[f. L. virgin-, virgo VIRGIN sb. (in honor of Queen Elizabeth) + -IA1.]
With the various applications of the word cf. those of VIRGINIAN a.1
1. The name of that part of North America in which the first English settlement was made in 1607, subsequently one of the original thirteen States of the North American Union, used attrib. in Virginia colony, company, landscape, trade, etc.
1609. in Capt. Smith, Wks. (Arb.), p. xcviii. I am bold to write the truth of some late accidentes, be falne his Maiesties Virginia collonye. Ibid. (1611), 641. It came to be apprehended by some of the Virginia Company.
1773. in Nairne, Peerage Evidence (1874), 170. Copertners in a Virginia trade carryed on by them under the firm of Oswald Dennistoun and Company.
1781. Ann. Reg., Hist., 47/1. The Virginia militia gave the British troops a warm reception.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xxix. [They] joyfully unloaded their Virginia goods, and replaced them with powder and shot.
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 256/2. The most striking feature of thousands of square miles of Virginia landscape.
b. In names of plants and trees, as Virginia cedar, corn, ivy, pea, tobacco, wheat; Virginia creeper, Ampelopsis hederacea and quinquefolia, common climbing plants of the family Vitaceæ; Virginia vine (see quots.).
Also Virginia snake-root, spiderwort, stock, sumach, witch-hazel: see the sbs.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Juniperus, The three Sorts of *Virginia Cedars … afford excellent Timber for many Uses.
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 258/2. The principal timber trees … are … yellow or pitch pine; red or Virginia cedar.
1621. in Capt. Smith, Wks. (Arb.), 564. Whatsoeuer is said against the *Virginia Corne, they finde it doth better nourish than any prouision is sent thither.
1704. Petiver, Gazophyl., II. xiv. This adheres to Trees by its hoary fibres, as our Virginia Creeper does to Walls by its tendrels.
1786. Abercrombie, Gard. Assist., 153. Train and nail climbers—to walls, &c. as virgin’s bower, passion flower, Virginia creeper, &c.
1857. Henfrey, Bot., § 452. The species of Ampelopsis known as ‘Virginia Creepers’ exhibit some interesting phænomena.
1870. Dickens, E. Drood, ii. The Virginia creeper on the cathedral wall has showered half its deep-red leaves down on the pavement.
1629. Parkinson, Parad., 612. Vitis, seu potius Hedera Virginensis, the *Virginia Vine, or rather Iuie.
1607. in Capt. Smith, Wks. (Arb.), 97. We daily feasted with good bread, *Virginia pease, pumpions, and putchamins.
1657. W. Coles, Adam in Eden, 333. Some have called the yellow Lupine Spanish Violets,… and … *Virginia Roses.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), *Virginia-Tobacco, the Tobacco-Plant growing in those Parts.
1786. Abercrombie, Gard. Assist., 115. Sow … cape-marigold, yellow sultan, Virginia tobacco, &c.
1629. Parkinson, Parad., 564. The *Virginia Vine … beareth small Grapes without any great store of iuice therein. Ibid., 612. This slender, but tall climing Virginia Vine (as it was first called; but Iuie, as it doth better resemble).
1651. R. Child, in Hartlib’s Legacy (1655), 36. The hill where their Corn is planted, called *Virginia-Wheat.
1688. Phil. Trans., XVII. 978. English Wheat (as they call it, to distinguish it from Maze, commonly called Virginia Wheat).
c. In names of birds, insects, etc., as Virginia bat, chafer, didapper, frog, goatsucker, red-bird, snap-beetle, squirrel; Virginia nightingale, the cardinal grosbeak.
1688. Phil. Trans., XVII. 991. The Night Raven, which some call the *Virginia Bat, is about the bigness of a Cuckow.
1704. Petiver, Gazophyl., Dec. III. Tab. xxvii. Marshal’s *Virginia Chaffer.
1688. Phil. Trans., XVII. 997. Teale, Wigeon,… *Virginia-Didapers.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), *Virginia-Frog, a kind of Frog that … makes a noise like the bellowing of a Bull.
