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VISIONARY. 250 VISIT.
he will be thought weak and visionary. 1786-7 Honny-
CASTLE AstroH. x. 17 Wc laugh at the_ absurdities of a
visionary pretender. 1817 W. Brol'cham in Fari. Deb. -zg^
Mr. Spencc, the Wsionary author of the new system, lived
20 years ago. xZarj Lxr\ott Fa/kloJtd i. 13, 1 grew by degrees
of a more thoughtful and visionary nature. 190a W. L,
Mathieson Poiitics ^ Relig:, Scat., I. iti. 100 Knox was no
vt^onary enthusiast.
2. Of the nature of a vision ; presented or apprehended
in a vision. Cf. Visional 2.
1648 BoYLK Serafik. Love xvi. (1700) 103 The sole Hymn
(except a Visionary one) I find recorded of the Celestial
Quire, was sung for a Blessing to Mankind. 1681 Dhyden
Ahs, -V Ackit. I. 656 Some things like Visionary flights appear
; The Spirit caught him up, the Lord knows where, And
(etc), a 1701 Maundrell Joitrn, Jems, (1721) 80 Which,
ihey say, is the Mountain into which the Devil took
our Ble^ed Saviour, when he tempted him with that visionary
scene of all the Kingdoms and Glories of the World.
i7»o Wklton Suffer. Son 0/ God I. viii. 161 These Divine
Illapsesof Revelation, which become Visionary in our Sleep.
17S4 CowPER Task v. 400 There, like the visionary emblem
seen By him of Babylon, life stands a stump. 1838 Mrs.
Browning Seraphitn i. 205 One of those Whom the loving
Father chose. In visionary pomp to sweep O'er Judaea "s
grassy places.
b. Seen only in a vision; unreal, non-existent,
phantom, spectral.
1697 Drvuen yEneid 11. 365, I wept to see the visionary
man, And, while my trance continued, thus began. 1700 —
T/ieod, ^ Hon. 280 The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely
bayed; The Hunter close pursu'd the visionary Maid,
i7aS Pope Odvss. x. 633 Sudden shall skim along the
dusky glades Thin airy shoals, and visionary shades. 1781
Gibbon Decl. ^ F. xxxviti. (1787) III. 619 The visionary
fabric melted into air. x8so Lamb Eiia \, South-sea House^
The shade of some dead accountant,. with visionary pen in
ear, would flit by me, stiff as in life. i8s» Mrs. Stowe
Uitcle TouCsC. xiv. There was not a corner or nook.,
where those fairy footsteps had not glided, and that visionary
golden head.. fleeted along. 1865 Dickkns Mut. Fr.
Ill, viii, Uy what visionary hands she was led along upon
that journey to escape from the Samaritan.
C. Connected with, or pertaining to, visions.
v^l-i^h Thomson Summer 556 Here /rejjuent, at the
visionary hour, When musing midnight reigns, or silent
noon, Angelic harps are in full concert heard. 1775 Adair
Amer. Ind. 313 Having intimidated themselves apart from
the rest, with visionary notions. 1818 Scott Br. Lamtn.
xxxi, .Meanwhile, this mysterious visionary traffic had its
usual effect, in unsettling Miss Ashton's mind.
d. Disturbed bjr \isions.
1807 J, Barlow Columb. 1. 49 When from a visionary
short repose, That nursed new cares and temper 'd keener
woes, Columbus woke.
3. Existing in imagination only; imaginary; not
actual or real.
i7»S Pope Odyss. iv. 246 Vanish *d are all the visionary
joys. 1745,1. Mason SelfKnoivL 1. xiv. (1853)105 Suffer not
your Thoughts . . to give you a visionary Pleasure in the Prospect
of what you have not the least Reason to hope. 1798
S.& Ht. Lee Canterb. T. II. 308 So deep ahold had this..
visionary delight taken on Emily, that the days hung heavily
with her. 1844 H. H. Wilson Brit. India III. 364 Wiih
the consolidation of the supremacy, the apprehension of its
visionary evils reciirred. a 1859 Macaulay Hist. Eng.
xxiii. (i86i) V. II The danger which seemed so terrible to
*nany honest friends of liberty he did not venture to pronounce
altogether visionary. 1876 Besant & Rice Gold.
Butterjiy'x^ I'hejKJwer of the penniless twins was a shadowy
and visionary thing.
b. Of schemes, plans, etc : Incapable of being
carried out or realized ; purely ideal or speculative
fantastic, unpractical.
