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VIRGINITY.
Therefore marriage was in repute, and virEmity in disesteem.
1871 Freeman Norm. Cong. (1876) IV. xix. 422 An
exaggerated reverence for virginity had been growing up in
theCnarcb from the beginning.
b. Of men (esp. ecclesiastics or other religious
persons).
c xyj^ Sc Ltg. Saints xxxvi. {Baptisf) 14 Angele als calHt
wes ne [John the Baptist), fore kepyng of verginite, 138a
Wycuf Jokn Prol., Double witnesse of virginyte is jouun
to hym..in this that he is seid loued of God byfor othere
disciplis. 1430740 Lydg. Bochas i. (Bodl. MS.) 58/2 He
lyued euer in virg>-nyte. 1456 Coventry Leet Bk. 288 John
EuauKgeUst. Holy Edward, crownyd kyng, brothur in virgin>te.
1585 T. Washington tr, Nidtolay's Voy. iii. xvi.
loi Heethat wil enter into this religion must . . obserue .
nrginitie and abstinence. 1615 Bedwell Mohanu Impost.
11. 1 68 By this perfection, that is, by virginitie, it is knowne
that he was of God accepted for his perfection. 1657
Fabindon Serm. (1672) H. 1191 Some have placed Perfection
in Virginity,., making themselves eunuchs for the kingdom
of heaven ; and have laid an imputation upon the
state of Matrimony as most imperfect. 1658 Bromhall
Treat. Specters v. 307 f He] defended the married Priests
against the Monks, which observed the vow of Virginity.
1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1877)11. App. 538 The resolution
of Eadward. .to devote himself to a life of perpetual
virginity. 1884 Catk. Diet. 556/2 Catholic feeling.. has
attadbed itself strongly to the virginity of St. Joseph,
C. Of women. Also in plirasesyf(?z«/tfr, gem., etc.,
of inrginiiy^
Mary,
chiefly with reference to the Virgin
CX386 Chaucer Pars. 7*. F948 The thridde manere of
chastitee is virginitee, and it behoueth ^at she be hooly in
hcrte and dene of body, thanne is she spouse of Ihesu
crist and she b the lyf of Angeles. 1390 Gower Con/. II.
336 And thus cam this Calistona Into the wode of Tegea,
Whcr sche virginite behihte Unto Diane, c i^xo Hoccleve
Mother qfGoa'6$ Wei oghten we thee worsshipe & honure,
Paleys of Cryst, flour of virginitee, 1432-50 tr. Higden
(Rolls) Vi. 91 Seynte Etheldreda,..whiche contynuede in
virginite thau^he sche was mariede twyes. 1447 Boken-
HAM S^ntys Introd. (Roxb.) 6 Whan I gan inwardly toremembre..Ofhyrthatis
gemmeofvirgynyte. 1500-90 Dunbar
Poems Ixxxvi. 17 Roiss Mary, . . O chast conclaif of clene
virginite. That closit Crist but crymes criminale. 1540 Hykde
tr. Vives Instr. Ckr, lVom.i.\\. (1541) 15 b, Virginite was
euer an holy thinge euen amonge theues, breakers of Sayn.
tuary, vngratiousliuers [etc.]._ 1603 Dekker Patient Crissill
816 Master Fameze, sweet virginilie is that inuisible Godhead,
that turns vs into Angells, that makes vs saints on
earth, and starres in heauen. 1634 Milton Comus 738
List Lady,, -be not cosen'd With that same vaunted name
Virginity, X71X Addison Sped, Na 164^ P 5 That Vow of
Virginity in which she [a novice] was going to engage herself.
19x1 Edin. Rev. July 62 Jacqueline aspired to the
veil, dedicated herself to virginity and the spiritual life.
d. Personified.
£:x40o Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iv. iv. 60 This noble
lady was suster to Aungels and was cleped vyrgynyte.
es ar y dye, pat y may wepe my virginite. 13..
E. E. Allit, P. B. 1071 By how comly a kest he was clos
J>ere, When venkkyst wasnovergynyte, nevyolencemaked.
£1400 Laud Troy Bk. 18560 For me is leuere in my centre
Be sclayn in my virginite, That I falle not in joure
handis, t>an go with 50W. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron.
