GLOSSARY 2. LET ALONE THE THREE KINGDOMS ITSELF.--LET ALONE, in this sentence, means put out of consideration. The phrase, let alone, which is now used as the imperative of a verb, may in time become a conjunction, and may exercise the ingenuity of some future etymologist. The celebrated Horne Tooke has proved most satisfactorily, that the conjunction but comes from the imperative of the Anglo-Saxon verb (BEOUTAN) TO BE OUT; also, that IF comes from GIF, the imperative of the Anglo-Saxon verb which signifies TO GIVE, etc.英文原著 · 《Castle Rackrent》
Weren't there books she ought to read? Weren't there books she ought to be made to read? And books--and friends--that ought to be imperatively forbidden? Imperatively!英文原著 · 《Soul of a Bishop》
Rich or poor, every child comes into the world with some imperative need of its own, which shapes its individuality. I believe it was Grotius who said, "Books are necessities of my life. Food and clothing I can do without, if I must."英文原著 · 《A New England Girlhood》
And in her desperation action presented itself to her as imperatively necessary--necessary as air is to one suffocating. She got up. She would start at once for Mergellina. As she went up- stairs she remembered that she did not know where Ruffo's mother lived, what she was like, even what her name was. The boy had always spoken of her as "Mia Mamma." They dwelt at Mergellina. That was all she knew. She did not choose to ask Gaspare anything. She would go alone, and find out somehow for herself where Ruffo lived.英文原著 · 《A Spirit in Prison》
But what a night it was! The little bathing-box had two doors, one to the water, the other to the path. To hear all. that could be heard, it was necessary to keep both doors open, and quite imperative not to talk. The damp night air of April filled the place, and crept through our evening clothes and light overcoats into the very marrow; the mental torture of the situation was renewed and multiplied in my brain; and all. the time one's ears were pricked for footsteps on the path between the rhododendrons. The only sounds we could at first identify came one and all. from the stables.英文原著 · 《A Thief in the Night》
He was still sitting there, holding on, with eyes closed, striving to master his giddiness, when he heard her voice. "You'll lie right down again, sir," she said. It was sharply imperative, a voice used to command. At the same time one hand pressed him back toward the pillow while the other caught him from behind and eased him down. "You've been unconscious for twenty-four hours now," she went on, "and I have taken charge. When I say the word you'll get up, and not until then. Now, what medicine do you take?--quinine? Here are ten grains.英文原著 · 《Adventure》
It's the biological imperative for guys like us.美剧 · 《Billions》
So, Mr. Shipton, have you heard the biblical imperative, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be"?美剧 · 《The Good Wife》
All right, I think what Grandma's trying to say, Grace, is that, when it come to euthanasia, there is possibly a broader imperative.美剧 · 《The Good Wife》