▪ I. salute, n.1
(səˈl(j)uːt)
Also 5–6 salut, (6 saluyte).
[a. F. salut masc., of twofold origin: (1) = Sp. saludo, It. saluto, vbl. n. f. Common Rom. (L.) salūtāre to salute; (2) originally fem., = Sp. salud, Pg. saude, It. salute:—L. salūt-em (nom. salūs) health, safety, salvation.]
I. An act of saluting.
1. An utterance, gesture, or action of any kind by which one person salutes another; a salutation. Now chiefly used with reference to other than verbal modes of saluting: cf. the following senses.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 1490 ‘I bringe þe bodword of blis ser bischop’ he said, ‘With salutis of solas I am sent fra þe trone’. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 436/1 The preest..tourneth hym toward the peple & saleweth them sayeng Dominus vobiscum and that sygnefyeth salut whyche our lorde gafe to his appostles after his blessyd resurrexyon. c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. 32/1, I Pope Iohn..gyue saluyte the Emperour of Rome..& also the kinge of France. 1597 Drayton Heroic Ep., Mortimer to Q. Isabel 1 As thy saluts my sorrowes doe adiourne, So backe to thee their interest I returne. 1633 Ford Broken H. v. i. I 3 b, The doublers of a Hare, or, in a morning, Salutes from a splay⁓footed witch,..Are not so boading mischiefe as thy crossing My priuate meditations. 1671 Milton P.R. ii. 67 O what avails me now that honour high To have conceiv'd of God, or that salute Hale highly favour'd, among women blest. 1702 Addison Dial. Medals ii. Wks. 1766 III. 35, I shall not trouble myself nor my Reader with the first salutes of our three friends. 1790 J. Bruce Source Nile I. 18 We passed near enough, however, to give them the usual salute, Salam Alicum. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho iv, He waved his hand, and Valancourt..returned the salute and started away. 1859 Tennyson Geraint & Enid 723 Last, coming up quite close, and in his mood Crying, ’..Take my salute’, unknightly with flat hand, However lightly, smote her on the cheek. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 16 From no far mound Waved salute a tall white figure. 1879 ― Pheidippides 111 So, to this day, when friend meets friend, the word of salute Is still ‘Rejoice!’ |
2. A kiss, by way of salutation. (Cf. salute v. 2 e.)
| 1590 Greene Never too late (1600) 93 To her hee goes, and after his wonted salute sat downe by her. 1684 Earl of Roscommon Ess. Transl. Verse 314 There, cold salutes, But here, a Lovers kiss. 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 169/2 In Dances,..a Salute, a Kiss, or Kiss of the hand with a bow of the Body. 1719 D'Urfey Pills (1872) V. 80 With a kind Salute, and without Dispute, He thought to gain her for his own. 1782 F. Burney Diary 26 Oct., Dr. Johnson..received me..with a salute so loud, that the two young beaux..have never done laughing about it. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xix, He folded the fair maiden in his arms, and was permitted to take the salute which she had refused to bestow. 1906 H. Wales Mr. & Mrs. Villiers vii, She extricated his right arm also, and was rewarded by the complimentary salute on the left cheek. |
3. Mil. and Naut. a. A discharge of cannon or small arms, display of flags, a dipping of sails, a cheering of men, manning the yards, etc., as a mark of respect, or as military, naval, or official honour, for a person, nation, event, etc.
A salute is said to be of as many guns as there are volleys fired.
| 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 107 Their way of Salutes are with Even, as ours with Odd Guns. 1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Salutation, Father Fournier has an express treatise of sea-salutes and signals. 1744 J. Philips Jrnl. Exped. Anson 181 He saluted us with eleven Guns, and we returned the salute with three. 1832 R. & J. Lander Exped. Niger III. xx. 232 As we passed Forday's town, a salute of seven guns was fired off. 1838 J. L. Stephens Trav. Russia 88/1 A frigate..was firing a salute. 1876 Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict. (ed. 3) s.v., In firing salutes 10 seconds is to be allowed between each round. 1883 ‘Ouida’ Wanda I. 307 The culverins on the keep fired their salutes. |
| transf. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe ed.) 569 As we found them [the enemy] within Gun-shot, our Leader ordered the two Wings to advance swiftly, and give them a Salvo on each Wing with their Shot... And indeed that Salute clogg'd their Stomach, for they immediately halted. |
b. (See quot. 1876.)
