How suits at law are bred at first, and how they come afterwards to their perfect growth.

For this cause, quoth Bridlegoose, going on in his discourse¹, I temporize² and apply myself to the times, as your other worships use to do, waiting patiently for the maturity³ of the process, full growth and perfection thereof in all its members, to wit, the writings and the bags. Arg. in l. si major. c. commun. divid. et de cons⁴. di. I. c. solemnitates, et ibi gl. A suit in law at its production, birth, and first beginning, seemeth to me, as unto your other worships, shapeless, without form or fashion, incomplete, ugly and imperfect, even as a bear at his first coming into the world hath neither hands, skin, hair, nor head, but is merely an inform, rude, and ill-favoured piece and lump of flesh, and would remain still so, if his dam, out of the abundance of her affection to her hopeful cub⁵, did not with much licking put his members into that figure and shape which nature had provided for those of an arctic and ursinal kind; ut not. Doct. ff. ad l. Aquil. l. 3. in fin⁶. Just so do I see, as your other worships do, processes and suits in law, at their first bringing forth⁷, to be numberless, without shape, deformed⁸, and disfigured, for that then they consist only of one or two writings, or copies of instruments, through which defect they appear unto me, as to your other worships, foul⁹, loathsome¹⁰, filthy¹¹, and misshapen beasts. But when there are heaps of these legiformal papers packed, piled, laid up together, impoked, insatchelled, and put up in bags, then is it that with a good reason we may term that suit, to which, as pieces, parcels, parts, portions, and members thereof, they do

点击收听单词发音  

1 discourse
n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述
参考例句：
We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。 He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

2 temporize
v.顺应时势；拖延
参考例句：
Celia had decided long ago she would never temporize on that.西莉亚早就认定，在这上面她绝不能妥协。 I can't permit you to temporize any longer.我不能允许你再拖延时间了。

3 maturity
n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期
参考例句：
These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。 This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。

4 cons
n.欺骗，骗局( con的名词复数 )v.诈骗，哄骗( con的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The pros and cons cancel out. 正反两种意见抵消。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 We should hear all the pros and cons of the matter before we make a decision. 我们在对这事做出决定之前，应该先听取正反两方面的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 cub
n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人
参考例句：
The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。 The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

6 fin
n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼
参考例句：
They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。 The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

7 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

8 deformed
adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的
参考例句：
He was born with a deformed right leg.他出生时右腿畸形。 His body was deformed by leprosy.他的身体因为麻风病变形了。

9 foul
adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规
参考例句：
Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。 What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

10 loathsome
adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的
参考例句：
The witch hid her loathsome face with her hands.巫婆用手掩住她那张令人恶心的脸。 Some people think that snakes are loathsome creatures.有些人觉得蛇是令人憎恶的动物。

11 filthy
adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的
参考例句：
The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。 You really should throw out that filthy old sofa and get a new one.你真的应该扔掉那张肮脏的旧沙发，然后再去买张新的。

12 pertain
v.(to)附属，从属；关于；有关；适合，相称
参考例句：
His remark did not pertain to the question.他的话同这个问题不相干。 It does not pertain to you to instruct him.你不适合教训他。

13 sergeants
警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士
参考例句：
Platoon sergeants fell their men in on the barrack square. 排长们在营房广场上整顿队伍。 The recruits were soon licked into shape by the drill sergeants. 新兵不久便被教育班长训练得象样了。

14 ushers
n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Seats clicked, ushers bowed while he looked blandly on. 座位发出啪啦啪啦的声响，领座员朝客人们鞠躬，而他在一边温和殷勤地看着。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 The minister then offers a brief prayer of dedication, and the ushers return to their seats. 于是牧师又做了一个简短的奉献的祈祷，各招待员也各自回座位。 来自辞典例句

15 commissioners
n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官
参考例句：
The Commissioners of Inland Revenue control British national taxes. 国家税收委员管理英国全国的税收。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The SEC has five commissioners who are appointed by the president. 证券交易委员会有５名委员，是由总统任命的。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

