| 释义 |
worshipful, a. (n., adv.)|ˈwɜːʃɪpfʊl|
Forms: α. 4 worþssipuol; 4 worshup-, 4–5 worschip-, worschep- (4 worsship-), 5 worchip-, 4– worship-, 5–6 worshypful, Sc. wourschip-, 6 woorshipfull, etc. β. 5 wurschip-, -chep-, 5–6 -shipful(l. γ. 5 wir-, wyrship-, etc.
[f. worship n.]
1. Of things: Notable or outstanding in respect of some (good) quality or property; distinguished, imposing; reputable, honourable. Now arch.
a1300E.E. Psalter lxxi. 14 Worschepfulle [L. præclarum] þe name of þa Bifore hime it sal be swa. 1340Ayenb. 80 Vor uirtue is þing wel worþssipuol, lostuol and uremuol. 1357Lay-Folks Mass-Bk. App. ii. 119, I beleve that the moost worshipful sacrament of the auter is Crystis body in fourme of bred. 1388Wyclif Gen. xxviii. 17 Hou worschipful [L. terribilis] is this place! 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiv. xliv. (Tollem. MS.) With his comynge þerto oure Lorde made þis Mountt [Tabor] worschipful [L. commendabilem]. c1450Merlin v. 85 He..seide that so high and wurschipful a-mendes dide neuer a lorde to his man. c1450Lovelich Merlin 6815 In the most worschepful and reverent gyse they hym beryeden as they cowde devyse. 1479York Memo. Bk. (Surtees) I. 171 The mare of this said wirshupfull cite for time beyng. 1508Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. cii. Wks. (1876) 189 He shall gyue vs power to preche.., whiche shall be a very worshypfull offyce. 1560Pilkington Expos. Aggeus (1562) 182 They shall finde mo worshipfull names geven to the preachinge minister, then to any one sorte of men. 1575Laneham Lett. (1871) 1, I am placed at Coourt heer (as yee wot) in a woorshipfull room. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. 175 When this right worshipful title [of knighthood] was by the Prince conferred upon one. a1661Fuller Worthies, Suff. (1662) 65 His Posterity still flourish in a Worshipful equipage at Nacton. 1687Reflect. on Hind & Panther 34 No Romance can furnish us with such pleasant and worshipful Tales. 1826Scott Woodst. ii, Will he give us the remains of his worshipful and economical house-keeping? 1871Freeman Norm. Conq. xxi. IV. 626 Whether standing or sitting, his look was worshipful and kingly. 1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. xxxvii, Isn't that better than painting a piece of staring immodesty and calling it by a worshipful name?
absol.a1871Grote Eth. Fragm. v. (1876) 176 Aristotle distributes good things into three classes—the admirable or worshipful [τὰ τίµια]—the praiseworthy—the potential.
2. Of persons: Distinguished in respect of character or rank; entitled to honour or respect on this account. Now arch.
a1340Hampole Psalter xxviii. 4 Konynge that makis men worschipful. 1357Lay Folks' Catech. (T.) 205 Ilk man that worshipfull is. 1390Gower Conf. I. 182 And ek so worschipful a wif, The doughter of an Emperour, To wedde it schal be gret honour. c1420Chron. Vilod. 3147 A worshipfulle woman in þat contre þo dwelt. 1450–80tr. Secreta Secret. lviii. 34 Þus shalt thou be holden wijs and worshipfulle for thi governance. 1470–85Malory Arthur x. viii. 425 Syr Tristram that is the worshipfullest knyght that now is lyuynge. Ibid. xvi. iii. 668 Of a moche more worshypfuller mans hand myghte I not dye. c1530Prov. in Pol., Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 58 A nobyll and a wurshipfull hert nevyr askyth of womens dedys. 1555Eden Decades (Arb.) 272 Wyse & woorshypful men experte in nauigations. 1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love To Rdr. ☛ i b, The answere..beyng intercepted by my worshypfull frend, came not into my handes. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. 199 Small townlets..which have given surnames to ancient and worshipfull families. 1632Lithgow Trav. ix. 396, I encountered with a Worshipfull English Gentleman Mr. Stydolffe Esquier of his Maiesties body. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. 197 Edwin Sands, Arch-Bishop of Yorke, born in Lancashire of worshipfull Parentage. 1819Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life II. 52 Oh! what a delicious painter of mind and body is that worshipful Master Aubrey! 1845Carlyle Cromwell Let. ccxvii. (1871) IV. 239 If not the noblest and worshipfulest of all Englishmen, at least the strongest and terriblest.