| 1832 Lytton Eugene A. i. v, ‘Beg pardon, Squire,’ said he, with a military salute. 1876 Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict. (ed. 3) s.v., A salute is made by an inferior meeting or passing his superior, when in uniform and even out of uniform, by raising his hand to his cap or chaco. |
c. The position of the sword, rifle, hand, etc., or the attitude assumed in saluting. Phrase, to stand at (the) salute.
| 1833 Regul. & Instr. Cavalry i. 36 Officers recover their swords.., and drop them to the ‘Salute’. |
d. With defining term prefixed, denoting the attitude adopted by the saluter, or his affiliation, as raised-arm salute, a salute made with the arm out-stretched at an angle of about 45° from the vertical; clenched fist salute, a raised-arm salute with fist clenched (chiefly in communist use); Hitler or Nazi salute, a raised-arm salute with hand outstretched.
| 1935 [see Hitler]. 1937 V. Bartlett This is my Life x. 165 Hundreds of arms went out in the Hitler salute, hundreds of voices yelled the Horst Wessel Lied. 1943 D. Gascoyne Poems 1937–1942 5 The centurions..Greet one another with raised-arm salutes. 1959 Chambers's Encycl. XII. 173/2 Special forms of salute, the clenched fist salute of the Communists, the ‘Roman salute’ of the Fascists and the Hitler salute, have been a feature of modern political life. 1969, 1974 [see Nazi adj.]. 1976 Times 13 Nov. 4 (caption) Clenched fist communist salutes from a group of Madrid car workers who had earlier voted to join the strike. 1977 Times 27 Jan. 6/8 Riot police looked on impassively here [sc. Madrid] today as a massive crowd of mourners..gave the clenched fist Marxist salute at the funeral of five lawyers gunned down on Monday night by right-wing terrorists. |
4. Fencing. A formal greeting of swordsmen when about to engage, consisting of a conventional series of guards, appels, thrusts, parries, parades, etc.
| 1809 J. Roland Fencing 139 The salute of carte and tierce is practised on the same principle. 1889 Pollock, etc. Fencing (Badm. Libr.) 98 The Salute, or prelude to the Assault. |
† II. 5. a. Safety, well-being, salvation. Obs.
| 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 275 She shall dye for the salute and helthe of troye. 1483 ― Gold. Leg. 430/2 As the auncyente thobye gaue to them admonestyng of salut techyng them ouer alle thynges to drede god. 1509 Watson Ship of Fools Argt. A j, This booke compyled for the felycyte & salute of all the humayne gendre. |
† b. Used ellipt. (= L. salutem) in epistolary salutations. Obs.
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. Let. iv. (1535) 107 b, Marke oratour Romayn..to the Domitian of Capue, salute and consolacion of the goddis. 1549 Compl. Scot. xiv. 116 Pausanias duc of spart, to the kyng xerxes salut. |
▪ II. saˈlute, n.2 Obs. exc. Hist.
Forms: 5–8 salut, 6, 9 salute; pl. 5 saluz, salutz, salews, (salux), 5–6 Sc. salutis, (5, 8 salus).
[a. OF. salut, saluyt, pl. saluts, saluz, salus, a special use of salut salutation, salute n.1]
A gold coin bearing a representation of the salutation of Gabriel to the Virgin Mary; struck by Charles VI of France, and also by Henry V and Henry VI of England for circulation in their French dominions.
| 1488 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 79 Item, in Hari nobilis and salutis fourti and ane. 1455 Paston Lett. I. 360 For the value and denombrement of iiij. m{supl}. saluz of yerly rent. 145. Rolls. of Parlt. V. 181/1 Oon obligation of the Duchesse of Burgoyne of XV m. salutz. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 19 Johan..paied to the said regent duc of Bedforde for his raunson and finaunce allone clx. M. salux. c 1483 Caxton Dialogues 17 Ryallis nobles of englond, Salews of gold lyons, Olde sterlingis pens. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 75 The kyng of England..caused a new coyne to be made called the Salute, where in wer the Armes of Fraunce, and the Armes of England and Fraunce quarterly. 1577 Harrison England ii. xxv. (1877) i. 363 We haue yet remaining, the riall..the salut, the angell [etc.]. 1580 Stow Chron. 618 King Henry [VI] caused a peece to be stamped called a Salus, worth two and twentie Shillings and Blans of eyghtpence a peece. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. xlvi, The summe of three score and two thousand saluts (in English money fifteen thousand and five hundred pounds). 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 29/1 The Salute of England, worth six shillings ten pence. 1716 M. Davies Athen. Brit. iii. 79 Hen. 5's Golden Coyns were Rose-Nobles, Half-Nobles and Farthings, and Salus. Ibid., Hen. 6. brought in the Rials, or Royals, Angels, Angellets and Salut. 1837 Penny Cycl. VII. 331/1 To these [coins]..Henry V. [added] salutes, and half-salutes. Henry VI. coined salutes, angelots, and francs in gold. |
▪ III. salute, v.
