Here - Norm's Book Club

VEIN.
S483 Caxton Gcid^ Ltg. 382 /a Lete us al prayc unto our
lorcTthat he openc to us. ."here the vaynes of a fontayn or of
a welle, 15^ Kvd Cornelia ii. 370 Perceiue we not a petty
vaine. Cut fiom a spring by chaunce or arte, Engendreth
fauntaines. 155^ Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. Handycrafu
492 A burning Mountain from his fiery vain An yron River
rowls along the Plain. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd, ^ Comnvw.
(1603) 12 These mountaines are full of bathes and veines of
warme water. 1667 Milton P. L. iv. 227 The rapid current,
..through veins Of porous Earth with kindly thirst up
drawn. 1789 Brand NenKostU I. 442 1 here is an order of
common-council for cutting oflF a vein of water which had
latdy been discoN-ered and brought into the town. «8s8
Ijvrdner Hand-hk. Nat. Phil. 90 A feeding reservoir placed
abo\-e that from which the invariable vein flows. 1864
Bryant Sflla 487 She taught The skill to pierce the soil
and meet the veins Of clear cold water winding underneath.
fir 138a Wyclif Jer. xvii. 13 For thei forsokcn the
vej-ne of lyu>Tig watris [i^ the Lord, a veyne of quyk
watirs]. c 1430 Lydc, Mitu Poems (Percy Soc.) 62 O welle of
swctnes replete in every veyne, That al mankynd preserved
has fro dcthe. i6o« Marston Antonio's Rev. Prol., Wks.
1856 I. 71 The rawish danke of cUimzie winter ramps The
fluent summers vaine. 1609 Bible (Douay) Jer. xviL 13
They ha^-e forsaken the vaine of living waters. 1640
Gaudes The Lm>e 0/ Trtttk, etc. 7 Then doth the ray or
eyn of truth flow aright from God to us.
+ b. A streamlet or rivulet ; a current. Obs.
1600 PoRY tr. Leo's A/n'ca iii. 158 Through the midst of
these gardens, they deriue some small vaine of the riuer.
16x3 PuRCHAS Pilgrimage (1614) 705^ When bee entred into
the Streits, he encounired a great veine of redde water, extending
it selfe from Aden as farre as they could see from
the Ships tops.
c. Physics, A slender body of water or other
liquid. (Cf. I c.)
1843 Civil £ng-. ^ Arch. JmL VI. 30/2 The impulse of a
* vein ' of fluid falling perpendicularly, is equal to the weight
of a colunm whose base is the area of the vein.
7. Min, A deposit of metallic or earthy material
having an extended or ramifying course under
ground ; a seam or lode ; spec, a continuous crack
or fissure filled with matter (esp. metallic ore)
different from the containing rock.
1387 Trevisa //"i/rf^w (Rolls) H. 15 pe water hat rennej?
ana passej? by veynes of certayn metal takih in his cours
grele hete. c:x46o J. Metham Wks. (E.E.T.S.) 149 The
(ourthe day ys gode. .to seke spryngys for wellys off" water,
to ?eke also veynys off" metel. 1530 Palsgr. 698/2 Al this
j-ertb, so farre as this vayne goth, savoureth of brimstone.
155s Eden DecttdesiXxh,) 211 Although goldebe founde in
maner euery where in these regions of golden Castile.. the
rajme or veyne whiche owghte to be folowed, ought to bee
in a place whiche may stande to saue muche of the charges
of the labourers. 1596 Dalrvmple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot.
II. 247 In Clidisdate war funde in Craufurd mure vndir
the erd sum vanes ful of golde. 1617 Moryson litn. in.
136 'ITie inward parts abound with a rich vaine of Mettals,
where wonderful! quantitie of most pure Tinne is digged up.
1670 Pettus Fodinge Reg. 2 When the Miners by these
Shafts or Adits do strike or threed a Vein of any Metal.,
then the Metal which is digged from those Veins is called
Oar. 1700 T. Robinson Nat. Hist. Westmoreld. 24 These
Fissures, by the Miners, are called Dykes, Rakes, Riders,
or Veins, according to the Nature of those Classes of
Matter they pervade. 1747 HoosoN Miner's Did. O2,
Ore is the very Vein itself, all other Signs of Ore or Vein
are not comparable to it; yet this is allowed, that two Sides
and Soil between them, formes a dead Vein. 1793 [Earl
Dundonald] Descr. Estate Cidross 15 At that time the
vein of Roch Salt in Cheshire had not been discovered.
