| 词组 | magnitude |
| 释义 | magnitude 1. Flesch 1964 claims that the phrase of the first magnitude is a "silly cliché." Evans 1957 says The use of the word star to designate a prominent actor or singer led to the adoption of the astronomical term to distinguish the highest degree of preeminence, but it is now worn out. It is true that the phrase is used to refer to show-business personalities and to products that are being reviewed or promoted: • ... a new supper club star of the first magnitude — Eugene Boe, Cue, 4 Jan. 1964 • ... a writer of first magnitude whose performance he has respected and admired for years —Richard Plant, N. Y. Times Book Rev., 6 June 1954 It is also used, however, in other contexts and has been for quite some time: • Whatever be your Birth, you're sure to be A Peer of the First Magnitude to me —George Stepney, Poems, ca. 1707 (OED) • It is a question of the first magnitude —Oliver Wendell Holmes d. 1935, Missouri v. Illinois and Sanitary District of Chicago, 1905 • ... he made contributions of the first magnitude — J. H. Plumb, England in the Eighteenth Century, 1950 Judging from the citations in our files, we doubt that of the first magnitude is overused in general contexts. If you are not writing a high-powered, overblown promotional release, you can use of the first magnitude without worrying about producing cliché-ridden prose. And if you are writing a high-powered, overblown promotional release, you are probably not much concerned whether your writing is cliché-ridden or not. 2. Flesch 1964 also claims that magnitude is "a long word meaning size," with the implication that the shorter word is a better choice. His statement is an oversimplification which neglects the nonphysical uses of magnitude as well as the overtones of immensity it often carries when it is used to mean "size." There are many instances in which the substitution of size for magnitude would yield an awkward or even meaningless sentence. Even when size could adequately substitute in meaning, magnitude is an acceptable alternative. Here is a sampling of nontechnical uses from our files: • Nor could I consider the magnitude and complexity of my plan as any argument of its impracticability — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818 • This Court can be insensible neither to the magnitude nor delicacy of this question —John Marshall, Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 1819 • ... a European catastrophe of a magnitude so appalling, and a scope so unpredictable —George Bernard Shaw, Preface to Back to Methuselah, 1921 • ... the magnitude of the task which confronted me —Stella Gibbons, Cold Comfort Farm, 1932 • ... sociological and political changes of considerable magnitude were in progress —James A. Michener, Report of the County Chairman, 1961 • The magnitude of this increase becomes more apparent when you consider that 9 1/4 million tons of fuel were burned in 1970 —Annual Report, Virginia Electric & Power Co., 1970 • We should not underestimate the probable magnitude of psychological damage —Dr. Peter Wood, Runners World, September 1980 • It was an egregious error, one of such magnitude that Herron might spend the rest of the summer, if not the next several years, reliving that goal —Parton Keese, N.Y. Times, 28 Apr. 1980 |
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