17*7 Swift Modest Proposal Wks, 1755 II. 11. 67 Vain,
idle, visionary thoughts. 1751 Earl Orrery Remarks
S~Mi_ft (1752) 75 A miserable example of an ill-spent life, fantastic
wit, visionary schemes, and female weakness. 1777
Robertson Hist. Amer. \.i\j-;Z) II. 130 The crews of three
of his ships.. insisted on relinquishing the visionary project
of a desperate adventurer. 1815 Stephkns in SAaw's Gen.
Zool. I A. I. 77 Those [opinions] of the ancients appear to
be either visionary or erroneous. 1834 Marrvat P. Simple
xlvi, These were wild and visionary notions, and with
little chance of ever arriving at any successful issue. 1855
Brewster Newton I. xi. 265 Kepler abandoned for a while
his visionary speculations. 1883 Manck, Exam. 30 Oct.
sis The quiet of the land is being disturbed to suit the
visionary theories of well-meaning but unpractical men.
c. Characterized by fantasy or imagination with-
out corresponding reality.
.'777 J- Richardson Dissert. East* Nations 3 On this
visionary field, learned and pious men have disputed with
much want of temper. 1794 Mrs. RadcliffejW>j^ Udoipho
XXX, Emily sought to lose the sense of her own cares, in the
visionary scenes of the poet. 1840 Thirlwall GreeceVll.
lyi. 141 Lycurgus..had not learnt, .to withdraw from active
life into a vbionary world. 1863 Kinglake Crimea I. 228
If Louis Napoleon was going to he content with a visionary
life [etc.]. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Library (1892) I. v.
194 [He] sought refuge from the bard facts of commonplace
life by retiring into a visionary world,
4. Pertaining to (physical or mental) vision.
18x4 Wordsw. Excurs. IV. Ill It may be allowed me to
remember What visionary powers of eye and soul In youth
were mine.
B. sb. 1. One who has visions ; one to whom
unknown or future things are revealed in visions.
_ 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Visionary^ one that is sub.
ject to Dreams, silly Notions and extravagant Fancies; a
fantastical Pretender to Visions and Revelations. 17x1
Addison 5/»^r/. No. 56 f 3 One of their Countrymen descended
in a Vision to the great Repository of Souls... The
Visionary., .arrived at length on theConfinesof this World
of Spirits. 1778 T. 'i\K9.-\\.t.\ Pref.Sv-edenborg's ^Heaven
f( Heli*^, xi, Of such honourable repute was the name Seer,
or visionary, in those times. 1830 Scott Detnonoi. i. 6 It
becomes almost in vain to argue with the visionary against
the reality of his dream. 1850 Mrs. Jameson Leg. Maast.
Ord. (1863) 253 On one side kneels the visionary, with
features wan and worn. 1870 Baluw. Brown Eccl. Truth
262 Forms of perfect beauty and purity, of which the keenest
visionary has had but feeble dreams.
2. One who indulges in fantastic ideas or
schemes ; an unpractical speculator or enthusiast.
x7oa Addison Dial. Medals i. (1726) 28 'l"his science has
its visionaries as well as all others. 1796 H. Hunter tr.
Sl.'Pierre's Stud. Net, (1799) I. p. xii. We must therefore
respect the Man, even while we smile at the Visionary.
1834 Ht. Maktineau Demerara x. 122 He had laid his
accounts for being treated as a visionary, and for his own
plans being laughed at as absurd. 1868 Pkard It^atcr-
/arm. xiv. 140 The agriculturist, .will not be deemed a
visionary, because he calculates on the coming harvest
with certainty. 1880 Howeli^ Undisc. Country v, He's a
visionary, but he's a good man.
Visioned(vi-.:59nd ),///. a. [f. Vision j^. orz^.]
1. Seen in a vision.
1510 Clereville (^///f1, The Copye of the letter folowynge
whiche specifyeth of y« greatest and meruelous visyoned
batayle that euer was sene.
1803 Scott Cadyow Castle xxix, Whose cheek is pale,
whose eyeballs glare, As one some vision'd sight that saw.
1807 J. Barlow Columb. 1. 19 Till vision'd ages, opening
on liis eyes, Cheer'd his sad soul. 1838 Chalmers Introd.
Ess. Chr. Def. agst. Inffdelity Wks. 1849 XIII. 298 The
battles of the faith againsl the dark and the visioned
spectres of geology. 1863 Ld. Lvtton Ring; Amasis 11.
III. xiii, As. .he pressed that solemn kiss upon the visioned
thing I could not see.
2. Associated with, arising from, a vision or
visions.
