Forms: 5–6 canape, -ope, 6 canapee, -opi, cannopy, canyppy, (? cannebe), north. canaby(e, 6–7 canapie, -apy, -opie, Sc. cannabie, 7 cannapie, canopey, 6– canopy. [In 15th c. canape, a. F. canapé (formerly also conopée masc. ‘a canopie, tent, or pauilion,’ Cotgr.) = Sp., Pg. canapé ‘couch, sofa,’ It. canopè (Diez), med.L. ‘canopeum, quod suspenditur super altare’ (Du Cange), in cl. L. cōnōpēum, -eum, -ium, ‘net of fine gauze about the bed, mosquito curtains’ (Lewis & Short), ‘pavilion, tent, or bed with a tester’ (Scheller), a. Gr. κωνωπεῖον ‘an Egyptian bed or couch with mosquito curtains’ (L. & S.), f. κώνωψ gnat, mosquito. The Eng. forms may have been partly from med.L., and in Eng. the sense has adhered to ‘curtain or tester,’ while in the mod. Romanic langs. that of ‘couch’ or ‘sofa’ has prevailed.]
1. A covering or bangings suspended over a throne, couch, bed, etc., or held over a person walking in procession.
1382. Wyclif, Judith xiii. 10. She toc awei his canope fro the pileris.
1454. E. E. Wills (1882), 133. My bed of grene sylke, wiþ the testour & Canape ther-to.
c. 1511. 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.), Introd. 29/2. Iiij of the nobleste bereth the canapie ouer his hed.
1561. Invent., 138 (Jam.). Ane cannabie of grene taffetie … quhilke may serue for any dry stuill or a bed.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 113. They beare the foure staves of the Canapie over the Kings head at the time of his coronation.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., IV. xlv. 365. At this day the Popes are carried by Switzers under a Canopie.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 268. The mattress we lay on had a large canopy over it, spread like the crown of a tent.
1843. Prescott, Mexico (1850), I. 28. Above the throne was a canopy of variegated plumage.
b. spec. A covering over a shrine, or over the Host when borne in procession.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburgh (1848), 146. Also ouer the shryne was prepared a canaby Of cloth of golde.
c. 1520. Mem. Ripon (Surtees), III. 201. Caruer framyng et carvyng j canape pro Corpore Xpi per iiij dies, 2s.
1556. Chron. Gr. Friars (1852), 94. The byshoppe bereynge the sacrament under a canapy.
1757. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), I. 70. The venerable host, which was carried under a splendid canopy.
2. transf. and gen. A covering, an over-hanging shade or shelter.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., V. i. 88. Their shadowes seeme A Canopy most fatall, vnder which Our Army lies.
1641. Maisterton, Serm., 23. Beautifull walks … shaded with the green canopy of every pleasant … tree.
1723. Pope, Lett. to Digby, 10 Oct. The prospects begin to open … thro’ the high canopies of trees to the higher arch of heaven.
1855. Maury, Phys. Geog. Sea, v. (1860), § 299. Under a canopy of perpetual clouds.
1874. Hartwig, Aerial W., i. 1. The atmosphere spreads its invisible canopy over sea and land.
b. esp. applied to the overhanging firmament.
1602. Shaks., Ham., II. ii. 311. This most excellent Canopy the Ayre … this braue ore-hanging, this Maiesticall Roofe, fretted with golden fire. Ibid. (1607), Cor., IV. v. 41. Where dwel’st thou? Vnder the Canopy.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 556. Where he stood So high above the circling Canopie Of Nights extended shade.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., II. l. 453. At first, the celestial canopy was divided into three principal parts.
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xiii. 290. The people had met under the canopy of heaven.
c. fig. Covering, shelter.
1603. H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 19. Shrowding thy selfe vnder the Cannapie of Vertue.
1650. Hubbert, Pill Formality, 12. A form of Religion serves for a Canopie to cover all these abominations.
1821. Syd. Smith, in Edin. Rev., XXXV. 416. Withdrawing the canopy of his name from the bad passions of country gentlemen.
3. Arch. A roof-like ornamented projection, surmounting a niche, door, window, tomb, etc.
1682. N. O., Boileau’s Lutrin, IV. 31. The Pulpit now lifting its lofty Head With carved Canopy stands covered.
1874. Parker, Illustr. Goth. Archit., I. v. 186. Our eyes are so much accustomed to empty niches…, but … a niche was originally intended to contain an image, and the canopy over it was to protect the head of the image.
