int., also adv., sb., and ellipt. vb. Forms: 4–7 adew(e; 5–7 adue; 5 adyeu, adieux; 6 adeu; 7 adiew(e; 4– adieu. [a. Fr. adieu, f. a. to + dieu God, i.e., ‘I commend you to God!’ originally said to the party left, as ‘Farewell!’ was to the party setting forth.] A. int.
1. An expression of kind wishes at the parting of friends, sinking into a mere formula of civility at parting. Good-bye! farewell! arch.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 250. He saide: Adewe my swete may.
1440. J. Shirley, Dethe of James, 29 Adieux. To God I you beteche.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pl., XX. xix. Farewell, swete herte! farewell farewell, farewell! Adieu, adieu!
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 292/1. So with this grace good queene now heere adue.
1697. Dryden, Virgil, Past., iii. 123 (1721). Adieu my Dear, she said, a long Adieu.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., lvii. 16. And ‘Ave, Ave,’ Ave,’ said, ‘Adieu, adieu’ for evermore.
2. fig. An expression of regret at the loss or departure of anything; or a mere exclamatory recognition of its disappearance; = Away!, no longer, no more, all is over with.
c. 1400. Test. Love, II. (1560), 292/1. Adewe and adewe blis.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, III. vii. (1554), 79 a. Touching defence, adue al hardinesse.
1586. G. Whitney, in Farr’s S. P. (1845), I. 209. Adve, deceiptfull worlde, thy pleasures I detest.
1586. James VI., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 222. III. 14. Then adeu with my dealing with thaime.
1652. Ashmole, Theatr. Chem. Brit., xiii. 216. Adew my song and al my notes cler.
1777. Hume, Ess. & Treat., I. 377. Adieu to all ideas of nobility, gentry, and family.
B. adv.
† 1. To go adieu: to go away, depart finally. Obs.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. vi. 174. Thus he repreuis, bot sche is went adew.
1575. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 151. And set the world agoing once adue It is mutch like a streame that hath no stay.
2. To bid or say adieu (to): to take affectionate, regretful, or formal leave of. (Here it approaches the character of a noun.)
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, II. lxv. (1859), 59. I bad hym adyeu.
1624. H. Smith, 6 Serm., 11. Bid conscience adiewe.
1771. Junius Lett., xlii. 221. The king … bids adieu to amicable negociation.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl. (1873), 119. The old man arose and bid them adieu.
C. Hence sb. An affectionate or formal leave-taking; a parting word; a farewell; esp. to make or take adieu.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troyl., II. 1084. And said, he wold in trouthe alwey hym holde, And his adew made.
1592. Warner, Albion’s Eng., VIII. xl. (1612), 196. Their eies … now looke their last adew.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. i. 53. Too cold an adieu. Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., IV. v. 14. Write to him, gentle adieu’s, and greetings.
1653. A. Wilson, James I., 251. The Queen spoke her own Adieu in French.
1702. Pope, Sappho, 111. Sure ’twas not much to bid one kind adieu.
c. 1815. Miss Austen, Northang. Ab. (1833), I. xv. 98. His adieus were not long.
1855. Tennyson, Daisy, 85. What more? we took our last adieu.
D. ellipt. as v. To bid farewell to; to take leave for ever of.
1602. Carew, Cornwall, 111 a. Shepherd adiews his swymming flocke, The Hinde his whelmed haruest hope.