1813 Bakewell Introd. Geol. (1815) 274 Veins of quartz,
and also of slate and granite, and various earthy minerals .
frequently intersect granitic and schistose rocks. 1836-41
Brandf. Cfum. (ed. 5) 586 Metals are chiefly found in the
earth in veins which traverse the granitic, schistose, and
limestone rocks. 1875 Dawson Dawn Life it. 13 Strata
often diversified with veins.. of crystalline minerals.
fig. a\6^ CowLF.Y Death Mr. Jordan Poems (1905) 22
Like those that work in Mines for others gain. He.. had
much more to do, To search the Vein, dig, purge, and mint
it too. 1875 Whitney Life Lang. ix. 171 These are telling
indications of an original relationship among all the groups
of languages mentioned : outcroppings, as it were, of a vein
which invites further exploration.
8. i"a. A strip or limited stretch of ground or
soil, esp. one having a particular character or
quality. Obs.
1555WATREMAN /Vrrrf/tf^fwr/Vwf ii.ii. iioThewholecontrie
(exceptealitle vaineof sandiegrauelle)is(ertile. 1580TUSSER
Huso. (1878) 48 Each soile hath no liking of euerie graine,
nor barlie and wheat is for euerie vaine. 1611 Coryat
Crudities 49, I saw in divers places very fat and fruitfull
veines of ground as goodly meadowes, very spatious champaigne
fieldes [etc]. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia 144, The
most plantations were placed strasUngly and scatteringly,
as a choice veine of rich ground inuited them. 1693 Evelyn
De la Quint. Comf>l. Card. I. 19 Some Earths are much
better than others in every Climate, nay even sometimes in
a small Compass of Ground, vulgarly term'd Veins of Earth.
b. A channel or lane of water.
1606 S. Gardiner Bk. Angling i He prouideth himselfe a
ship, keele, or cocke-boat, out of which he may lay out and
take in his nets and be in the vaine and way where the best
doing is. zOy-^H. Stvbbk Fttrtiter Vifid. Dutch JVar App.
131 The King of Sweden.. hath also several disfncts,
channels, or veins Royal in his Seas, which are appropriated
to his particular use. 1820 Scorrrby Acc. Arctic keg. I.
229 A lane, or vein, is a narrow channel of water in packs,
or other large collections of Ice. /Idd. 260 Whenever a vein
of water appears in the required direction, it is if possible
attained. 1835 [see Lane **. 2I. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Wordbk..
Vein, the clear water between the openings of floes of ice.
The same as ice-lane.
c. A current of wind ; the track in which this
82
1791 Bklknap Hist. New Hampsh. III. 24 The next day
a whirlwind began.. and directed its course toward the
east, in a vein of near half a mile wide, i860 Maury Ph^s.
Geog. XV. §677 Lieutenant Jansen has called my attention
to a vein of wind which forms a current in the air as remarkable
as that of the Gulf Stream is in the sea. 1867 Smvth
Sailor's Word-bk.y Fein, . .a very limited current of wind—
a cat's-paw.
d. IVhaiiftg, (See quot.)
X851 H.Melville IVhate II. ii. 5 When making a passage
from one feeding-ground to another, the sperm whales,
guided by some infallible instinct, . . mostly swim in veins, as
they are called, continuing their way along a given oceanline
with..undeviating exactitude.
III. Jig, 9. A strain or intermixture of some
quality traceable in personal character or conduct,
in a discourse or writing, etc.
1565 Stapleton tr. Staphylus" Apol. r53 With the like
vaine of euangelicall sincerite. 1587 Holinshed Chron.
III. 1266 I Bicause it is a veine of godlie deuise, and tending
to a verie honorable purpose. 1680 W. Allen Peace fif
Unity 16 ' Let all your things be done with Charity ' : a line
and vein of this should run through all. 1690 C. Nesse
Hist. Myst. O. ^ N. T. I. 117 This is a fear oi faith, which
hath always a vein of love running along with it, 1701 W.