III. 130 pat scho mycht murnand be Twa moneth hir virginite.
i5oo-aa Dunbar Poems Ixxxiv. 13 Evin so women
wairis thair virginitie On thame that maist ar holdin onworthie.
1588 Shaks. L. L. L. i. i. 298, 1 denie her Virginitie:
I was taken with a Maide. X634 Sir T. Herbert
Trav. -zo The [Malagasy] youth scarce knowing twelue,
the maid ten yeares m the World, the title of Virginity.
1709 Addison Tatier No. 102 F i Some pleaded their unspotted
Virginity ;others their numerous issue. 1750 Johnson
Rambler No. 39 P S The reproach and solitude of antiquated
Virginity. 1796 H. HvNrERtr.St.'Pierre*s Stud. Nat. (1799)
II. 543 They dispense premiums on virginity 1 1825 Scott
Lett. 24 Aug. in Lock/iart, The celebrated * Ladies ' . . who
. .selected this charming spot for the rep>ose of their timehonoured
virginity. 1884 Cat/t. Diet. 556/2 Mary, then,
was the Virgin Mother of God. She remained in perpetual
virginity.
b. Freq. in phrases, esp. with possessives, as io
ravish^ rob^ etc. (a woman's) virginity\ to keep^
lose, etc. (one's) virginity ; sometimes with
approximation to a concrete sense.
1390 Gower Con/. IL 316 Thus this tirant there Beraft
hire such thing as men sein Mai neveremor be yolde ayein,
And that was the_ virginite. /hid. 339 To robbe the virginite
Of a yong innocent aweie. ? X4oa Qoixlev Ballade
xii. in Vorksk. Arc/ixol, Jml. (1908) XX. 46 This Tereus
kyng, The virginite rauysht by treson Of Philomene, c 1440
Gesta Rom. ix. 23 (Harl. MS.), Whan he was ded, J>er come
a kny^t, and spoiled me of my virginite. 1485 Caxton St.
Wenefr. 9 She chase leuer the smytynge of of her hede than
to lose her vyrgynyte. 1563-81 Foxe A. Sf, M. 94/2 Her
heare hanging about her shoulders in two parts deuided
(wherewith her shamefa^t chastitie and virginitie was
couered). 1599 Shaks. Much Ado iv. i. 49 If you..Haue
vanquisht the resistance of her youth, And made defeat of
her virginitie. i68a Rowlands Good Newes ^ B. 21 Since
Nans_ virginity past help is lost, They'l teach him what
a maidenhead will cost, c: 1706 Prior True Maid r For
my Virginity, When I lose that, says Rose, 111 dye. 1728
Chambers Cycl. s.v., That the next Relation, .of the Maid's,
shall undertake to enjoy her before him, and takeaway her
Virginity. 1759 A. Butler Lives Saints (ifiai) X. 489
These holy martyrs seem, ,to have met a glorious death in
234
defence of their virginity from the army of the Huns. x866
B. Taylor On Leaving California Poems 272 Mother of
mighty men, thou shalt not mourn Thy lost virginity.
j^g. x65a Cbashaw Carmen Deo Nostra, -yd Ele^y 6 O
had he nere been at that cruell cost Nature's virginity had
nere been lost.
fo. With a or pi. Obs,
1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta*s Hist. Indies v. xv. 367
Some were appoynted to serve theGuacasand Sanctuaries,
keeping their virginities for ever. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv.
157 The men.. and the Virgines. .both shall haue their Virginities
renewed, as fast, as lost. 1634 W. Tirwhyt ir.
Balzac's Leti. 269 Nor was ever any virginity so britle, as
that she brought into the world.
d. Used as a title : A virgin or unmarried
woman, rare^^,
X755 M RS. F. Brooke Old Maid No. 9. 64 You must know
then, my good sister virginity, that [etc.].
3. ^g. The state of being virgin, fresh, or new.
