| 释义 |
‖ mantis Ent.|ˈmæntɪs|
[mod.L., a. Gr. µάντις prophet, diviner (also, some insect): see mantic a.]
An orthopterous insect of the genus Mantis or family Mantidæ; esp. the Praying Mantis, M. religiosa, which holds its forelegs in a position suggesting hands folded in prayer.
1658J. R. tr. Moffett's Theat. Insects 982, I have seen only three kinds [of the lesser Locusts]..they are called Mantes, foretellers. Ibid. 983 Of this Italian Mantis..Rondeletius makes mention. 1703W. Dampier Voy. (1729) III. 427 The green Mantiss..like a Locust. 1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Mantis,..an Insect call'd The praying Locust. 1802Bingley Anim. Biog. (1813) III. 156 The Orator Mantis. 1870S. Mateer Travancore (1871) 90 Locusts, grass⁓hoppers, mantises, etc. abound. 1895E. W. Gosse Crit. Kit-Kats 290 That quaint insect, the praying mantis.
b. attrib., as mantis-crab, -shrimp, a stomatopodous crustacean, Squilla mantis and other species.
1850A. White List Crustacea Brit. Mus. 46 Squilla Desmarestii, The Mantis Crab. 1871T. R. Jones Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4) 449 The Squilla mantis or Mantis-Shrimp. 1884G. B. Goode, etc. Nat. Hist. Usef. Aquatic Anim. I. 823 The Mantis Shrimp, or Sea Mantis—Squilla empusa, Say. |
