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ViBaiLlANISM. 230 VIRGIN.
the Virgilian Verse, Quadmpfii.inti put>\-m [etc.]. 1718
J. TRAPptr. I'ir^/ Pref. to /Enei^ (1735) 1. p. Ixxxvti, What
could be more well-man ner'd, more delicate, and truly Virginian?
c 1754 Warvon in Boswell "JohHson (1904) ].
180, I told him, I thought it a very sonorous hexameter. I
did not tell him, it was not in the Virgilian style. 178a V.
Knox Ess, Ixiii. (1S19) I. 26 The style (of the poem] is benutiful
and Virgilian. 1846 Keightlkv iV^/« * "/>f., Georg.
II. 485 This mode of supplying the ellipse, .is certainly the
more Virgilian. 1886 Swinburne Misc. 151 An instinctive
dignity and precision not unworthy to be called Virgilian.
b. Virgilian lots [tr. L. sortes Virgiliattse], a
method of divination consisting in taking a passage
of Virgil at random.
1838-45 Encyci. Afetnf. XXIV. 737/1 It is said that
Charles I. and Ix)rd Falkland made trial of the Virgilian lots
a little before the commencement of the great civil war.
2. Of agricultnre : Practised according to the
methods described in the Georgics of Virgil. Also
of persons following these methods.
xjM^ W. Benson yir^tTs Husk 11. Pref. p. xvi, I am
certam the Husbandry of England in general is Virgilian.
1731-3 TuLL Horse- Hi>t'ing Husb, xix. 271 The Virgilian
farmer must be content to have only his Labour for his
Travel. 1764 J. Randall (//V/f), The Semi-Virgilian Husbandry,
deduced from various Experiments.
B. sb. 1. One who is specially devoted to, or
skilled in, the study of Virgil's works.
1577 Grange Golden AphroH.^ etc. Q iij l\ You would a
good Virginian be.
2. One who practises agriculture after the
methods laid down by Virgil,
1731-3 TuLL Horse-Hoeing Husb. xix. 272 The Virgilian
is commonly late in his sowing. Ihid. 279 This puts the
Virgilians upon a Necessity of using of Dung.
Hence Vir^i'lianism, the characteristic style of
Virgil ; a Virgilian expression.
1850 L. Hunt Antobiog. x. (i860) 164 When I had the
pleasure of bearing him [Campbell] afterwards, I forgot his
Vir^ianisms.
t Virgils, sK pi. Obs,—^ [ad. L. Virgilis&:\
The Pleiades.
c 1440 Pnllad, en Hush. x. 154 In simer tyme hym Hkelh
we! to glade, That whan Virgilis doun goth, gynneth fade. |
Virg^iu (va'jd.^in), sb. and a. Forms ; a. 3, 5 !
uirgine, 3-7 virgine (6 wir-), 4, 6 virgyno
(5 wir-), 4-5 vyrgyne (4 wyr-), 5 vyrgina.
0. 4 uirgin, 4-6 virgyn (5 uirgyn,6 wirgynne),
5-6 vyrgyn (6 wyr-), 5- virgin (5 wyr-, 6 wirgin).
7. 4 vergyno, 4-5 vergine (4 uer-),
vergyn. 5. 5 vyrgene (wyr-), 5-6 virgen(e.
[a. AF. and OF. virgitUy virgenCy viergene^ etc.
(= It. vergine, Sp. virgen, Pg. virgem) :— L. virginetHy
ace. of virgo maiden. OF. also had the
reduced forms virge^ vi4rgej mod.F. vierge^
I. 1. EicL An unmarried or chaste maiden or
woman, distinguished for piety or steadfastness in
religion, and regarded as having a special place
among the members of the Christian church on
account of these merits.
Chiefly ased with reference to early Christian times.
c laoo Trin. Cofl, Horn. 185 Dar haue^ . . martirs, and confesters,
and uirgines maked faier bxie inne to wunien.
a 1225 Leg. Kaih. 2310, I J»e feire ferreden of uirgines in
heouene. £'1*90 Beket •zyyz in 6\ Eng. Leg. I. 172 Fair was
l»at processioun..Of Martirs and of confessours and of virgines
ber-ta 1303 R. Hkunne Handl. SynneZ^io And she
ys callede Seynt lustyne, A martyr and an holy vyrgyne.