WoTTON Hist, Rome 389 A vein of Superstition ran through
all his Actions. 1773 Burke Corr. (1844} I. 446 I'here is a
vein of natural good sense in him, from which a good deal
might be expected. x8ao Examiner No. 612. 11/2 A fine
vein of sentiment runs through it. 1849 Macaulay Hist.
Eng.vi. II. 20 An English Dominican.. with some learning
and a rich vein of natural humour. 1867 Freeman Norm.
Cong. (1877) I. 331 There is a vein of bitter sarcasm in the
way in which the tale is told.
b. A line or course ^thought, etc. ; a source of
information.
1704 Swift T. Tub ii, I have collected out of ancient
authors this short summary of a body of philosophy and
divinity, which seems to have been composed by a vein and
race of thinking very different from any other systems.
17S1 Johnson Rambler No. 169 P 12 Delay opens new
veins of thought. x8a4 W. Irving T. Trav. I. 217 In the
midst of a vein of thought or a moment of inspiration. 1875
JowETT Plato (ed. 2) II. 6 He professes to open a new veui
of discourse. 1887 Moloney Forestry W. Africa 32 The
many gentlemen who make the Science of Botany a lifelong
study, and who have so many veins of information.
1 10. a. The tenor or general character ^something.
Ohs.-'^
1555 R. Taylor in Coverdale Lett, Martyrs C1564) 171, I
doe belieue that the Religion set forth in King Edwardes
dayes was accordyng to the vayne of the holy Scripture,
t b. A kind or species. Obs, rare.
1368 Bp. CHENvin Strype /}««. i?r/C (1709) I. Hi. 525 These
young men, which are of a lower vein, . . be not men perfect,
as they seem. 1652-6* Heylin Cosmogr. (1673) m. 29/1
Other Commodities of this Island are.. Honey as good as
any the world affordeth ; and a vein of most delicious vines.
11. A natural tendency towards, a special aptitude
or capacity for, the production of literary or
artistic work ; a particular strain of talent or
genius: a. With possessives. (The common use.)
1577 Grange Golden Aphrod. Nijb, If I had Virgilles
vayne to indite, or Homers quill. 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie
(Arb.) 21 They beeing Poets, dyd exerci.se their delightful
vaine in those points of highest knowledge. 1634 Wotton
Arch. Reliq. (1672) 57 Artizans have not only their Growths
and Perfections but likewise their Vains and Times, 1697
Evelyn Nnmismata viii. 286 Vittoria Colonna, ..whose
extraordinary Vein in Poetry was equal with Petrarchs.
1729 T, Cooke Tales, etc. 63 Indulge, my Friend, thy
modest Vein ; . . Prospects, gay smiling, aid the Strain. 176a
Kamrs Elem. Crit, (1833) 336 The fertility of Shakspeare's
vein betrays him frequently [etc.]. 1837 Lockhart Scott I.
iv. 122 His boyish addiction to verse, and the rebuke which
his vein received from the Apothecary's.. wife.
b. With a, that, etc.
1580 G. Harvey Three Lett. Spenser's Wks. (1912) 628
They sauour of that singular extraordinarie veine and
inuention, whiche I euer fancied moste. xg^ B. Jonson
Cynthia's Rev. in. i. You must prove the aptitude of your
genius; if you find none, j-ou must hearken out a vein, and
buy. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 72 All the fabulous veine, and
learning of Greece, proceedoi out of this quarter. 1656
Bramhall Repiic. ii. 78, I doe not take my self to have so
happy a vein, that all that I utter should be a definition.
X7.. Philips Epistle in Steele's Poet. Misc. (171^) 37 Why
then, in making Verses should I strain For Wit, and of
Apollo beg a Vein? 173J Berkeley Alciphr. iii. § 15 For
the coffee-houses and populace, we have declaimers of a
copious; vein. 1820 Hazlitt Lect. Dram. Lit. 2 To these
might be added others not less learned, nor with a scarce
less happy vein.
