| 释义 |
showman|ˈʃəʊmən|
[show n.1]
1. a. One who exhibits a show; the proprietor of a show.
a1734North Life Ld. Keeper Guilford (1742) 280 An enormous Rhinoceros, to be sold to Shew-men for Profit. 1787M. Cutler in Life, etc. (1888) I. 309 There are constant exhibitions from rope-dancers, mountebanks, jugglers, and show-men. 1833Longfellow Outre-Mer Pr. Wks. 1886 I. 129 Staring in stupid wonder at the miracles of a showman's box. 1840Dickens Old C. Shop xvi, Itinerant showmen—exhibitors of the freaks of Punch.
b. gen. and transf.: (in sports, politics, etc.), one who performs with a display of style or panache.
1774Cook 2nd Voy. ii. xii. (1777) I. 324 He was conducted all over the ship... On this occasion Otoo was the principal shew-man. 1861Sat. Rev. 30 Nov. 568 The showmen who hurry the..parties of visitors round the eastern chapels. 1964Guardian 2 Mar. 7/6 There's two kinds of workers in the game, shooters and showmen. The shooter's the real wrestler... The showman's in there to make a splash, do the theatricals. 1967C. Seton-Watson Italy from Liberalism to Fascism xii. 547 In politics he [sc. D'Annunzio] was never more than a dilettante and a theatrical showman. 1977Irish Press 29 Sept. 13/2 Meanwhile, showman Brian Barnes, was giving the small crowd their money's worth by nominating to them the type of shots he was going to play.
c. attrib.
1880W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 455 The garrulity and the showman proclamations of Thackeray and Trollope. 1899Pall Mall Gaz. 11 Oct. 4/3 The shares of the ‘show⁓man’ class exhibited their true nature.
†2. (See quot.) Obs.
1797Times 23 Nov. in Ashton Old Times (1885) 336 It was the custom of Publicans, when they want to let their houses, to get a number of people together, whom they treat with beer. They call them show-men, and this is done for the purpose of deceiving the persons who come to view their house, and to make them suppose it has good custom.
Hence ˈshowmanism, ˈshowmanry (nonce-wds.); ˈshowmanship (chiefly transf. and fig.).
1859Sala Gas-light & D. xvi. 178 One touch of showman⁓ship makes the whole world kin. 1874G. H. Lewes Let. 19 Feb. in Geo. Eliot Lett. (1956) VI. 20 The story is very well told... But there is a chorus of objection against the excessive showmanship of the commentary. 1886Sat. Rev. 15 May 675/2 Charles Lamb would have delighted in one of their effects as he delighted in the showmanry of Elliston. 1886Petrie Tanis ii. Nebesheh (1888) Pref. 6 To reject anything [from a museum] because it is not popularly attractive is a concession to mere showmanism.
1926A. Bennett Ld. Raingo ii. lxiv. 287 He had made a fine display of courage and wit on the doctor's declaration of his malady, but it was only a display, a proud piece of showmanship perhaps unworthy of so solemn an occasion. 1927Daily Express 12 Aug. 9/3 She held a great reception yesterday, sitting in her red caravan, and chatted of the olden times and the present conditions of showmanship.
1966People 13 May 4/5 But Tony, no slouch when it comes to show⁓manship, helped it along by wearing..a rose brocade dinner jacket. 1972Newsweek 10 Jan. 8/1 Pragmatism—coupled with some of the showmanship for which he has long been known—stood as the hallmark of Bhutto's first fortnight as President. |
