Virginian, n. and a.1
(vəˈdʒɪnɪən)
[f. prec. + -an.]
A. n. a. One of the aboriginal natives or inhabitants of Virginia.
| 1588 T. Harriot Brief Rep. Virginia B 1 b, [If mulberry trees are planted] there will rise as greate profite in time to the Virginians, as..doth now to the Persians. 1607–12 in Capt. Smith Wks. (Arb.) 79 Of the manner of the Virginians governement. 1619 Middleton Love & Antiq. in Bullen O. Pl. VII. 321 The civilly instructed Irishman, and that kind savage the Virginian. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 209 The Brasilians, and Virginians, and other Natives of America. 1859 Thackeray Virgin. xl, A young savage Iroquois, Choctaw, or Virginian, who has lately been making a little noise in our quarter of the globe. |
b. A white settler in Virginia; a native or inhabitant of the modern State of Virginia.
| 1654 in Colonial Rec. N. Carolina (1886) I. 18 Sir, if you think good to acquaint the States with what is done by two Virginians born, you will honor our country. 1755 W. Smith Brief State Province of Pennsylvania 15 'Tis true our Neighbours, the Virginians, have taken the Alarm, and called on our Assistance. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XVIII. 659/1 The Virginians who are rich, are in general sensible, polite, and hospitable and of an independent spirit. 1843 Penny Cycl. XXVI. 372/2 Parts of the Navigation Laws were deemed highly injurious to the interests of the Virginians. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. III. xiii. 208 Two regiments composed of Pennsylvanians, Marylanders, and Virginians, remained as a garrison. |
B. adj. a. Of, belonging or relating to, the State of Virginia; connected with or interested in Virginia.
With the various applications of the
adj.,
cf. the attributive uses of
Virginia.
| 1609–12 in Capt. Smith Wks. (Arb.) 169 For the honorable and better sort of our Virginian adventurers, I think they vnderstand it as I haue writ it. 1614 Chapman Masque Inns of Court A ij, On their heads high sprig'd-feathers, compast in Coronets, like the Virginian Princes they presented. 1781 Ann. Reg., Hist. 46/2 The second line [was composed] of Virginian militia. a 1797 H. Walpole Geo. II (1822) I. 346 An Indian half king,..who in the Virginian accounts is called a very considerable monarch. 1839 Thackeray Virgin. vi, The scanty pay and patronage of the Virginian government. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. I. xx. 545 Virginian and Maryland volunteers joined together, and..besieged the fort. |
b. In names of plants and trees, as
Virginian anemone,
Virginian azarole,
Virginian bindweed,
Virginian cowslip,
Virginian date plum,
Virginian dogwood,
Virginian fir,
Virginian grape,
Virginian guelder-rose,
Virginian hemp,
Virginian ivy,
Virginian jasmine,
Virginian poplar, etc.;
† Virginian climber = maracock;
Virginian creeper = Virginia creeper.
