▪ I. solace, n.1
(ˈsɒləs)
Forms: α. 3–6 solas, 5–6 solasse, 6 Sc. solaes, soles. β. 4– solace, 4–6 sollace. (See also solance n.)
[a. OF. solas, later soulas (now dial.), = Prov. solatz, Sp. solaz, It. sollazzo:—L. sōlācium, sōlātium, f. the stem of sōlārī to comfort, console. Cf. MDu. and MLG. solaes.]
1. Comfort, consolation; alleviation of sorrow, distress, or discomfort.
| α c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 220 Hidere þou come for ovre solas, and nouȝt suych deol to make. c 1300 Life of Beket, etc. (Percy Soc.) 138 Vourty dawes he was, In a chaumbre al one withoute eni Solas. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2789, I shalle yeve thee..Three other thingis, that gret solas Doith to hem that be in my las. c 1440 Gesta Rom. v. 13 (Harl. MS.), I pray þe, wepe not, but make me solas and comfort, and chere me. 1530 Palsgr. 272 Solasse, comforte, solas, recomfort, solace. |
| β 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 252 His solace was alle reft, þat scho fro him was gon, Ne no sonne him left. 1382 Wyclif Heb. xiii. 22 Forsothe, britheren, I preie ȝou, that ȝe suffre a word of solace. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) Pref. 2 Þeroff þai hafe grete solace and comforthe. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 203/2, I am with the and shalle gyue to the the solace of my seruaunt paule. 1575 Mirr. Mag., Hen. VI, xvii, The solace of my soule my chiefest pleasure was. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, ii. iii. 21 Sorrow would [have] sollace, and mine Age would ease. 1611 Heywood Gold. Age i. i, I'le warre with comfort, be at oddes with solace. 1677 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 560 You will..have the usual solace of those who goe to law, that your adversary hath been at no lesse charges. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 653, I want to lay in a stock of solace which shall not fail me in time of need. 1791 Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest iv, She wept also that she could no longer seek solace in the friendship of Adeline. 1839 James Louis XIV, III. 143 Though the relief of reading was allowed as some solace to his overloaded heart. 1879 W. H. Dixon Royal Windsor II. xvii. 182 Time brought no solace to her widowed heart. |
† 2. Pleasure, enjoyment, delight; entertainment, recreation, amusement. Obs.
| α 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 370 To honti & to winne is mete & to abbe solas & game. a 1320 Sir Tristrem 2856 Þer was miche solas Of alle maner soun And gle. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 74 He goth to his cuntre,..Wher as he lyveth in blisse and in solas. c 1430 Lydg. Minor Poems (Percy Soc.) 80 Thus thay songe..This melodious ympne withe grete solas. 1484 Caxton Fables of Poge iv, [Hunting and hawking] ought not to be done ful ofte, but somtyme for to take disporte and solas. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. clx. 178 b, For he kepte reuyll, daunsyng, and solas: and euery daye it was newe to begyn. 1551 R. Robinson tr. More's Utopia i. (1895) p. xciv, An yle..Ful fraight with worldly welth, with pleasure and solas. |
| β a 1340 Hampole Psalter lxxvi. 3 He amonestis vs to pass fra erthly solace and ȝern anly delit of heuen. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 217 God of his goodnesse..Sette hym in solace & in souereigne myrthe. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle iv. i. (Caxton, 1483) 58 Hym nedeth of solace and disport wher with to appesen his herte. 1480 Caxton Myrr. ii. iii. 67 This is a place whiche is ful of solace, of playsances and of delices. 1519 Interlude Four Elements (Percy Soc.) 45 Let us go to the taverne agayn, And make some mery solace. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. vi. 3 And therein sate a Ladie fresh and faire, Making sweet solace to her selfe alone. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 176 Sundry smal turrets are dispersed about, which serue for solace as well as for safe-guard. a 1629 Hinde J. Bruen xxix. (1641) 90 O how great was his rejoycing, and solace, when..he might rejoyce the soules of Gods people. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 844 Great joy he promis'd to his thoughts, and new Solace in her return. |
3. That which gives comfort or consolation, † brings pleasure or enjoyment, etc.
| c 1290 Beket 178 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 111 For he scholde hire solas beo, and speke to hire with mouþe. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxxvii. 11 In þere twa solaces man ioyes. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xix. 88 He hase forsaken..all þe ricches and solacez of þe werld. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione ii. v. 45 God allone..is þe solace of mannys soule & very gladnes of herte. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxvi. §8 All which solaces and comforts of this our vnquiet life it pleaseth God oftentimes to bestow. 1597 Bacon Ess., Of Honour & Reputation (Arb.) 74 Fauorites, such as exceede not this scantling to bee sollace to the Soueraigne. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 486 To have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxxiv, Tell your lady..that this [picture] has been my companion and only solace in all my misfortunes. 1849 Robertson Serm. Ser. i. viii. 125 He had cut himself off from the solaces of life. |
4. Printing. (See quot. 1683.)
| 1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing 357 The Penalty for the breach of..these Laws and Customs is in Printers Language called a Solace. 1683 [see solace v. 4]. 1888 Jacobi Printers' Vocab. 128 Solace, a penalty imposed by the chapel for the infringement of any of its rules. |
† 5. rose of solace, = rosa solis 2. Obs.—1
| 1604 Meet. of Gallants at Ordinary C j b, To the comforting of his poore heart, he powrde downe a leauen shillings in Rose of Solace. |
▪ II. † solace, n.2 Obs.
Also 6 sollace.
