▪ I. sparkling, vbl. n.1
(ˈspɑːklɪŋ)
[f. sparkle v.1]
1. The action of sending out sparks or sparkles, or of glittering with light; scintillation.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 467/2 Spartlynge [Winch. Sparkelyng]. 1548 Elyot, Scintillatio, a sparkelyng vp of fire. 1614 Drummond of Hawthornden Poems (1616) I j, Her Eyes such Beames sent foorth, that but with Paine Here, weaker Sights their sparckling could sustaine. 1667 Inform. Fire Lond. in Somers Tracts VII. 619 He saw something..like wild-fire by the sparkling and spitting. 1701 G. Stanhope Pious Breath. iii. xiv. (1704) 225 Thou hast not..the sparkling of Precious Stones, nor the Harmony of Musick. 1728 Bailey, Scintillation, a sparkling as Fire. 1811 Pinkerton Petral. II. 557 Stones thrown bounding into this furnace, produced flaming eruptions with sparkling. 1884 Pall Mall G. 8 Apr. 4/1 A sparkling of gold, silver, or the dull lustre of a bronze. |
| fig. 1613 Drummond of Hawthornden Cypress Grove Wks. (1711) 117 From the sparkling of God in the soul, or from the god⁓like sparkles of the soul. |
b. attrib. with relay (cf. sparking vbl. n.1).
| c 1865 Wylde's Circ. Sci. I. 272 The sparkling relay of other makers compels them to use only a very moderate power. |
2. With pl. An instance of this; a shower of sparks; a spark or fiery particle; a gleam, a sparkle.
| a 1529 Skelton P. Sparowe 80 Phyllypes soule to kepe..from her fyry sparklynges, For burnynge of his wynges. 1558 T. Phaer æneid v. O ij, They themselues beholding spie, The sparcklings rising broad. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 23 First on flint smiting soom sparcklinges sprinckled Achates. 1710 J. Clarke tr. Rohault's Nat. Philos. (1729) I. i. ii. 10 If any one looks full upon the Sun, and immediately goes into a dark Place, he will see the Sun there, and some Sparklings of it. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory I. 181 You may perceive by the increase of the sparklings of the iron bars, how your work goes in. 1820 Wordsw. River Duddon Sonn. xxv, The waters seem to waste Their vocal charm; their sparklings cease to please. 1848 Clough Bothie iii. 52 Here, the delight of the bather, you roll in beaded sparklings. |
| fig. 1641 R. Brooke Eng. Episc. ii. vii. 104 Are there not some sparklings of this Truth, even amongst us in England? 1776 Love Diary 22 Sept. in Mem. (1857) I. v. 198, I have had some sparklings of shame now and then. |
▪ II. ˈsparkling, vbl. n.2 Obs. or dial.
[f. sparkle v.2]
1. The action of dispersing or scattering.
| c 1460 Promp. Parv. (Winch.) 426 Sparkelyng,..discipacio. 1530 Palsgr. 273/2 Sparclyng abrode, dispertion. a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Bonduca iii. ii, March close, and sudden like a tempest: all executions Done without sparkling of the Body. |
2. techn. (See quot. and cf. sparkle v.2 4 b.)
| 1787 W. H. Marshall E. Norfolk (1795) II. 388 Sparkling. Claying between the spars to cover the thatch of cottages. |
▪ III. sparkling, ppl. a.1
(ˈspɑːklɪŋ)
Also 3 sperclinde, 5–6 sperkelynge; 5 sprakelynge.
[f. sparkle v.1]
1. That emits sparks or sparkles. Also fig. and in fig. context.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 34 Þer in sperclinde luue bicluppeð oure leofmon. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 230 Tho that haue even like ly of fyre brandynge and sprakelynge, bene angry and shameles. 1493 Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 45 Tongues muste speke wordes of fyre that is sharpe and sperkelynge. 1599 George a Greene i. iv, Wherein two sapphires burne like sparkling fire. 1625 Jackson Creed v. li. 455 The light of truth will suddainly burst out, as from a sparkling fire. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf iii, A large sparkling fire of turf and bog-wood. |
| transf. 1648 Crashaw Delights Muses Wks. (1904) 121 In the close murmur of a sparkling noyse. |
b. transf. Of heat.
| c 1700 Kennett MS. Lansdowne 1033, fol. 388 (Halliw.), A sparkling or welding heat, used to weld barrs or pieces of iron. 1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art I. 11 The sparkling or welding heat is used, by which the metal is brought nearly to a state of fusion. |
c. sparkling synchisis: (see first quot.).
