peripatetic, a. and n.
(pɛrɪpəˈtɛtɪk)
Forms: (5 perypatetik), 6 perrepateticke, peripatetycke, 6–7 -tike, -tique, 7–8 -tick, 8– peripatetic.
[a. F. péripatétique (in 14th c. pery-, Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. peripatēticus belonging to the peripatetic philosophy, a. Gr. περιπατητικός given to walking about, f. περιπατητ-ής one who walks about, f. περί about, around + πατεῖν to tread, to walk; in reference to the custom of Aristotle, who taught while walking in a περίπατος or place for walking in the Lyceum at Athens.]
A. adj.
1. Of or belonging to the school or system of philosophy founded by Aristotle, or the Aristotelian sect; Aristotelian; held or believed by this sect of philosophers. (With capital P.)
| 1566 Painter Pal. Pleas I. 63 Phocion a peripatetique philosopher. 1664 Power Exp. Philos. i. 57 The Controversie 'twixt the Peripatetick and Atomical Philosophers. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 85 ¶13 The old peripatetick principle, that Nature abhors a Vacuum. 1837 Whewell Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857) I. 193 The mixed Peripatetic and Platonic philosophy of the time. |
2. Walking about or from place to place in connexion with some occupation or calling; itinerant.
Often humorous, with a glance at sense 1.
| 1642 Howell For. Trav. (Arb.) 13 Peregrination..may be not improperly called a moving Academy or the true Peripatetique Schoole. 1662 S. P. Acc. Latitude Men 15 A certain Peripatetick Artificer..came that way, who under⁓took to mend it. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. 13. 1812 L. Hunt in Examiner 11 May 301/2 A persecuted and peripatetic lady. 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. ii. viii, His Peripatetic habits, favourable to Meditation. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VII. 258 Peripatetic mountebanks used..to include a goat among their stage properties. |
† b. loosely. Used for pacing up and down in, as a gallery or cloister. Obs.
| 1631 R. Brathwait Whimzies, Exchange-man 31 Entring now the long peripatetick gallery, they are encountred with volleyes of..questions. |
c. fig. Of speech: Rambling. rare.
| 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. xi, [He] prolonged to the utmost stretch of possibility a peripatetic account of an archery meeting. |
B. n.
1. A disciple of Aristotle; a member of the sect of philosophers who held the doctrines of Aristotle.
| c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 47 Oon sect þat er namyd [per]ypatetiks affermes þat he steigh to þe emperien heuene yn þe semynge of fir. 1550 Bale Eng. Vot. ii. 81 b, The peripatetyckes or naturall philosophers of Aristotle's secte. 1701 tr. Le Clerc's Prim. Fathers (1702) 5 The School-men, who were Peripateticks, explained Divinity by Aristotle's Principles. 1830 Mackintosh Eth. Philos. Wks. 1846 I. 24 The mediocrity in which the Peripatetics placed Virtue. |
2. One who walks about; a traveller; an itinerant dealer or trader. (Mostly humorous.)
| 1617 J. Moore Mappe Mans Mort. ii. iv. 109 The Diuell is a Peripateticke,..alwaies walking and going about, seeking whom he may ensnare. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 376 ¶1 It seems the peripatetic who walked before her was a watchman in the neighbourhood. 1798 Southey in Robberds Mem. W. Taylor I. 221, I have a traveller, and I am afraid I shall want another of these peripatetics. 1864 Lowell Fireside Trav. 195 John and Jonathan are always in a hurry when they turn peripatetics. |
3. pl. Journeyings to and fro; movements hither and thither. humorous.
| 1769 E. Griffith Delicate Distress I. 218 (F. Hall). 1811 L. M. Hawkins C'tess & Gertr. I. 41 You can divine their ‘having friends to dinner’ by the white-aproned satellites of the confectioner, and the preternatural peripatetics of pots and kettles. |
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Add: [A.] [2.] d. Educ. Of a teacher: not attached to a particular school, but going from school to school, etc. in order to give specialist training. Also of, pertaining to, or characterized by this type of teaching.
| 1969 Peripatetic Teachers of Deaf (Dept. Educ. & Sci.) 17 The duties of peripatetic teachers take them into hospitals, ENT and child health clinics, children's homes, schools and junior training centres. 1977 P. Mittler Day Services for Mentally Handicapped Adults (Nat. Devel. Group for Mentally Handicapped) iv. 26 Some staff might be enabled to develop a peripatetic role. 1983 Classical Music Nov. 4/1 (Advt.), Peripatetic music teacher violin/viola. 1990 Times Educ. Suppl. 4 May a131 (Advt.), Teacher required..to provide a peripatetic service for young children..who have continuing speech and language difficulties. |