16 notaries
n.公证人，公证员( notary的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The positions of director and deputy director shall be assumed by notaries. 主任、副主任领导公证处的工作，并且必须执行公证员职务。 来自互联网 One of the notaries sat down, the other remained standing. 律师之中有一位坐下来，其余的都站着。 来自互联网

17 begot
v.为…之生父( beget的过去式 )；产生，引起
参考例句：
He begot three children. 他生了三个子女。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Cush also begot Nimrod who was the first man of might on earth. 卡什还生了尼姆罗德，尼姆罗德是世上第一个力大无穷的人。 来自辞典例句

18 engendered
v.产生（某形势或状况），造成，引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The issue engendered controversy. 这个问题引起了争论。 The meeting engendered several quarrels. 这次会议发生了几次争吵。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 talons
n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部
参考例句：
The fingers were curved like talons, but they closed on empty air. 他的指头弯得像鹰爪一样，可是抓了个空。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命 The tiger has a pair of talons. 老虎有一对利爪。 来自辞典例句

20 beaks
n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者
参考例句：
Baby cockatoos will have black eyes and soft, almost flexible beaks. 雏鸟凤头鹦鹉黑色的眼睛是柔和的，嘴几乎是灵活的。 来自互联网 Squid beaks are often found in the stomachs of sperm whales. 经常能在抹香鲸的胃里发现鱿鱼的嘴。 来自互联网

21 veins
n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理
参考例句：
The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 arteries
n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道
参考例句：
Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》 This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 pokes
v.伸出( poke的第三人称单数 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交
参考例句：
He pokes his nose into everything. 他这人好管闲事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Only the tip of an iceberg pokes up above water. 只有冰山的尖端突出于水面。 来自辞典例句

24 litigants
n.诉讼当事人( litigant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Litigants of the two parties may reconcile of their own accord. 双方当事人可以自行和解。 来自口语例句 The litigants may appeal against a judgment or a ruling derived from the retrial. 当事人可就重审案件的判决或裁定进行上诉。 来自口语例句

25 administrators
n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师
参考例句：
He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句 Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

26 canonical
n.权威的；典型的
参考例句：
These canonical forms have to existence except in our imagination.这些正规式并不存在，只是我们的想象。 This is a combinatorial problem in canonical form.这是组合论中的典型问题。

27 gloss
n.光泽，光滑；虚饰；注释；vt.加光泽于；掩饰
参考例句：
John tried in vain to gloss over his faults.约翰极力想掩饰自己的缺点，但是没有用。 She rubbed up the silver plates to a high gloss.她把银盘擦得很亮。

28 cape
n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风
参考例句：
I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。 She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

29 transact
v.处理；做交易；谈判
参考例句：
I will transact my business by letter.我会写信去洽谈业务。 I have been obliged to see him；there was business to transact.我不得不见他，有些事物要处理。

30 labor
n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦
参考例句：
We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。 He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

31 confirmation
n.证实，确认，批准
参考例句：
We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。 We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

32 etymology
n.语源；字源学
参考例句：
The hippies' etymology is contentious.关于嬉皮士的语源是有争议的。 The origin of OK became the Holy Grail of etymology.OK的出典成了词源学梦寐以求的圣杯。

33 celestial
adj.天体的；天上的
参考例句：
The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。 Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

34 gibes
vi.嘲笑，嘲弄（gibe的第三人称单数形式）
参考例句：
He smarted under the gibes of his fellows. 他因受同伴的嘲笑而苦恼。 来自辞典例句 Don' t make gibes about her behavior. 别嘲笑她的行为。 来自辞典例句

35 culpable
adj.有罪的，该受谴责的
参考例句：
The judge found the man culpable.法官认为那个人有罪。 Their decision to do nothing makes them culpable.他们不采取任何行动的决定使他们难辞其咎。

