▪ I. morion1 Antiq.
(ˈmɒrɪən)
Forms: 6 mirrioun, (morlion), morrian, mory(o)n, murreowne, murryon, 6–7 morian, murren, 6–8 morrion, murrian, -ion, 7 morioune, morryoune, mourron, murrain, murrin, 8 moriam, 6– morion.
[a. F. morion (according to Hatz.-Darm. not found earlier than 1553, Rabelais), or the equivalent Sp. morrion (Pg. morrião) or It. morione. The history of the Rom. word is obscure; most etymologists regard it as originally Sp., f. morra crown of the head.]
1. A kind of helmet, without beaver or visor, worn by soldiers in the 16th and 17th c.
Antiquaries have distinguished certain varieties by prefixed designations, as cockscomb morion, pear-shaped morion.
| 1563 Lanc. Wills (1857) I. 141 A shirt of mayle w{supt}{suph} the hed peace or murren thereunto belonginge. a 1575 Diurn. Occurr. (Bannatyne Cl.) 212 Ane greit number of hagbittis, corslattis and mirriounis, togedder with some vyne [etc.]. 1582–8 Hist. James VI (1804) 137 In the shipp was funden..twa hundrethe murreownes. 1590 C'tess Pembroke Antonie 1768 The vseles morion shall On crooke hang by the wall. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 480 The people of Thracia..do with Ivie..garnish the heads of their launces,..their mourrons also and targuets. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. i. 22 At Brasil..Helmets are of little use, every one having an artificialized natural Morian of his head. 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. xix. (Roxb.) 166/1 The Italians call such caps, a Morion, and we from them a Murrian. 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arc. iii. 451 Polish'd Steel that cast the View aside, And Crested Morions with their Plumy Pride. 1808 Scott Marm. i. ix, The soldiers of the guard With musquet, pike, and morion. 1834 Gentl. Mag. CIV. i. 158 The combatants' headpieces are different in form; one has a rim like a morion, and much resembles a modern hat. 1907 Q. Rev. Jan. 83 It belongs to the school of poetry in which helmets are called morions. |
† 2. A kind of punishment used at sea. Obs.
[In Fr. the word appears to have been in military rather than naval use, and to have denoted a number of blows with a pike-staff.]
| 1626 Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Seamen 4 The Marshall is..to see Justice executed according to directions, as..setting in the bilbowes, and to pay the Cobty or the Morryoune. |
▪ II. morion2 Min.
(ˈmɒrɪən)
[a. F. morion, a. corrupt L. morion, a misreading in early edd. of Pliny for mormorion.]
Black smoky quartz.
| 1748 J. Hill Hist. Fossils ii. 470 Pramnion Morio sive Morion dictum. The Morion or Pramnion of the antients. 1796 Kirwan Elem. Min. (ed. 2) I. 241 Mountain or Rock Crystal. When..pale or dark brown, or bronze falling into black, then called morion. 1866 Brande & Cox Dict. Sci., etc., Morion, a lapidaries' name for black Rock Crystal. |