limn, v. Now literary and arch.
(lɪm)
Also 5 limyne, lymm, 5–7 lymn(e, 6–7 limm(e, limb(e, limne.
[Altered form of lumine v.]
† 1. trans. To illuminate (letters, manuscripts, books). Also absol. Obs.
| 14.. Trevisa's Higden (Rolls) VII. 295 Þis bisshop hym⁓self schonede not to write and lumine [MS. β (early 15th c.) lymne] and bynde bookes. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 317/1 Lymnyd, as bookys (K. limynid), elucidatus. 1499 Churchw. Acc. Croscombe (Som. Rec. Soc.) 24 A mass boke of veln lymmyde. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. v, Their fyrst letters to be paynted or lymned. 1534 Rich Let. to T. Cromwell in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. xxxiv. 179 A certain tale of M. Magdalen, delivering her a letter from heaven, that was limned with golden letters. 1566 Drant Horace, Sat. i. iv. B viij b, And if their toyes, in letters lymde, be printed once in booke, Then [etc.]. 1573 Art of Limming title-p., Diuerse kyndes of colours to write or to limme withall vppon velym. 1588 Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 94 When they write letters vnto anie principall person, they gilde the margent of the paper, and limbe it. |
† 2. To adorn or embellish with gold or bright colour; to depict in (gold, etc.). Also (rare), to lay on (colour). Obs.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 73 Images..rychely lymned wyth golde and Albyn colours. 1573 Art of Limming title-p., How siluer or golde shalbe layed or limmed vppon the sise. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 490/1 Their bannerols displaied, and richlie limmed with my lords armes. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xxiii. 84 The Royal Arms of Portugal were limned in Gold. |
3. To paint (a picture or portrait); to portray, depict (a subject). † Formerly spec. to paint in water-colour or distemper (see limning vbl. n. 2). † Also with forth, out.
| 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 290 Looke, when a Painter would surpasse the life, In limming out a well-proportioned steed. 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits vi. (1596) 83 Pictures which are lymned in oyle. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 222 Nicon that famous painter of Greece, when he had most curiously limbed forth a Horses perfection [etc.]. 1622 Wither Fair Virtue M, Where Apelles limb'd to life Loathed Vulcans louely wife. 1641 Milton Animadv. Wks. 1851 III. 230 He may be the competent Judge of a neat picture, or elegant poem, that cannot limne the like. 1813 Scott Trierm. iii. xxxvii, For there by magic skill, I wis, Form of each thing that living is Was limn'd in proper dye. 1854 Mrs. Oliphant Magd. Hepburn II. 55 The dim chapel..with Scripture stories limned in its ancient glass. 1866 Cornh. Mag. Sept. 335 If he be limned aright in the canvas which has descended to us. |
b. transf. and fig.
| 1593 Nashe 4 Lett. Confut. 30 With life and spirit to limne deadnes it selfe Hoc est Oratoris proprium. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. vii. 194 As mine eye doth his effigies witnesse Most truly limn'd, and liuing in your face. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. Induct., I fear it is not possible to limme so many persons in so small a tablet as the compasse of our playes afford. 1645 Fuller Good Th. in Bad T., Mixt Contempl. xxi. (1649) 83 It is easie for one to endure an affliction, as he limns it out in his own fancie. 1653 Middleton & Rowley Sp. Gipsy iii. iii, What's beauty but a perfect white and red? Both here well mix'd limn truth so beautiful. 1661 Feltham Lusoria xxxvii. in Resolves (1709) 601 He must limb Spirits never tir'd. 1856 Spurgeon New Park St. Pulpit I. 56 Instances of persons going to the house of God, and having their characters limned out to perfection. 1871 Smiles Charac. x. (1876) 284 Perhaps the most complete picture of a great man ever limned in words. 1878 Gladstone Prim. Homer 130 The Odusseus is limned with..incomparable art. |
4. Prov. to limn the water, limn (something) on water: said of something transient or futile.
| 1620 Bacon Poems (Grosart) 49 Who then to fraile Mortality shall trust, But limmes the Water, or but writes in dust. 1692 Vindiciæ Carolinæ ix. 73 All he had done was but a kind of Limming the Water, to them. 1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus lxx. 4 A woman's words..Limn them on ebbing floods, write on a wintery gale [L. In vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua]. |
† 5. absol. or intr. To paint; esp. to paint in water-colour or distemper. Obs.
| 1594 Plat Jewell-ho. iii. 44 To paint or limne with the colours that are taken from hearbs or flowers. 1622 Peacham Compl. Gent. xiii. (1634) 126 The vertuous Margaret Queene of Navarre beside her excellent veine in Poesie could draw and limne excellently. 1665 Pepys Diary 7 May, Yesterday begun my wife to learn to limn of one Browne. 1675 Crowne Country Wit iv. 57 Merry. Cannot you Limne, Sir? Rambler. Limne, what dost thou mean? Merry. Why Limne, Sir, draw Pictures in little. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iii. §30. 136 If Oxen, Lions, Horses and Asses..were able to limn and paint. |