Also
Virginian poke,
Virginian snake-root,
Virginian spider-wort,
Virginian stock,
Virginian sumach,
Virginian witch-hazel: see the
ns.| 1822 Hortus Angl. II. 50 *Virginian Anemone... Petals green; flower-stalks long; seeds shaggy. |
| 1785 Martyn Lett. Bot. xxi. (1794) 290 *Virginian Azarole has oval leaves wedge-shaped at the base, shining and deeply serrate. |
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Smilax, Rough *Virginian Bindweed, with a smooth Ivy Leaf, commonly call'd Zarzaparilla. |
| Ibid. s.v. Juniperus, Red *Virginian Cedar. Ibid., The White-berry'd Virginian Cedar. 1861 Bentley Man. Bot. 660 Juniperus virginiana, the Virginian Red Cedar. |
| 1688 Holme Armoury ii. 68/2 The *Virginian Climber;..these Flowers are of a whitish colour, thick spotted with a Peach colour. 1704 Dict. Rust. (1726), Virginian Climber, or Maracac, comes out of the Ground in May with long round winding Stalks. |
| 1856 A. Gray Man. Bot. (1860) 323 Mertensia Virginica, *Virginian Cowslip or Lungwort. 1882 Garden 20 May 352/1 The Virginian Cowslip..attains true development in semi-shady spots. |
| 1856 A. Gray Man. Bot. (1860) 78 Ampelopsis,..*Virginian Creeper. 1871 H. Macmillan True Vine ii. (1872) 41 The Virginian creeper is known to botanists by the generic name of Ampelopsis, derived from its vine-like habit of growth. |
| 1866 Treas. Bot. 411/2 Diospyros virginiana is the *Virginian Date Plum or Persimon, a native of the United States. |
| 1725 Fam. Dict., *Virginian-Dogwood, a Tree of the natural growth of Virginia, about the size of the common Cherry-Tree, blossoming early in the Spring. |
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Abies, The *Virginian Firr Tree, with small roundish Cones. |
| Ibid. s.v. Vitis, The wild *Virginian Grape. |
| 1829 T. Castle Introd. Bot. 95 The *Virginian gelder-rose, a common garden shrub, affords a very perfect specimen of this kind of inflorescence. |
| 1829 Loudon Encycl. Plants 834 Acnida,..*Virginian Hemp. [Cf. hemp 5.] |
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Hedera, Round-leav'd *Virginian Ivy. |
| 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. Sept. 75 Yellow *Virginian Jasmine. |
| 1882 Garden 29 April 297/1 The pure blue of *Virginian Lungwort combines happily with alpine Auriculas. |
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Acer, The *Virginian flowering Maple was rais'd from Seeds which were brought from Virginia. |
| 1669 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (ed. 3) Aug. 23, Single flowers, Shrub Spiræa, Agnus Castus, the *Virginian Martagon, Malva arborescens. |
| 1725 Fam. Dict. s.v., *Virginian-Myrtle, otherwise call'd Candle-Berry-Tree. |
| 1843 Penny Cycl. XXV. 341/2 Tulip-tree, the English name of the Liriodendron tulipifera:..in America, where it is a native, it is also known by the names White wood,..*Virginian Poplar, and the Poplar. |
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Rubus, The *Virginian Raspberry-bush with black Fruit. |
| Ibid. s.v. Rosa, The Wild *Virginian Rose. |
| 1629 Parkinson Parad. 444 *Virginian Silke. 1731 Miller Gard. Dict., Periploca, Virginian Silk... The Flower consists of one Leaf. 1860 Chambers's Encycl. I. 468/1 Asclepias Syriaca, Syrian or Virginian Swallow-wort, sometimes called Virginian Silk, appears to be a native of North America... It is frequently cultivated in flower-gardens. 1866 Treas. Bot. 1219/1 Virginian Silk, Periploca græca. |
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Veronica, Tall *Virginian Speedwell, with many Spikes and white Flowers. |
| 1829 Loudon Encycl. Pl. (1839) 196 Asclepias syriaca, *Virginian Swallow-wort. 1860 [see Virginian silk above]. |
| 1842 Penny Cycl. XXIV. 217/2 T. Virginiana, the *Virginian Tephrosia,..is a handsome plant with reddish flowers. |
| 1844 Stephens Bk. Farm I. 393 The cock's-spur⁓thorn (Cratægus crus galli) and the *Virginian thorn (C. Virginiana) have been proposed. |
| 1741 Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. iii. 386 There are several other Trees and Shrubs which are now in Flower, as..*Virginian Trumpet-flower. Olives,..Capers. |
| 1640 Howell Dodona's Gr. 180 In this *Virginian-Vine, the saying of the wisest of Kings may be verifyed, That a good Wife is a Tree of life. 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Vitis, The Virginian Vine or Common Creeper. |
| 1725 Fam. Dict., *Virginian Wild Crab-tree, a Plant that blossoms somewhat like the Apple, but very pleasant to the Smell. |
c. In names of birds, quadrupeds, etc., as
Virginian colin,
Virginian deer,
Virginian nightingale,
Virginian owl, etc.