(səˈl(j)uːt)
Also 5 salewt.
[ad. L. salūtāre, f. salūt-em, salūs health. (Cf. salue v.) It is possible that this may have coalesced with an independent formation on salute v.]
1. trans. To accost or address with words expressive of good wishes, respect, or homage, esp. with some customary formula of that import; to greet in words.
| c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 9 Marie..went mekeli in hast to salute her cosyn. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 193 He saluted and grette þe senatoures, and spak to eueriche of þe peple þat come aboute hym by his owne name. 14.. Sir Beues 1283 + 291 (Camb.) [He] saluted þe kyng on þys manere, As ye may aftur here. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 78 With ave or kirye salute a kyng. 1483 Caxton Cato A v, Thou sholdest salewt and grete the peple gladly. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 180 Forgete not to salute her with this swete word Aue. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xxi. 60 He drew thedyr & salutyd y⊇ olde man in y⊇ name of god. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. iii. 32 Rom. Good morrow Father. Fri. Benedicite. What early tongue so sweet saluteth me? 1711–12 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 22 Jan., T'other day at the Court of Requests Dr. Yalden saluted me by name. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 22 Being admitted to his presence they saluted him in the queen's name. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 160 He saluted me as an acquaintance whom he remembered from my former visit. |
b. I salute you: used as itself a formula of salutation. Similarly in the 3rd person, of one who ‘sends greeting’. [So L. salutare.] arch.
| 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, v. ii. 22 You English Princes all, I doe salute you. 1834 Lytton Pompeii i. ii, ‘Fair Julia, we salute thee’, said Clodius. c 1850 Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 252 ‘My mistress’, said she, ‘salutes you, and I come from her to beg you to deliver this letter to the prince of Persia’. 1881 Tennyson To Virgil x, I salute thee, Mantovano, I that loved thee since my day began. |
† c. salute me used for: Give my greeting (to). Cf. remember me to{ddd}remember v. 8 c. Obs.
| 1700 Penn in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem. IX. 5 Salute me to the commissioners. |
d. To hail or greet (as king, etc.).
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 101 b, All people saluted hym with the tytle of the Emperour Auguste. Ibid. 423 He is saluted Prynce Electour. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, ii. ii. 61 Be we the first, That shall salute our rightfull Soueraigne With honor of his Birth-right to the Crowne. 1595 ― John ii. i. 30 Till that vtmost corner of the West Salute thee for her King. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 2 King Henrie..for the time was saluted Lord of Ireland. 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. 40 Now they heare it as their ord'nary surname, to be saluted the Fathers of their countrey. 1755 W. Duncan Cicero's Sel. Orat. xi. (1841) 217 It was but lately that L. Torquatus..was, at my instance, saluted emperour from this province. |
e. In extended sense: To accost or address (whether courteously or otherwise).
| c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 438 On a rewde maner he salutyd all the rout, With a bold voyse, carpyng wordys stout. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 303 Adiute..beeing returned to towne, saw himselfe saluted by a letter of defiance. |
f. poet. Of birds, etc.: To hail or greet (the sun, the dawn) with song.
