▪ I. canopy, n.
(ˈkænəpɪ)
Forms: 5–6 canape, -ope, 6 canapee, -opi, cannopy, canyppy, (? cannebe), north. canaby(e, 6–7 canapie, -apy, -opie, Sc. cannabie, 7 cannapie, canopey, 6– canopy.
[In 15th c. canape, a. F. canapé (formerly also conopée masc. ‘a canopie, tent, or pauilion’, Cotgr.) = Sp., Pg. canapé ‘couch, sofa’, It. canopè (Diez), med.L. ‘canopeum, quod suspenditur super altare’ (Du Cange), in cl. L. cōnōpēum, -eum, -ium, ‘net of fine gauze about the bed, mosquito curtains’ (Lewis & Short), ‘pavilion, tent, or bed with a tester’ (Scheller), a. Gr. κωνωπεῖον ‘an Egyptian bed or couch with mosquito curtains’ (L. & S.), f. κάνωψ gnat, mosquito. The Eng. forms may have been partly from med.L., and in Eng. the sense has adhered to ‘curtain or tester’, while in the mod. Romanic langs. that of ‘couch’ or ‘sofa’ has prevailed.]
1. a. A covering or hangings suspended over a throne, couch, bed, etc., or held over a person walking in procession.
| 1382 Wyclif Judith xiii. 10 She toc awei his canope fro the pileris. 1454 E.E. Wills (1882) 133 My bed of grene sylke, wiþ the testour & Canape ther-to. c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. 29/2, Iiij of the noblest bereth the canapie ouer his hed. 1561 Invent. 138 (Jam.) Ane cannabie of grene taffetie..quhilke may serue for any dry stuill or a bed. 1576 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 113 They beare the foure staves of the Canapie over the Kings head at the time of his coronation. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iv. xlv. 365 At this day the Popes are carried by Switzers under a Canopie. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 268 The mattress..had a large canopy over it, spread like the crown of a tent. 1843 Prescott Mexico (1850) I. 28 Above the throne was a canopy of variegated plumage. |
b. spec. A covering over a shrine, or over the Host when borne in procession.
| 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburgh (1848) 146 Also ouer the shryne was prepared a canaby Of cloth of golde. c 1520 Mem. Ripon (Surtees) III. 201 Caruer framyng et carvyng j canape pro Corpore Xpi per iiij dies, 2s. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (1852) 94 The byshoppe bereynge the sacrament under a canapy. 1757 tr. Keysler's Trav. (1760) I. 70 The venerable host, which was carried under a splendid canopy. |
2. a. transf. and gen. A covering, an over-hanging shade or shelter. spec. the uppermost layer of branches in a forest.
| 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. v. i. 88 Their shadowes seeme A Canopy most fatall, vnder which Our Army lies. 1641 Maisterton Serm. 23 Beautifull walks..shaded with the green canopy of every pleasant..tree. 1723 Pope Let. to Digby 10 Oct., The prospects begin to open..thro' the high canopies of trees to the higher arch of heaven. 1855 Maury Phys. Geog. Sea v. (1860) §299 Under a canopy of perpetual clouds. 1874 Hartwig Aerial W. i. 1 The atmosphere spreads its invisible canopy over sea and land. 1905 Terms Forestry & Logging 8 Crown cover, the canopy formed by the crowns of all the trees in a forest. 1952 P. W. Richards Tropical Rain Forest ii. 23 A canopy means a more or less continuous layer of tree crowns of approximately even height. |
b. esp. applied to the overhanging firmament.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 311 This most excellent Canopy the Ayre..this braue ore-hanging, this Maiesticall Roofe, fretted with golden fire. 1607 ― Cor. iv. v. 41 Where dwel'st thou? Vnder the Canopy. 1667 Milton P.L. iii. 556 Where he stood So high above the circling Canopie Of Nights extended shade. 1794 Sullivan View Nat. II. l. 453 At first, the celestial canopy was divided into three principal parts. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) III. xiii. 290 The people had met under the canopy of heaven. |
c. fig. Covering, shelter.
| 1603 H. Crosse Vertues Commw. (1878) 19 Shrowding thy selfe vnder the Cannapie of Vertue. 1650 T. Hubbert Pill Formality 12 A form of Religion serves for a Canopie to cover all these abominations. 18.. Syd. Smith, Withdrawing the canopy of his name from the bad passions of country gentlemen. |
3. Arch. A roof-like ornamented projection, surmounting a niche, door, window, tomb, etc.
| 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin iv. 31 The Pulpit now lifting its lofty Head With carved Canopy stands covered. 1874 Parker Illust. Goth. Archit. i. v. 186 A niche was originally intended to contain an image, and the canopy over it was to protect the head of the image. |
4. Naut. (See quots.)
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-Bk., Canopy, a light awning over the stern-sheets of a boat. 1961 F. H. Burgess Dict. Sailing 44 Canopy, a canvas covering on a metal frame or supported by stanchions, for protective coverings over hatchways, etc. |
5. A hood over a carriage or motor car. Also attrib.
| 1895 Montgomery Ward Catal. 580/1 Canopy Top Surrey... A very nice carriage. 1906 W. W. Beaumont Motor Vehicles (ed. 2) II. 150 A..car with a closed tonneau body or limousine with canopy top and wind guard. 1930 Motor Body Building LI. 105/1 If the longitudinal framing is carried over the driver's seat the extension is called the canopy rail. |
6. The ‘umbrella’ of a parachute, which fills with air when released from its packing.
| 1930 C. Dixon Parachuting vi. 53 The moment the silk canopy meets the full shock of the air currents—which spread it to its maximum extension—it pulls the airman off the wing and swings him into space. 1940 [see brolly 2]. 1959 Times 18 May 8/7, I heard the crack of the canopy opening above me. |
7. The cover of the cockpit in an aircraft.
| 1939 Jane's All World's Aircraft 48c/1 Enclosed pilot's cockpit over wing. Sliding canopy with quick-release for emergency exit. 1944 Aircraft of Fighting Powers V. 29/2 The introduction of the ‘tear-drop’ cockpit canopy on the P-51D has resulted in a decrease in the keel area ahead of the tail assembly. |
▪ II. canopy, v.
(ˈkænəpɪ)
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To cover with, or as with, a canopy.
| c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xii, Lofty trees..Which erst from heat did canopie the herd. 1698 Crowne Caligula iii. 28 That point of Heaven..Which canopys that holy happy land. 1791 E. Darwin Bot. Gard. ii. 65 Yon gay clouds, which canopy the skies. 1869 E. Peacock in Athenæum 22 May 710/3 A very graceful iron herse..canopies the alabaster effigies of a Marmion and his spouse. |