[Of obscure origin.]
Some substance used for dressing cloth.
| 1552 Act 5 & 6 Edw. VI, c. 6 §xiv, Whether the same Clothe or Clothes be well and sufficientlye dressed and pressed withe the colde presse, without puttinge therto flox, solace, chalke, flower, or any other deceiptfull thinge. c 1560 Maldon Liber B. fol. 56 (MS.), Without puttinge therto flocks, sollace, chalke, flower, heare, or any yearne made of lambes wooll. 1613 May Decl. Est. Clothing v. 29 Flox of the same coulour..which they can sheare as small as dust, which mixt with solace, they spread vpon the musters, and where the cloth may bee seene. |
▪ III. solace, v.
(ˈsɒləs)
Forms: 3–4 solaci, -cy, 3– solace, 4–5 solas(e, 5 solais, 6 solles, 8 solless. (See also solance v.)
[ad. OF. solacier, solasier, etc., later soulacier (now arch.), f. solas solace n.1 Cf. Sp. solazar, It. sollazzare, med.L. solatiari, -are; MDu. solasen, -acen.]
1. trans. To cheer, comfort, console; † to entertain or recreate.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11511 Sir simon de Mountfort out of warde nom Sir edward him to solaci. 13.. Sir Beues 711 So him solaste þat mai, Þat al is care wente awai. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 226 Crist tauȝte men to suffre..and putte hem in hope þerfore to be solasid of God. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1620 Mony gaumes were begonnen þe grete for to solas. Ibid. 13984 Myche solast hir the sight of hir sone þan, To se the lede vppon lyue, þat ho louet most. c 1475 Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls) VIII. 456 Thei destroyede a newe maner made..by that prior..for to solace hym and his breþer þer. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. iii. 377 We will with some strange pastime solace them. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), To Solace, to afford Solace or Comfort. 1790 Cowper On My Mother's Picture 4 Thy own sweet smiles I see, The same that oft in childhood solaced me. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms i. 506 And it may be such dreams are given..To solace them that mourn. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1877) II. 86 They were often solaced by the company of wives and children. |
| absol. 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. iii. iv. 32 Thy simple talk once solaced, now delights. |
b. To make (a place) cheerful or pleasant.
| 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 434 From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song Solac'd the Woods. 1746 J. Hervey Medit. (1818) 186 Ye Birds..who wake the morn, and solace the groves with your artless lays. 1875 Grindon Life i. 8 The walls of old castles and abbeys, which..ivy and the faithful wallflower alone have solaced. |
c. To allay, alleviate, assuage, soothe.
| 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 419 The cause of his desire By conversation with his like to help, Or solace his defects. 1712 Blackmore Creation v. 60 A Cause Supream,..Who, when implor'd, might timely Succour give, Solace our Anguish, and our Wants relieve. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xvii, Paulo was contented to solace his conscience. 1819 Shelley Cenci iii. i. 311 We sate sad together Solacing our despondency with tears. 1833 Tennyson Two Voices 433 A little hint to solace woe. |
2. refl. To give (oneself) comfort or consolation, † entertainment or amusement.
| 1340 Ayenb. 213 Þer-huile þet ich me solaci an playe, iche ne þenche none manne kuead. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1752 Siker were to sit and solas vs here. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 217 Thus thay solaist thame selvin, suthly to say. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 107 Solacyng himselfe with Musicall instrumentes & songes. 1583 Babington Commandm. (1590) 314 We dare solace our selues in soft beddes too long for our constitutions. 1639 Fuller Holy War iii. xv, Henry king of Ierusalem, as he was walking in his palace to solace himself, fell down..and brake his neck. 1691 Ray Creation ii. (1704) 464 With the Thoughts and Expectation whereof he solaces himself. 1746 J. Hervey Medit. (1818) 21 He solaced him⁓self with the prospect of a long, long series of earthly satisfactions. 1860 Motley Netherl. (1868) I. v. 283 Duplessis-Mornay often solaced himself by distant communion with that kindred and sympathizing spirit. 1887 Ruskin Præterita II. 231 He solaced himself by making a careful collection of all the Florentine wild-flowers for me. |
† 3. intr. To take comfort or consolation, recreation or enjoyment. Obs.
| 1340 Ayenb. 213 Huet kuead is hit yef ich guo playe and solaci. c 1475 Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls) VIII. 447 Thei brente þeire faces with yrne that thei scholde not be knowen, and þat Ynglische men scholde not solace of þeire dethe. 1530 Palsgr. 724/2, I am werye of studyenge, I wyll go solace a lytell. 1592 Timme Ten Eng. Lepers 63 Friends do solace and joy togither in honest and godly mirth. 1618 Bolton Florus (1636) 313 He,.. surprised with the love of Queen Cleopatra, solaced on her bosome. 1673 Lady's Calling i. iii. §6 Let him stand naked and hungry, whilst they are solacing with that which would relieve him. 1728 Vanbr. & Cibber Prov. Husb. 1, She herself is solacing in one continual round of cards and good company. |
4. trans. Of printers: To punish (one) corporally for non-payment of a ‘solace’. Also transf.
| 1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing 357 If the Delinquent..would not pay his Solace..they Solac'd him. 1784 B. Franklin in Ann. Reg., Chron. (1817) 385 This foolish letter is mere chit-chat between ourselves... If, therefore, you show it to any body,..I will positively solless you. |
Hence ˈsolaced ppl. a., comforted, consoled.
| 1836 Mrs. Browning Poet's Vow ii. ii, The solaced friends. |