1610 G. Fletcher Christ's Vict. 11. lix, See, see the
flowers that . . blowe. And of all, the virgin rose, . . How
they
all unleaved die, Loosing their virginitie. 1639 Fuller
Holy War xix. (1647) 31 Cana the less.., where he shewed
the virginity of his miracles, turning water into wine. 169a
South Serm. (1744) XL 8 As the purest water.., when it
slides into a dirty and a muddy Kennel, it immediately
loses its clearness and virginity. 18.. Whittier Pr. Wks.
(i88g) IL 187 What avail your abstract theories, your hopeless
virginity of democracy, sacred from the violence of
meanings? 1896 Daily News 14 Feb. 5/4 Pretty well for
what Lord Rosebery would call the virginity of the
Session. 19x5 J. Kelman Salted ivith Fire ix. 121 Men's
prejudices, .had destroyed what Ruskin calls the virginity of
the eye, and it was the main endeavour of Jesus to restore it.
Hence Virgi'nityship, spinsterhood.
1741 Mrs. Montagu Lett. \. 299 Old Virginityship is
certainly Milton's Hell ' Where hope ne'er comes that comes
to all.'
Vi'rgin-like, a. and adv, [f. Virgin sb^
A. adj. Resembling a virgin or that of a virgin
characteristic of or befitting a virgin ; maidenlike.
1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. 1. 432 Oh cursed and
furious envie!.. seeing by thee man was first beguiled, and
induced afterward.. to water the earth, being yet virginelike,
with his brothers blood, a X593 Marlowe & Nashe
Dido III. iii, And here we met faire Venus virgine like. Bearing
her bpwe and qiiiuer at her backe. 1603 Florio Montaigne
III. v. 520 When I heare them bragge to have so
virgin-like a will and colde minde. i6xx Shaks. Cymb. iii.
iL 22 Oh damn'd paper,.. Art thou a Fcedarie for ibis Act,
and look'st So Virgin-like without? 172X Strvpe Eccl.
Mem. II. 376 [To] restore unto it again that Virgin-like
Attire, a 1794 Sir W. Jones Enchanted Fruit Wks. 1799
VI. 189 Rich bowls... Some virgin-like in native pride,
And some with strong Haldea dyed. 1848 Thackeray yan.
Fair iii, She had previously made a respectful virgin-like
curtsey to the gentleman.
B. adv. — ViHGiNLY adv. rare.
'595 J- Weever Epigr, (1599) Evj, Chaste Lucreda
virgine-fike her dresses.
tVi'rginly, a, Obs.-^ [f. as prec. +-ly1.]
Virgin, virgin-like.
X548 Udai.l, etc. Erasm, Par. Luke xxiv. 88 Dooe ye not
knowe the menyng of it to bee the enclosure & tabernacle
of the virginly chastitee, whiche neither any inortall man
entreyng vnto it, ne the soonne of God..liath violated or
defoiled?
Vi'rginly, adv. [f. as prec, 4- -ly 2.] 2; As or
like a virgin ; in or after the manner of ;
a virgin
in a way becoming to a virgin or virgins,
1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. ^g^/j The holy ghoost shewed
unto saynt germayn of ancerre how she shold serue god
holyly & virgyiiely, X823 Moore Rhymes on Road v. 34
Whose beginnings are virginly pure as the source Of some
mountainous rivulet. 1895 Meredith Amazing Marriage
I. XV. 161 Virginly sensible of treasures of love to give.
Virgin's bower. [Virgin sb, ii.] The
British climbing shrub Clematis Vilalba^ tra-
veller's joy.
^597 Gerarde Herbal u, cccxiii. 741 Vpright Clamberer
or Virgins Bower, is also a kinde of Clematis. x688
Holme Armouiy 11. 68/2 The Virgins Bower groweth like
the Honysuckle. 1796 Withering Brit. Plants (ed. 3) IL
500 Traveller's-joy. Great Wild Cli.Tiher. Virgin's Bower.
i8x8 Keats Endytn. 11. 417 Virgin's bower, trailing airily,
184a Florist's frnl. (1846) III. 36 The twisting or bending
back of the petioles over any horizontal body,.. as in the
Virgin's bower. 1870 Morris Earthly Par, III. iv. 261
And woodbine, and the odorous virgin's-bower, Hung in
great heaps about that undyked tower.
b. Applied to other species of Ckmatis^ esp. to
the American species C, virginiana, or employed
as book-name for the whole genus.
x668 WiLKiNS Real Char. n. iv. § 6. in Clematis, Virginsbower.
