Cologne
(kəˈləʊn)
Also 4– coloyne, 4–6 coleyn, (5 collongne), 5–6 coleyne, 6 colleyne, -ayne, 6–7 collen, cullin, -en, 7–8 colen, collin, 8 cologn, (9 coulogne).
[In F. Cologne, Ger. Köln, MG. Cölen, Du. Keulen:—L. Colonia Agrippina, the ancient Roman name.]
a. Name of a German city on the Rhine, famous in the Middle Ages on account of the shrine of the Wise Men of the East, commonly called the Three Kings of Cologne: used attrib. to designate things obtained from the city or district, esp. in early names of weapons, as Cologne brand, Cologne sword; also Cologne thread, etc.
| c 1310 Flemish Insurr, in Pol. Songs (Camden Soc.) 191 Into Coloyne. c 1400 Three Kings Cologne (E.E.T.S.) 2 Þree holy and worshipfull kyngis of Coleyn. 1436 Libel in Wright Pol. Songs II. 171 Coleyne threde, fustiane, and canvase. 1483 Act 1 Rich. III, c. 10 §1 Calle sylk or Coleyn silk throwen or wrought. 1548 Hall Chron. (1809) 555 Long speres called Colleyne Clowystes. c 1550 Otterburn 200 in Child Eng. & Sc. Ballads vi. (1889) 298/1 They swapped together..Wyth swordes of fyne collayne. c 1592 Faustus in Thoms Pr. Rom. (1858) III. 265 Of divers sorts, French wine, Cullen wine, Crabashir wine. a 1650 Arth. & King of Cornwall 167 in Furniv. Percy Folio I. 68 Collen brand Ile haue in my hand, and a Millaine knife fast by me knee. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. 73 The three kings of Collen. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. vi. vii, Dickon wore a Cologne blade. |
b. Cologne earth (umber, brown), a brown pigment obtained or prepared from lignite, originally from a bed near Cologne; Cologne yellow, a pigment consisting of a mixture of chromate and sulphate of lead with sulphate of lime.
| 1658 W. Sanderson Graphice 53 Terra lemnia, or Cullins earth. Ibid. 55 Colens-earth. Ibid. 57 Terra-Colen is easie to work. 1703 Art's Improv. i. 39 Grind Collins-Earth very fine. 1809 Sowerby Elucidation of Colours 40 Terra Siennæ, umber and Coulognes earth are cheaper. 1835 G. Field Chromatogr. 160 Cologn-Earth, incorrectly called Cullen's earth. 1885 Encycl. Brit. XIX. 88 Real Vandyke Brown..allied to which are Cologne and Cassel Earth. |
c. In full Cologne water. = eau-de-Cologne; also, a cream or solid preparation of the same perfume, often formed into a stick. Also attrib.
| 1814 Boston Indep. Chron. 20 Jan. 4/4 (Advt.), Cologne Water. 1831 Disraeli Yng. Duke II. iii. ix. 120 You recollect his mother-of-pearl fountain of Cologne water? 1832 J. P. Kennedy Swallow Barn I. 125 She would like to have some Cologne of a particular kind. 1841–4 Emerson Ess. Ser. ii. iv. 120 Steeped in Cologne-water, and perfumed. 1863 B. Taylor H. Thurston I. 265 Teacups, bowls, and even a cologne bottle. 1875 Howells Foregone Concl. ix. 150 She brought her water and cologne. 1911 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 29 Apr. 4/4 (Advt.), Cut Glass..Cologne Bottles. 1941 Vogue Feb. 82 Roger and Gallet's French Cologne,..Demuth's Original Solid Eau de Cologne. 1958 Ibid. June (back page), Costly Goya Gardenia perfumes a whole collection of bath luxuries: Cologne 4/- Cologne Stick 5/6. 1965 E. O'Brien August is Wicked Month xvi. 193 She took out a Cologne stick and touched her pulse and the back of her knees. |