▪ I. environ, n. Obs. in sing.
In 4 envyroun, -own.
[a. OF. sing. environ (subsequently a mod.F. pl. environs), f. the adv.: see environ adv.]
† 1. In ME. sing. Compass, circuit. Only in phrases by, in environ, by environ of; = F. à l'environ (de).
| 1382 Wyclif Gen. xxiii. 17 The feeld..as wel it as the spelunk and alle the trees of it, in alle the termes of it bi enuyroun. ― Ex. vii. 24 Alle the Egipciens deluyden bi enuyroun of the floode. ― Mark vi. 6 And he wente aboute castelis in enuyrown, techinge. |
2. In mod. Eng. pl. environs (ɛnˈvaɪrənz, ˈɛnvɪrənz). The outskirts, surrounding districts, of a town.
| 1665 Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 419 The pestilence still increasing in London and its Environs. 1750 Chesterfield Lett. III. ccxxix. 43 When you go to Genoa, pray observe carefully all the environs of it. 1772–84 Cook Voy. (1790) V. 1808 The environs of Hudson's Bay. 1831 Sir J. Sinclair Corr. II. 184 The neighbourhood of Brock is quite enchanting..with its painted houses..and delightful environs. 1847–8 H. Miller First Impr. xix. (1857) 331 Without having once seen the sun shine on the city or its environs. |
b. transf. in sing. rare—1. Surrounding.
| 1823 Byron Let. Ld. Blessington 14 Apr., The peccant part and its immediate environ are..black. |
▪ II. environ, v.
(ɛnˈvaɪrən)
Forms: α. 4–5 enviroun, -vyroun, (4–5 enverom, -on), 4–7 envyron, (4 envyrown, -weron, 5 enverroun, -wyroun, 5–6 environne), 4– environ. β. 6 invyroun, -veron, (6–7 invi(e)orn), 6–8 inviron.
[a. F. environ-ner (in AF. c 1300), f. environ round about: see environ adv.]
1. trans. Of things: To form a ring round, surround, encircle. Also fig. of circumstances or conditions, esp. (with notion of 2 b) of dangers, troubles, etc.
| c 1400 Mandeville v. (1839) 45 This Ryvere..envyronnethe all Ethiop. c 1430 Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. xii, The bankys rounde, the welle environyng. 15.. in Athenæum (1870) 6 Aug. 181 All invieorned on the South parte with a freshe water ryver. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows iii. xii. 208 Ilands environed by the sea, with good shippings. 1670–98 R. Lassels Voy. Italy ii. 21 The circle of white marble pavement which environeth the altar of St. Peter. 1681 S. Colvil Whigs Supplic. (1751) 24 A cowl lin'd with iron, Which did his temples so inviron. 1720 Welton Suff. Son of God I. vi. 117 Quickening Flames..Environ and surround me. 1816 W. Hollar Holbein's Dance of Death 69 A great cloister, environning a plot of ground. 1872 Jenkinson Guide Eng. Lakes (1879) 24 A quiet and fertile spot, environed by green meadows. |
| fig. 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. li. 5 Manye tribulaciouns that enuyrouneden me. a 1400–50 Alexander 4632 Mekill variaunce of vertus enveronis oure saules. 1563 Foxe A. & M. III. 297 Hypocrisie, arrogancy, and obstinate security environ me. 1604 T. Wright Pass. v. §4. 191 A number of sound and substantiall reasons..environ the question proposed on every side. 1663 Butler Hud. i. iii. 1 What Perils do inviron The Man that meddles with cold Iron! 1686 Voy. Emp. China into W. Tartary in Misc. Cur. (1708) III. 199 All the Marks of Grandure, with which he was inviorned at the Court at Pekin. 1851 D. Mitchell Fresh Gleanings 106 Whatever pleasant or painful circumstances may environ me. |
† b. To include, take in (a certain space). Obs.
| 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 166 The ruines of which building..do environne almost ten acres of grounde. 1613 Purchas Pilgr. (1864) 18 The whole Monarchie en⁓uironeth nine hundred leagues. |
c. To surround, encircle, encompass with anything. Also fig. Chiefly pass.
| 1382 Wyclif Luke xix. 43 Thin enemyes schulen enuyroune thee with pale. c 1400 Mandeville xxvii. (1839) 278 And alle envyround with ston of Jaspre. 1536 Act 26 Henry VIII, c. 12 A Parke, walled and enuyronned with brycke and stone. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 13 Where..they may environ themselves with water on everie side. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii. 67 Peloponnesus..is all inuironed with the sea, saue onely at a narrow strait. 1658 Evelyn Fr. Gard. ii. §2. (1675) 161 Inviron them with dung to blanch them. 1701 Law Counc. Trade (1789) 105 Our coasts were..invironed and surrounded with fish. 1748 Anson Voy. ii. xii. 261 The harbour is invironed on all sides..with high mountains. 1864 Boutell Heraldry Hist. & Pop. xxiv. (ed. 3) 407 The Royal Shield of England environed with the fleurs de lys of France. |
| fig. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics 384 The holy soul of a quiet man is..invironed with its own repose. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xvi, Were environed with delights both from nature and art. 1847 J. Wilson Chr. North (1857) I. 422 Our boyhood was environed with the beautiful. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) II. iii. 81 That enthusiasm in himself which would environ him with wonder. |
2. Of persons: To form a ring round, stand round, throng; to be in attendance upon; to be stationed round, as guards. Also, To surround † of, with (persons).