†b. Applied to Bede, = venerable a. 1. Obs.
14..? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1583 Behynde all these was worshipfull Beede. c1450Compend. Olde Treat. (Arb.) 175 Worshupfull Bede in his first booke telleth [etc.]. 1483Caxton Golden Leg. 411/1 He is not called of holy chyrche Saynt bede but worshypful bede.
3. a. As an honorific title for persons or bodies of distinguished rank or importance: formerly used very widely, but now restricted to the livery companies and freemasons' lodges and their masters. right worshipful is applied to mayors.
1398Test. Ebor. (Surtees) III. 316 Y..by for yow hier, worshepful fader in God, and lord, Richard, by the grace of God erche bysshop of York,..make avowe [etc.]. 1405Rolls of Parlt. III. 605/1 To comune..with the Wyrshipfull Prince Robert the King of Scotland, and his Conseil. 1426in Surtees Misc. (1890) 10 Vnto his wirshipfull Mair,..and all þe wirshipfull Counsell of þe cite of York. 1473Rolls of Parlt. VI. 79/1 The fundation of that worshipfull Fader William Wykeham, sumtyme Bisshop of Wynchestre. 1578T. Nicholas tr. Cortes' Conq. W. India (1596) Ep. Ded., Whilest I abode..in the Isle of Palma, in affaires of merchandize for the worshipfull Thomas Lock deceased. 1605Camden Rem. Ded. 1 To the Right Worshipfvll, Worthy and Learned Sir Robert Cotton. 1615R. Cocks Diary (Hakl. Soc.) I. 48 The Worshipfull Companys letters. 1639J. Taylor (Water P.) Part Summers Trav. 20 The right worthy worshipfull Knight Sir Paul Neale. 1641W. S. More's Edw. V Ded., To the Right Worshipfull Sir Iohn Lenthall Knight. 1720A. Petrie Rules Deportm. (1877) 79 The Manner of directing of your Letters... To the Right Worshipful Lady M.S... To the Worshipful Lady A.S. 1732Pope Hor. Satires ii. ii. 75 How pale, each Worshipful and Rev'rend guest Rise from a Clergy, or a City feast! 1756C. Lucas Ess. Waters III. 286, I thanked..his worshipful brethren of the Council. 1768Complete Letter-Writer (ed. 12) 46 To the Master and Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. 1848Dickens Dombey lvii, A dusty old beadle..who has something to do with a Worshipful Company who have got a Hall in the next yard. 1849James Woodman ii, Sir Charles Weinants, a right worshipful gentleman also. 1876Law Rep. 2 Probate Div. 382 A certain Cause now pending in our Consistory Court, before the Worshipful Thomas Hutchinson Tristram,..our Vicar General.
b. Used in forms of address, as worshipful sir, (right) worshipful master, etc.
