a. (and sb.). [ad. L. vespertīn-us (hence also OF. vespertin, It., Sp., Pg. vespertino), f. vesper VESPER: See -INE1.]
1. Of or pertaining to the evening; coming, occurring or taking place in the evening; spec. in Astrol. (cf. 2).
1502. Arnolde, Chron., 168. Yf thou wil kepe late set plantis, kepe hem from vespertyn reynes.
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, II. 695. Fra Phebus rais to the hour vespertine.
c. 1610. Sir C. Heydon, Astrol. Disc. (1650), 60. The second is … the Vespertine oriental Apparition, which he calleth the last rising.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1638), 217. The starres; their heliacall, acronicall, matutine, and vespertine motions.
1716. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., I. 33. The Morning and Vespertin Service in that Church.
1812. Cary, Dante, Purg., XV. 140. Far onward as our eyes … could stretch against the bright Vespertine ray.
1851. Glenny, Handbk. Fl. Gard., 68. It is desirable on account of its powerful vespertine fragrance.
1901. Athenæum, 28 Dec., 877. The vespertine portion of the ecclesiastical day.
b. Of animals, birds, etc.: Appearing or especially active in the evening.
In quot. 1607 after L. lupus vespertinus, the Vulgate rendering of Heb. z’ēb sereb in Hab. i. 8.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 435. This first and vulgar kinde of Hyæna is bred in Affricke and Arabia…. God himselfe in holy scripture calleth it by the name of a Vespertine Wolfe.
1802. Shaw, Gen. Zool., III. I. 114. Vespertine Frog…. Native of Siberia.
1891. Cent. Dict., s.v., The vespertine or evening grosbeak, Hesperiphona vespertina.
† c. Dim, imperfect. Obs.–1
1623. Bp. Hall, Best Bargaine, Wks. (1625), 518. If ye had already that vespertine knowledge of the Saints which ye shall once haue in heauen.
2. Astr. and Astrol. Of a star, planct, etc.: Setting at or just after sunset.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. xvi. I. 11. These stars or planets in their evening setting, are neerest to the earth:… and then they be called Occidentall Vespertine, i. when the sun toward the evening covereth them with his raies.
1647. Lilly, Chr. Astrol., cxxvii. 577. An Infortune in the Nativity,… if Vespertine, [shows] long Diseases.
1679. Moxon, Math. Dict., Vespertine, when a Planet sets after the Sun. [Hence in Harris, Kersey, etc.]
1690. Leybourn, Curs. Math., 449. She [i.e., Venus] is … sometimes almost Full, at other times Gibbous,… as well when she is Vespertine as Matutine.
1819. J. Wilson, Dict. Astrol., 288. Vespertine planets, viz. those between the 10th and 7th, or on the cusp of the 4th or near it, or ☿ and ♀ rising vespertine by day.
3. Geol. Used to designate the lowest carboniferous formation of the Pennsylvanian coal-measures.
1858. H. D. Rogers, Geol. Pennsylv., II. 735. The … horizon which separates the Umbral red shale from the underlying Vespertine conglomerate. Ibid., 756. The Vespertine, or Lower Carboniferous series.
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 258/1. In its Vespertine areas are numerous patches of anthracite and semi-anthracite coals.
† 4. As sb. Vespers, evensong. In quot. fig. Obs.
a. 1635. Randolph, Hey for Honesty, V. Wks. (1875), 489. Their breakfasts are their matins holy zelibus, Their vespertines are eating beef and velibus.
