Here - Norm's Book Club

VIRTUE. 240 VIRTUOSO.
the sun., will be prevented from exhaling the virtue of your
manure. 1769 Mrs. Raffald Eug, Housekpr. (1778) 1 It
will draw all the virtue out of the roots or herbs, and turn
it to agood gravy. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 11 The
virtue of Su Martin's precious relics was in the most active
operation during the mth and sixth centuries.
b. In sense 9 c
c IS50 Mtid, Maregrttt xlv, Sclawen was )>c dragun
t>oru t>c uertu of ^ rod. c 1340 Hampole Pr, Come. 3821
Pardon, .es of J>c tresur of haly kirke, pat es gadirde..Of
J>e vertu of Crestes passion. 138a Wvchf Rom. i. 16 Forsoth
I schame not the gospel, for it is the vertu of God in
to heltbe to ech man bileuynge. ^ 1450 M.E. Med. Bk.
other Vertue of this Water. 176* H. WxLPOtK Vertue*
Anecd. Paint. (1786) I. 280 It is said in the note that Sir
Nathaniel was famed for painting plants, and well skilled in
their virtues. 1796 Withering Brit. Plants (ed. 3) I. 324
The plants of this class are supposed to have various spe*
cific virtues. x8o6 Med. Jml. XV. 327 Have practitioners
yet proved the full virtues of the digitalis? 1838 Murray's
Hand-bk. N, Germ. 374/2 The hot mineral springs,. owe
their virtues to the presence of sulphur and alkaline salts.
1856 R. A. Vaughan Mystics viii. iv. (i860) 11. 53 Each
planet, according to its mind or mood, shed virtues healing
or harmful into minerals and herbs.
b. Of animal bodies, the elements, or other
(Heinrich) 138, I coniure 50W fyue croppes in Jw verieu of
)m V woundcs, ^t crist sufTred on )»e roode treo. 1473
Warkw. CA»wi«, 18 Kynge Edwardcrequyrede hyme by
the vertu of sacrament that he schulde pardone alle tho
whos names here folowe. 1516 Pitgr. Per/. (Pynson) r. vii.
20 Hauyng grace and werkyiig lherafter..by tne vertue of
the same he may meryi and deserue the crowne of glory.
1557 N. T. (Genev.) Pkil. iit 10 That I may knowe him,
and the vertue of his resurrection, a 1617 Bavne On Eph.
(1658) 23 A thing wrought not by any power of nature but
by the vertue of Gods Spirit, a 1639 Hinde J. BruenVu
(1641) t63 Doth not the vertue of the death and resurrection
of Christ require it, that henceforth wee die unto sin. .?
O. In sense 9 d.
(Z1340 Hampole Prose Tr. 2 It falles the flesche may
noghte of his vertu noghte defaile ay whils J»e saule ia
swylk joyes is rauyste for to joye. c 1386 Chaucer Syr.'s T.
302 But fynally the kyng asked the knight The vertu of
this courser, and the might. And prayd him tellen of his
governaunce. 1477 Norton Ord. Alck. i. in Ashm. (1652)
19 For cause efficient of Mettalls finde ye shall Only to be
the vertue Minerall. 1535 Coverdalr Wisd. xix, 19 The
fyrc had power in the water (contrary to his awne vertue),
1584 Sir T. Ckaloner {title\ A shorte Discourse of the
most rare.. Vertue of Nitre, wherein is declared the., cures
by the same effected. 159a Dasiel Co/up/. Rosawond "Wks.
(1717) 47 Pleasure had set my wcll-schoord Thoughts to
flay,
.\nd bid me use the Vertue of mine Eyes, a i6s8
RKSTON Effectual Faith (1631) 118 If it bee the vertue of
ahorse to goe well; If it be the vertue of a knife to cut well,
physical entities.
