admiration
(ˌædmɪˈreɪʃən)
Also 5–6 -cyon, -cion, -tyon.
[a. Fr. admiration (14th c. in Littré), ad. L. admīrātiōn-em, n. of action f. admīrā-ri: see admire.]
1. The action of wondering or marvelling; wonder, astonishment, surprise. arch.
| 1506 Ordin. Crysten Men (W. de Worde) i. vii. 73 Yf he haue admyracyon that one essence of deite be in thre persones. 1611 Bible Rev. xvii. 6 When I saw her, I wondred with great admiration. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. xvi. 323 Admiration is the daughter of ignorance. 1662 Evelyn Sylva (1679) 9 In admiration at the universal negligence. 1719 De Foe Crusoe 331 But now the Admiration was turned upon another Question, (viz.) what could be the Matter. 1826 Scott Woodst. xxv. Wks. 1830 II. 143 Phœbe stood gaping in admiration at the sudden quarrel. 1852 Sir W. Hamilton Discuss. 14 How it could ever be doubted..may well be deemed a matter of the profoundest admiration. |
2. a. Agreeable surprise; wonder mingled with reverence, esteem, approbation; hence, in late usage, pleased or gratified contemplation.
| 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. xii. (1811) 91 To bring the world into admiration of their lawes and Religion. 1617 Wither Fidelia in Juvenil. 1633, 480 That love which Admiration first begot, Pitty would strengthen. c 1680 Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 10 Take heed that you have not men's persons in admiration. 1860 Tyndall Glaciers i. §11, 72 One large star in particular excited our admiration. 1871 Ruskin Fors Clav. v. 17 Admiration—the power of discerning and taking delight in what is beautiful in visible Form, and lovely in human Character. 1876 Mozley Univ. Serm. vii. 146 The test of true admiration is pleasure. |
b. Phr. to admiration [cf. F. à merveille], so as to elicit admiration; in an admirable or excellent manner. Slightly arch.
| 1633 W. Ames Fresh Suit Pref., This book..hath made all things evident to them, even to admiration. a 1680 Evelyn Diary May an. 1646 (1955) II. 501 They are curious in Straw-worke among the Nunns, even to admiration. 1681 H. More Expos. Proph. Dan. App. I. 259 You shall find this part of the Prophecy fulfilled to admiration. 1793 Smeaton Edystone Lightho. §152 The Buss in all the past bad weather had indeed rode it out to admiration. 1821 C. Lamb Old Benchers in Lond. Mag. Sept. 282/2 [He] moulded heads in clay or plaister of Paris to admiration, by the dint of natural genius merely. 1930 V. Woolf Beau Brummell 5 He..tied his cravat to admiration. |
† 3. The faculty of exciting either wonder or agreeable surprise and approbation; admirableness. Obs.
| 1534 Ld. Berners Golden Bk. of M. Aurel. (1546) E b, Theyr fewe woordes and good workes haue lefte vs exaumple of great admiracion. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iii. i. 38 Admir'd Miranda! Indeede the top of admiration. 1642 Jer. Taylor God's Judgem. i. i. xxix. 133 [They] found him to be starke dead, not without markes upon him of wonderfull admiration. |
4. An object of admiration or wonder; a marvel. In mod. usage only in the phrase the admiration of, with a distinctly verbal reference.
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxvii. 97 The harde and sorowfull admyracions that thenne made palmyreus that was maistre of eneas shippe ben declared. 1548 Compl. Scotl. (1801) 86 Ther is ane vthir admiration of the variant course of the moone. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. i. 91 Now, good Lafew, Bring in the admiration, that we with thee May spend our wonder too. 1716–8 Lady M. W. Montague Lett. I. xxii. 69 The young prince..is the admiration of the whole court. 1833 H. Martineau Brooke Farm xii. 133 Joe's house is the admiration of all who know what comfort is. |
5. note of admiration: the mark (!) affixed to words, phrases, or sentences, intended to be uttered with an intonation of exclamation or surprise.
| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. ii. 12 The changes I perceiued in the King and Camillo, were very Notes of admiration. 1611 Cotgr., Admiratif, Th' admirative point, or point of admiration (and of detestation) marked, or made thus ! 1719 Swift To Yng. Clerg. Wks. 1755 II. ii. 8 To skip over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration at the end. 1859 J. Lang Wand. India 387 You will have the Commander-in-Chief down upon you with five-and-twenty notes of admiration at the end of every sentence. |