demy, n. (and a.)
(dɪˈmaɪ)
Pl. demies. Also 5–6 demye, 6 demie, deamy, dymye.
[An early spelling of demi- half, retained when this is used as a separate word. The uses are all elliptical, and quite independent of each other.]
† 1. A gold coin current in Scotland in the 15th century: apparently, originally, the half-mark (demi-mark: see demi- 7), but rising in value with the depreciation of the silver coin from 6s. 8d. to 12s. (Scotch). Obs.
| 1440 J. Shirley Dethe K. James (1818) 9 That whoso myght slee or tak hyme..shuld have iii thousand demyes of gold, every pece worth half an Englissh Noble. 1451 Sc. Acts 8 Jas. II, §33 (1597) The Demy that now runnis for nine shillenges. 1455 ― 13 Jas. II, §59 It is thocht expedient that the Demy be cryed to ten shillinges. 1489 Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl., Item to Inglis pyparis that com to the Castel ȝet and playt to the King xij demyss. 1497 Ibid., Giffen to the cartes [cards] agane xxxij Franch crovnis, x Scottes crovnis and demyis, thre [ridaris], tua vnicornis. |
† 2. ‘A short close vest’ (Fairholt): cf. demi- 2. Obs.
| a 1529 Skelton Bowge of Courte 359 Of Kirkby Kendall was his shorte demye. 1540 Lanc. Wills I. 189 To my doughter Katheryn my best demye. 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe in Harl. Misc. (1808–12) VI. 166 (D.) He..stript him out of his golden demy or mandillion, and flead him. |
3. Paper-making. Name of a certain size of paper. (Properly adj.; also ellipt. as n. = demy paper.)
Demy printing paper measures 17½ x 22½ inches; demy writing paper is in Great Britain 15½ x 20, in United States 16 x 21.
| 1546 Langley Pol. Verg. De Invent. ii. vi. 45 b, There be diuerse maner of papers, as paper royal, paper demy, blotting paper, marchauntes paper. 1589 Marprel. Epit. B, An hundred threescore and twelue sheets, of good Demie paper. 1712 Act 10 Anne in Lond. Gaz. No. 5018/3 For all Paper called..Demy fine, 4s. Demy second, 2s. 6d. Demy printing, 1s. 8d. 1790 Wolcott (P. Pindar) Benev. Epist. Sylv. Urban Wks. 1812 II. 251 His nice-discerning Knowledge none deny On Crown, Imperial, Foolscap, and Demy. 1878 Print. Trades Jrnl. xxv. 9 A demy 8vo. pamphlet of about a dozen pages. |
4. A foundation scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford.
So called because their allowance or ‘commons’ was originally half that of a Fellow: the Latin term is semi-communarius.
| a 1486 Stat. Magdalen Coll. (MS.) 6 De electione scholarium voc' Dymyes. Ibid., Pro communis cujuslibet triginta pauperum scholarium, qui Demyes vulgariter nuncupantur dimidium summae illius quam pro quolibet alio socio. 1536 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 42 §1 in Oxf. & Camb. Enactm. 12 Felawes, Scolers, Dymyes. 1615 Heylin Memoranda 22 July in Mem. Waynflete (1851), I was chosen Demie of Magdalen College. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 14 William Lilye was..elected one of the Demies or Semi-commoners of St. Mary Magd. Coll. 1769 De Foe's Tour Gt. Brit. II. 246 Magdalen-College..has a President, 40 Fellows, a School-master, 30 Scholars called Demies. 1880 Green Hist. Eng. People IV. viii. iii. 20 The expulsion of the Fellows was followed..by that of the Demies. |
5. Short for demi-bar, q.v.: A kind of false dice used in cheating.
| 1591 Greene Disc. Coosnage (1859) 38 The name of their Cheates, Bard-dice, Flattes, Fargers, Langrets, Gourds, Demies, and many others. 1801 Sporting Mag. XVIII. 100 A bale of demies. |
† 6. A half-grown lad, a youth. Obs.
| 1589 Warner Alb. Eng. v. xxvii, Next but demies, nor boyes, nor men, our dangerous times succeede. |