[f. WARM v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of making warm; the state of becoming warm.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 517/1. Warmynge, calefactio.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. iii. 111. The second propertie of your excellent Sherris, is, the warming of the Blood.
c. 1680. R. Fleming, Fulfilling Script., II. iv. (1726), 302. As it is sure our bodies are influenced with the warmings of the sun.
1835. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Parish, vi. Such a nursing and warming of little legs and feet before the fire.
1883. Miss Broughton, Belinda, II. vii. Whether he will have time for a good warming and breakfasting before setting off.
b. transf. and fig.
c. 1621. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 105. The estates hauing of late made great fiers in the Infanta her country of Brabant, euen to the warminge of her courte at Bruxells.
1681. R. Fleming, Fulfilling Script., III. ii. (1726), 359. To unite further those amongst themselves with the more warmings of that ancient love that was wont to be amongst them.
1743. J. Glas, Lord’s Supper, V. v. Wks. 1761, IV. 143. Many warmings and seemingly good motions and wishes, that never carry us out … to do any good work.
† c. Warming of the house = HOUSE-WARMING 2.
1653. Greaves, Seraglio, 184. The warming of the house, as we call it in England.
2. A thrashing, trouncing. Also fig.
1681. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen., 664/1. I’le give your hide a warming.
1880. S. Butler, Lett., 20 May, in H. F. Jones, Mem. (1919), I. 332. My new book … will … give old Darwin the best warming that I can manage to give him.
3. attrib., as warming-chamber, -house, -stone (see quots.).
1791. Bentham, Panopt., I. 201. The *warming chamber, or set of warming-chambers … consists of earthen retorts, open at both ends, and inclosed in iron ones.
1876. in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), III. 238. The warming chamber … is common to both portions of the building.
1897. J. W. Clark, Observ. Barnwell Priory, p. lxiii. The *Warming-House (calefactorium).
1668. Charleton, Onomast., 243. Lapis Schistos … the *Warming stone.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 253. If Mault-kills or Oasts made with ordinary stone prove so advantagious, what would one of them do, if the Joists and Laths at least were made of the Cornish warming-stone, that will hold heat well eight or ten hours.
1691. Ray, Creation, I. (1692), 83. To these useful Stones I might add the Warming-stone, digged in Cornwal, which being once well heated at the fire retains its warmth a great while, and hath been found to give ease and relief in several Pains and Diseases, particularly that of the internal Hæmorrhoids.
