▪ I. griffin1, griffon, gryphon
(ˈgrɪfɪn, ˈgrɪfən)
Forms: α. 4–5 griffun, gryffoun(e, (5 -own), 5 griffoun(e, greffon, 5–7 gryffon, 5, 7–8 grifon, 6 gryfon, 6–7 griffion, 6 griffen, 7 gryffen, 4 griffyn, (5 grefyne, grifyn), 7–8 gryffin, 4– griffon, 6– griffin. β. 5, 7 griphon, (6 girphinne, Sc. grephoun), 6–7 griphin, 6–8 gryphin, 7, 9 gryphen, 5– gryphon.
[a. OF. grifoun, F. griffon (OF. also gripon) = It. grifone, f. L. grȳphus (Mela) = grȳps (gen. grȳphis), a. Gr. γρύψ (gen. γρῡπός).
In sense 2, and its comb. in 4, the regular modern spelling is griffon, in other senses usually griffin, though gryphon is used by many writers as having more dignified associations.]
1. A fabulous animal usually represented as having the head and wings of an eagle and the body and hind quarters of a lion.
By the Greeks they were believed to inhabit Scythia, and to keep jealous watch over the gold of that country.
| 13.. K. Alis. 496 The griffon of him was agast. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1275 Lik a grifphon looked he aboute [Lansd., Corpus & Hengw. MSS. griffon, Cambr. MS. grefoun]. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxix. 132 In þat land er many griffouns..þai hafe þe schappe of ane egle before, and behind þe schappe of a lyoun. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 1981 Frome a greffon he was refte. 1481 Caxton Myrr. ii. iv. 69 The gryffons wylde whiche haue bodyes of lyouns fleyng. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 88 The Griphin is a Foule of plentifull and thicke fether, and foure footed withall. 1601 Chester Love's Mart., Dial. clxviii, The Griffon is a bird rich-feathered, His head is like a Lion, and his flight Is like the Eagles. 1620 Quarles Feast for Wormes Propos., The Horse and Gryphin shall together sleepe. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 943 As when a Gryfon through the wilderness..Pursues the Arimaspian, who by stealth Had from his wakeful custody purloind The guarded Gold. 1713 Steele Guardian No. 60 ¶4 A learned controversy about the existence of griffins. 1716 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Mrs. T. Thistlethwayte 30 Aug., Among these relics they showed me a prodigious claw, set in gold, which they called the claw of a griffin. 1829 Carlyle Misc. (1857) II. 61 A stony desert tenanted by Gryphons and Chimeras. a 1856 H. Miller Test. Rocks iii. (1857) 142 The great dragons and griffins and ‘laithly worms’ of mediaeval legend. 1865 ‘L. Carroll’ Alice in Wonderland ix. (1886) 138 They very soon came upon a Gryphon, lying fast asleep in the sun. |
b. A representation or figure of a griffin, as in Heraldry, Sculpture, etc.
| 13.. Coer de L. 2963 Off red sendel were her baneres. With three gryffouns depaynted wel. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3870 Qwat gome was he this with the gaye armes, With þis gryffoune of golde. 1439 E.E. Wills (1882) 117 A Skochen of myn Armes..and ij Greffons to bere hit vppe. 1460 Lybeaus Disc. 81 A scheld..Wyth a gryffoun of say. 1552 Inv. Bexley in Archæol. Cant. VIII. 108 On cope of red with floures and griffens of gold. 1640 Yorke Union Hon. 119 A Griffin Sergreant Or. 1753 Hogarth Anal. Beauty vi. 33 The griffin, a modern hiero⁓glyphic, signifying strength and swiftness. 1778 Pennant Tour in Wales (1883) I. 88 The Britons..put letters on them [coins], elephants and gryphons; things they were before unacquainted with. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. ix, The paw remained suspended in the air like the claw of a heraldic griffin. 1828–40 Berry Encycl. Her. I, Griffin Male, in heraldry is represented without wings, having rays of gold issuing from various parts of the body. 1831 Landor Ct. Julian Wks. 1846 II. 514 Gryphens and Eagles, ivory and gold, Can add no clearness to the lamp above. 1863 M. E. Braddon J. Marchmont I. v. 82 Grim stone griffins surmount the terrace-steps. 1864 Boutell Her. Hist. & Pop. ix. 67 A gryphon is the dexter Supporter of the Duke of Cleveland. |