1425Paston Lett. I. 19 Right worthy and worshepefull Sir, I recommaunde me to yow, [etc.]. 1440Corr. etc. Coldingham Priory (Surtees) 114 Wirshipfull sir I comend me to ȝowe. c1440Marg. Paston in P. Lett. I. 42 Ryth reverent and worsepful husbon. c1455Bekynton Corr. (Rolls) II. 342 [To Henry, Duke of Somerset, begins] High mighti Prince and my right worshipful and good lord. 1473Paston Lett. Suppl. (1901) 144 Ryght wyrshypfull and my ryght tendre modre, I recommaunde me to yow. 1542Udall in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 2 Right worshipfull and my singlar good Maister. a1592Greene Alcida (1617) Ded. A 3, To the Right Worshipfull, Sir Charles Blount, Knight. Ibid., So (right worshipfull) after your returne from the Low Countries, [etc.]. 1681Otway Soldier's Fort. iii. i, Her Ladyship, Right-worshipful, is pleas'd not to be at home. 1768Complete Letter-Writer (ed. 12) 48 Justices of the Peace, and Mayors, are stiled Right Worshipful. 1818Scott Rob Roy ix, ‘Thanks, most worshipful,’ returned Miss Vernon. 1843Lytton Last Bar. i. i, It shall not be my fault if I do not, though but a humble headman to your worshipful Mastership, help to make them so. 1861Dict. Daily Wants s.v. Addresses, The Mayors of all Corporations, with the Sheriffs, Aldermen, and Recorder of London, are styled Right Worshipful; and the Aldermen and Recorder of other Corporations, as well as Justices of the Peace, Worshipful. 1906Complete Letter-writer 21 A Mayor is addressed as The Worshipful the Mayor of—; in a few cities as ‘Right Worshipful’.
c. absol. (chiefly pl.) or as n. In later use spec. a magistrate.
c1450MS. Trin. Coll. Camb. R. 3. 19 lf. 170 b, Worshipfull and dyscrete that here present be, I wyll you tell a tale, two or thre. c1460J. Russell Bk. Nurture 655 Þan durst y do my devoire with any worshipfulle to be wonnynge. 1536in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 129 As by the reporte of dyvers worshyppfulles..yt ys to us openly declared. 1565Child-Marriages (1897) 49 As he hard it reportid by diuerse worshipfull and others. 1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love 30 b, Hauyng..deceiued some Justices of Peace, and other worshypfull of countrey, where they dwel. 1595Churchw. Acc. St. Marg. Westm. (Nichols 1797) 24 When the worshipfull of the parish..went the perambulacion to Kensington. 1806Spirit Publ. Jrnls. X. 213 Anon the day of trial comes, The Worshipfuls were on their bums, And all the court in solemn silence sat.
†4. Showing or bringing honour or distinction to a person; reputable or honourable for one. Obs.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 14 And ȝif þei seyn þat grete chirchis ben worschipful to god [etc.]. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 46 Þer is no þing more worschipful to a leche..þan to kepe a lyme woundid fro swellynge. 1455Rolls of Parlt. V. 325/1 Craftes which be convenient, wurshipfull and accordyng for Gentil wymmen, and oþer wymmen of wurship. 1472Paston Lett. Suppl. (1901) 143 That shuld not be wurchepfull for you; for men shull not than set be you. 1474Caxton Chesse ii. v. (1883) 63 For he had oppynyon that hit was as worshipfull and fittynge to a kynge to pardone as to punysshe.
5. Imbued with the spirit of worship or veneration.
1809W. Taylor in Robberds Mem. II. 274, I should have been more humble, panegyrical, worshipful. 1840Tait's Mag. VII. 3 The Whigs..are more worshipful of that perfection of wisdom, the glorious British constitution. a1861T. Woolner My Beautiful Lady, Night ix, Or kneels she worshipful beside her bed. 1891Hardy Tess xxxi, He would sometimes catch her large, worshipful eyes..looking at him from their depths.
6. Deserving or capable of being worshipped; worshipable.
1872Browning Fifine xxxii, Obey Implicitly, nor pause to question, to survey Even the worshipful! 1901Athenæum 19 Jan. 72/3 The theory of transmigration of ancestral souls into worshipful plants and animals.
†7. adv. = next. Obs. rare.
1470Paston Lett. Suppl. (1901) 135 It is a fowle slaunder that he was so wurchepful beried..and so litill do for hym sithen. |