X7S3 Chambers^ Cycl. SuppL, Virgins Bovver, .
in botany, the name of a genus of plants ; . . The flower is of
the rosaceous kind. 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 331
Virgin's Bower, Clematis. 1771 J. R. Forster Flora
Amer. Septentr. 25 Clematis viorna. Virgin's bower,
violet. Virg. Car. 1845-50 Mrs. Lincoln Led. Bot. 65
One of our most beautiful climbing plants is the Clematis
virginica, or virgin's bower. X856 Delamer Fl. Garden
(1861) 158 Virgin's Bower Clematis moniana, Viticella,
and its varieties, are hardy climbers, pretty when trained
over lattice-work. _ 1866 Whittier Maids of Attitash 15
Hardback, and virgin's-bowcr. And white-spiked clethraflower.
1880 Bessey Bot. 564 Clematis, the Virgin's Bower,
of many species.
c. With distinguishing terms.
X704 Diet. Rust. (1726) s.v., The Purple Virgin's- Bower. .
The Double-purple Virgin's- Bower. 1707 Mortimer Ihtsb.
iilii) IL 190 Double Virgins Bower is a climbing "Tree,
fit to cover some place of Repose. 1731 Miller Gard.
Diet. s.v. Clematitis, Purple creeping Climber, or Single
I
I
'
j VuTcans
VIRGO.
Virgins Bower. Ibid.t Blue Climber with a double Flower,
or Double Virgins Bower. iBzz Hortus Anglicus IL39
Clematis Cirrkosa. Evergreen Virgin's Bower. 1863
Chambers's Encycl. III. 73/2 CiejtiatisJiammuia, a native
of the south of Europe and north of Africa, , .is the species
known as Sweet Virgin's Bower.
Vi'rginsllip. rare. [f. as prec. -*- -ship.] The
personality of a virgin.
a title or form of address.
Used with possessives as
1643 H. More Song of Soul i. in. xlvii, And Gabriel
sware he would wait upon Her Virginship. 1673 Davenant
Distresses v. i, Will your vex'd Virginship Vouchsafe to
stay here, till you be well swadled.
Vi'rgin's milk. V Obs. [transl. med.L, lac
virgims.l A chemical preparation having a
milky appearance : a. A cosmetic preparation or
wash for cleansing or purifying the face or skin
(see quots.). Cf. I^ac virginis i.
x6ooSuKFLET Countrie Farme in. Ixxiii. 604 Virgins milke
is thus made with a filtre. Ibid., This virgins miike is good
to heale ringwormes and saucie and red faces. 1694 Salmon
Bate's Dispens. (1713) 289/1 The Tincture [of Benjaminl
made with the Alcohol of Wine, being mixt with a great deal
of Water, makes a kind of Milk, which by some is call'd
Virgins Milk, which serves for a Wash for the Face and
Skin. 17XJ tr. Pomet's Hist. Drugs L 187 This Tincture
of Benjamin and Storax is call'd Virgin \sic\ Milk. i72x
Bailev, Virgin's milk, a sort of Chymical Composition,
called Benjamin water, 1835 Penny Cycl. IV. 257/1 A
solution of benzoin in alcohol, added to twenty parts of
rose-water, forms the cosmetic called Virgin's milk.
•{"b. (See quot.) Obs. rare"^.
X704 Harris Lex, Techn. 1, Virgin's Milk, is made of
J.
dissolving Saccharum Saturni [i. e. lead acetate] in a great
deal of Water: It will turn white as Milk; whence the
Name. [Hence in Bailey.]
t Virginty, Obs. rare. In 4 vergynte. [f.
Virgin sb. : see -ty.] Virginity.
13. . E. E. Allit. P. A. 767 In hys blod he wesch my wede
on dese, & coronde clene in vergynte.