1817 Scott Harold \i. xii. Trembling at first, .. Had
Gutinar heard the vision'd lale. iSaa Beddoes Bride's
Trag. IV. iv, I dreamed and in that visioned agony
'Twas whispered by strange voices tetc.]. 1853 Jehdan
Autobiog. 111. 170 In her inmost abstract and visioned
moods.. she was the Poet. 1891 C. Dawson Avonuiore
IV. 79 Braver from that visioned thought, I duty did and
duty sought.
3. Gifted with vision; having the power of seeing
visions.
1813 Shellev Q. M(tb 1. 68 The visioned poet in his dreams,
When silvery clouds float through the 'wildered brain. 1830
MoiR Tower ofErcildoune iv, Methinks the visioned bard
1 see ., Piercing the mazy depths of Time. x866 R. S.
Stores Serm. in Bible Soc. Rec. Feb. (1804), Of such a
majestic teacher as Ezekiel, the visioned prophet,., we know
almost nothing.
4. Full of visions.
1815 Shelley -4//w^(7>- 682 The dream Of dark magician
in his visioned cave.
Visioner (viv^anoj). [f. Vision j^J.] One who
has visions ;
a visionary.
1716 M. Davies Athen. Brit. II. 184 He should exalt his
Character by playing the Vissioner witli a superannuated
Superintendant. 190a Fr. Thompson in Academy 12 April
378/1 The dreams . . He half made po.ssible ; for that he was
visioner of vision in a most sordid day.
Visionic (vi^i^^'nik), a. rare, [f. Vision sb.'\
Of the nature of a vision.
1857 Tait's Mag. XXIV. 363 Which, if it does not assert,
yet strongly suggests, the visionic character of the revelation
of the creation to Moses.
Visioning (vi'sanig), vbi. sb. [f. Vision sb,
or z^.] The action or fact of seeing visions; an
instance of this.
a. 1835 Motherwelly*??/. Wks. (1847) 35 But still the present
is o'ercast with visionings of yore. 1838 Mrs. Browning
Felicia Hemans vii. Such visionings have paled in
sight. 1843 Carlyle Past (ft^ /V. 0. Test. iii. 129 A third class, the
Visionists, also maintain the literal character of the days
mentioned... In their view the days. .refer to. -the actual
da\ s of the revelation of the creation.
Visionless (vi-^anUs), a. [f. Vision sb,'\
1. Destitute of vision ; sightless, blind.
x8»> Keats Hyperion 1. 243 Half-closcd, and visionless
entile they seem'd Of all external things. 1848 Eliza Cook
Son^ /or Dog iv, Tis my Dog that I trust lo, ..And he
ministers well to my visionless eyes. J874 G. Macixjnald
Malcolm 1 1 1, x.\ii. 294 Her eyes rolled stupid and visionless.
2. Having no vision of unseen things ;" devoid of
higher insight or inspiration.
1856 R S. Vaughan Mystics (i860) II. x. ii- Notes 316
Tiicresa might, in the abstract, rate the visionless altitude
above the valley of vision. 1859 Bp. S. Wilbf.rforce Addr.
Ordination'ix. 182 I'he hindrances to our delivering simply
our message may lead us to suppress or tamper with it until
we Itecome visionless and dumb. 1891 N. hoviMUv. Battle
0/ Belie/ i^i His cheerless, slioreless, visionless system of
negations.
Vrsionlike, adv. [f. Vision sb.l After the
manner of a vision.
18x4 Miss L. M. Hawkins Annaline I. 78 As if some
thoughts had visionlike swept across her mind.
Visir(ate, obs. forms of Vizieb(ate.
Visit (vi'zit), sb. Also 7 visite, visitt, visette,
vizet. [ad. F. visiU ( - It., Sp., Pg. visUa),
or f. Visit v!\
1. An act of visiting a person ; a friendly or
formal call upon, a shorter or longer stay with, a
person as a feature of social intercourse.
z6si G. Sandys Ovid's Met. xiii. (1626) 274 To Nymphs
of Seas,. .She beares her vizets. 1638 R. Baker tr. Balzac's
Lett. (vol. II) 228 You know well, I have appointed you
here a chamber, and that you are my debter of a visite,
now a whole year. 1648 Nicholas Papers (Camden) 94 To
..undertake, .for a visiit to him by the Lord Jarmin (who
I beleeve visited none else there). i68i V'tess Campden
in 12/A Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 56 My Lady
Skidinore and her lord was at Mr. Conishys house upon a
visctte. 17H Addison Spect. No. 102 f 8 Like Ladies that
look upon their Watches after a long Visit. 1753 Scots
Mag. XV. 36/1 Guilty of that most atrocious crime, the
owing a visit. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) V. 246 If
the monkey ventures to offer a visit of curiosity, the toucan
gives him such a welcome, that he . . is glad to escape.