| 1843 Yarrell Brit. Birds II. 348 Ortyx Virginiana, *Virginian Colin. |
| 1781 Pennant Quad. I. 104 *Virginian Deer with slender horns... A quite distinct species, and peculiar to America. c 1880 Cassell's Nat. Hist. III. 68 The Virginian Deer..is the ‘Common’ Deer of North America, and is slightly smaller than the Fallow Deer. |
| Ibid. 301 The Eagle Owl..and its relative, the *Virginian Eared Owl of America, are the largest of all the family. |
| 1801 Shaw Gen. Zool. II. i. 155 *Virginian Flying Squirrel. Sciurus Volucella. |
| 1817 Stephens Ibid. X. i. 153 *Virginian Goatsucker. Caprimulgus virginianus. |
| 1809 Ibid. VII. i. 215 *Virginian Horned Owl. Strix Virginiana. |
| 1668 Charleton Onomast. 85 Coccothraustes Virginiana,..the *Virginian Nightingale. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v. Nightingale, Virginian Nightingale,..the common, but improper, name of a bird of the gross-beaked kind. 1775 Sheridan Duenna ii. i, She is a nightingale—a Virginian nightingale. 1896 P. A. Bruce Econ. Hist. Virginia I. 119 The cardinal or red bird, which was always described as the Virginian nightingale, on account of the clearness and strength rather than the variety of its notes. |
| 1800 Shaw Gen. Zool. I. ii. 473 Didelphis Virginiana. *Virginian Opossum. |
| 1843 Yarrell Brit. Birds II. 348 Perdix Virginiana, *Virginian Partridge. 1884 St. James' Gaz. 28 Apr. 6/2 The so-called Virginian partridge..has unaccountably failed to adapt himself to the English climate. |
| 1867 Chambers's Encycl. IX. 809 *Virginian Quail, or Colin (Ortyx), a genus of birds of the family Tetraonidæ, closely allied to quails and partridges. c 1880 Cassell's Nat. Hist. IV. 144 Some of the American Partridges are familiar to us in this country, such as the Virginian Quail (Ortyx virginianus). |
| 1785 Latham Gen. Synop. Birds III. i. 228 Rallus Virginianus, *Virginian Rail. [Hence in Pennant (1792) and Stephens (1824).] |
| a 1700 Evelyn Diary 19 Sept. 1657, 2 *Virginian rattle-snakes. |
| 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1824) II. 71 The grey *Virginian squirrel..is larger than a rabbit, and of a greyish colour. |
| 1783 Latham Gen. Synop. Birds II. ii. 546 Parus Virginianus, *Virginian Titmouse. [Hence in Pennant (1792) and Stephens (1817).] |
d. Miscellaneous uses, as
Virginian plate,
silver (see
quot.);
Virginian sea, that part of the Atlantic Ocean lying off the coast of Virginia;
† Virginian vapour, tobacco-smoke.
In
quot. 1617 (and under
virgin n. 12)
Virginian is an error for
Vergivian, an epithet (derived from Ptolemy) of the Irish Sea.
| 1864 Strauss, etc. Eng. Workshops 60 This new compound to which the inventors have given the name of *Virginian plate or Virginian silver. |
| 1612 Capt. Smith Map of Virginia Map, The *Virginian Sea. [1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 156 This famous Iland in the Virginian Sea, is by olde Writers called Ierna,..by the English at this time Ireland.] 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIV. 256/1 On the S. it is bounded by North Carolina and Tennessee,..and on the E. by the Virginian Sea of the Atlantic Ocean. |
| 1631 F. Lenton Charact. F 7, He..then liues by *Virginian vapour a week after. |