| 1859 Mayne Expos. Lex. 1239/1 Sparkling Synchysis,..term for a species of Synchysis, in which sparks are seen flashing before the eyes. 1898 Hutchinson's Arch. Surg. IX. 335 This attack had resulted in detachment of retina, sparkling synchisis, and loss of perception of light. |
2. Of the eyes: Flashing, bright, animated.
| 1422 [cf. 1]. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. i. 12 His sparkling Eyes, repleat with wrathfull fire. 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Petiller, A sparkling, or often-twinckling eye. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 209 A great Vivacity and sparkling Sharpness in his Eyes. 1784 Cowper Task i. 405 A sparkling eye beneath a wrinkled front The vet'ran shows. 1822 Scott Nigel xi, A thin bronzed visage,..and a pair of sparkling black eyes. |
| Comb. 1801 Cath. Hood Remonstr., etc. 26 Sparkling⁓ey'd health, fair innocence, and peace. |
| transf. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. iii. i, With a sparkling briskness of glance. |
3. Reflecting or emitting rays of light; flashing, glittering, brilliant, resplendent.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. viii. 22 His sparkling blade about his head he blest. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxviii, When sparkling stars twire not, thou guild'st the eauen. 1661 Boyle Style of Script. 51 What the Diamond is amongst stones, the pretiousest, and the sparklingest, the most apt to scatter light. 1784 Cowper Task v. 112 The sparkling trees And shrubs of fairy land. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms i. 3 While many a sparkling star..Far down within the watery sky reposes. 1850 R. G. Cumming Hunter's Life S. Afr. (1902) 57/1 A mixture of fat and a grey sparkling ore, having the appearance of mica. |
b. Of water, the sea, etc.
| 1782 Phil. Trans. LXXII. 430 The sparkling quality of the water did not cease entirely till the vegetable was quite deprived of its life. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho iv, Sometimes a torrent poured its sparkling flood high among the woods. 1825 Scott Talism. ii, They had now arrived at..the fountain which welled out..in sparkling profusion. 1891 Farrar Darkn. & Dawn xxxii, Its glorious vineyards by that blue and sparkling sea. |
| fig. 1806 Wordsw. A Complaint 10 That consecrated fount Of murmuring, sparkling, living love. |
c. Of wines, etc.: (see sparkle v.1 4).
| 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 244 Drynke grene wyne, clere, sharpe, and sparklynge in tempure. 1697 Dryden Virg. Past. v. 108 Two Goblets will I crown with sparkling Wine. 1757 Gray Bard 77 Fill high the sparkling bowl. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. ix. III. 162 Those to whom the sparkling champagne..was a novelty. 1833 Redding Mod. Wines v. 71 Champagne wines are divided into sparkling.., demi sparkling.., and still wines. 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIV. 606 The sparkling champagnes are made from both white and red grapes. |
| transf. 1826 Art of Brewing (ed. 2) 27 A pungent agreeable flavour, and a brilliant sparkling appearance. |
d. Effervescent.
| 1844 G. Bird Urin. Deposits (1857) 170 This mixture evolves enough carbonic acid to be ‘sparkling’, and is generally taken with readiness. |
e. In certain bird names, as sparkling pheasant, sparkling-tail (see quots.).
| 1861 Gould Trochilidæ III. pl. 168 Tryphæna Duponti, Sparkling-tail. The tail is rendered remarkably sparkling by the decided contrasts of its colours. 1867 ― Birds Asia VII. pl. 38 Phasianus Scintillans, Sparkling Pheasant. |
4. Of talk, writing, etc.: Characterized by brilliancy and liveliness.
| 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §129 His person beautiful, and graceful..; his wit pleasant, sparkling, and sublime. 1701 De Foe Trueborn Eng. 35 It makes their Wit as sparkling as their Wine. 1795–1814 Wordsw. Excurs. ii. 282 And he continued, when worse days were come, To deal about his sparkling eloquence. 1828 Carlyle Misc. (1857) I. 214 A piece of sparkling rhetoric. 1856 N. Brit. Rev. XXVI. 229 Another lively chronicle..; which sketches with..sparkling vivacity the virtues, the follies, and the shams of our own day. 1884 L. J. Jennings Croker Papers I. Pref. p. iii, Mr. Croker's own letters were written in a singularly light and sparkling vein. |
| transf. 1859 Gullick & Timbs Paint. 268 The vigorous and sparkling touch adopted by Velasquez. 1887 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 710/1 The modern characters..have finer strokes and serifs, and produce in the page a more regular and sparkling general effect. |
5. Of persons: Brilliant, animated, sprightly.
| a 1704 T. Brown To Belinda v. Wks. 1711 IV. 100 Tho' she's as sparkling, and as fine As Jests, and Gemms, and Paint can make her. 1746 Hervey Medit. (1818) 269 The voice which so lately pronounced the sparkling pair husband and wife. |
6. Of pleasure: Characterized by a high degree of delight or enjoyment.
| 1789 Burns Let. to Mrs. McMurdo 2 May, Never did little Miss with more sparkling pleasure shew her applauded Samplar to partial Mama. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy xlvii, Privation one day, profusion the next, darkling dangers, and sparkling joys! |
▪ IV. † ˈsparkling, ppl. a.2 Obs.—1
In 4 sperkelande.
[f. sparkle v.2]
Dispersing, scattering.
| 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love i. ii. (Skeat) l. 75 Wottest thou not wel..that every shepherde ought by reson to seke his sperkelande sheep. |