▪ I. mastiff, n.
(ˈmɑːstɪf, -æ-)
Pl. mastiffs. Forms: α. 4–5, 7 mastif, 5–7 mastife, 5–6 mastyf(e, (5 mestyf, 6 mastyve, Sc. mastew), 6–8 mastive, 6–7 mastiffe, 7– mastiff; pl. 4–5 masteves, 4–6 mastyves, 5 mastyfes, maistyves, 6 mastiffes, maistiffes, mastyvys, 6–9 mastives, 7– mastiffs. β. 5–6, 9 dial. mastis, mastice. γ. 5–7, 9 dial. masty, 6–7, 9 dial. mastie, (6 mastye).
[repr. OF. mastin (mod.F. mâtin) = Pr. masti-s, Sp. mastin, Pg. mastim, It. mastino:—popular L. type *mansuētīnus, f. L. mansuētus tame (see mansuete a.).
The form of the Eng. word is difficult to account for. Possibly the word was first known to Englishmen in the Pr. form masti-s; as this coincides with the form that would have been assumed in early OF. by the subject-case of a noun *mastif, the αforms may be due to grammatical interpretation, while the βand γforms may have been taken directly from Pr. The word was more or less confused with OF. mestif mongrel. The form mastin occurs only in Caxton's translations from Fr.: cf. mâtin.]
A large, powerful dog with a large head, drooping ears and pendulous lips, valuable as a watch-dog. Also mastiff dog.
| α c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 189 On þer first eschel he smot in fulle hastif, & þorgh þam ilka del, als grehound or mastif. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 187 Houndes and masteves [MSS. β, γ mastyves, Caxton maistyves] beeþ i-slawe in all þe forestes of Engelond. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xv. 167 There ben Rattes in that Ile, als grete as Houndes here: and men taken hem with grete Mastyfes. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxxi. 263 A mastife or great curre dogge. 1509 Fisher Serm. Hen. VII, Wks. (1876) 278 Euen as ye se these wood dogges these grete mastyues that be tyed in chaynes. a 1529 Skelton Sp. Parrot 321 Suche malyncoly mastyvys and mangye curre dogges Ar mete for a swyneherde to hunte after hogges. 1550 Crowley Epigr. 11 b, To kepe wyth daunger, a greate mastyfe dogge. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, iii. vii 59 Their Mastiffes are of vnmatchable courage. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 218 The Colophonians and Castabaleans maintained certain squadrons of mastiue dogs for their war seruice. a 1652 Brome Queenes Exch. v. i. Wks. 1873 III. 537 There's a crust I brought To stop the open mouth of the Mastive, if he had flown at us. 1717 De Foe Mem. Ch. Scot. iii. 96 A Gentleman who was set upon by a Furious Mastive Dog. 1807 Med. Jrnl. XVII. 273 In the porch..was lying a large, savage, mastiff dog. 1809 Scott Let. to Southey 14 Jan. in Lockhart, We can only fight like mastiffs, boldly, blindly, and faithfully. 1812 Southey Omniana I. 293 Sir Thomas Roe took out some English mastives to India. 1877 Encycl. Brit. VII. 330/1 The Mastiff..is usually of a buff colour, with ears and muzzle darker. |
| β 1483 Cath. Angl. 230/2 A Mastis, liciscus. ? a 1500 Forest Laws §12 in Sc. Acts (1814) I. 690/2 Ande gif ony mastice be fundyn in þe forest [etc.]. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. Prol. 49 The cur, or mastis, he haldis at small availl. 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., Mastice,..corr. of mastiff. 1878 Cumberld. Gloss., Mastis. 1893 Northumbld. Gloss., Mastis. |
| γ 1540 St. Papers Hen. VIII, VIII. 482 Certeyne masties..for his hunting. 1566 Drant Horace Sat. ii. vi. (end), Also the vaste and ample house of mastie dogges did sounde. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 154 The mastie that keepeth the House. 1652 D. Osborne Lett. to Sir W. Temple (1888) 105 A masty is handsomer to me than the most exact little dog that ever lady played withal. 1676 Wycherley Pl. Dealer iv. i, Surly, untractable, snarling Brute ! he ! a Masty-dog were as fit a thing to make a Gallant of. 1687 Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., A great Masty, un gros Mâtin. 1882 W. Worc. Gloss. Add., Mastie-dog, mastiff. |
b. with an
adj. prefixed, indicating a foreign variety, as
Cuban mastiff,
Dutch mastiff,
German mastiff,
Tibet mastiff.
