silken, a.
(ˈsɪlk(ə)n)
Forms: α. 1 seolocen (2 -ken), seolcen (siolcen), 3 seolken(e; 2 seleken, 4 selkyn, 5 selken. β. 3 sulkene, 4 silkine, 5 -in, -yn, 6 sylken, -yn, 4 silken.
[f. silk n. + -en4.]
I. 1. Made or consisting of silk.
| α c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xv, Seolocenra hræᵹla mid mistlicum bleowum hi ne ᵹimdon. 9.. Ags. Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 195 Bombicinum, seolcen ᵹeᵹerla. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Matt. xxvii. 28 Hyo..scrydden hine mid selekene reade sicchele [read scyccelse]. c 1275 Sinners Beware 164 in O.E. Misc. 77 Heo draweþ heore wede Mid seolkene þrede. 13.. [see β]. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 197 Nou is Susan..sengeliche arayed, In a selken schert. 1475–6 Sarum Churchw. Acc. (Swayne, 1896) 362, iiij vnce j quarter of selken frenge, v s. ij d. |
| β c 1205 Lay. 4549 Sulkene wes þat seil-clæð. 13.. K. Alis. 278 (Laud MS.), Yhiled myd a silken [W. selkyn] webbe. a 1400–50 Alexander 1520 He..sammes þaim on aithire side with silken rapis. 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. vii. (1883) 142 A silken threde so small that no man myght see hit. 1553 Eden Treat. New Ind. (Arb.) 18 A silken fyllet of scarlet colour tied about their heddes. 1594 Spenser F.Q. iv. i. 13 Like a silken veile in compasse round About her backe. 1645 E. Pagitt Heresiogr. (1661) 13 They would not suffer a man to were a Ring, or a woman a silken gown. 1725 Pope Odyss. vi. 95 The silken reins Shine in her hand. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. xxii. (1787) II. 343 Their silken robes were embroidered with gold. 1815 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. iii. (1818) I. 63 The caterpillar attached itself to a leaf by a silken girth. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xix, Merry laughs were heard through the silken curtains. |
| fig. 1673 Dryden Mar. à la Mode ii. i, Tho' nature gives you power To bind his duty, 'tis with silken bonds. 1746 Hervey Medit. (1818) 32 How silken the yoke to such a pair, and what blessings were twisted with such bands! 1799 R. Sickelmore Agnes & Leonora II. 68 He became firmly attached, in the silken bond of friendship, to a youth. |
2. Worked in silk.
rare.
| 1587 Fleming Cont. Holinshed III. 1346/2 Those silken pictures hallowed by the pope. 1597 Shakes. Lover's Compl. 17 Oft did she heaue her Napkin to her eyne, Which on it had conceited charecters: Laundring the silken figures in the brine [etc.]. |
3. Producing silk; characterized by the prevalence of silk.
| 1601 Holland Pliny II. 407 Insomuch as we need not wonder any more at the Seres or Indians for their cotton and silken trees. 1820 Keats Eve of St. Agnes xxi, The maiden's chamber, silken, hush'd and chaste. Ibid. xxx, Spiced dainties, every one, From silken Samarcand. |
4. Clad in silk. (See also 8.)
| 1640 Chilmead Ferrand's Love Melanch. 51 Every silken coxcombe that has but a Page at his heels. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche vii. cxxxv, All Inns by Silken and by Purple Things Were taken up. 1738 Johnson London 164 With brisker air the silken courtiers gaze. 1806 R. Mant Poems i. 17 And distant in the glittering sunshine ride The silken sons of luxury and pride. 1820 Scott Abbot xx, Her four noble Marys and all their silken train. 1896 Daily News 2 July 9/2 One would look instinctively for a vision of silken ankles and the red drugget on the pavement. |
5. Of or pertaining to silk stuffs or goods.
| 1719 W. Wood Surv. Trade 219 The Encouragement of our Woollen Manufacture; the Consequence of which, is the Encouragement of the Silken. |
II. 6. a. Silky, silk-like; soft; glossy, shining, lustrous.
| 1513 Douglas æneid xii. Prol. 129 The balmy vapour from thar sylkyn croppis Distylland hailsum..hunny droppis. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 591 Now blessed be the day, That I see..your silken hyde Fil'd with round flesh. 1597 Shakes. Lover's Compl. 87 His browny locks did hang in crooked curles, And euery..wind Vpon his lippes their silken parcels hurles. 1607 Rowlands Guy Warw. (Hunterian Club) 8 Pleasing, smooth, and silken skin. 1625 Milton Death Fair Infant 2 O fairest flower.., Soft silken Primrose fading timelesslie. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 468 Sleeps are sweeter on the silken Ground. 1820 Shelley Œd. Tyr. ii. i. 64 The milk-white Bulls..in fresh dews..Sleeking their silken hair. 1857 Miller Elem. Chem., Org. v. §3 (1862) 362 It crystallizes in anhydrous silken needles. 1871 Palgrave Lyr. Poems 76 All day between them in silence The silken butterflies glide. |
| fig. 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., Silken skin, in good humour. ‘He has a fine silken skin to-day.’ |
b. spec. in scientific names (see
quots.).
