单词 | to split words |
释义 | > as lemmasto split words b. to split a hair or hairs, to split straws, to split words, to make fine or subtle distinctions, esp. in argument or controversy; to be over-subtle or captious. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > misleading argument, sophistry > excessive subtlety, hair-splitting > pursue subtleties [verb (intransitive)] windc1386 subtlec1390 subtilea1450 subtilize1592 to cut a feathera1634 to split a hair or hairs1674 to split straws1674 to split words1674 Thomisticate1730 subtlize1821 (a) (b)1845 B. Disraeli Sybil III. v. iii. 43 I am no changeling, nor can I refine and split straws, like your philosophers.1905 E. Glyn Vicissitudes Evangeline 225 He does not split straws, or bandy words.(c)1871 B. Jowett in tr. Plato Dialogues III. 18 Why will you continue splitting words?1674 R. Boyle Excellency Theol. Pref. 10 The great difficulty..so to behave oneself, as to split a hair between them, and never offend either of them. 1691 A. Gavin Observ. Journy to Naples 55 Shewing himself very inventive and dexterous at splitting a Hair in his way of handling Scholastick matters. 1741 S. Richardson Pamela III. 75 When Persons have a Mind to split Hairs, and to distinguish away the Christian Duties by a Word. 1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued I. i. 37 Though we are obliged sometimes to split the hair we need not quarter it. 1780 M. Madan Thelyphthora II. 4 They splitted the hair..by condemning those who say ‘the church may err in teaching otherwise’. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas I. ii. v. 235 They would not split a hair about the loss of a wife or two. 1866 Parl. Deb. 3rd Ser. 182 213 It never entered into my mind that the Government would split hairs in this fashion. < as lemmas |
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