‖ marquise
(mɑːˈkiːz, Fr. markiz)
In sense 3 also 8 erron. marquis.
[F. marquise, fem. of marquis, in senses 1, 2, 3.]
1. = marchioness. Only as a title of foreign nobility. (But cf. marquis 3.)
| 1894 Nation (N.Y.) 30 Aug. 160/1 She anticipates not only the French marquise of the last century, but even more our American great ladies. |
2. A kind of pear. (Cf. marchioness 2.)
| 1706 London & Wise Retired Gard'ner I. 63 Dwarf Pears... The Marquise. 1741 Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. iii. 406 These Pears; [Nov.] Martin Sec,..Sucrevert, la Marquise. 1875 Hogg Fruit. Man. (ed. 4) 479. |
3. a. A kind of tent (see quot. 1788); = marquee.
| 1783 in Conway Life T. Paine (1892) I. 197 The tables were spread under a marquise or tent. 1788 Grose Milit. Antiq. II. Descr. Plates 2 A field-officer's tent or marquis. The word marquis and tent are promiscuously used, though strictly speaking they are different things; the internal part commonly made of ticking, the marquis; the external covering, canvas. 1792 Fennell Narr. Proc. Paris 187 A great marquise was erected on the east side of the altar. |
b. Archit. (See quot. 1891.)
| 1891 tr. J. Adeline's Art Dict. 251/2 The term marquise is applied to a light roof which projects from the fa{cced}ade of a building. It is generally placed over a flight of steps. On the outside of theatres marquises of considerable length are not infrequently to be seen. Almost invariably they have a glass roof. 1904 B. von Hutten Pam v. i. 237 A moment later, she stood in the door, under the little ‘marquise’. 1924 ‘L. Malet’ Dogs of Want i. 7 [She] stood under the glass marquise, at the top of the flight of steps. 1930 A. Bennett Imperial Palace vii. 28 On the steps under the marquise she took off her cloak. |
4. In full, marquise ring: A finger-ring set with a pointed oval cluster of gems.
| 1885 Cassell's Encycl. Dict., Marquise-ring. 1896 Westm. Gaz. 30 Jan. 5/3 Other witnesses deposed to as to the promise of a marquise ring. 1903 Ibid. 10 Dec. 4/2 A marquise formed of a single diamond, or a single sapphire, or a single ruby, is, of course,..not very usual. |
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Add: [4.] b. = navette n. Freq. attrib.
| 1898 E. W. Streeter Precious Stones & Gems (ed. 6) v. 38 A curious old Marquise ring which formerly belonged to Marie Antoinette, has in the centre an oblong Diamond engraved with her name, Marie: this is now in the collection of Streeter & Co., Ltd. 1903 W. R. Cattelle Precious Stones vi. 66 The ‘marquise’ rose, and..the ‘pendeloque’ rose, both having twenty-four facets. 1945 A. Selwyn Retail Jeweller's Handbk. xv. 217 Fancy shapes, such as the three-cornered, the marquise or navette.., the pear-shaped..or pendeloque, make unusual jewels, and are generally suggested by the natural form of the diamond itself. 1965 J. Y. Dickinson Bk. Diamonds iii. 63 The marquise and oval cuts are elongated to fit the finger better. 1994 Sunday Tel. 24 Apr. 28/1 The vast diamond ring..her own design of two hearts set each side of a marquise central stone. |