▪ I. anthem, n.
(ˈænθɪm)
Forms: 1–4 antefn(e, 3–6 -tempne (3–4 -tephne, 5 -thephne), 4–6 antem(e, -tim(e, 5 -tym, 6 -temne, -temme, 6–7 -theme, 7 -thym, -thymne, -themne, 7– anthem.
[OE. antefn(e a. early Romanic *antéfena, *antéfna:—late L. ant{iacu}fona (Isidore), for ant{iacu}phōna, a. Gr. ἀντίϕωνα: see antiphon.
The Gr. accent was preserved in late L. ant{iacu}phōna, ant{iacu}fona, whence It. ant{iacu}fona, Pr. ant{iacu}fena, antiéfna, OFr. *antievne, later antievre and antienne, antaine (like OFr. Estievre, Estienne for *Estievne, It. Istéfano:—L. Stephanum). The phonetic development in Eng. was anˈtefne, anˈtevne, anˈtemne, ˈantemn, ˈantem, ˈanthem. Cf. (i) efen, even, Stephen, Steven; (2) efn, emn, stefne, stemne, nefnian, nemnian; (3) hym(n, colum(n, autum(n. For the subseq. corruption of antem to anthem, cf. Ant(h)ony, amarant(h, amiant(h; in 15th c. Fr. we also find anthaine for antaine; some Eng. spellings indicate an attempt to explain the word as antihymn, ant'hymn. A by-form anteyn, adopted from Fr. antaine, also occurs in 13–14th c.; in 16th antiphona was anew adopted as antiphon.]
1. A composition, in prose or verse, sung antiphonally, or by two voices or choirs, responsively; an antiphon. Obs. or arch.
| a 1000 Bæda i. xxv. (Bosw.) Is ðæt sǽd, ðæt hi ðysne letan{iacu}an and antefn ᵹeleóþre stæfne sungan. c 1230 Ancr. R. 42 Efter hire viue hexte blissen tel in þe antefnes [v.r. antempnes]. 1440 Promp. Parv., Antym, Antiphona. a 1520 Myrr. Our Lady 95 After the Hympne cometh Antempnes and psalmes. Antem ys as moche to saye as a sownyng before, for yt ys begonne before the Psalmes; yt is as moche to saye as sownynge ageynste. 1555 Fardle of Facions ii. xii. 272 The Anthemes..Damasus put ordre that the quiere should sing side aftre side. 1623 Cockeram, Anthemne, a Song which Church-men sing by course one after another. 1654 Lestrange Charles I (1656) 114 The King and the Spanish Ambassador descended into the Chappell, continuing..untill an Anthymne was sung. 1782 Priestley Corrupt. Chr. II. viii. 122 The method of singing by..anthem..introduced. |
2. A composition in unmeasured prose (usually from the Scriptures or Liturgy) set to music.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prioress' T. 208 And bad me for to synge This antym [v.r. -theme, -teme, -time, -thephene] verraily in my deyinge. 1530 Palsgr., Antemne, a song, antiesme. 1577 Holinshed Chron. 1005/2 In the meane time did the quier sing y⊇ antheme beginning ‘Unxerunt regem.’ 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. ii. 213 For my voice, I haue lost it with hallowing and singing of Anthemes. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 405 ¶2 Those parts of the inspired Writings, which are proper for Divine Songs and Anthems. 1795 Mason Ch. Music ii. 108 The first Anthem set to English words after the Reformation..was that of Dr. Tye, beginning ‘I will exalt thee.’ 1855 Tennyson Ode Wellington 60 The sound of the sorrowing anthem roll'd Thro' the dome. |
3. loosely in poetry: A song, as of praise or gladness. Also used of the English ‘National’ or ‘Royal Anthem,’ which is technically a hymn.
| 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 240 Breathe it in mine eare, As ending Antheme of my endlesse dolor. 1735 H. Brooke Univ. Beauty 111. (R.) The floods..tune their anthems. a 1821 Keats Nightingale viii, Thy plaintive anthem fades Past the near meadows, over the still stream. 1866 Engel Nat. Music i. 2 (Note to ‘National Anthem’) Anthem is musically an inappropriate title for this tune. It has, however, now been so generally adopted that it would be pedantic not to use it. 1880 Grove Dict. Music I. 605 ‘God Save the King,’ the so-called ‘National Anthem’ of England. |
4. Comb. and attrib., as anthem-bell, anthem-book; anthem-wise, in manner of an anthem, antiphonally.
| 1611 Cotgr., Martinet..a Saints bell, or Antham bell. 1625 Bacon Ess. Masques (Arb.) 539 Seuerall Quires, placed one ouer against another, and taking the Voice by Catches Antheme-wise. |
▸ A popular song with rousing, emotive, qualities, often one identified with a particular subculture, social group, or cause. Chiefly with distinguishing word, denoting either the associated cause or subculture or simply the genre of music, as football anthem, rock anthem, etc. Sometimes mildly derogatory.
| 1935 Times 23 Dec. 3/1 A shouting crowd..remained there for some time, singing what now seems to be accepted as the Welsh national as well as football anthem, ‘Land of My Fathers’. 1969 N.Y. Times 28 Nov. 43/2 They had more the air of theatre first-nighters..than of social activists in search of a rock anthem. 1975 Washington Post 19 Aug. b7/2 Even before it turned up as the theme song for the film ‘Easy Rider’, Steppenwolf's ‘Born to be Wild’ was already something of a rock anthem. 1985 T. Ferguson Onyx John ix. 254 ‘Let the Sun Shine In’ proved entirely inappropriate as a sixties anthem when really we were moon children. 1989 Q Dec. 170/2 Siffre vanished until 1987, when his anti-apartheid anthem Something Inside So Strong went to Number 4. 1992 S. Holloway Courage High! v. 51/2 A Hogmanay party every year when the men would gather together for yarning and to sing the popular songs of the period, which included their ‘anthem’—a ballad called ‘The Waterman Fireman’. 2001 Muzik Jan. 26/1 Their 1997 vocal breakbeat trance anthem ‘The Gift’ stormed the charts and spawned an army of pale imitations. |
▪ II. anthem, v.
(ˈænθɪm)
[f. prec. n.; cf. to chant, hymn.]
trans. To celebrate or praise in an anthem, to sing to sacred music.
| 1628 Feltham Resolves i. xci. (1647) 285 He that had anthem'd the purenesse of the God of Israel. a 1821 Keats Fancy 42 Sweet birds antheming the morn. 1877 W. Lytteil Landm. iv. ii. 193 The tips of the granite mountains..antheming their hymn of praise. |