12. A special or characteristic style of language
or expression in writing or speech : a. With
possessives.
1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Pref. C j b, Though euerie translatonr
folowe his owne veine of turnyng the Latin into
Englishe. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Oct. 23 To restraine
The lust of lawlesse youth with good aduice: Or pricke
them forth with pleasaunce of thy vaine. 1507 Returnfr.
Parnass. iv. i. 1166 Lett mee heare Chaucer s vaine firste.
I love antiquitie, if it be not harshe. 1605 Bacon Adv.
Learn, i. iv. § 2 Then grew the flowing and watery vein of
Osorius, the Portugal bishop, to be in price. 1641 Brome
yoviall Crew i, What say, Sir, to our Poet Scribble here ?
spy. I like his vain exceeding well. 1816 Scorr Provinc.
Antiq. Scotl.(j826) 119 After adorning it with an inscription,
somewhat in the vein of Ancient Pistol. 1902 G. Sampson
Ne7vman's Sel. Ess. Introd. p. xxxvi, They [sc. these words)
are not in Blougram's vein,
b. With a, this, etc.
1576 N.R. in Gascoigne^s Steele Glas Wks. 1910 II. 138
Thus divers men with divers vaines did write. But Gascoigne
doth in every vaine indite. 1598 Barret Theor.
VEIN.
Warres ii. i. 29 To haue a sweet vaine in speech. 1620-6
QuARLES Div. Poems, Hadassa Pref., A Sober vaine best
suits Theologie. a 1704 Locke Cond. Underst. Posth. Wks.
(1706) 18 Many a good poetick Vein is burled under a
I'rade. 1746 Francis tr. Horace^ Sat. i. iv. 133 Such Rancour
this, of such a poisonous Vein, As never, never, shall my
Paper stain. 1850 Kingsley A. Locke ix, Is it not noteworthy
also, that it is in this vein that the London poets
have always been greatest? 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I.
276 The answer, Meno, was in the orthodox solemn vein.
C. With ^zV, etc., and qualifying term.
1865 Kingsley Herezv. xii, To which hereward answered,
in his boasting vein, that he would bring home that mare.
1873 Dixon 'J 2vo Queens xx, i. IV. 61 Writing a letter in his
smoothest vein to Wolsey. 1877 ' H. A. Page ' De Quincey
I. xi. 213 The following shows bim in his best vein.
1 13. A particular course of action or conduct
a habit or practice. Obs.
1597 MoRLEY Introd. Mus. 124 The composers of that age
..followed only that vaine of wresting in much matter in
small boundes. 1615 Lieut, of Tower s Sp. in Harl. Misc.
(Malh.) ill. 319, I was much addicted to that idle Vein of
Gambling. x6i6 R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) 62 Thus he
runs on his course, til 's drunken vaine Ruines his substance.
c 1725 Swift 6>/v«. x. Wks. 1841 II. 164/1 Hence it is become
an impertinent vein among people of all sorts to hunt after
what they call a good sermon.
fb. An inclination or desire, a tendency, towards
something specified. Obs.
1587 Harrison England 11. iii. (1877) 88, I perceiue the
abbeie lands haue fleshed you and set your teeth on edge,
to aske also those colleges. . . As you loue your welfares ther-
fore, follow no more this veine, but content your selues with
that you haue alreadie. 1625 Bacon Ess,, Of Envy (Arb.)
513 Adrian the Emperour, that mortally Enuied Poets, and
Painters, and Artificers, in Works, wherein he had a veine
to excell. 1673 Temple Ess. Ireland Wks. 1720 1. 109, I
suppose the Vein I have had of running into Speculations
of this kind., have cost me this present Service.
14. Personal character or disposition ; also, a
particular element or trait in this.
1565 Cooper ThesauT^is s.v. Vena, To knov the naturall
disposition and veyne of euery man. x575GAscoiGNEG/(ZJJf
Gozit. Wks. 1910 II. 6 No Terence phrase:.. The verse
that pleasde a Romaine rashe intent, Myght well offend the
godly Preachers vayne. 1590 Shaks. Com. Err. iv. iv. 83
It is no shame, the fellow tinds his vaine, And yeelding to
him, humors well his frensie. 1639 N. N. tr. Du Bosq's
Compl. Woman 1. 17 They have need of somewhat more
than a pleasant veyne, and.. at least they have as much
discretion as vertue. a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (ix.
