▪ I. alchemy
(ˈælkɪmɪ)
Forms: 4–5 alkamy(e, alknamy(e, alkenamye, -emye, alconomy(e, 5 alcanamy, 6 alkemy, alcomye, alchumie, 6–7 alchimie, -ymie, 7 alkimy, -camy, -cumy, 7–8 alchimy, 6– alchymy, 7– alchemy.
[a. OFr. alquimie, -emie, -kemie, -camie (also ar-), ad. med.L. alchimia (Pr. alkimia, Sp. alquimia, It. alchimia), a. Arab. al-kīmīā, i.e. al the + kīmīā, apparently a. Gr. χηµία, χηµεία, found (c. 300) in the Decree of Diocletian against ‘the old writings of the Egyptians, which treat of the χηµία (transmutation) of gold and silver’; hence the word is explained by most as ‘Egyptian art,’ and identified with χηµία, Gr. form (in Plutarch) of the native name of Egypt (land of Khem or Khamè, hieroglyphic Khmi, ‘black earth,’ in contrast to the desert sand). If so, it was afterwards etymologically confused with the like-sounding Gr. χῡµεία, pouring, infusion, f. χυ- pf. stem of χέ-ειν to pour, cf. χῡµός juice, sap, which seemed to explain its meaning; hence the Renascence spelling alchymia and chymistry. Mahn (Etym. Unt. 69) however concludes, after an elaborate investigation, that Gr. χῡµεία was probably the original, being first applied to pharmaceutical chemistry, which was chiefly concerned with juices or infusions of plants; that the pursuits of the Alexandrian alchemists were a subsequent development of chemical study, and that the notoriety of these may have caused the name of the art to be popularly associated with the ancient name of Egypt, and spelt χηµεία, χηµία, as in Diocletian's decree. From the Alexandrians the art and name were adopted by the Arabs, whence they returned to Europe by way of Spain. Of the 14–15th c. forms, Alconomy was evidently assimilated to Astronomy, the two sciences going together.]
1. The chemistry of the Middle Ages and 16th c.; now applied distinctively to the pursuit of the transmutation of baser metals into gold, which (with the search for the alkahest or universal solvent, and the panacea or universal remedy) constituted the chief practical object of early chemistry.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. [152 Astronomye is hard þing] 157 Experimentis of Alconomye [v.r. alkenemye, alknamye]. 1377 Ibid. B. x. 212 Experimentz of alkamye [v.r. alkenemye, alconomie, alle kyn amye] ·þe poeple to deceyue. 1393 Gower Conf. II. 84 They founde thilke experience Which cleped is alconomy. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. xvi. (1495) 776 The asshes of a cokatrice be acountyd good and proffytable in werkyng of Alkamye: and namely in tornynge and chaungynge of metalle. 1509 Barclay Ship of Fooles (1570) 211 The vayne and disceatfull craft of alkemy. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. i. iii. 159 That which would appeare Offence in vs, His Countenance, like richest Alchymie, Will change to Vertue. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. iv. vii. (1651) 167 What is..Alcumy, but a bundle of errors? 1683 Pettus Fleta Min. ii. 1 Alchimie..an Art of Distilling or Drawing Quintessences out of Metals by Fire. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. I. 371 Philosophy, with the aid of experience, has at length banished the study of alchymy. 1837 Whewell Induct. Sc. (1857) I. 232 It has been usual to say that Alchemy was the mother of Chemistry. |
2. fig. Magic or miraculous power of transmutation or extraction.
| c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxxiii, A glorious morning..Guilding pale streames with heauenly alcumy. 1640 Quarles Enchir. lxiii, It is a Princely Alchymie, out of a necessary Warre to extract an honourable Peace. 1824 Byron Juan ii. cciii, Wisdom, ever on the watch to rob Joy of its alchemy. 1872 Blackie Lays of Highl. 35 Toilsome Nature's patient alchemy. |
† 3. A metallic composition imitating gold; ‘alchemy gold.’ Hence applied to a trumpet of such metal, or of brass as its chief constituent. Obs.
| 1440 Promp. Parv., Alkamye, metalle [1499 alcamyn] Alkamia. 1483 Cath. Angl. Alcanamy, corinthium. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. iv. 130 In byrnist gold and finest alcomye. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. Concl., Coines of gold, siluer, alcumy and copper. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 516 Four speedy cherubim Put to their mouths the sounding alchymie. 1677 Lond. Gaz. mcclxiv/4 One Livery Coat..with Alcomie Buttons. 1691 Ibid. mmdclxxxvi/4 A Hair Camlet Wastecoat with Alkimy Buttons. 1695 Ibid. mmmlxxi/4 A strip'd Wastcoat with plain Alcomy Cuffs. 1812 W. Tennant Anster Fair v. ii, King James's trumpeter aloud should cry Through his long alchemy the famous name. |
† 4. fig. Glittering dross. (‘All is not gold that glitters.’) Obs.
| 1591 Harrington Orl. Fur. (Trench Sel. Gl. 4) Though the show of it were glorious, the substance of it was dross, and nothing but alchymy and cozenage. |
5. attrib. (See 3.)
| 1657 J. Trapp Comm. Ps. xiii. 6 II. 600 Alchimie-gold..will not passe the seuenth fire. |
▪ II. † ˈalchemy, v. Obs.
Also alchyme, alkime.
[f. alchemy n. 3. Cf. to silver, tin, lacquer, etc.]
To plate or wash with another metal; to alloy.
| 1615 T. Adams Blacke Devill 42 So true Gold is alchymed over with a false sophistication. 1622 Malynes Anc. Law-Merch. 277 They cause them to be Alkimed like silver. 1627 Feltham Resolves i. xviii. (1677) 32 It will Alchymy the gold of vertue. |