Forms: α. (in Latin form) 1 zefferus, 4 zeferus, 4–7 zephirus, 5 zeforus, 5–6 zepherus, 6– zephyrus; β. 7 zephir(e, -yre, 7– zephyr. [a. or ad. L. zephyrus, a. Gr. ζέφνρος: cf. F. zéphire, It. zefiro, zeffiro, Sp. cefiro, Pg. zephyro, G. zephyr, etc.]
1. The west wind, esp. as personified, or the god of the west wind.
α. a. 1000. Riddles, xl[i]. 68. Nis zefferus se swifta wind þæt swa fromlice mæʓ feran æʓhwær.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 470. & sayez vnte Zeferus þat he syfle warme.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 5. Zephirus … with his swete breeth.
c. 1520. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 677. There blew in that gardynge a soft piplyng colde, Enbrethyng of Zepherus with his pleasant wynde.
1594. Selimus, ad fin., Zephyrus sweete smelling blast.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle (1871), 116. Art thou perhaps that purest breathing aire, Sweet Zephirus?
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 16. With voice Milde, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes.
1898. Meredith, Lett. (1912), II. 498. Like a gossamer puffed by summer Zephyrus.
β. 1598. Chapman, Iliad, VII. [XI.] 120. When the hollow floode of ayre in Zephyres cheeks doth swel.
1605. Drayton, Idea, liii. Sweet mirrh-breathing Zephire.
1632. Milton, L’Allegro, 19. Zephir with Aurora playing, As he met her once a Maying.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 80, ¶ 3. Regions in which no wind is heard but the gentle Zephyr.
1823. B. W. Procter, Flood of Thess., I. 89. Words more soft than Zephyr.
2. A soft mild gentle wind or breeze.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., IV. ii. 172. They are as gentle As Zephires blowing below the Violet, Not wagging his sweet head.
1683. Tryon, Way to Health, 47. The pure thin sweet Vapours of the Air (which are the Refreshing Zephiri of Nature).
1718. Prior, Henry & Emma, 389. While gentle Zephyrs play in prosp’rous Gales.
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 173. No zephyr fondly sues the mountain’s breast.
1807. W. Irving, Salmag. (1824), 187. The flowers, the zephyrs, and the warblers of spring, returning after their tedious absence.
1883. Miss M. Betham-Edwards, Disarmed, x. The zephyrs breathed softly from the south.
3. a. Applied to various very light articles of clothing; e.g., a light shawl; a light dust-coat; esp. a light shirt worn by athletes.
1774. Westm. Mag., II. 259. Negligees of pale lutestring,… with tassels and zephyrs in fancy, or of muslin.
1830. Lady’s Mag., 31 May, 284/2. Some wear little square shawls of soft crape, called zephyrs.
1879. F. W. Robinson, Coward Consc., I. ii. The gentleman’s light overcoat had once done duty as a ‘zephyr’ at the races.
1887. Shearman, Athletics, 68. When the athlete has got a pair of the best shoes, a zephyr, and a pair of silk or merino drawers,… he has got all the stock-in-trade required to win half-a-dozen championships.
1891. R. F. Murray, Scarlet Gown, 6. He sat upon the sofa, where my hat, My wanton Zephyr, rested on its rim.
b. [after Ger.] A fine light cotton cloth of the gingham type used for women’s dresses, having the colors woven into the fabric.
1849, etc. [see 6 b].
1863. B. Taylor, Han. Thurston, I. 128. [To] measure a yard of calico … or choose a shade of zephyr.
1866. in Abridgm. Specif. Patents, Spinning, II. (1868), 490. Equal in appearance to the finest German zephyr.
1905. Wells, Kipps, I. vi. § 1. 119. Yessir, nosir, rightsir. I’m sorting up zephyrs to-morrow, Sir.
c. Cookery. (See quot.)
1894. Garrett’s Encycl. Cookery, Zephyrs. These might almost be described under the heading of Soufflés.
4. A butterfly of the genus Zephyrus.
5. [after Fr.] A soldier of the Algerian light infantry.
1854. Househ. Words, VIII. 145/1. Zephyrs is a nickname given in Algeria to a corps which is recruited from … the French army.
1911. Blackw. Mag., May, 595/2. A spell of service with the ‘Zephyrs,’ the malefactors of the French army.
6. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 2) zephyr-bough, -breath, -sigh, -whispering; Zephyr-fanned, -haunted, -kissed adjs.; zephyr-flower = ZEPHYRANTH (Miller, Plant-n., 1884).
1818. Keats, Endym., II. 318. Within my breast there lives a choking flame—O let me cool’t the *zephyr-boughs among!
1854. Brewster, More Worlds, ii. 17. The *zephyr breath among the distant foliage.
1880. A. H. Swinton, Insect Var., 96. The *zephyr-fanned summits of the oak wood.
1793[?]. Coleridge, Lines to a beautiful Spring, 5. Ere from thy *zephyr-haunted brink I turn.
c. 1840. Eliza Cook, Spring, v. The *zephyr-kissed grass.
1818. Keats, Endym., I. 376. Where every *zephyr-sigh pouts, and endows Her lips with music for the welcoming.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes, x. Nor was the atmosphere quite free from *zephyr whisperings of the thirty beds which had just been cleared away.
b. Applied to certain light yarns and fabrics (see quots.); also = made of zephyr (sense 3 b).
1849. Jrnl. Design, Aug., 143. Zephyr Silk Barège…. This is one of those light and elegant fabrics which have done so much to reduce the demand for the higher class of light printed goods.
1852. Househ. Words, IV. 398/2. We have Paletôts,… Zephyr wrappers,… and a host of other garments.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Zephyr-cloth, a kind of kerseymere made in Belgium; a waterproof fabric. Ibid. Zephyr-shawl, a kind of thin light worsted and cotton embroidered shawl.
1864. Webster, Zephyr yarn, or worsted, a fine kind of yarn or worsted, called also Berlin wool.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, Zephyr Ginghams or Prints. These are pretty delicate textiles, resembling a cotton batiste. Zephyr Merino Yarn, the term employed by the wool staplers of Germany to signify what is usually called German or Berlin. Zephyr Shirting … a kind of gauze flannel, having a silk warp.
1883. Truth, 31 May, 768/2. Two sisters in blue zephyr gowns.
1888. Maude Bradshaw, Ind. Outfits, 31. Two pairs of zephyr stays,… besides a few pairs of ordinary stays.
Hence Zephyrean, Zephyrian, Zephyrous, Zephyry adjs., of, pertaining to, or of the nature of a zephyr; full of or having zephyrs; Zephyret, a gentle zephyr; Zephyrine, the name of a light thin material or a garment made of this; also attrib.; Zephyrless a., destitute of zephyrs.
1837. Blackw. Mag., XLI. 146. The voice of Reason, like the *zephyrean breath of summer.
1848. trans. J. P. F. Richter’s Levana, III. iii. § 54. To … send the *zephyrets of pleasure through artistic bellows and air-pumps, to the little flowers.
1734. Poor Robin, Mar. A 7. And from the West with a *Zephyrian Breath, Plants seeming dead he re-revives from Death.
1873. Mrs. Whitney, Other Girls, iii. A span new tea-coloured *zephyrine polonaise. Ibid. Her zephyrine, with its silky shine.
1819. Keats, Lines to Fanny, 37. Whose winds, all *zephyrless, hold scourging rods.
1847. Tait’s Mag., XIV. 267. This soft *zephyrous breeze.
1791. Learmont, Poems, 188. The *Zephiry Summer breeze.
1880. A. H. Swinton, Insect Var., 169. In zephyry hay-fields.