Archseol. Soc.) IL 145 The veine of those petty Bourkes..
may seeme strange to any that is both well affected and
fully acquainted with them. 1774 Goldsm. Retal. 59 So
provoking a devil was Dick, That we wished him full ten
times a day at Old Nick ; But, missing his mirth and agreeable
vein, As often we wished to have Dick back again.
1819 Shelley Cenci i. ii. 28 Vou have a sly, equivocating
vein. 18*0 Lamb Elia 1. Oxford in Vacation, When the
peacock vein rises, I strut a Gentleman Commoner. 1854
Kingsley Lett. (1878) I. 433. I am afraid I have a little of the
wolf-vein in me, in spite of fifteen centuries of civilization.
b. A temporary state of mind or feeling ; a
humour or mood.
1577-82 Breton Toys Idle Head Wks. (Grosart) I. 28/2
For who continues in this vaine Of setting still,,, in the ende
he shall be faine To leaue it. 1588 Marprel. Epist. (Arb.)
34, I am hardly drawn to a merie vaine from such waightie
matters. 1602 -znd Pt. Return f?-. Parnass. 11. iv. 699 lie
take the Gentleman now, he is in a good vayne, for he
smiles. 1640 Brome Sparagus Gard. iv. vii, Could I get
her In a marriage vaine, but she'll not look Upon a man
not she. 1723 Pope Lett. Wks. 1737 VI. 146 The merry
Vein you knew me in, is sunk into a '1 urn of Reflection.
J760-72 H. Brooke FoolofQual. (1809) IV. 113 Harry was
in no manner of vein., for entertaining. 1825 Scott Talism.
vi, He knew not how to pursue the pleasing theme, so as to
Foothe and prolong the vein which he had excited. _ 1863
Geo. Eliot Romola i. iv, If thou art in a classical vein, put
myrtle about his curls and make him a young Bacchus.
c. In the vein, in a fit or suitable mood for
something.
1593 Shaks. Rich. Ill, iv. iii. 122 Thou troublest me, I am
not in the vaine.
1865 M, Arnold Ess. Crit. iii. (1875) 119 To produce constantly,
to produce whether in the vein or out of the vein.
1879 Meredith Egoist xxxiv, I like to hear them when I
am in the vein. ios R. Bagot Passport xtx. 176 Nobody
can be more amusing when she is in the vein.
+ d. A fit ^laughter. Obsr-^
1734 tr. Rollins Anc. Hist. (1827) VII, 29 He burst into
a loud vein of laughter.
IV. 16. atirib. and Comb. a. In sense i, as
vein-blood (also = blood-letting), -healing adj.,
pipe, -streaked adj., -work.
C1386 Chai'cer Knt.'s T. 1B89 That nother veyne blod,
ne ventusyng, Ne drynk of herbes may ben his helpj-ng.
£1425 St. Christina ix. in AngUa VIII. 123/16 She lete
hep blode ful often of mykel veyne blode. 1528 Paynell
Saleme's Regim. biiij, Hit is nat clere nor flowynge, but
more lyke to veyne bludde. 1545 J^av^ald Byrth Mankynde
17 b, Vayne blood and artire blood. 1590 Spenser
Muiopot. 197 Veyne-healing Veruen, and bed-purging Dili.
1504 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. II. To Rdr., The coole
refreshing it hath from the lungs, or the veine-pipes proceeding
from the liuer. 1890 Le Gallienne G. Meredith
32 The human form disappears beneath nets of veinwork
and muscle. 1894 Mrs. Dyan Man's Keeping {1899) 118
Urquhart..saw the vein-streaked hand gripping the pipestem
tremble.
t b. In sense 6 b, as vein-riveret . Obs.~^
1656 Heylin Stirv. France 34 A veine riveret of the
Seine.
c. In sense 7, as veinfissure^ -fornix -formation^
-gallery^ -granite^ viarble, etc.