| 1682 Creech tr. Lucretius ii. 39 The Morning climbs the Eastern Skies, And tuneful birds salute her early rise. 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arc. ii. 38 The Morning-Lark, the Messenger of Day, Saluted in her Song the Morning gray. 1821 Shelley Hellas 941 Victorious Wrong, with vulture scream, Salutes the rising sun, pursues the flying day! |
2. To greet with some gesture or visible action conventionally expressive of respect or courteous recognition.
| c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxiii. 83 (Add. MS.), All his [the emperor's] knyghtes and other men, whan thei sawe hym, worshipfully thei saluted hym. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxii. 216 Huon approchyd & salutyd hym humbly. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia i. Ecl. i. (1598) 82 When that noble toppe doth nodd, I beleeue she salutes me. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 30 He faire the knight saluted, louting low. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, iii. ii. 6 Deere Earth, I doe salute thee with my hand. 1655 Stanley Hist. Philos. iii. (1687) 80/1 As soon as the Sun arose, [he] saluted it, and retir'd. 1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Salutation, In England, we salute one another by uncovering the head, inclining the body, &c. The orientals salute by uncovering their feet, laying their hands on the breast, &c. 1760–2 Goldsm. Cit. W. lxxix, One curtsies to the ground, the other salutes the audience with a smile. 1762 Kames Elem. Crit. (1763) III. xx. 67 Among the ancients, it was customary after a long voyage to salute the natal soil. a 1859 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxiii. V. 93 Were they to stand erect and covered while everybody else saluted him? |
b. absol. and intr. To perform a salutation.
| 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xxiv. (Arb.) 292 With them [the men of the East] to congratulat and salute by giuing a becke with the head, or a bende of the bodie, with vs here in England, and in Germany..to shake hands. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. ii. 50 You told me, you salute not at the Court, but you kisse your hands. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 174 They..salute by bending the body and laying their left hand on their right side. |
c. spec. in Mil. and Naval use. (a) trans. To pay respect to (a superior) by a prescribed bodily movement, the presenting of arms, or the like. (b) Of a ship, a body of troops, a commander: To honour or ceremoniously recognize in the customary manner, by a discharge of artillery or small arms, by lowering of flags, or the like. (c) absol., and intr. To perform a salute.
| 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. i. ii. 5 b, They came to sight of their Captaine Generall,..and saluting him with many shot of ordinaunce, and with sound of Trumpets, they spake unto him. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey) s.v., The Colours also salute Princes and Generals, which is done by Bowing them down to the Ground. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 94 We saluted the Spanish flag. 1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Salutation, In the army, the officers salute by certain orderly, studied motions of the half-pike, &c. Ibid., Saluting with the Sails, is performed by hovering the topsails half way of the masts.—Only those vessels which carry no guns, salute with the sails. 1744 J. Philips Jrnl. Exped. Anson 148 We saluted the Governor of Macao with 11 Guns. 1769 Regul. Sea-Service in Falconer Dict. Marine (1780) K k 4, When a captain salutes an admiral..he is to give him fifteen guns. 1802 C. James Milit. Dict. s.v., When a regiment is to be reviewed by..the king, or his general,..the officers salute one after another, pointing their swords downwards. The ensigns salute together, by lowering their colours, when his Majesty, or any of the royal family, are present. 1803 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) V. 139 You are not to salute the Fort of his Catholic Majesty, unless you receive a positive assurance that an equal number of guns will be returned. 1844 Regul. & Ord. Army 32 Officers wearing Hats, are not on any occasion to take them off in saluting; but when their Swords are not drawn, they are to salute, by bringing up the right hand to the forehead horizontally, on a line with the eyebrow. 1877–81 Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict. Suppl. (ed. 3) s.v., Her Majesty the Queen as Empress of India is saluted in India with 100 guns; the viceroy and governor-general of India with 31 guns. 1878 D. Kemp Man. Yacht Sailing 341 The ensign is lowered or dipped as a means of saluting a commodore, &c. or member of a club. 1889 Infantry Drill i. 24 When a soldier is about to pass an officer, he will salute with the further hand on the third pace before reaching him, and will lower the hand on the third pace after passing him. |
d. Fencing. intr. To perform the salute used in fencing. See salute n.1 4.
| 1809 J. Roland Fencing 135 As it is understood when you salute, that it is a compliment you pay to the company, you should, while forming the parade of carte, turn your face to the spectators. Ibid. 136 Although I have directed that in saluting you should, in general, do it in carte first, and tierce afterwards. |
e. trans. To kiss, or greet with a kiss. arch.