36 enjoining
v.命令( enjoin的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Then enjoining him to keep It'strictly confidential, he told him the whole story. 叮嘱他严守秘密，然后把这事讲出来。 来自汉英文学 - 围城 The act or an instance of enjoining; a command, a directive, or an order. 命令的动作或例子；命令，指令或训谕。 来自互联网

37 thither
adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的
参考例句：
He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。 He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

38 convene
v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合
参考例句：
The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。 Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

39 authentic
a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的
参考例句：
This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。 Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

40 attestation
n.证词
参考例句：
According to clew, until pay treasure attestation the success. 按照提示，直到支付宝认证成功。 来自互联网 Hongkong commercial college subdecanal. Specialty division of international attestation. 香港商学院副院长，国际认证专业培训师。 来自互联网

41 thoroughly
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。 The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

42 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

43 begetting
v.为…之生父( beget的现在分词 )；产生，引起
参考例句：
It was widely believed that James' early dissipations had left him incapable of begetting a son. 人们普通认为，詹姆士早年生活放荡，致使他不能生育子嗣。 来自辞典例句 That best form became the next parent, begetting other mutations. 那个最佳形态成为下一个父代，带来其他变异。 来自互联网

44 dice
n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险
参考例句：
They were playing dice.他们在玩掷骰子游戏。 A dice is a cube.骰子是立方体。

45 respite
n.休息，中止，暂缓
参考例句：
She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。 Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。

46 sever
v.切开，割开；断绝，中断
参考例句：
She wanted to sever all her connections with the firm.她想断绝和那家公司的所有联系。 We must never sever the cultural vein of our nation.我们不能割断民族的文化血脉。

47 consecutively
adv.连续地
参考例句：
He was actually too depleted to think consecutively about anything. 他已经打不起一点精神，根本谈不上好好思考一下。 来自辞典例句 In any game, the right to serve shall pass consecutively. 在一局中，不错的发球挨次应该是。 来自互联网

48 opt
vi.选择，决定做某事
参考例句：
They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。 Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

49 mires
n.泥潭( mire的名词复数 )
参考例句：

51 reiterating
反复地说，重申( reiterate的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He keeps reiterating his innocence. 他一再申明他无罪。 The Chinese government also sent a note to the British government, reiterating its position. 中国政府同时将此立场照会英国政府。

52 warriors
武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )
参考例句：
I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。 The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

53 gambols
v.蹦跳，跳跃，嬉戏( gambol的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：

54 gallantly
adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地
参考例句：
He gallantly offered to carry her cases to the car. 他殷勤地要帮她把箱子拎到车子里去。 The new fighters behave gallantly under fire. 新战士在炮火下表现得很勇敢。

55 duel
n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争
参考例句：
The two teams are locked in a duel for first place.两个队为争夺第一名打得难解难分。 Duroy was forced to challenge his disparager to duel.杜洛瓦不得不向诋毁他的人提出决斗。

56 antagonists
对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药
参考例句：
The cavalier defeated all the antagonists. 那位骑士打败了所有的敌手。 The result was the entire reconstruction of the navies of both the antagonists. 双方的海军就从这场斗争里获得了根本的改造。

57 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

58 adventurous
adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的
参考例句：
I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。 He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

59 inquiry
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。 The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

60 provocation
n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因
参考例句：
He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。 They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

61 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

62 condescending
adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的
参考例句：
He has a condescending attitude towards women. 他对女性总是居高临下。 He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women. 和年轻女子说话时，他喜欢摆出一副高高在上的姿态。

63 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

64 jointly
ad.联合地，共同地
参考例句：
Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。 She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

65 amicably
adv.友善地
参考例句：
Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The couple parted amicably. 这对夫妻客气地分手了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

66 pawn
n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押
参考例句：
He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。 It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

67 pacified
使（某人）安静( pacify的过去式和过去分词 )； 息怒； 抚慰； 在（有战争的地区、国家等）实现和平
参考例句：
The baby could not be pacified. 怎么也止不住婴儿的哭声。 She shrieked again, refusing to be pacified. 她又尖叫了，无法使她平静下来。

68 ardent
adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的
参考例句：
He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。 Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。