1783. Latham, Gen. Synop. Birds, II. II. 595. *Virginia Goatsucker … inhabits Virginia in summer; arrives there towards the middle of April.
1688. Phil. Trans., XVII. 995. Of *Virginia Nightingale, or red Bird, there are two sorts.
1695. Lond. Gaz., No. 3108/4. A Parcel of choice Virginia Nightingales, with choice Mock-Birds,… are to be sold by Tho. Bland.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Virginia-Nightingale, a Bird of a pure scarlet Colour, with a tuft on the Head.
1731. [see RED a. 17 b].
1808. A. Wilson, Amer. Ornith. (1831), II. 273. Numbers … having been carried over both to France and England, in which last country they are usually called Virginia nightingales.
1783. Latham, Gen. Synop. Birds, II. II. 777. Tetrao Virginianus, *Virginia Partridge, smaller than the Common Partridge.
1808. A. Wilson, Amer. Ornith. (1831), II. 276. They are generally known by the names red-bird, *Virginia red-bird,… and crested red-bird.
1702. Petiver, Gazophyl., I. § 10. The Velvet-eyed *Virginia Snap-Beetle.
1609. in Capt. Smith, Wks. (Arb.), p. c. I tould him of the *Virginia squirills which they say will fly.
d. Miscellaneous combs., as Virginia tobacco (cf. 2); Virginia fence, a rail fence made in a zig-zag manner; to make a V. fence (see quot. 1861); Virginia reel, a country-dance.
1745. Franklin, Drinker’s Dict., Wks. 1887, II. 26. He [being drunk] makes a *Virginia fence.
1789. Anburey, Trav., II. 324. The New-Englanders have a saying, when a man is in liquor, he is making Virginia fences.
1826. T. Flint, Recollections, 206. The universal fence split rails, laid in a worm trail, or what is known in the North by the name of Virginia fence.
1844. P. H. Gosse, in Zoologist, II. 708. The fences, which are almost wholly made of rails set up in the zig-zag fashion so general in the north, commonly called a Virginia fence.
1861. Lowell, Biglow P., Ser. II. Introd., Poet. Wks. (1912), 285. ‘Virginia fence, to make a:’ to walk like a drunken man.
1859. Bartlett, Dict. Amer. (ed. 2), 497. *Virginia reel, the common name throughout the United States for the old English ‘country-danse.’
1694. Salmon, Bate’s Dispens. (1713), 14/1. If you steep good *Virginia Tobacco in the Water,… it will be much more effectual.
1747. W. Douglas, Brit. Settlements N. Amer. (1760), I. 116. Virginia tobacco, and Brazil, and Varinas tobacco, differ upon this account.
2. ellipt. A variety of tobacco grown and manufactured in Virginia. Also attrib.
1618. in Capt. Smith, Wks. (Arb.), 541. There are so many sofisticating Tobaco-mungers in England, were it neuer so bad, they would sell it for Verinas, and the trash that remaineth should be Virginia.
1650. B., Discolliminium, 47. My bare purse will reach no higher then to Democraticall Virginia, which many times tasts like some Levellers old leathern linings.
1681. T. Flatman, Heraclitus Ridens, No. 9 (1713), I. 53. The Reforming Troops … offering the Incense of Virginia, and the Drink-offering of the Bottle, to their Idol of the Long-sword.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 329. ¶ 6. He bid him stop by the way at any good Tobacconist’s, and take in a Roll of their best Virginia.
1803. Sir A. Boswell, Spirit of Tintoc, xix. He’s ta’en his spleuchan frae his breeks for a quid o’ the right Virginia.
1864. Hawthorne, S. Felton (1883), 301. A … German pipe … puffed out volumes of smoke, filling the pleasant western breeze with the fragrance of some excellent Virginia.
3. Astr. One of the minor planets.
1868. Lockyer, Elem. Astron., 328. Minor Planets [include] …. 48. Doris. 49. Pales. 50. Virginia.
1875. Encycl. Brit., II. 807/2. Virginia [discovered] 1857 October 4 [by] Ferguson [at] Washington.