| 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. III. 286 The Dutch mastiff. 1859 Wood Illustr. Nat. Hist. I. 307 The Cuban Mastiff is supposed to be produced by a mixture of the true Mastiff with the bloodhound. 1877 Encycl. Brit. VII. 330/2 The Thibet Mastiff is larger than the English breed. 1883 R. Groom Great Dane 4 The German Mastiff. |
c. transf. and
fig.| 1602 2nd Pt. Return from Parnass. v. iv. (Arb.) 71 Furor. Farewell my masters, Furor's a masty dogge. 1610 B. Jonson Alch. i. i, May, murmuring mastiffe? I, and doe. 1781 Cowper Table-talk 35 To see a people scattered like a flock, Some royal mastiff panting at their heels. |
d. attrib. and
Comb., as
mastiff-bitch,
† mastiff-cur,
mastiff dog (see 1),
† mastiff-hound,
mastiff mouth,
mastiff race,
† mastiff strind (
Sc.);
mastiff-like adj.;
mastiff bat,
day jocular (see
quots.);
mastiff-fox, a variety of fox (see
quot. 1828).
| 1851 Gosse Nat. in Jamaica 159 The Chestnut *Mastiff-bat. 1871 Cassell's Nat. Hist. I. 319 The Pale Chestnut Mastiff Bat [Nyctinomus brasiliensis]... This species is found commonly in South America and the West Indies. Ibid. 320 The Smoky Mastiff Bat [Molossus nasutus]..is a well-known South American species. |
| 1621 in Naworth Househ. Bks. (Surtees) 184 A *mastie bich. 1797 Coleridge Christabel i. 7 Sir Leoline..Hath a toothless mastiff bitch. |
| 1522 Skelton Why not to Court? 294 Our barons..Dare not loke out at dur For drede of the *mastyue cur, For drede of the bochers dogge. 1608 T. James Apol. Wyclif 49 They did as it were so manie woolues, or mastie curs woorie them [the flock]. |
| 1781 H. Walpole Let. to H. S. Conway 5 June, Last week we had two or three *mastiff days; for they were fiercer than our common dog-days. 1774 *Mastiff fox [see greyhound 4]. 1828 J. Fleming Hist. Brit. Anim. 13 Mastif-Fox.—This is of a dark brown colour, somewhat less [than the Greyhound Fox], but more strongly made. |
| a 1400–50 Alexander 321 A mouthe as a *mastif hunde vn-metely to shaw. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 16 Every man kepyng the scout wache had a masty hound at a lyes. |
| 1500–20 Dunbar Poems liii. 47 Quhou *mastew-lyk [v.r. mastive lyk] about ȝeid he! 1851 Gosse Nat. in Jamaica 293 The mastiff-like physiognomy [of the monk bat]. |
| 1809 W. Irving Knickerb. (1861) 35 He was a short, square, brawny old gentleman, with a double chin, a *mastiff mouth, and a broad copper nose. |
| 1877 Encycl. Brit. VII. 330/1 The *Mastiff race of dogs..includes the Mastiff, the Bull-dog, and the Pug. |
| 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lx. 21 Mismad mandragis of *mastyf strynd [v.r. kynd]. |
▪ II. † ˈmastiff, a. Obs. Also 5
mestyf.
[Seems to be partly a derivative of mast n.2, and partly a perversion of massive, in both cases due to association with mastiff n. Cf. masty a.] 1. Of a swine: Fattened;
= masted a.,
masty a. 2.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 334/2 Mestyf, hogge, or swyne, maialis. |
2. Massive, solid, bulky.
| 1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. v. lvii, Some [bones] ben..holowy. And some mastyffe [MS. Bodl. massye] and sadde for the more stedfastness. 1733 Cheyne Eng. Malady i. xi. §4. 101 Those [persons] of large, full, and (as they are call'd) mastiff Muscles,..are generally of a firmer State of Fibres, than those of little Muscles. |
3. Burly, big-bodied;
= masty a. 3.
| 1668 Kirkman Eng. Rogue ii. xi. (1671) 96 Perceiving them to be too hard for us (for they were two stout Mastiff Queans). a 1675 Whitelocke Mem. (1732) 112, I did the like to another great Mastiff Fellow, an Officer also of the King's Army, and took away his Sword from him. |