| 1382 Wyclif Zech. ix. 8 Any y shal enuyroune myn hous of these that holden knyȝthode to me. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 253 There founden they..Lucrece..all environed With women. 1490 Caxton Eneydos lix. 158 We enuyronne hym rounde aboute wyth goode men of armes. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 5569 The Angellis of the Ordoris Nyne Inueron sall that throne Diuyne. 1598 Yong Diana 94 Enuironed rounde about with a troupe of Nymphes. 1670 Cotton Espernon ii. viii. 350 He dy'd environ'd by three of his Children, several Divines, and all his Domestick Servants. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) II. iii. vii. 151 Every Christian was environed with a world of invisible beings. |
b. To surround with hostile intention; to beset; to beleaguer (a city, fortress, etc.). Also, To beset with.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xi. 640 All enveronyt vith fayis is he. a 1400–50 Alexander 3617 To enverom alle þe vaward of all þe vile yndes. 1475 Caxton Jason (1477) 17 Jason was enuironned and assayled on alle sides. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 748 The Capitaynes..planted a strong siege, and environed it [the Castell] round about. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 92 They hauing long before so streitly inuironed the city. 1761–2 Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) IV. lix. 459 Colonel Pride..had environed the house with two regiments. |
3. To surround on all sides, envelop, enclose. Now chiefly of the atmosphere, light, etc. † Formerly also, to wrap up, clothe; to screen or conceal from.
| 1413 Lydg. Pilgr. Sowle i. iii. (1483) 4 The Centre of the erthe was wonder derck in itself and was aboute enuyronned by less derke mater and lesse. 1474 Caxton Chesse 65 Al the thynges that the ayer goth about and enuyronneth. 1483 ― Gold. Leg. 237/1 He sawe an auncient man..enuyronned in a whyte mantel. 1571 Digges Pantom. iv. xxv. H h j, One comprehending sphere inuironeth all his angles. 1607 Dekker Hist. Sir T. Wyatt Wks. (1873) III. 88 Thus like a Nun..Liue I inuirond in a house of stone. 1659 J. Leak Waterwks. 3 The Pestle..well invironed with leather. 1699 Pomfret Reason 155 'Tis now environ'd from our eyes. 1846 Landor Hellenics Wks. (1868) II. 482 Gravely-gladsome light environed them. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. §11. 73 We were environed by an atmosphere of perfect purity. |
† 4. To describe a circle or make a circuit round; to go round in a circle. Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 7608 And þe heven þat þe erth envirouns. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xvii. 182 Men may envirowne all the Erthe of alle the World, as well undre as aboven and turnen aȝen to his Contree. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 34/2 By envyronyng or goyng aboute the aultre. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1862) 311, I will begin at the North east corner..and from thence environ the whole Bishopricke. 1647 Lilly Chr. Astrol. cxliiii. 617 The Luminaries [being] in angles not environed of the Planets. |
† b. To travel about (a country, etc.). Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif 1 Tim. v. 13 Thei ydel lernen for to enuyrowne housis. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) Pref. 1 It lyked him..to enuirun þat land with his blissed fete. c 1400 Rom. Rose 7019 We enviroune bothe londe and se. |
▪ III. † enˈviron, adv. and prep. Obs.
Forms: α. 4–6 enviroun(e, 4–5 envyron, 6 enveron, 5– environ. β. 4 in viroun, 6 invirone, 7 inviron.
[a. Fr. environ, f. en in + OF. *viron circuit, related to virer to veer. Cf. Pr. en viro of same meaning.]
A. adv. Round about; in the neighbourhood.
| c 1375 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 311 In viroun and wiþinne þei weren ful of iȝen. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. Prol. 300 And with that word, a compas enviroun They sitten hem ful softely adoun. 1436 Pol. Poems II. (1859) 157 Exhortynge alle Englande to kepe the see enviroun. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. v. 4 And with large clamour fillis inveroun Thair myndis all. 1519 Four Elements Interlude in Hazl. Dodsley I. 6 Which doth illumine the world environ. 1600 Fairfax Tasso ii. lxxx. 35 Lord Godfreyes eie three times enuiron goes. |
B. prep. Round, about.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 76 The Serpent..Went environ the shelle aboute. c 1400 Rom. Rose 3618 He ladde me..Alle enviroun the vergere. c 1450 Merlin vii. 113 Somme seide that thei wolde ley siege environ the baile. |