† ˈalkin, a. Obs.
Forms: (1 alra cynna, ? alles cynnes), 2–3 alles cunnes (-y-), 3–4 alle kunnes, alle kinne, 4–5 alkyns, alkyn(e, 5–6 alkin, alken.
[orig. genitive phrase, sing. or pl., alles cynnes of every kind, ‘omnis generis,’ alra cynna of all kinds, ‘omnium generum,’ which being placed before the noun on which they depended, as alra cynna f{uacu}ᵹlas fowls of all sorts, alles cunnes deor beasts of every kind, became treated more or less as adjs., and finally reduced to alkins, alkin. It is doubtful whether they occur before 1100, though OE. has phrases parallel to alra cynna in maneᵹra cynna w{iacu}tu ‘afflictions of many kinds.’ Ps. x. 7. Modern usage reverses the syntactic relation in all kind of, all kinds of. See kin and kind.]
Of every kind or sort; every kind of, all kinds of.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 79 Alles cunnes wilde dor. c 1200 Ormin 850 Onn alle kinne wise. c 1230 St. Juliana 35 Ha greiðið þe..Alles cunnes pinen. a 1330 Florice & Bl. 793 Þer was alle kunnes gleo. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 613 Alkyn filthe. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 177 Of alkinnes craftes · I contreued toles. 1460 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 105 Alken synnes wer wroȝt in me. 1552 Lyndesay Complaynt 300 Wors than thay in alkin thyng. |