| 释义 |
democratic, a. (n.)|dɛməʊˈkrætɪk|
[a. F. démocratique, ad. med.L. dēmocratic-us, a. Gr. δηµοκρατικ-ός, f. δηµοκρατία democracy: see -ic.]
1. Of the nature of, or characterized by, democracy; advocating or upholding democracy.
1602Warner Alb. Eng. x. lvii. (1612) 250 Aristocratick gouernment nor Democratick pleas'd. 1790Mann in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 433 All is in a flame between the Aristocratic and Democratic parties [in France]. 1837H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 255 The most democratic of nations is religious at heart. 1874Green Short Hist. viii. §5. 508 No Church constitution has proved in practice so democratic as that of Scotland.
2. U.S. politics. (With capital D.) Name of the political party originally called Anti-Federal and afterwards Democratic-Republican, initially favouring strict interpretation of the Constitution with regard to the powers of the general government and of individual States, and the least possible interference with local and individual liberty; in opposition to the party now (since 1854) called Republican (formerly called Federals and Whigs).
b. Pertaining to the Democratic party, as ‘a Democratic measure’.
c1800T. Twining Trav. America in 1796 (1894) 51 One of the principal members of the opposition, or of the anti⁓federal or democratic party. 1812in Niles' Register 96 Harford, Baltimore, Washington and Queen-Anns have returned 4 Democratic members..Federal majority [in Maryland House] 32. 1839W. L. Garrison in Life II. 312 Both the Whig and Democratic parties have consulted the wishes of abolitionists. 1860Bartlett Dict. Amer. 507 What was Whig doctrine in 1830 may be Democratic doctrine in 1850. Ibid. 508 The three Democratic presidents, Jackson, Van Buren, and Polk. 1888Bryce Amer. Commw. II. iii. liii. 340 The autonomy of communities..has been the watch⁓word of the Democratic party.
†B. n. = democrat 1. Obs.
1658–9Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 232 The democratics of our age went upon another principle. 1681G. Vernon Pref. to Heylin's De Jure Paritatis Episc., This argument is known too well by our Anti-Episcopal Democraticks. |