| 1611 Cotgr., Cotine, Venice Sumach, silken Sumach, red Sumach. 1804 Shaw Gen. Zool. V. i. 221 Silken Carp, Cyprinus Sericeus... Brilliant violet-silvery Carp... Native of slowly-running streams in many parts of Dauria. 1832 J. Rennie Consp. Butterfl. & Moths 111 The Silken Carpet (Alcis sericearia, Curtis) appears in July. Wings..silky-brown, or brick-red. |
7. a. Of words, etc.: Elegant; ingratiating, soft, flattering.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 406 Taffata phrases, silken tearmes precise. 1644 Jessop Angel of Ephesus 62 A late Patron of Episcopacie, who seemeth to be very neere of kinne to the Remonstrant in confidence and silken language. 1672 Owen Christian Love iii, Love may work as regularly by sharp rebukes as by the most silken and compliant expressions. 1703 Rowe Ulysses i. i. 307, I cannot court you with a silken Tale. 1741 Watts Improv. Mind (1801) 90 To be restrained by such mild and silken language. 1955 E. Pound Classic Anthol. i. 20 Lady of silken word. |
b. Similarly of persons, their looks, voice, etc.
| 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 53 His simple truth must be abus'd, With silken, slye, insinuating Iackes. 1598 Marston Pygmal., Sat. ii, Then with a silken face [he] Smiles on the holy crue. c 1765 Churchill Proph. Famine Poems 1767 I. 88 Thus speak a form, by silken smile, and tone Dull and unvaried, for the Laureat known. 1885 Manch. Exam. 27 Apr. 5/4 Mr. Russell's voice, usually so soft and silken, was absolutely husky with passion. |
8. Effeminate, luxurious.
In some examples sense 4 may be intended.
| 1599 Shakes. John v. i. 70 Shall a beardlesse boy, A cockred-silken wanton braue our fields? ― Hen. V, ii. Prol. 2 Now all the Youth of England are on fire, And silken Dalliance in the Wardrobe lyes. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche xvi. clx, Whilst fooled Thou..Lin'st thy Commands with silken downy Ease. 1652 C. B. Stapylton Herodian 65 These Silken Syrians are no Souldiers Martiall. 1703 Rowe Ulysses ii. i. 433 The silken Minions of the Samian Court. 1741–2 Gray Agrippa 98 The silken son of dalliance, nurs'd in ease. 1821 Byron Sardan. iii. i. 314 Baal himself Ne'er fought more fiercely to win empire, than His silken son to save it. 1877 L. Morris Epic of Hades ii. 135 Their silken ease And royal luxury changed for blood and tears. |
9. a. Soft, sweet, balmy; gentle.
| 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. iii. v. 215 Silken thoughts attend this deare beautie. 1601 ― Ev. Man in Hum. (Qto.) iii. iii. 17 In smoothe silken peace. a 1635 R. Corbet Poems (1807) 224 Those deeds..which ne'er affright The silken slumbers in the night. 1894 G. Egerton Discords 178 It is so good to sit thus bathed in silken air. 1895 W. Wright Palmyra & Zenobia iii. 23 A splendid charger, whose neck..swayed hither and thither to her silken touch. |
b. Of Sounds: Soft, low.
| 1784 Cowper Task iv. 212 Time..has a dove's wing, Unsoil'd, and swift, and of a silken sound. c 1800 H. K. White Clift Gr. 81 The gray owl's silken flight. 1844 Mrs. Browning Lady Geraldine's Courtship v, In her lovely silken murmur. |
c. Of wine: Mellow, silky.
| a 1704 T. Brown To J. Haines in Coll. Poems (1705) 117 'Tis all Sincerity, a Silken Wine; It Charms the Taste, and Gratifies the Nose. |
10. Comb., as
silken-coated,
silken-fastened,
silken-folded,
silken-sailed,
silken-sandalled,
silken-threaded,
silken-winged, etc. Also
silken-shining,
silken-soft,
silken-stapler.
| 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. ii. 136 As for these *silken-coated slaues I passe not. |
| 1868 Morris Earthly Par. (1890) 61/2 A *silken-fastened book. |
| 1847 Tennyson Princ. iv. 49 Francis hatch'd In *silken-folded idleness. |
| a 1835 Motherwell Poet. Wks. (1847) 64 'Tis softer than down, or This *silken-leafed flower. |
| 1833 Tennyson Lady of Shalott i. iii, Unhail'd The shallop flitteth *silken-sail'd. |
| 1847 ― Princ. Prol. 149 Her tiny *silken-sandal'd foot. |
| 1887 Meredith Ball. & Poems 157 O'er the *silken-shining pastures of the continents and the isles. |
| 1859 Ld. Lytton Wanderer (ed. 2) 199 Your young feet there, *Silken-soft in each quaint slipper. |
| 1599 T. M[oufet] Silkwormes 74 Go we, let vs learne the *silken-staplers trade. |
| 1766 Phil. Trans. LVI. 58 A Newtonian telescope..furnished with a *silken-threaded micrometer. 1868 Morris Earthly Par. (1870) I. i. 338 In her lap her open hand did lie, The silken-threaded needle close thereby. |
| 1820 Shelley Witch Atlas Ded. 9 What hand would crush the *silken-winged fly. |
Hence
ˈsilken v. trans., to invest with a silky lustre;
ˈsilkened a., dressed in silk.
| 1757 Dyer Fleece i. 494 Nightly to house them [sc. sheep] dry on fern or straw, Silk'ning their Fleeces. 1841 Catlin N. Amer. Ind. (1844) I. xxx. 244 The cheering smiles and graces of silkened beauty. |