[L. victōria (or Sp. and Pg. victoria): see VICTORY sb.]
1. The word employed as a shout of triumph.
1638. Ford, Lady’s Trial, II. i. Steal her away and to her Cast caps and cry victoria!
1672. Dryden, Assignation, IV. iv. Victoria, Victoria! he loves you, madam.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 284. The judicious reader … may easily rout those Troops, which began too soon to cry victoria, and thought … but of dividing the spoil.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xxxi. ‘There go the rest of them! Victoria!’ shouted Cary, as … every Spaniard set all the sail he could.
1861. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt. Part., III. clxi. 175. The opposite party at the same time made simpletons of themselves by throwing up their caps and crying ‘victoria.’
transf. 1863. Bradford Advertiser, 18 July, 5/2. If you conquered, all the post-horns in Europe were set to sound ‘Victoria!’
2. A figure of the goddess Victory. rare–1.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 6 May 1645. The stamp of the Roman Denarius varicd;… if with a Victoria, so nam’d.
