transmogrify, v. vulgar or humorous.
(trɑːnsˈmɒgrɪfaɪ, træns-, -nz-)
Also 7–9 -mografy, -mography, -mogriphy, 8 -migrafy, -mugrify.
[Origin uncertain: see Note below.]
trans. To alter or change in form or appearance; to transform, metamorphose (utterly, grotesquely, or strangely).
| 1656 S. Holland Zara vi. (1719) 33 So that he remained for a time as one trans-elemented. [Note] Meaning transmografide, or metarmorphosed into a Mandrake. 1671 A. Behn Amorous Prince iii. iii, I wou'd Love would transmogriphy me to a maid now. 1688 Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia iii. i. 39, I know I am Transmography'd; but I am your very Brother, Ned. 1725 New Cant. Dict., Transmogrify, or rather Transmigrafy. 1728 Fielding Love in Sev. Masques v. iv. 68, I begin to think..that some wicked Enchanters have transmographied my Dulcinea. 1736 tr. Ruggle's Ignoramus iii. 35 I'll go put on my other Dress, and be transmogrify'd to Dulman. 1751 Warburton Lett. (1809) 85 The first volume of the Divine Legation..is so transmogrified that you will hardly know it again. 1753 Smollett Ct. Fathom xxiv, Thou art so transmographied, and bedaubed, and bedizened. 1786 Burns Addr. Unco Guid v, Social life and Glee sit down,..Till, quite transmugrify'd, they 're grown Debauchery and Drinking. 1844 Blackw. Mag. LVI. 777 By proper clipping and pruning..an ingenious editor might transmogriphy these simple epistles into the philippics of Junius. a 1888 M. Howitt Autobiog. (1889) II. 278 It was transmogrified by the addition of two storeys and a flat roof. |
b. To astonish utterly, confound.
dial.| 1887 P. M'Neill Blawearie 84 We..made our way here and are quite transmogrified to find everything so outrageously transformed. 1888 Berks. Gloss. (E.D.S.), Transmogrivied,..surprised, greatly astonished. |
[
Note. If the original form was (as suggested in
quot. 1725)
transmigrafy, this may have been a vulgar or uneducated formation in
-fy from
transmigure, or
transmigrate v. (
cf. transmigration 3 b). Apparently, it was originally
persons that were ‘transmografied’, or metamorphosed.]
Hence
transˈmogrified,
transˈmogrifying ppl. adjs.; also
transˌmogrification (
-fɪˈkeɪʃən), the action of transmogrifying, (strange or grotesque) transformation;
transˈmogrifier (
-faɪə(r)), one who transmogrifies.
| 1661 K. W. Conf. Charac., Hide-Parke Lady (1860) 58 It must march at least thrice to the botchers for *transmogrification. 1694 Motteux Rabelais v. ii. 6 The Transmogrification of the Macrobian Children into Swans. a 1878 Sir G. G. Scott Recoll. i. (1879) 47 The Tower..has undergone strange transmogrifications. |
| c 1832 Mrs. Sherwood in Life xxx. (1847) 529 We were led..over our *transmographied terrace. 1842 Barham Ingol. Leg. Ser. ii. St. Aloys, The transmogrified Pagan perform'd his vow. |
| 1676 Poor Robin's Intell. 13–20 June 2/1 A notable fewd between a Translator of Shooes and a *Transmogrifier of Garments, that is to say betwixt a Cobler and a Botcher. 1841 Fraser's Mag. XXIII. 338 Our modern transmogrifiers and parodists of ancient architecture. |
| 1832 J. P. Kennedy Swallow B. xliii, It [love] is the most *transmogrifying passion. 1904 Longm. Mag. Dec. 149 The transmogrifying process is being carried out only too rapidly. |