stellify, v.
(ˈstɛlɪfaɪ)
[a. OF. stellifier, ad. med.L. stellificāre, f. stella star: see -fy.]
1. trans. To transform (a person or thing) into a star or a constellation; to place among the stars.
| c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 1002 When thou redest poetrie How goddes gonne stellifye Briddes, fisshe, best, or him or here. c 1403 Lydg. Temple of Glas 136 Hou þat she,..I⁓weddit was to god of eloquence,..And with hir song hov she was magnified With Iubiter to bein Istellified. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. 52 O venus clere! of goddis stellifyit! 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 18835 [He] is in heuene stelleffyed, And with seyntis gloreffyed. 1530 Palsgr. 734/2 The olde panymes for a vayn glory dyd stellyfye their kynges. a 1562 G. Cavendish Poems (1825) II. 44 O lady most excellent, by vertue stellefied, Assendyng the hevyns, where thou raynest aye. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 278/2 The bishop of Rome..which for his abhominable pride is fallen from heauen..thinketh..to stellifie againe himselfe there from whense he fell. a 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Dog of War C 2 b, Thou shalt be Stellifide by me, I'le make the Dog-star wayte on thee, And in his roome I'le seate thee. 1873 Ruskin Fors Clav. xxv. III. 12 The great Charles..therefore deserves to be stellified by British astronomers. |
† b. fig. To extol. Obs.
| 1523 Skelton Garl. Laurel 963, I wyll my selfe applye,..Yow for to stellyfye. 1595 E. C. Emaricdulfe Sonn, xxxix. in Lamport Garl. (Roxb.), Thy name, thy honour, and loues puritie, With Stanzas, Layes and Hymnes Ile stellifie. 1644 J. Taylor (Water P.) No Merc. Aulicus 3 You did most audaciously stellifie the head fire-brand of this Kingdome Iohn Pym. 1721 D'Urfey Operas etc. 230 This Lady you have stellify'd, Is my Acquaintance. |
† c. To compare to stars. Obs.
| 1628 Shirley Witty Fair One i. (1633) B 3 b, I ha' knowne him..stellifie their eyes. |
† 2. To set with stars, or with something compared to stars. Obs.
| 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 21174 Thys lasse world ys stellefyed Lych hevene, and as the ffyrmament. 1608 Plat Gard. Eden (1653) 173 The physicall use of this fire is to divide a Cœlum terræ, and then to stellifie the same with any animall or vegetable starre. 1616 Drummond of Hawthornden Sonn. ‘Then is She gone’, With Roses here Shee stellified the Ground. 1650 T. Blount Estienne's Art Devises etc. 86 Sir James Mongomery..had another Devise wherein was depainted the Skie stellified. 1658 Phillips s.v. Orbe, That without stars is the Primum Mobile, the other are all stellified, either with fixed Stars or Planets. |
Hence ˈstellifying vbl. n.
| a 1612 Harington Epigr. i. (1633) 68 They cald this sparing diet, Stellifying. 1634 T. Carew Coelum Brit. (1640) 258 In the firmament about him, was a troope of fifteene stars, expressing the stellifying of our Brittish Heroes. 1640 W. Crabtrie in Phil. Trans. XXVII. 280, I must acknowledge you say more for the stellifying of these Solar Obscurities, than I have heard before. |