13.. E. E. Allit. P. A. 1098 pis noble cite.. Was sodanlyful
..Of such vergynez in be same gyse ['at was my blysful an.
vnder croun. 1389 in Eng. Gilds {187a) 8 .Seint Katerine be
gjoriouse virgyne and martyr, c 1430 Li/e St. Kath. (1884)
59 pe wykked tyraunt..saat in hys astat and bad b^t be
holy virgyn schold be presented to hym. 1500-20 Dunhar
Poems XXV. 46 Patriarch is, profeitis, and appostillis deir,
Confessouris, virgynis and marteiis cleir. c 1610 Wq^iten
.SW«/* (i886) 92 Modwene.. became the mistresse of verie
many like professed and hoHe virgins. i6s» J- Taylor
(Water P.) Sfwrt Relat. Long yourn. (1859) 10 The pious
and chaste virgin Winifrid. 17*8 Chambers Cycl, s.v., Iti
the Roman Breviary, there is a particular Office for Virgins
departed. 1810 E. L). Clakke Trav. Kmsia (1839) 56/1 A
host of saints, virgins, and bishops, whose pictures covered
the walls. i86» Burton Bk. Hunter iv. 326 St. Ursula and
her eleven thousand virgins.
2. A woman (esp. a young woman) who is, or
remains, in a state of inviolate chastity ; an absolutely
pure maiden or maid.
In earl^ use chiefly of the Virgin Mary : cf. 4 and 5.
a i3ioin Wright Lyric P. xxx.83 When y lyggeondethes
bed, ..On o ledy myn hope is, moder ant virgyne. c 1375
Sc. Leg. Saints Pto\. 50 Til schoconsawit godissone, ..scho
beand altyme vergine chaste, a 1400-50 Aie.rnnder 4665
Voide & vacand of vic^s as virgyns it ware, c 1430 Lydc.
Attn. Poems (P*:r>,-y Soc.) 8 .Alle clad in white, in tokyn of
clennes, Lyke pure virginis as in ther cnietuis. ^1485 E.
E. AfisciWAnon CI.) 36 When hedyssenddyt. -tntoachast
wombe of a wyrgene dene. 1536 BKi,t.ENi)EN Cron. Scot.
(1821) II. 163 He that revisis ane virgine, bot gifschodesire
him in manage, sal be heidiL 1568 Satir. Poems Reform.
xlvii. 58 Remember first ^our former qualitie, And wrak na
virgenis with ^our wilfull weir. x6oi Shaks Alts Well 1. 1.
146, I will stand for't a little, though therefore I die a Vir-
;in. 1634 W. TiRWHYT tr. Balzac's Lett, (vol.1) 318 Nor am
f Ignorant that never any woman was so vicious, who haih
..A heretofore bin a Virgin. 1671 Milton P. R. 1. 138 Then
[thou] toldst h*rr doubting how these things could be To
her a Virgin, that on her should come The Holy Ghost.
«737 Whiston Josephus. Antig. iii. xii. % 2 Moses.. permitted
him \sc. the high-priest] only to marry a virgin.
%io^ Med. Jrnl. XVII. 494 Ruysch's subject, though not a
virgin, may have yet lieen troubled with tliis complaint.
1845 Day tr. Simons Anim. Cfum, I. 230 The venous blood
of virgins gave, in 1000 parts [etc].
Jig. 1526 TiNDALE 2 Cor. xi. 2 For I coupled you to one
man, to make you a chaste virgen to Christ, i860 Pusf.y
Min. Proph.ioy God regarded as a virgin, the*people whom
He had made holy to Himself; He so regards the soul which
He has regenerated and sanctified.
b. An old maid, a spinster.
1759 Johnson Idler No. 53 P 6 Lady Biddy Porpoise, a
lethargick virgin of seventy-six.
o. transf. Of things.
x6ao Capt. Smith Nc.v-En^. Trials Wks. (Arb.) I. 243
From which blessed Virgin [i.e. the colony of Virginia]..
sprung the fortunate habitation of Somcr lies. Ibid.^ I'his
Virginssister (called New Kngland, Apt. 1616, atmy humble
suite). 1756 Nugent Gr. Tour, France IV. 303 They give
it [sc. Peronne] the name of yirgin^ because it was never
taken. 1837 Whkwem. Hist. Induct. Sci. iv. iii. 2^2 In the
language of the New Platonists, the number seven is said to
be a virgin, and without a mother. 1897 IVestm. Gaz. 18
Jan. 8/3 tiimilarly,in Africa, the highest mountain is still a
virgin.
d. Virginity. (After i Cor. vii. 37.) rare.
1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemplar Disc. iv. § 12 S. Jerome
affirms that, to be continent in the state of widowhood is
harder, then to keep our virgin pure.
e. Entom. A female insect producing fertile
eggs by parthenogenesis. (Cf. 12 g.)
