| 释义 | pythoness|paɪ-, ˈpɪθənɛs|
Forms: α. 4–6 phiton-, 5 phyton-, phetonesse, (fetonass), 5–6 phitones, phetonysse, 7 phytonisse. β. 6–7 pythonisse, 7 python-, pithonesse, 6– pythoness.
[a. OF. phitonise (13th c. in Godef. Compl.), ad. med.L. phitonissa (Du Cange); later F. pythonisse, ad. late L. pythonissa, q.v.]
A woman supposed, or professing, to have a ‘familiar spirit’, and to utter his words; a woman having the power of divination or soothsaying; a witch. In the early examples, applied (after the Vulgate) to the witch of Endor (1 Sam. xxviii. 7): cf. also pythonissa. In quot. 1823 applied to the Delphic Pythia.
1375Barbour Bruce iv. 753 That quhilom did the Phitones [MS. C fetonass; ed. 1616 Pithonesse] That..Rasit, throu hyr mekill slycht, Samuell sperit als tit. c1384Chaucer H. Fame 1261 Iugelours, Magiciens and tregetours And Phitonesses [Bodl. MS. Phytonessys, Caxt., Th. phetonysses] charmeresses. 1513Douglas æneis i. Prol. 212 Lyke as the spreit of Samuell, I ges, Rasit to King Saul was by the Phitones. 1587Golding De Mornay xv. (1592) 245 In a Pythoness or in a possessed person. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. iii. xiv. 23 Asking counsel of a Pythonisse. 1702Echard Eccl. Hist. (1710) 287 They were often followed by a Pythoness, a maid servant actuated by a spirit of divination [cf. Acts xvi. 16]. 1808Ranken Hist. France IV. i. 49 He employed the abbot..to consult a famous Pythoness or witch of these times. 1823Byron Juan vi. cvii, She stood a moment as a Pythoness Stands on her tripod. 1835Miss Sedgwick Linwoods (1873) I. 20 The pythoness Effie turned her art to good account. |
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