Nov. 35/7 Billetdoux's was a controversial refreshing and, above all, actable talent,..dogged, for all the pride of his Christian optimism, by misunderstanding. †2. Contrasted with pessimism n. 1. a. The character or quality of being for the best. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being the best > [noun] > for end result optimism1795 optimality1944 optimum1955 1795 R. Southey in J. Cottle Early Recoll. (1837) II. 3 Of all things it is most difficult to understand the optimism of this difference of language. 1821 Ld. Byron 2nd Let. Bowles' Strict. in Wks. (1832) VI. 403 It may be wrong, but it does not assume pretentions to Optimism. b. The quality of being the best, perfection. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being the best > [noun] bestness1548 preseance1591 presidency1608 primity1643 superlativenessa1649 supreme1681 optimism1797 1797 R. Southey Lett. from Spain xvii. 282 Portugal is the best part of Spain... So much for the beauty and optimism of Portugal. 3. Hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view. Contrasted with pessimism n. 2. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > optimism > [noun] optimism1812 positive energy1830 the mind > emotion > pleasure > cheerfulness > [noun] > cheerful optimism sanguine1530 toujours gai1711 optimism1812 buoyancy1819 buoyance1821 rhathymia1936 1812 M. Edgeworth Absentee xvi, in Tales Fashionable Life (ed. 2) VI. 416 Said she, ‘Women have not always the liberty of choice, and therefore they can't be expected to have always the power of refusal.’ The mother, satisfied with her convenient optimism, got into her carriage. 1859 F. C. L. Wraxall tr. J. E. Robert-Houdin Mem. xix. 277 His disposition to look at the bright side of everything. He was the incarnation of optimism. 1893 H. P. Liddon et al. Life E. B. Pusey I. viii. 158 Pusey's optimism as to the existing state of German Protestantism. 1940 W. S. Churchill in J. F. Kennedy Why Eng. Slept (1962) vii. 131 I must say I am astounded at the wave of optimism, of confidence, and even of complacency. 1963 M. L. King Strength to Love x. 84 In a seemingly hopeless situation, they fashioned within their souls a creative optimism that strengthened them. 1996 Maclean's 4 Mar. 30/1 The optimism of his campaign slogan, Ready for a Better Tomorrow, cannot mask the daunting challenges that lie ahead. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.1759
随便看	silverbuttoned silverchaser silverclear silvercolored silvercoloured silvercooper silvercoper silvercoper cooper silvercoper couper silvercupped silverdun silvereared mesia silvered silvereddying silverer silverers silverest silverette silvereye silvereyed silvereyes silverfawn silverfeast silverfish silverfishes