flagrant, a.
(ˈfleɪgrənt)
[ad. L. flagrant-em, pr. pple. of flagrāre to burn, f. root flāg-, Aryan bhleg- to blaze.]
1. lit. Blazing, burning, flaming, glowing. arch.
| 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 334 Torches were caried on eche syde flagrant. 1626 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. viii. 161 His mother snatcht it..Out of the fire; and quencht the flagrant brand. 1692 R. L'Estrange Josephus' Antiq. iv. iv. (1733) 82 It [a Fire] was clear and flagrant. 1814 Southey Roderick v. 10 Round the crackling hearth, Where heath and cistus gave their flagrant flame. 1856 T. Aird Poet. Wks. 352 Forthwith burst The flagrant lightnings. |
† b. Of a fluid: Fiery, hot. Hence, in flagrant blood, opp. to in cold blood. Obs.
| 1614 Raleigh Hist. World iii. 73 The Lacedæmonians..would in cold bloud perform what the Athenians did usually in flagrant. 1676 Beal in Phil. Trans. XI. 588 More sober allayers of thirst, than their Flagrant kill devil. |
c. fig.
| 1627–77 Feltham Resolves ii. xlvi. 249 They, who to others seemed flagrant in their tongues, had Ice congealed in their frozen hearts. 1634 Herbert Trav. 108 Quenching his flagrant thirst at the streame. 1822–56 De Quincey Confess. (1862) 132 Flagrant health, health boiling over in fiery rapture. |
2. a. Of war: Raging; actually in progress. b. in flagrant delict (= L. flagrante delicto): in the very act. rare.
| 1818 Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) III. 157 Except in moments of flagrant civil war. 18.. Palfrey (Webster 1864), A war with the most powerful of the native tribes was flagrant. 1872 E. W. Robertson Hist. Ess. 137 When an offender was taken in flagrant delict. |
† 3. Of feelings, passions, etc. (rarely of persons): Ardent, burning, intensely eager or earnest. Obs.
| 1515 Barclay Egloges iv. (1570) C v/4 By flagrant ardour inflamed. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxxix. (1611) 262 A thing which stirreth up flagrant desires and affections. 1675 Marvell Corr. ccxlix. (1872–5) II. 467 Strangways, a flagrant churchman, made privy counsellor. 1708 Ozell tr. Boileau's Lutrin iv. 62 Give Energy to my Enervate Tongue, While the fir'd Chanter's flagrant Rage is sung. 1784 Cowper Task iii. 794 He burns with most intense and flagrant zeal To serve his country. |
4. In occasional uses referring to the visible aspect of flame. † a. Resplendent, glorious. Obs.
| ? a 1500 York Myst., Innholders 39 O flagrant fader! graunte yt myght so be. |
† b. Burning red from a flogging. Obs.
| 1718 Prior Henry & Emma 452 The Beadle's Lash still flagrant on their Back. 1728 Pope Dunc. ii. 128 T[utchin] flagrant from the lash. 1812 Southey Lett. (1856) II. 264 Half..went over red-hot from the conventicle; the other half, flagrant from Bridewell. c 1838 De Quincey Shakspeare Wks. 1863 XII. 57 A young man yet flagrant from the lash of the executioner or the beadle. |
c. Flaring, gaudy.
| 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. (1865) II. vi. iii. 164 A highgoing..Dowager (who dresses, if I recollect, in flagrant colours). |
5. Of an offence, crime, etc.; also of an offender: Glaring, notorious, scandalous, ‘flaming into notice’ (J.).
| 1706 De Foe Jure Div. Pref. 25 The constant Enormities committed by such flagrant Wretches. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 430 ¶3 The Fault I speak of was so very flagrant. 1746 Smollett Reproof 96 You are a flagrant misanthrope. 1771 Fletcher Checks Wks. 1795 II. 260 Many individuals..were cut off on account of their flagrant wickedness. 1824 Dibdin Libr. Comp. 746 Ney—an indifferent General, and a flagrant traitor. 1838 Thirlwall Greece II. xi. 22 They had been guilty of a flagrant violation of religion. 1893 F. Hall in Nation (N.Y.) LVII. 142/2 Nor..are his errors less numerous or less flagrant than those of Mr. B. |
† 6. = fragrant. Obs.
[The L. vbs. flagrare and fragrare were often confused in MSS.; cf. F. flairer to smell, which in form represents the former. The last quot., however, is burlesque.]
| 1450 Pol. Poems II. 232 The monethe of May..Flagrant in her floures. c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 376 In the flagraunt odour therof, bothe the body & the herte is reioysed. 1611 Beaum. & Fl. Knt. Burning Pestle iv. v, For now the flagrant flowers do spring. |
Hence ˈflagrantness.
| 1727 in Bailey vol. II. |