Expulsive virtue : see ExPtJi.siVE «, 1,
C1384 Chaucer H. Fame ii. 42 For so astonyed and
a-sweved Was every vertu in my heved. c 1386 — Prol. 4
Whan that Aprille..hath..bathud every veyne in swich
licour. Of which vertue engendred is the flour, c 1400
Lan/ranc^s Cirurg. 15 pe vertues of lymesjxju must knowe,
J>at he se, whanne \>G worchinge of ony vartu failith in ony
lyme. 1451 Capgrave Li/e St. Gilbert 120 Hir left arme
had lost pe vertue of felyng. 1480 Caxton Myrr. in. viiL
145 The sterres that ben in heuen whiche haue vertues on
therthe. 1544 Phaer ^& (1560) Sv, When achilde
nesethout of measure, that is to say with a long continuance
& therby the brayn & virtues animal be febled, it is good to
stop it. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy, iv. xxix.
151 The sacred fountayne..is of such a vertue, that putting
into it any burning thing [it] is sodainly extinguished. 1604
E. G[rim5tone] tr. D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iii. xxi. 188
This moisture from heaven hath such a vertue, that ceasing
to fal vpon the earth, it hreedes a great discommoditie and
defect of graine and seedes. a z6b8 Preston Effectual
Faith (1631) 59 If the Loadstone be of such a vertue, let it
show it by attracting the Iron to it. 1684 R. Waller Nat.
Exper. 46 The imperceptible pores of those passages by
which the attractive Vinue issues out. 1709 T. Robinson
Nat. Hist. IVestmoreld. v. 26 A very active Principle, or
Virtue, that operates in the Generation of Stones. 1755 B.
Martin Alag. o/Arts ^ Sci. 389 What seems most wonderful,
is, that the magnetic Virtue should not be interrupted
by the Glass.
if it be the vertue of a Soldier to fight well. 1634 Sir T,
Hf.rbekt Trav. 20^ Ac the top [of the date palm].. is a soft
pith, in which consists the soule and vegetatiue vertue of
that tree. 1759 Franklin Lett. Wks. 1840 V. 364 Both
these stones nave evidently the two properties;.. the virtue
seems strongest towards one end of the face. 1815J. Smith
Panorama Sci. ff Art II. 170 A piece of soft iron, .capable
of supporting as much as the magnet from which it derives
its virtue. 1841-4 Emerson Ets.^ Sp'ir, Laivs Wks. (Bohn)
I. 57 The virtue of a pipe is to be smooth and hollow. 1878
Browning £a.S'a/j/a2 370, 1 shall, .bless each kindly wrench
that wrung From life's tree its inmost virtue.
d. In similar use of immaterial things, f Also
C. In miscellaneous uses.
i486 Bk. St. AlbanSf Her. aj, Ther ben here the verluys
of Chyualry. 1568 Grafton Ckron. II. 2o6Money is of so
great a vertue that it corrupteih Popes. z6sf Hobbrs
Thucyd. (i8a2j 70 For a great and a little claim imposed..
by way of command hath one and the same virtue to make
subject. 1676 HoBBEs Iliad Pref. (1686) i Concerning the
Vertues of an Heroick Poem. 170a Rouse's Heav. Univ.
Advert, 4 They may inwardly perceive by a most4>owerful
and most secret Vertue imprinted in their Souls and Hearts,
18x5 J. Smith Panorama Set. at herbe also )>at doth no bote. 1390
GowER Con/. III. 129 The seronde is noght vertules, Clola
or elles Ptiades It hatte. 1548 Udall^ etc. Erasm. Par.
Mark ix. 58 In the presence of the disciples they depraued
the name of Jesu, as a thing vertuelesse, and of no efficacie,
1600 Fairfax Tasso vi. Ixviii, And vertuelesse she wisht
all herbes and charmes, Wherewith false men encrease their
patients harmes. 16*7 Hakewill Apol. 11. v. §3, I do not
consent with them who would make those glorious Creatures
of God vertulesse. c 164a Observ. his Majesty's late A nsw.