| 释义 |
numerous, a.|ˈnjuːmərəs|
[ad. L. numerōsus, f. numerus number: see -ous. So F. numereux, It., Sp., and Pg. numeroso.]
1. Plentiful, abundant, copious; comprising many units, items, or separate things.
c1586C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxii. vii, Men shall passe The numerous grasse, Such store each town shall have. a1634Randolph Poems (1638) 99 Two that have horns, that while they butting stand, Strike from their feet a cloud of numerous sand. 1665Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 58 It abounds with Inhabitants... So numerous in Islands as they are scarce numerable. a1693Urquhart's Rabelais iii. xlix. 398 This is a numerous Herb. 1711Steele Spect. No. 88 ⁋1, I have contracted a numerous Acquaintance among the best Sort of People. 1792–3Gibbon Autobiogr. (1897) 63 The free use of a numerous and learned library. 1796Southey Lett. fr. Spain (1799) 416 In the colonies..the evil is, if possible, still more numerous. 1827Pollok Course T. vi. 36 Now behold the fair inhabitants..from numerous business turn. 1894G. Moore Esther Waters 125 That testy and perplexed look that comes of numerous business and many interruptions.
b. Consisting of many individuals.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §18 He..exalted allmost all of his own numerous Family. 1667Milton P.L. i. 675 Thither wing'd with speed A numerous Brigad hasten'd. 1700Dryden Cymon & Iph. 47 A Cyprian lord..with a numerous issue blest. 1778Johnson in Boswell 11 Apr., Garrick had under him a numerous body of people. 1797Earl Malmesbury Diaries & Corr. III. 596 There is a numerous and safe army. 1829Southey Sir T. More (1831) II. 297 That very numerous class who are left with⁓out instruction in their childhood. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xv. III. 595 The commoners who had been summoned..formed a numerous assembly.
†c. Composed of many parts; extensive. Obs.
a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) III. 269 So numerous is the church, with its appendences,..that he can accommodate one clergyman, of all dignities and degrees,..in several chapels or vestries by themselves.
d. Coming from, pertaining to, large numbers.
1832L. Hunt Poems 207 With thousand tiny hushings, like a swarm of atom bees..Or noise of numerous bliss from distant sphere. 1841D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 368 How long has existed that numerous voice which we designate as ‘Public Opinion’?
2. Many; of great number.
1622Massinger & Dekker Virg. Mart. ii. iii. To be parted in their numerous shares. 1666Pepys Diary 23 July, Contriving presses to put my books up in; they now growing numerous. 1713Steele Englishm. No. 8. 48 Letters from Correspondents begin to be very numerous. 1781Cowper Hope 546 Deem life a blessing with its numerous woes. 1826Southey Vind. Eccl. Angl. 449 They are greatly more numerous, and much more frequented. 1860Tyndall Glac. ii. xxv. 363 These shafts..are very numerous in the Unteraar glacier.
3. Containing or including many individuals; thronged, crowded, well-filled, etc. Also const. of.
c1611Chapman Iliad To Rdr. p. liii, In this porch to his numerous fane Hear ancient oracles speak. 1681H. Nevile Plato Rediv. 61 Though every Tribe was very numerous of Inhabitants that lived in the City. 1704N. N. tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. I. 149 A Colony thrust out of the fruitful Loyns of some numerous Country. 1829Southey Sir T. More (1831) II. 140 Both Universities are already sufficiently numerous. 1831Moore Mem. (1856) VI. 214 The dinner.., from being so numerous, had all the ease of a table d'hôte.
†b. Copious, liberal. Obs. rare—1.
1655Fuller Ch. Hist. xi. 152 He delighted more to be numerous with many then ponderous with select quotations.
†4. That can be numbered; numerable. Obs.—1
1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 160 Xerxes viewd the innumerable Army he had... At Salamys..his huge Armie melted away, and quickly became numerous.
5. Measured, rhythmic, harmonious, musical.
1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. iv. (Arb.) 24 The vtterance in prose is..nothing numerous, nor contriued into measures. 1611J. Davies (Heref.) Sco. Folly Wks. (Grosart) II. 23 Or else would offer in Homerean fire, An heccatombe of numerous-plaints therefore. 1667Milton P.L. v. 150 Such prompt eloquence Flowd from thir lips, in Prose or numerous Verse. 1749Power & Harm. Prosaic Numbers 4 Men grew excessively fond of the numerous Stile, and readily sacrificed the Strength and Energy of their Discourse to the Harmony and Cadence of their Language. 1778Harris in Boswell 9 Apr., In my opinion, the chief excellence of our language is numerous prose. 1839Hallam Hist. Lit. ii. vi. §28. 270 Blank verse..falling occasionally almost into numerous prose.
transf.1613Campion Lord's Masque Wks. 203 Their numerous feet May aptly in just measures meet. 1648G. Daniel Eclog v. 107 Jonson's numerous Soule (Now great as Pindar's) might these Gests enroll. 1661Boyle Style of Script. 244 Bays and laurel which his successful sword and numerous pen..gained him from victory and the muses. |