| 1716 Addison Drummer iii. (1722) 31 You have the prettiest Tip of a Finger—I must take the Freedom to salute it. Ibid. iv. 37 Ab. Ay! but you han't saluted me. Fan. That's right; Faith I forgot that Circumstance. [Kisses her.] 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. v, He..was going to salute my daughters as one certain of a kind reception. 1773 Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 30 Sept., I had the honour of saluting the far famed Miss Flora Macdonald. 1849 Thackeray Pendennis viii, He once more saluted the tips of Mrs. Pendennis's glove. |
| intr. 1629 Davenant Albovine iii. i, It is a piece of courtship to salute at parting. |
† f. To honour (a person) with a present, gift, etc. Cf. greet v. 3 d. Obs.
| a 1592 Greene George a Greene (1599) C 1 b, And first I saluted her with a greene gowne. 1601 ? Marston Pasquil & Kath. ii. 249 Wouldst haue a Ballet to salute her with? 1632 Lithgow Trav. viii. 346, I saluted the Princesse Palatine, with certayne rare Relickes of the Holy Land. |
g. ironically used for: To assail.
| 1607 Rowlands Famous Hist. 60 Here is a weapon that must do me right. So draws his sword, salutes him with the same About the head, the shoulders, and the side. |
† h. to salute Tyburn: jocularly, to be hanged. Obs.
| 1640 Somner Antiq. Canterb. 205 Conspired with the Holy Maide of Kent..and saluted Tiburne for his paines. |
† 3. To pay one's respects to; to pay a complimentary visit to. Obs.
| 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xi. 13 The Ambassadour sent to salute the Caddy. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. i. iii. 41 To-morrow..Don Alphonso, With other Gentlemen of good esteeme Are iournying, to salute the Emperor, And to commend their seruice to his will. 1638 Hamilton Papers (Camden) 26 Eayrlie in the morning they sent ther commissioners doune to salut me. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 367 Having not saluted the Temple Twelve times since he began to Reign. |
† 4. fig. To begin acquaintance with. Obs.
| 1648 Bp. Hall Breathings Devout Soul (1851) 190 Methusalah..did not more truly live; than the child, that did but salute and leave the world. 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. iii. (1738) 60 Every one, who has but just saluted the mathematics and philosophy, must be convinced, that [etc.]. |
5. transf. and fig. Of inanimate things, in various applications: † To bow or incline towards (obs.); to appear or come forth as if in welcome of; to approach, come into contact with; † (in Shakes.) to affect or act upon in any way (obs.).
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xii. 62 And there let bowis multiplie, And afterlong on euery side hem plie, Salutyng eest & west, & north & south. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. ii. i. 5 As when the golden Sunne salutes the morne. 1595 ― John ii. i. 590 Not that I haue the power to clutch my hand, When his faire Angels would salute my palme. 1613 ― Hen. VIII, ii. iii. 103 Would I had to being If this salute my blood a iot. 1660 Waller To King on Return 88 Like Ears of Corn when wind salutes the field. 1830 J. G. Strutt Sylva Brit. 59 It [the elm] is the first tree that salutes the early spring with its light and cheerful green. 1880 Shorthouse J. Inglesant (1882) II. 119 A land bathed in sunset light, overarched by rainbows, saluted by cool zephyrs. |
b. Of a sound or sight: To strike (the eye or ear).
| a 1586 Sidney Arcadia ii. (Sommer) 117 Her eyes were saluted with a tuft of trees. c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxxviii. x, And ere the light Salute my sight. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. iv. ii. (1848) 173 Our Ears were saluted with the melodious Musick of a good number of Larks. a 1668 R. Lassels Voy. Italy (1698) I. 100 You may look..a huge way into their gardens, which even from thence will salute your eye with a fair prospect. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl., To Dr. Lewis 28 Apr., The first object that saluted my eye was a child, full of scrofulous ulcers. 1791 Cowper Retired Cat 89 A long and melancholy mew, Saluting his poetic ears. 1805 T. J. Dibdin All's Well 14 Some well-known voice salutes his ear. |
Hence saˈluted ppl. a. In quots. used absol.
| 1658 Manton Exp. Jude i. Wks. 1871 V. 9 This first verse presenteth us with the two first circumstances, the saluter and the saluted. 1804 W. Hanna Earlier Years Lord's Life 293 The Ruler..who..might have counted on being the saluted rather than the saluter, does not hesitate to address him thus: ‘Rabbi, we know’ [etc.]. |
▪ IV. salute
var. pa. tense of salue v. Obs.