adieu, int., also adv., n., and ellipt. v.
(əˈdjuː)
Forms: 4–7 adew(e; 5–7 adue; 5 adyeu, adieux; 6 adeu; 7 adiew(e; 4– adieu.
[a. Fr. adieu, f. a. to + dieu God, i.e. ‘I commend you to God!’ originally said to the party left, as ‘Farewell!’ was to the party setting forth.]
A. int.
1. An expression of kind wishes at the parting of friends, sinking into a mere formula of civility at parting. Good-bye! farewell! arch.
| 1393 Gower Conf. II. 250 He saide: Adewe my swete may. 1440 J. Shirley Dethe of James 29 Adieux. To God I you beteche. 1509 Hawes Past. Pl. xx. xix, Farewell, swete herte! farewell farewell, farewell! Adieu, adieu! 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 292/1 So with this grace good queene now heere adue. 1697 Dryden Virgil, Past. iii. 123 (1721) Adieu my Dear, she said, a long Adieu. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. lvii. 16 And ‘Ave, Ave, Ave,’ said, ‘Adieu, adieu’ for evermore. |
2. fig. An expression of regret at the loss or departure of anything; or a mere exclamatory recognition of its disappearance; = Away!, no longer, no more, all is over with.
| c 1400 Test. Love ii. (1560) 292/1 Adewe and adewe blis. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas iii. vii. (1554) 79 a, Touching defence, adue al hardinesse. 1586 G. Whitney in Farr S.P. (1845) I. 209 Adve, deceiptfull worlde, thy pleasures I detest. 1586 James VI in Ellis Orig. Lett. i. 222. III. 14 Then adeu with my dealing with thaime. 1652 Ashmole Theatr. Chem. Brit. xiii. 216 Adew my song and al my notes cler. 1777 Hume Ess. & Treat. I. 377 Adieu to all ideas of nobility, gentry, and family. |
B. adv.
† 1. to go adieu: to go away, depart finally. Obs.
| 1513 Douglas æneis i. vi. 174 Thus he repreuis, bot sche is went adew. 1575 Churchyard Chippes (1817) 151 And set the world agoing once adue It is mutch like a streame that hath no stay. |
2. to bid or say adieu (to): to take affectionate, regretful, or formal leave of. (Here it approaches the character of a noun.)
| 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle ii. lxv. (1859) 59, I bad hym adyeu. 1624 H. Smith 6 Serm. 11 Bid conscience adiewe. 1771 Junius Lett. xlii. 221 The king..bids adieu to amicable negociation. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. (1873) 119 The old man arose and bid them adieu. |
C. Hence n. An affectionate or formal leave-taking; a parting word; a farewell; esp. to make adieu or take adieu.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1084 And said, he wold in trouthe alwey hym holde, And his adew made. 1592 Warner Albion's Eng. viii. xl. (1612) 196 Their eies..now looke their last adew. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. i. 53 Too cold an adieu. 1606 ― Ant. & Cl. iv. v. 14 Write to him, gentle adieu's, and greetings. 1653 A. Wilson James I, 251 The Queen spoke her own Adieu in French. 1702 Pope Sappho 111 Sure 'twas not much to bid one kind adieu. c 1815 Jane Austen Northang. Abb. (1833) I. xv. 98 His adieus were not long. 1855 Tennyson Daisy 85 What more? we took our last adieu. |
D. ellipt. as v. To bid farewell to; to take leave for ever of.
| 1602 Carew Cornwall 111 a, Shepherd adiews his swymming flocke, The Hinde his whelmed haruest hope. |