Virgfin wax. Also virgin-wax 5-8 vir-
;
gin's wax. [tr. med.L. cera virginea : cf. ViRGjy
17 b and II. So F. cire-vierge.'] Orig., fresh,
new, or unused bees-wax, sometimes that produced
by the first swarm of bees ; in later and more
general use, a purified or fine quality of wax, esp.
as used in the making of candles; white wax.
a, 13. . K. Alis. 334 (Line. MS.), After, he tok virgyn wax,
And made a popet after l^e quene. a 1^00 Sgr. lowe Degre
688 She sered that body with specery, With wyrgin waxe
and commendry. « 1425 tr. Arderne''s Treat. Fistula, etc.
30 pan putte to a Htle oyle of olyue,. .wi)> als miche virgine
wax togidre dissolued at J'e fire by it self. £'1440 Promp.
Pa>-v. 510/2 Vyrgyne wex, cera virginea. 150a Ace. Ld,
High Treas. Scot. II. 37 Payit to Robert Bertoune for
virgyne wax that he brocht hame to the King. 1538 in
W. M. Williams Ann. Founders" Co. (1867) 55 The Her&e
to be garnyshed with xxx other great Tapers with ij
Branches of Virgyn waxes. X594 Plat Jcvsell-ho. 57 An
excellent cement for broken glasses. Take one part of
Virgin-wax [etc.]. X626 T. H[awkins1 tr. Caussins Holy
Crt. 9 He hath imprinted ail his perfections vpon our
Sauiour..as one should impresse a golden seale vpon
virgin-waxe. ^164$ Howell Lett. (1650) I. 33 They say,
the young King's picture was found in her closet in virginwax,
rt 1711 Ken Hymnotheo Poet. Wks. 1721 III. 310
Like Virgin-Wax, he soft'ned the hard Bone, And wrought
it till to female shape 'twas grown. X79S W. Blake Lett.
(1906) 54 Take a cake of virgin wax. .and stroke it, .over
the surface of a warm plate. 1821 Scott Kenilva. vi, Besides
lesser lights, the withdrawing-room was illuminated
by four tail torches of virgin wax. 1861 HuLMEtr. Moquin-
Tandon n. iii. ccix, Wax which has been completely deprived
of its colour is called virgin or white wax.
fig. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia 11. xii. (1912) 229 You use vile
spight..to melt that Virgin-waxe, Which while it
is, it is all Asias light.
attrib. 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe Wks. (Grosart) V. 256
The most intenerate Virgine wax phisnomy. 1654 Gayton
Pleas. Notes iv. viii. 223 The convoy presently departed,
leaving him . . with a Virgin-waxe-light, m a golden Candlestick.
&. 149s Trevisa's Barth. De P. R. xxx. Ixi. 897 The more
newe wexe is the more able it is to take inpressyon and
pryntynge of dyuers fygures and shapes, and suche wex is
callyd vyrgyns wexe. X535 IVardr. Kaih. Arragon 41 in
Camden Misc. Ill, Item, seevyn hooUe tapers of vyrgyn's
waxe. 1567 M aplet Gr. Forest 37 Cerfolie . . being wrought
& tempered with Virgins Waxe, remedieth all kinde of
swelling. X607 Walkington Opt. Glass 39 The purest
virgins wax. X658 Rowland tr. Moufefs Theat. Ins. 915
Simple and natural Wax is the thicker part of the combs
that contains the honey ; and it is either virgins wax, or of
a second sort ; virgins wax is that the younger swarms of
Bees make from the young branches of flowers. (That is
the first Swarm put into a new Hive.) 1660 Boyle New
Exp. Phys. Mech. x. 76 Slender Tapers of white Wax
(commonly called Virgins Wax). 1736 Bailey Housek,
Diet. s.v. Eye-salve, lake one ounce of May butter, half an
ounce of virgins wax [etc.].
II Virgo (v3-Jg(7). Astr. [L. : see Virgin sb.\
(With initial capital.) a. The zodiacal constellation
lying between Leo and Libra ; the Virgin,
b. The sixth sign of the zodiac, which the sun
enters about Aug. 20-23.
axooo in Saxon Leechd. III. 244 An Jraera tacna ys
xehaten aries, . .fifta leo', syxta uirgo, )>set is mseden, X390
Gower Conf. III. 121 After I,eo Virgo the nexte Of Signes
clepeil is the sexte.