▪ I. gourmand, a. and n.
(ˈgʊəmənd, ‖ gurmɑ̃)
Forms: 5 (pl.) gourmans, 6 gormande, gourmound, 6–7 gorman, gor-, gurmond, gurmand, 8 gormaund, 7–9 gourmond, 6–9 gormand, 6– gourmand.
[a. F. gourmand, fem. gourmande, adj. and n., of unknown origin.]
A. adj. Gluttonous, greedy; fond of eating.
Now regarded as attributive or appositive use of B.
| 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 996 Sillye Saulis, that bene Christis scheip, Ar geuin to hungre gormande wolfis to keip. 1557 North Gueuara's Diall. Pr. (1568) 161 The insatiable and gurmand throate. 1693 J. Dryden, jun. in D.'s Juvenal Sat. xiv. (1697) 345 In Feeding high, his Tutor will surpass, As Heir Apparent of the Gourmand Race. 1725 Pope Odyss. xvii. 529 What God has plagu'd us with this gormaund guest? 1824 Byron Juan xv. lxiii, How shall I get this gourmand stanza through? 1849 T. Woolner My Beautiful Lady (1863) 20, I told of gourmand thrushes, which, To feast on morsels oozy rich, Cracked poor snails' curling niche. |
B. n.
1. a. One who is over-fond of eating, one who eats greedily or to excess, a glutton.
| 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) v. iii. 337 b/2 Take none hede to gourmans & glotons whiche ete more than is to theym necessary. 1569 J. Sandford tr. Agrippa's Van. Artes 154 b, Their name passed into the surname of garmands [sic: read gurmands or gormands] and gluttons. 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Gormandant, & yvrongnant, to play the gorman and drunkard. 1599 Marston Sco. Villanie i. iv, The gurmonds paunch is fed. 1603 B. Jonson Sejanus i. i, That great gourmond, fat Apicivs. 1655 Moufet & Bennet Health's Improv. (1746) 154 Greedy Gourmands, that cannot moderately use the good Creatures of God. 1692 Locke Educ. §14 Many are made Gormands and Gluttons by Custom, that were not so by Nature. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair vi. 49 Jos, that fat gourmand, drank up the whole contents of the bowl. 1939 Joyce Finnegans Wake (1964) 235 Our cousin gourmand, Percy, the pup. |
† b. fig. Obs.
| 1537 Lyndesay Deplor. Q. Magd. 26 O Cruell Deith!..Gredie gorman! quhy did thow nocht [etc.]. c 1580 J. Jeffere Bugbears i. ii. 54 in Archiv Stud. d. neu. Spr. (1897) XCVIII. 308 O gredy gaping gourmound! o whinyng drivelinge miser! 1645 Milton Colast. Wks. (1851) 373 The disdain I haue to change a period more with the filth and venom of this gourmand swell'd into a confuter. 1687 Dryden Hind & P. iii. 969 When some lay-preferment fell by chance, The gourmands made it their inheritance. |
2. One who is fond of delicate fare; a judge of good eating. In this sense only partially anglicized, and often pronounced (gurmɑ̃). (Cf. gourmet.)
| 1758 Chesterfield Lett. 22 Sept. (1774) II. cxx. 427, I dare say, their table is always good, for the Landgrave is a Gourmand. 1806 A. Hunter Culina (ed. 3) 263, I appeal to all the thorough-bred Gourmands in every part of the civilized world. 1816 Coleridge Statesman's Man. (1817) 360 Their best cooks have no more idea of dressing a turtle than the gourmands themselves, at Paris, have of the true taste and colour of the fat! a 1839 Praed Bachelor Poems 1864 II. 80 You know that I was held by all The greatest epicure in Hall, And that the voice of Granta's sons Styled me the Gourmand of St. John's. 1845 Darwin Voy. Nat. xx. 464 The slimy disgusting Holuthurizæ..which the Chinese gourmands are so fond of. 1853 C. Brontë Villette I. x. 182 Fifine was a frank gourmande; any body could win her heart through her palate. |
3. Comb., as gormand-like adv.
| 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 1149 The Rauin began..Full gormondlyke his emptie throte to feid. |
▪ II. † gourmand, v. Obs.
In 5 goormaunde, 6 gourmaund, 7 gurmond.
[a. F. gourmander, f. gourmand: see prec.]
a. intr. To eat greedily or gluttonously. b. trans. To devour greedily.
| a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 9 He chidde his wiff, saieng that she had lost his doughter for leting her haue to moche her wille, and to lete her goormaunde oute of tyme. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Luke vi. 25 Whan..the bealy too whiche gourmaundeth, shal bee consumed, than shal ye bee houngrie and fynde no relief. 1646 G. Daniel Poems Wks. 1878 I. 42 Another..Gurmonds his Meat. |
Hence † gourmanding vbl. n. Also † gourmander = gourmand n. 1.
| 1542 Udall Erasm. Apophth. 77 b, Thei were vnmeasurable raueners and gourmaunders. Ibid. 109 Thyne vnmeasurable gourmaundyng and surfaictyng. 1570 Levins Manip. 79/36 Gourmander, Gormander, manduco. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Luke vii. 34 Behold a man that is a gurmander. 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 467 The Persians are great gourmaunders and greedy gluttons. |