1883 Imperial Diet, (and in later Diets.).
3. A young woman, a maid or maiden, of an age
and character affording presumption of chastity.
13.. Sir Beues (A.) 2689 A wende, a mi^te leue namore.
And 5et him ]>ou^te, a virgine Him brou3te out of al is pine.
c 1380 WvcLiF Wi's. (1880) 330 God . .seil> hi lob |>at a man
shuld make couenaunt w\\t hise wittis to ^enke not on a
virgyne. 1432-50 tr. Higden (Rolls) 111. 37 Wliiche conimaundede
also virgynes to be mariede with owte eny
dowery. c 1450 Mirk's Fcstial 16 Then wasschosomeke yn
all hor doyn^ys, J»at all othyr vyrgenes called hor qweiie
of maydens. 1538 Starkey England 11. i. 151 The wych
some schold .. m dystrybutyd .. partely to the dote of
pore damosellys and vyrgynys. 1579 e hali gast, born o
Jre virgine marie, r 1360 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 21 He is \>g
sone of J»e vergyne marie. ^ vyrgyne, Nyne score 5er euene, & nyne. c 1340
Hampole /v. Cohsc. 4370 t>is was \)at lohan saw in a vision
Of hym |>at semed l^e virg>*n son. 1390 Gower Con/. II.
>86 For be that cause the godhede Assembled was to the
inaniiede In the virgine. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes 0/ Ayinnn
i. 37 God, that of the vyrgyn was borne in l>edeleym. i5»6
Pilgr. Per/, (W. de W. 1531) 10 b, Hymselfe saycnge in the
gospell, Excepte ye eate the flesshe of the sone of the virgyn
[etcl. 1555 Eden Decades (.Arb.) 139 Desyringe almyghtie
God and the blessed virgin to fauour his beginninges. i6a3
Cockeram III, Valentiuenns^ a certaine heretiques, who
held opinion that our Sauiour receiued not his flesh from the
blessed Virgin. 1643 Caryl Expos. Job xx. 17 And this is
the food which the Virgins son our Immanuel was prophesied
to eat. 1704 [see Annunciation 2]. 1756-7 tr. Keysler's
Trav. {1760) I. 286 The church of the holy virgin at
Lireyo. 17517 Coleridge Christabel i. 139 Praise we the
Virgin al! divine Who hath rescued thee from ihy distress !
iBoi Scott Eve St. John xl,' Alas ! away, away !
' she cried,
' For the holy Virgin's sake !
' 1867 Jas. Campbell Balmerino
ir. ix. 122 A full length figure of the Virgin and
Holy Child standing within a Gothic niche. 1876 Bancroft
Hist, U. S. II. xxxiii. 329 Uttering a special prayer to the
immaculate Virgin.
b. A picture or image of the Virgin Mary ; a
madonna.
a 1^00 Evelyn Diary 23 April 1646, There are two
Kacristias, in one of which is a fine Virgin of Leonardo da
Vinci. i8«3 Galt R. Gilhaize ix, M>; grandfather, -seized
the Virgin's timber leg, and flung it with violence at them.
1840 Penny Cycl. XVII. 140/1 A most exquisite Virgin in a
tabernacle in the open street at Prato. 1883 Parker's Guide
to Ox/ord 87 Ihe niches have been filled with the Virgin
and Child [etc.].
6. A person of cither sex remaining in a state of
chastity. Usually in pi.
a 1300 Cursor M. 24685 He ledis lijf lik til angels, For
uirgins all ar \>z\. iwo Gower Con/. III. 277 Hou that
Adam and Eve also Virgines comen bothe tuo Into the
world and weie aschamed [etc.]. c 1440 Alpk. Tales 297
When |>e Emperour Henrle and Ranegunde his wyfeabade
alway dene virgyns. 1451 Catgravk Li/eSt. Gilbertxxxi.
107 Fro |?at tyme in whech he was take fro J>e world, a-non
was he set a-mongis J>e dauns of virgynes.
7. A youth or man who has remained in a state
of chastity.
c 1330 Arth. ^ Merl. 891 j (K.), J>isNacien5. .bicome presl,
niesse to sing; Virj^ine of his bodi he was. c 1386 Chaucer
Pars. T'.Pgso Virginitee b.iar oure lord Ihesucrist, and virgine
was hym' sclue. c 1450 Ix)VElich Grail xxxix. 559 A
virgyne evere schal he be alle da^es of his lyve certcinle.
