| 释义 |
▪ I. humbug, n. (a.) colloq.|ˈhʌmbʌg|
[A slang or cant word which came into vogue c 1750.
(An earlier date has been given in several Dictionaries, on the ground of the occurrence of the word in the title of F. Killigrew's Universal Jester, which the Slang Dictionary dates ‘about 1735–40’. But the earliest ed. of that work is dated by Lowndes 1754; see below.)
Many guesses at the possible derivation of humbug have been made; but as with other and more recent words of similar introduction, the facts as to its origin appear to have been lost, even before the word became common enough to excite attention. Cf. the following:
1751(Jan.) Student II. 41 There is a word very much in vogue with the people of taste and fashion, which though it has not even the ‘penumbra’ of a meaning, yet makes up the sum total of the wit, sense and judgement of the aforesaid people of taste and fashion!..I will venture to affirm that this Humbug is neither an English word, nor a derivative from any other language. It is indeed a blackguard sound, made use of by most people of distinction! It is a fine, make-weight in conversation, and some great men deceive themselves so egregiously as to think they mean something by it!]
†1. A hoax; a jesting or befooling trick; an imposition. Obs.
1751Student II. 129 That exalted species of wit which is now practised by gentlemen of the brightest parts under the elegant denomination of a Humbug. Ibid. 287 (article) Of the Superlative Advantages arising from the use of the new⁓invented Science, called the Humbug. 1754Earl of Orrery Let. in Connoisseur No. 14 ⁋3 Single words, indeed, now and then broke forth; such as odious, horrible, detestable, shocking, Humbug. This last new-coined expression, which is only to be found in the nonsensical vocabulary, sounds absurd and disagreeable, whenever it is pronounced. 1754Ibid. No. 42 ⁋4 Our pretenders to wit... When they talk of Humbug, etc. they seem to be jabbering in the uncouth dialect of the Huns. 1754F. Killigrew (title) The Universal Jester; or a pocket companion for the Wits; being a choice collection of merry conceits, facetious drolleries, etc., clenchers, closers, closures, bon-mots, and humbugs. 1755J. Shebbeare Lydia (1769) I. 333 He delighted greatly in the humbug, a species of wit that was then newly produced in this enlightened age. 1776R. Graves Euphrosyne I. 108 Sprightly Humbugs and practical Jokes. a1799Tweddell Rem. xxxi. (1815) 167 (Jod.) It was, to be sure, a very facetious humbug.
2. A thing which is not really what it pretends to be; an imposture, a deception, fraud, sham.
1751Student II. 41 This peace will prove a confounded humbug upon the nation. 1831Cat's Tail 20 A mere catch⁓penny humbug. 1884R. Churchill in West. Daily Press 11 July 3/4 The whole legislature of the Government had been a gigantic humbug, a stupendous imposture, and a prodigious fraud.
3. Deception, pretence, sham; used interjectionally = ‘stuff and nonsense!’.
1825J. George View Law Joint Stock Comp. 58 The writer would have thought it the acmé of humbug. 1828De Quincey Rhetoric Wks. XI. 53 In fact, to borrow a coarse word, the mere impersonation of humbug. 1844Disraeli Coningsby ii. iv, A government of statesmen or of clerks? Of Humbug or of Humdrum? 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xxii. 160, I believe a notion is growing prevalent that half what is said and written about the dangers of the Alps is mere humbug. 1880Mrs. Forrester Roy & V. II. 209 Humbug! come along! It's a shame to leave such claret as that.
4. A person that practises deception; an impostor, a ‘fraud’.
[1763in Mackenzie Royal Masonic Cycl. s.v., The brethren of the Venerable Society of Humbugs met at brother Hallam's, in Goodman's Fields from 1763.] 1804J. Larwood No Gun Boats 7 So essential a Familiar as the Humbug. 1807in Sheridaniana 211, I think, father, said he, that many men who are called great patriots in the House of Commons, are great humbugs. 1857Dickens Lett. (1880) II. 9, I denounce the race as humbugs. 1860L. Stephen Vac. Tour 272, I boldly informed my companions, and tried to persuade myself, that another half-hour would take us to the top; but I secretly felt that I was a humbug. 1875Lowell Spenser Pr. Wks. 1890 IV. 300 He is at least a man among men, and not a humbug among humbugs.
5. A kind of sweetmeat.
1825[Remembered in common use in Gloucestershire]. 1847–78Halliwell, Humbug,..also applied to a kind of sweetmeat. 1863Mrs. Gaskell Sylvia's L. xliii, He had provided himself with a paper of humbugs for the child—‘humbugs’ being the north-country term for certain lumps of toffy, well-flavoured with peppermint. 1877in N.W. Linc. Gloss. 1936J. L. Hodson Our Two Englands vii. 115 A middle-aged member of the [Bradford Wool] Exchange moved about offering a paper bag of sweets; cheeks became swollen with humbugs. 1959I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch. ix. 166 ‘Lollies’ is also becoming a general term, and so is ‘gob-stoppers’ for ‘any sweet difficult to chew’, as humbugs, large aniseed balls, and fruit drops.
6. (See quot.)
1850[In use in Norfolk for holding cows or horses]. 1875Knight Dict. Mech., Humbug (Manege), a nippers for grasping the cartilage of the nose. Used with bulls and other refractory bovines. 1896N. & Q. 8th Ser. IX. 328, 412, 458.