2. A vulture; now = griffon-vulture (see 4).
| 1382 Wyclif Lev. xi. 13 An egle, and a griffyn [Vulg. gryphem], and a merlyoun. ― Deut. xiv. 12 Egle, and griffun. 1609 Bible (Douay) Lev. xi. 13 The Eagle, and the griffon, and the osprey. 1873 Tristram Moab vii. 131 The griffons circled and soared from their eyries. 1876 Oxford Bible-Helps 95 ‘Eagle’ (Deut. xxxii. 11)..the..griffon, great vulture. 1884–5 Riverside Nat. Hist. (1888) IV. 274 The griffin or fulvous vulture, Gyps fulvus. |
3. transf. A grim-looking or extremely vigilant guardian. (Cf. dragon.)
| 1824 R. B. Peake Amer. Abroad i. ii, It [the larder] is always locked up by that she griffin with a bunch of keys. |
4. attrib. and Comb., as griffin-beaked, griffin-guarded, griffin-like, griffin-winged adjs.; griffin's foot, a surgical instrument, so called from its form; griffon-vulture, a vulture of the genus Gyps, esp. G. fulvus.
| 1875 W. M{supc}Ilwraith Guide Wigtownshire 140 The *griffin-beaked galleys of the ancient Scandinavians. |
| 1611 Cotgr., Pied de Griffon, a *Griffons foot. 1750 Mem. R. Acad. Surg. Paris I. 162 The instruments hitherto used to raise the bones of the cranium depressed on the dura mater are..the griffin's foot. |
| 1842 Tennyson Audley Court 14 The *griffin-guarded gates. |
| 1641 Milton Reform. i. (1851) 14 A corporalty of *griffonlike Promooters, and Apparitors. |
| 1831 Bennett Gard. & Menag. Zool. Soc. II. 97 The *Griffon Vulture. Vultur fulvus. 1833 Sir C. Bell Hand (1834) 78 If the griffon-vulture be frightened after his repast, he must disgorge, before he flies. 1884–5 Riverside Nat. Hist. (1888) IV. 275 The griffon-vulture, Gyps fulvus. |
| 1610 Healey tr. Vives on St. Aug. Citie of God 686 Ausonius makes her [the Sphynx]..*griffin-winged. |
▪ II. griffin2 Anglo-Indian.
(ˈgrɪfɪn)
[Of uncertain origin: usually explained as a fig. use of prec., but there is no evidence for this.]
A European newly arrived in India, and unaccustomed to Indian ways and peculiarities; a novice, new-comer, greenhorn.
| 1793 Child in Southey Life Bell (1844) I. 459 Wilks..will..lend you every assistance in forwarding these matters, in which..you must, I presume, be a perfect griffin. 1794 H. Boyd Ind. Observ. No. 34 ¶5, I am little better than an unfledged Griffin, according to the fashionable phrase here [Madras]. 1807 J. Johnson Oriental Voy. 73 Every arrival from Europe..as soon as he touches terra⁓firma is a griffin. 1816 ‘Quiz’ Grand Master ii. 30 note, Young men, immediately on their arrival in India, are termed griffins, and retain this honour until they are twelve months in the country. 1836 Lett. fr. Madras (1843) 38 Mrs. Staunton laughs at me, and calls me a ‘griffin’..(N.B. Griffin means a freshman or freshwoman in India.) 1883 Ld. Saltoun Scraps II. iv. 159 Utter greenhorns or griffins, as Indian phraseology has it. |
▪ III. griffin3 U.S.
A mulatto: see griff n.4
▪ IV. griffin4 slang.
[Origin unascertained.]
A tip (in betting, etc.); a signal, hint. Cf. griff n.6
| 1889 Cassell's Sat. Jrnl. Jan. 305/3 Plank yourself at the corner to give the griffin (signal) if you hear or see owt. 1891 J. Newman Scamping Tricks 95 When he wanted to give the chaps in the office the straight griffin, he used to say, ‘Nelson's my guide.’ 1912 A. M. N. Lyons Clara xxiv. 265 ‘This is the Straight Griffin, Fred,’ said Mr. Cozenza: ‘the absolute straight Tip.’ 1966 F. Shaw et al. Lern Yerself Scouse 63 Let's give de fellers de griffin. |