ˈink-horn
Forms: see ink n.1
[f. ink n.1 + horn n. 12; cf. obs. Du. inkt-horn, enkt-horen (Kilian).]
1. A small portable vessel (originally made of a horn) for holding writing-ink: now seldom used. † to smell of the ink-horn, to be pedantic; term of inkhorn = ink-horn term 2 b.
| 1382 Wyclif Ezek. ix. 11 The man that..hadde an enk⁓horn in his rigge. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 262/1 Inkehorne, attramentarium. 1463 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 229 Item, payd..for a pener and a ynkorne, iij. d. 1474 Caxton Chesse 77 On his gurdel a penner and an ynk-horn. c 1570 Pride & Lowl. (1841) 30 Ne had they term of ink⁓horne ne of penne But plaine in speache. 1587 Golding De Mornay xxvi. 396 Proclamations set foorth in such a stile,..smelling too much of the Inkehorne. 1687 T. Brown Saints in Uproar Wks. 1730 I. 75 Children don't use to come into the world with their ink-horns and pocket-books about them. 1733 Lady B—z in Swift's Lett. (1766) II. 191 Two days ago I washed the mould out of my inkhorn, put fresh ink into it. c 1850 Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 253 He drew from a little writing-case..some paper, a cut cane, and an ink-horn. 1879 Maclear Celts viii. 133 Literary apparatus, such as waxed tablets, styles, pens, and ink horns. |
2. attrib. a. † ink-horn fish, the ink-fish or cuttle-fish;
† ink-horn mate,
varlet contemptuous appellations for a scribbler.
| 1598 Epulario H j b, To dresse an *Inke horne fish, in Latine Lolligo. 1635 Swan Spec. M. (1670) 342 The Calamary..Some call him the Ink-horn-fish. |
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. i. 99 Ere that we will suffer such a Prince..To be disgraced by an *Inke-horne Mate, Wee..all will fight. |
| 1820 Lamb Elia Ser. i. Two Races Men, Your sour parochial or state-gatherers,—those *ink-horn varlets, who carry their want of welcome in their faces! |
b. ink-horn term, a term of the literary language, a learned or bookish word; so also
ink-horn desire,
ink-horn language,
ink-horn word.
arch.| 1543 Bale Yet a Course 59 b, Soche are your Ynkehorne termes. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. xii[i]. (Arb.) 130 Irreuocable, irradiation, depopulation and such like,..which..were long time despised for inkehorne termes. 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 51 Wherefore thoughe he had done it of an ink horne desire to be eloquent. 1623 Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. Pref. (1638) 16 Faine to stuffe the text with such fustian, such inkehorne termes, as may seem to favour their parts. 1784 Hutton Bran New Wark 6 Inkhorn words, to be honest, we knaw lile abaut. 1871 Lowell Study W. (1886) 330 As if it were a spoken, and not merely an ink-horn language. 1872 W. Minto Eng. Prose Lit. ii. ii. 235 Inkhorn words of Latin origin. |