Hebrew, n. and a.
(ˈhiːbruː)
Forms: (1 (pl.) Ebréas), 3–6 Ebreu, 4 Ebru, Ebrewe, Hebru, Hebreu, Sc. Hebrow, 4–6 Sc. (pl.) Hebreis, 4–7 Ebrew, 5–7 Hebrewe, 6 Ebrue, Hebrieu, 6–7 Hebrue, 4– Hebrew.
[ME. Ebreu, a. OF. Ebreu, Ebrieu (nom. Ebreus, 12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. med.L. Ebrę̄us for cl.L. Hebræus, a. Gr. Ἑβραῖος, f. Aramaic ﻋebrai, corresp. to Heb. ﻋibrī ‘a Hebrew’, lit. ‘one from the other side (of the river)’; f. ﻋēber the region on the other or opposite side; f. ﻋābar to cross or pass over. Cf. the LXX, Gen. xiv. 13 ἀβρὰµ ὁ περατής, ‘Abram the passer-over’ or ‘immigrant’, for Abrām haﻋibrī ‘Abram the Hebrew’. At the revival of learning the initial H was resumed after cl.L. in French and English. (The OE. Ebréas was immediately from med.L. Ebrēi.)
To the Aramaic form on which the Greek word was fashioned is due the stem Ἑβρα-, Hebra-, in Hebraic, Hebraist, Hebraize, etc.]
A. n.
1. A person belonging to the Semitic tribe or nation descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite, a Jew. (Historically, the term is usually applied to the early Israelites; in modern use it avoids the religious and other associations often attaching to Jew.)
| [c 1000 ælfric Gen. xl. 15 For þam þe ic wæs dearnunga forstolen of Ebrea lande.] c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints, Thomas 73 Þare is bot a god but drede, þat of hebreis þe god Is. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. xliii. 114 Not seruaunt, but a veray hebrewe. 1553 Gau Richt Vay 35 As it is writine in the vi chaiptur to the Hebreis. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iii. xii. 93 Of nature an Hebrew. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. v. 57 If not, thou art an Hebrew, a Iew, and not worth the name of a Christian. 1671 Milton Samson 1319 Thou knows't I am an Ebrew. 1845 Maurice Mor. & Met. Philos. in Encycl. Metrop. II. 558/1 The difference between the Hebrews and Greeks generally. |
† b. Hebrew race or stock. Obs.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints. Thomas 59 A madyne com amange þam all Of hebrow borne In-to þe land. Ibid. 65 He of hebrow ves a manne. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xl. 15 Theuelich Y am had awey fro the loond of Hebrew [1388 Ebrews]. |
2. The Semitic language spoken by the Hebrews, and in which most of the books of the Old Testament were written; it became extinct in vernacular use three or four centuries B.C., but survived liturgically, and is still cultivated by educated Jews throughout the world.
(In the New Testament applied to the Aramaic or Syriac, the vernacular language of the Hebrews of the time.)
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 136 Vor Iudit on Ebreu is schrift an Englis. a 1300 Cursor M. 2179 Al men spak bot wit on tong, þat es hebru, al for to sai. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxix. 132 Þai can speke na langage bot Ebrew. Ibid. All þe Iews..lerez for to speke Hebrew. 1526 Tindale John xix. 17 A place..which is named in hebrue, Golgatha. 1645 Milton Colast. Wks. (1851) 345 As if hee knew both Greek and Ebrew. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St. Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 732 The Doctor of the highest reputation for learning, who understood Hebrew, Arabic and the Hindoo Language. 1842 Prichard Nat. Hist. Man 143 Even the language of Numidia is supposed by Gesenius to have been a pure, or nearly pure, Hebrew. |
b. colloq. Unintelligible speech: cf. Greek.
| 1705 Vanbrugh Confederacy i. ii, Mon. If she did but know what part I take in her sufferings ― Flip. Mighty obscure! Mon. Well, I say no more: but ― Flip. All Hebrew! 1816 Lady L. Stuart Let. 5 Dec. in Scott's Fam. Lett. (1894) I. 394 Even I..found a great many words absolute Hebrew to me. |
B. adj. Belonging to the Hebrews; Israelitish, Jewish: a. in reference to the nation.
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 179/2 Hebrewe, hebreus. 1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alph., Hebrew, from Hebers stock. 1681 Dryden Abs. & Achit. 128 Which Hebrew priests the more unkindly took. 1851 Gallenga Italy 123 He is said to be of Hebrew extraction, the son of a converted Jew. |
b. in reference to the language; of persons: learned in Hebrew, as a Hebrew scholar. (In the New Testament = Aramaic: see A. 2.)
| a 1300 Cursor M. 406 In a dale..þat ebron hatte, in hebru nam. 1526 Tindale Luke xxiii. 38 His superscripcion was written over him in greke, latin, and ebrue letters. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. i. 198 Turks Characters, nor Hebrew points to seek. 1611 Bp. Hall Serm. iii. Wks. (1837) 50 The Maccabees had four Hebrew letters in their ensign. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 59 For Hebrew roots, altho' they're found To flourish most in barren ground. 1895 W. A. Copinger in Trans. Bibliogr. Soc. II. ii. 112 Hebrew type is found in a book printed by Fyner, at Esslingen in 1475..but no work was, I believe, wholly printed in this character till 1477. |
c. Hebrew character, Hebrew letter: collectors' names for a kind of moth and of shell respectively, so called from their markings.
| 1756 T. Amory J. Buncle (1770) I. xiii. 51 The Hebrew letter, another voluta, is a fine curiosity. 1843 Humphreys Brit. Moths (1858–9) 41 Semiphora Gothica (the Hebrew Character)..appears to be double-brooded. |
Hence ˈHebrew-wise adv., in Hebrew fashion; in the manner of Hebrew writing, from right to left, backwards.
| 1689 Prior Ep. to Fleetwood 61 The God makes not the poet; but The thesis, vice-versâ put, Should Hebrew-wise be understood; And means, the Poet makes the God. 1774 Burney Hist. Mus. (1789) I. vii. 100 The opinion of some that the Greek scale and music should be read Hebrew wise. |