1848 Thackeray Van. Fair J, On the solemn occasions of
the visits of parents. 1887 Brit. Med. Jmi. 2 April 754/1
To call twice in one week, under the pretence, .of a social
visit. 1907 yerney iMeni. 1. 99 He is looking forward to
a visit from Ralph in the summer.
Jig. 1781 CowpER Table V, 411 'Tis not. .despondence and
dismay Will win her [sc. Mercy's] visits or engage her stay.
b. Freq. in the phrases to make, or fay (also
t ^'^^) a visit, to return a visit.
{>t] 1644 T. Pbujean Aurorata \\. Ej, Romeo.. going to
give her a visit meetes Tybalt her kinsman. 1674 Essex
Papers (Camden) I. 179 Mj; L*' Shaftsbury did me y«
honour y^ other day to give ine a visit. 1^99 R-
L'EsTRANGE Erasm. Colloq. (1725) 227 An Abbot gives a
Lady a visit. 1709-10 Stkelk Tatlcr No. 128 P 7 He came
to give our Family a formal Visit.
(^) >643 Caryl Expos. Job I . 636 There is no obligation
but that of love, to make a visit, a 1C99 Lady Halkett
Autobiog. (Camden) 3, I doe nott remember that I made a
visitt to y* neerest neibour. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 124
F I, I went on Saturday last to make a Visit in the City.
1753 E. Moor in IVoi Id I. No. 11. 87 She made him a visit
of a month, and at his entreaty would have settled with
him for ever. 1779 Forrest I'oy. N. Guinea 224 Making
him a visit, I found him in the great hall. 1813 J. Simpson
Ricardo the Outlaiv I. 241 She promised that m two years,
at longest, she would make them a visit. 1885 W. W.
Story Fiammetia 195 Vou promised you would make me
a visit in the autumn.
ic) 1654-66 Earl Orrery Parthen. (i6;6) 503 Surena, ty
this visit, was in a few days able to pay me one. 171
Steele Sped. No. '2^ T t Let us pay Vi>ils, but never see
one another. 1715 I>e Foe Voy. round World (1840) 38
The Dutch captain came off in his shallop .. to pay his
visit to me. 1781 Cowper Conversnt. 399 The visit paid,
with ecstasy we come, As from a seven years transportation,
home. 1835 Court Mag. VI. i£6/i, I (quitted Oxford,
and paid a visit to a maiden lady dwelling m the Orange
Grove. 1855 Tennyson To Rezu F. D. Maurice xii, When
the wreath of March has blos.soni'd, .. Or later, pay one
visit here, For those are few we hold as dear.
/ig. 1770 GoLDSM. Des. I'ill. 3 Where smiling spring its
earliest visit paid.
{d) 1677 Lady Chaworth in 12M Rtp. Hist. MSS. Comm.
App. v. 37, I missed my nephew Anthony the other day
who Lady Shaftesbery sent to see me, and I am now going
to returnc his visit. 1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to
C^iess Mar 10 Maich, 1 leturned my visits at three weeks'
end. 1766 [see Return v. 21 b].
C. trans/. A plnce lo which one goes only as a
visitor.
1784 Cowper Task i. 251 Society for me ! thou seeming
sweet, he still a pleasing object in my view, My visit still,
but n^ver mine abode.
d. An excursion to a place for the purpose of
sight-seeing ; a short or temporary stay at a place.
Also transf. of animals or birds (cf. Visit v. 10 d).
1800 {title), Visits to the Aviary-. For the instruction of
youth. 1839 Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Li/t III. vii.
97 There is an account of a visit to Lyme in Miss Austen's
'. exquisite 'Persuasion i860 Clouch Poems, etc. (1869) I.
245 We had a visit to Frysion in Yorkshire, and after passing
through the Highlands to Oban, made a three week's
stay in Morven. 187a Rlskin Fors Clav. xxi. 20, I spend
five hundred in Paris in the two visits I make there.
trans/. 1831 T. Nuttall in Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts ^
Sci. (1833) I. loi Crossbills .. pay irregular visits to the
northern and middle States. 1843 Penny Cycl, XXV. 7/1
[ Ihc black-cap titmouse] probably extending its visits into
Mexica
e. An occasion of going to a dentist, doctor, etc.,
for examination or treatment.
1884 Thompson Tumours oj Bladder 10 After two or three
visits [to a hospital], he took a sea voyage for his health.
1901 R. Bagot Donna Diana, xxviii, 356 He felt that he
would far prefer a visit to the dentist to the interview before
him.