| 释义 |
winsome, a.|ˈwɪnsəm|
Forms: 1, 5 wynsum, 2–3 wunsum, 2, 4 winsum, 3 wonsom, 4 winsom, wonsum; 7–9 north. dial. wunsome, 8– (in 8 only Sc.) winsome.
[OE. wynsum = OS. wunsam, OHG. wunnisam (MHG. wun(ne)sam), f. wyn(n win n.2 + -sum -some. Sense 3 came into the literary language from northern dialects.]
I. OE. and ME. senses.
†1. Pleasant, delightful, agreeable. Obs.
Beowulf 612 Ðær wæs hæleþa hleahtor, hlyn swynsode, word wæron wynsume. a900O.E. Martyrol. 3 May, Þær com upp of þære eorðan wynsumes stences rec. a1000Phœnix 13 Þæt is wynsum wong, wealdas grene. c1175Lamb. Hom. 35 Hit walð me þunchen þet softeste beð, and þet wunsemeste þet ic efre ibad. c1205Lay. 1187 He makede bi þon weofede a swiðe wunsum [c 1275 wonsom] fur. a1225Juliana 70 Hit colede anan ant warð hire as wunsum as euer eni wlech weter. a1300Cursor M. 5792 A wonsun [sic] thede, A land rinnand bath honi and milk.
†2. Kindly, gracious; merciful. Obs. rare.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. v. xxii. (1890) 472 He wæs se swetesta lareow & se wynsumesta [L. suavissimus]. c1205Lay. 153 Feier wes þe wimmon & wunsum hire monnen. a1300E.E. Psalter ci[i]. 3 Þat winsom es to alle þine wickenesses.
II. Modern senses.
3. Pleasing or attractive in appearance, handsome, comely; of attractive nature or disposition, of winning character or manners.
1677W. Nicolson in Trans. R. Soc. Lit. (1870) Ser. ii. IX. 322 Wunsome, neat, pleasant. 1724W. Hamilton Braes of Yarrow i, Busk ye, busk ye, my bony bony bride; Busk ye, busk ye, my winsome marrow. 1792Burns My Wife's a winsome wee thing i, She is a winsome wee thing, She is a handsome wee thing, She is a bonnie wee thing. 1818Scott Br. Lamm. xiv, If the young folk liked ane anither, they wad make a winsome couple. 1833H. Coleridge Poems, Sonn. viii, The rugged root that bare the winsome flower Is weak and wither'd. 1843Lytton Last Bar. iv. viii, I know thou art fair and winsome. 1873Dixon Two Queens v. vi. I. 276 Henry broke into his winsome laugh. 1889Buchanan Heir of Linne xix, She looked very winsome in her plain black dress.
4. Cheerful, joyous, gay. dial.
1787Grose Prov. Gloss., Wunsome, smart, trimly dressed, lively, joyous. N. 1825Brockett N.C. Gloss., Winsome, wunsome, lively, cheerful, gay.
Hence ˈwinsomely adv., ˈwinsomeness in senses 3 and 4 of the adj. (OE. wynsumlíce, wynsumnes did not survive.)
17..Jock o the Side xxv. in Child Ballads vi. 480 O Jock, sae winsomely's ye ride, Wi baith your feet upo ae side! 1825Jamieson, Winsomelie, in a cheerful and engaging way. Winsomeness, cheerfulness and engaging sweetness. 1875Mrs. Randolph Wild Hyacinth i, She could not have been called beautiful, but there was a winsomeness in Hyacinth Ettrick's face that rendered criticism a hard and ungracious task. 1883I. L. Bishop in Leisure Hour 83/1 Who came forward and most winsomely shook hands with us. |
