| 单词 |
kaleidoscope |
| 释义 |
▪ I. kaleidoscope, n.|kəˈlaɪdəʊskəʊp|
[f. Gr. καλ-ός beautiful + εἶδο-ς form + -scope. Named by its inventor, Sir David Brewster, in 1817.
Calidoscope in Newman, Gramm. Assent i. v. (1870) 107.]
An optical instrument, consisting of from two to four reflecting surfaces placed in a tube, at one end of which is a small compartment containing pieces of coloured glass: on looking through the tube, numerous reflections of these are seen, producing brightly-coloured symmetrical figures, which may be constantly altered by rotation of the instrument.
1817Specif. Brewster's patent No. 4136 (heading) A new optical instrument called the Kaleidoscope. 1818Murray Let. to Byron in Smiles Mem. (1891) I. xvi. 398, I send you a very well-constructed Kaleidoscope, a newly-invented toy. 1822J. Flint Lett. Amer. 20 The Kaleidoscope of Dr. Brewster is here fabricated in a rude style, and in quantities so great, that it is given as a plaything to children. 1878Huxley Physiogr. 62 The beautifully symmetrical shapes seen in a common kaleidoscope.
b. fig. A constantly changing group of bright colours or coloured objects; anything which exhibits a succession of shifting phases.
1819Byron Juan ii. xciii, This rainbow look'd like hope—Quite a celestial kaleidoscope. 1824Macaulay Misc. Writ. I. 82 The mind of Petrarch was a kaleidoscope. 1864Pusey Lect. Daniel Pref. 29 To allow truth and falsehood to be jumbled together in one ever-shifting kaleidoscope of opinions. 1878Hutton Scott i. 8 A hundred changing turns of the historical kaleidoscope.
c. attrib.
1834Edin. Rev. LX. 69 The few kaleidoscope passages, where ambitious words and crowded figures are so richly embroidered in. 1855G. Brimley Ess., Noct. Ambr. 306 A kaleidoscope quickness and variety of intellect.
▪ II. kaˈleidoscope, v.
[f. the n.]
To present the appearance of a brightly coloured and constantly changing pattern; to cause to come together or coalesce with pleasing results. Hence kaˈleidoscoping ppl. a. and vbl. n.
1891Daily News 5 Mar. 5/3 The spectators in the gallery cheered heartily when some particularly effective kaleidoscoping of colours happened amongst the dancers on the floor below. 1894Ibid. 1 Feb. 3/1 If the ladies and gentlemen so industriously kaleidoscoping below only cared, they might do something better on these carnival nights than play at devils and clowns. 1900Literature 14 July 25/1 In ‘Isis’..Villiers kaleidoscoped from his memory and imagination what he had read in many Oriental and medieval books. 1933Discovery July 218/2 The sitting-rooms, parlour, drawing-room, morning room, study, library, ballroom and so on have all been kaleidoscoped into the living room. 1971Guardian 4 Jan. 9/2 These days of kaleidoscoping time. |
英语词典包含277258条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。
相关内容11：
相关热词搜索：kaleidoscope英英词典英英释义英语词汇意思用法释义英语
单词 wezill 释义 wezillvar. weezle Obs.{var l=document.getElementsByTagName("link");var r=......
单词 kaleidophone 释义 kaleidophone|kladfn|[f. as next + Gr. ή sound.]An instrument (inve......
字词 被任命者 释义 【法】 appointee; nominee 汉译英翻译词典收录405719条汉英翻译词条，基......
字词 衰竭色素 释义 【医】 wear and tear pigments 汉译英翻译词典收录405719条汉英翻译词条......
单词 wezen 释义 Seewezzand 英语词典包含277258条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用......
字词 衰竭的 释义 prostrate\n【医】 prostrated 汉译英翻译词典收录405719条汉英翻译词条，基......