1470-85 Malory Arthur xvii. xviii. 715 Thow arte a clene
\yrgyn aboue all knyghtes. a 1513 FABVANC/irt?//. vi.ccxiv.
232 This kynge Edwarde lafte after hym no childe, for he
V as accoinpted for a virgyn whan he dyed. 1585 T. Wash-
ington tr. Nicho/ay*s I'oy. ni. xvi. 101 These Calenders.,
say themselues to be virgins. 1613 J. Hayward Norm.
Kings -2^6 It is certaine also that Ansehne, the most earnest
enforcer of single life, died not a Virgine. 1653 H. Cogan
tr. Scarlet Gown 14 It is held for certain, by them which
know him, that he is still a Virgin. 1700 Tyrrell Hist.
Eng. II. 78s He was reputed a Pure Virgin. 1847 *•
pyaccPs Li/e St. Philip Neri 11. xiii. 253 A famous harlot, .
having heard it said that Philip «-as a virgin,, .audaciously
boastpd that she would cause him to fall. 1880 A. I. Ritchie
(7/. St. Baldred 49 King Malcolm [IV] is universally said
to have died a virgin.
/ig. 1798 Lamb Rosavmnd Gray iv. 498 His temper had
a sweet and noMe frankness in it, which bespake him yet a
virgin from the world.
8. Astr. = Virgo.
c 1480 Henkyson Fobles, Fox ^- Wol/ iv, Mercurius, the
Cod of Elotptence, Inio the Uirgyn maid his residence.
c 1491 Chast. Goddes Chyld. 11 Whan the sonne in tyme of
yere begynneth to wythdrawe dounwarde thenne reigneth
lie in a planete that we call Virgyne 1509 Hawes Past.
Plens. XLiv. (Percy Soc.) 216 Tyll peace and mercy made
right to encline. Out of the Lyon to enter the Vyrgyne.
c 1550 Rollani) Crt. I 'cnus Prol. 43 The Virgin, Libra, and
the Scorpion. 1596 Si-enser F. Q. v. i. 11 The Virgin, sixt
in her degree. 1667 Milton P. L. x. 676 Thence down
amaine By Leo and the Virgin and the Scales, As deep as
( npricorne. 1697 Creech Manilius 11 70 The Twins, Vrn,
Virgin force his Sign to bend By Nature's I-aw. 1730-^6
Thomson Autumn 23 When the bright Virgin gives the
beauteous days, And Libra weighs in etpial scales the year.
1762 Falconer Shipwr. 1. 157 Now, in tlie southern hemi-
•phere, the sun Thro* the bright Virgin and the Scales had
run. 1868 LocKVER Guilletnin's Heavens (ed. 3) 326 The
Virgin and Bootes are, with the Lion, the most important
constellations in view.
9. a. eilipt. Applied to varieties of apple and
pear.
1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. 80 The Squib-pear, Spindle.pear,
Virgin, Gascogne-Bergamot. x886 Cheshire Gloss. 378
I 'irgins, a kind of apple.
b. Ent. Applied to species of moths and butter-
"
flies.
x83a J. Renmie Coftsp. Buiterfi. ft M. 49 The Virgin
(Triphaina Innuba.) Wings two inches to two inches onethird,
of uniform colour. ^ Ibid. 100 The Virgin (Brepha
Pnrthcnias) appears the end of March.
10. ailrib. and Covib., as virgin-biiih , -born
adj., -produced ^^y-t -violator, -worship', virgin-
bower, = Virgin's boweb; virgin-stock, the
Virginia stock; virgin-tree, Oriental sassafras.
165a Crashaw Carmen Deo Nostro Poems (1904) 271 The
*virgin-births with which thysoveraign spouse Made fruitful!
thy fair soul. 1864 Pusey Lect. Daniel v\n. 484 That
announcement of the Virgin-birih of Him, of whom it is
said, she shall call His Name Emmanuel. 1899 Daily Ne-MS
j6 Sept. 7/1, I fail to see how those who deny the virgin
birth of Our Lord can in any way claim part in the Christian
Church, \t^x Milton P. R. iv. 500 Then hear, O Son of
Uavid, *Virginborn. 1846 Trench Mirac. 46 The Virginborn,
the Son of the Most Highest. J7a5 Fam. Dict.^
^Virgin-boiver, a Plant of which there are two sorts [etc.).
t8io Scott Lady 0/Lake i. xxvi, 1 he clematis, the favourd
flower Which boasts the name of virgin- bower. 1861
N. Syd. Soc. Vear-bk, Med. ^ Surg. tSbo, 377 They are