| 释义 |
giantism|ˈdʒaɪəntɪz(ə)m|
[f. giant n. + -ism.]
a. The quality or state of a giant; the practices of a giant or of the Giants.
1639Chapman & Shirley Chabot iii. ii, The improvement of his estate in so few years, from a private gentleman's fortune to a great duke's revenues, might save our sovereign therein an orator to enforce and prove faulty, even to giantism, against heaven. 1665J. Webb Stone-Heng 31 It appears most apt to sustain any the heaviest Weight; and therefore hath much of Giantism in it. 1730Fielding Tom Thumb i. iii, Oh! happy state of giantism. 1855P. Landreth De Quincey in Stud. Mod. Lit. (1861) 275 Goliath is associated with giantism.
b. Phys. and Biol. Abnormal development in size. Also spec. (see quot. 1885).
1885Syd. Soc. Lex., Giantism, a condition of excess of developement in which a young living thing precociously attains the size and appearance of adult life, but does not go on to surpass the average. 1895J. Hutchinson Archives Surg. VI. 74 Inherited tendency to Giantism. Mr. E―, of D―, aged 29, who stood six feet seven inches, told me that his paternal grandfather had attained the same height.
c. transf. and fig.
1936M. Allis Eng. Prelude xxiv. 176 London remains the great metropolis, but those of the Midlands give an impression of giantism London lacks. 1952Archit. Rev. CXI. 127/3 Giantism in classical architecture is a well-known phenomenon. 1961L. Mumford City in History xv. 456 The more units in a given area, the more efficient was the source of power: hence the tendency towards giantism. 1967Economist 7 Jan. 4 Before succumbing to a philosophy of industrial giantism you must answer this question. |