7. attrib. or adj. Of the nature of or characterized by humbug or imposture; humbugging.
1812Combe Picturesque xxvi, A pun I do detest, 'Tis such a paltry, humbug jest. 1841Lever C. O'Malley lxxxviii, No humbug sort of devil-may-care and bad-luck-to-you kind of chaps.
▪ II. humbug, v.|ˈhʌmbʌg|
[f. humbug n. In 18th c., and still dialectally, stressed humˈbug.]
1. a. trans. To practise humbug upon; to trick and make a jest of; to impose upon, hoax, delude.
1751Student II. 41 ‘Did you observe how the Colonel Humbug'd his Grace last night?’ ‘These theatrical managers humbug the town damnably!’ 1754F. Webber Def. Rector Exeter Coll. 45 Thus had the poor Rector the Mortification to find himself, in the modern Phrase, humbugg'd, that is, if I understand the Word, trick'd and made a Jest of. 1762–97T. Bridges Homer Travest. I. 85 Now we're humbugg'd, you plainly see. 1813Sir R. Wilson Priv. Diary II. 182 John Bull loves to be humbugged, and they are enemies to themselves who write, speak, or seek truth. 1841De Quincey Homer Wks. VI. 298 Even we have been humbugged by this Pagan rascal. 1885F. Anstey Tinted Venus i. 4 That isn't it... Don't try and humbug me.
b. To hoax or cajole into (doing something); to cheat out of (something).
1761Meretriciad (1765) 21 What could a knight see in thy ugly face To be humbug'd of fifty pounds of lace? 1813Sporting Mag. 218 The gentle reader humbugged into the belief. 1882Mrs. Raven's Tempt. I. 346 Does she humbug herself into that belief, as neatly as she humbugs you?
c. To change or transfer by trickery.
1821Combe Wife iii. 354 Your tricks..never cease To humbug health into disease. 1895Forum (N.Y.) Jan. 561 The good things they have humbugged out of the charities.
2. intr. To practise humbug; to be a humbug; ‘to fool about’. Also const. about: to make less progress than expected, to flounder about, to wallow (local U.S.).
1753J. Hawkesworth Adventurer No. 100 ⁋7 I..could..humbug with so much skill as..to take-in a knowing one. 1778H. Brooke Epil. Humbugging 6 Of worth and of wisdom the trial and test Is—mark ye, my friends!— who shall humbug the best. 1840R. H. Dana Two Yrs. before Mast xxxiv. 433 For several days we lay ‘humbugging about’ in the Horse latitudes, with all sorts of wind and weather. 1861H. Kingsley Ravenshoe xliii. (Farmer), She was always ready to help him, provided, as she told him, ‘he didn't humbug’. 1879F. W. Robinson Coward Consc. ii. vi, Where are we? We're humbugging about..getting a bit nearer the town. 1882Freeman in Life & Lett. (1895) II. 259 Why do we go humbugging, and bothering, and asking him to help us? 1908G. S. Wasson Home from Sea vi. 189 We pitch-poled and humbugged about in them latitudes till the Cap'n..was sick and tired of the whole business. 1933P. A. Eaddy Hull Down x. 214 For several days we were kept humbugging about with light variable breezes.
Hence humbugging vbl. n. and ppl. a. Also humbuggable a., capable of being humbugged, gullible; whence humbuggability. humbugger, one who humbugs or practises imposture; a humbug, impostor. humˈbuggery, humbuggism, the action or practice of humbugging; humbug, imposture.
1798in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. (1799) II. 361 A learned dissertation on the *humbugability of its inhabitants.
1825Southey Lett. (1856) III. 488 That any reasonable man (*humbuggable as the animal is) can have been so humbugged. 1853Fraser's Mag. XLVII. 581 The easiest, most good-natured and most humbuggable of all two-legged animals.
1752A. Murphy Gray's Inn Jrnl. No. 11 All the Wit..and all the Fun of all the *Humbuggers of the Age. 1767G. Canning Poems 56 Such is the heart our Humbugger conceals. 1842S. Lover Handy Andy xviii. 157 I'll strangle you..you humbugger.
1831J. Morison in Morisoniana 386 The Jennerian vaccinic scheme..should counteract the virulence..which the past inoculating *humbuggery had failed to effect. 1892Voice (N.Y.) 25 Feb., Hypocrisy and humbuggery are openly declared to be the only traits that entitle a man to political support.
1752A. Murphy Gray's Inn Jrnl. No. 11 ⁋6 The never enough to be admired Art of *Humbugging came into Vogue. 1793‘A. Pasquin’ Life Earl Barrymore 67 Lord Barrymore was the most apt and successful person in beginning and pursuing a social species of imposition called humbugging, I ever sat with or observed. 1864Burton Scot Abr. II. i. 22 A kind of calm insolence essential to great success in the function called humbugging.
1803Morn. Herald in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. (1804) VII. 276 In hopes the Town Will gulp him down With good *humbugging sauce, Sir! 1870D. P. Blaine Encycl. Rur. Sports (ed. 3) §4064 There were then no skulkers, no humbugging apologies.
1842Moore in Mem. (1856) VII. 311 By dint of sheer *humbuggism. |
