Forms: 4 cardenal, -ynal(le, -inarl, (pl. -inaus), 5 -inalle, 5–6 -ynall, 6 -enall, (cartdenall), 6–7 -inall, 2– cardinal. [absol. uses of prec., after those of cardinālis in later Latin.]
I. The ecclesiastical sense and its derivatives.
1. One of the seventy ecclesiastical princes (six cardinal bishops, fifty cardinal priests, and fourteen cardinal deacons) who constitute the pope’s council, or the sacred college, and to whom the right of electing the pope has been restricted since the third Lateran council in 1173.
The cardinals hold the highest rank next to the pope, who is chosen from their number. [See CARDINAL a. 6.]
1125. O. E. Chron. On þes ilces ʓæres sende se papa of Rome to ðise lande an cardinal Johan of Creme.
1297. R. Glouc., 476. Tueie cardinals the pope him sende iwis.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXII. 415. Ich knew neuere cardinal þat he ne cam fro þe pope.
c. 1538. Starkey, England, iv. 124. Hys College of Cardynallys.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. i. 51. And this was ordred by the good Discretion Of The right Reuerend Cardinall of Yorke.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. I. 23. Rochel … was then straitly besieged by the Cardinal Richelieu.
1782. Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., II. X. 251. These cardinals … now have the rank of princes in the church.
1845. Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., I. 341. The Council … prescribed to Cardinal Raimund very strict conditions.
b. Preceding other titles, indicating dignities held by one who is also a cardinal.
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, I. III. 79. The Cardinal Nephew, whom they call Padrone. Ibid., 84. The Cardinal Vicar.
1709. Lond. Gaz., No. 4525/1. In the Cardinal-Legate’s Coach.
1783. Watson, Philip III. (1839), 225. The cardinal-archbishop went himself to Rome.
† c. The cardinal’s blessing: a blessing merely without any further advantage. Obs.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., VII. 32. What will they merit but the Cardinal’s Blessing who will take no warning?
1758. Jortin, Erasm., I. 53. A gift, which, in all probability, would never be worth more than a Cardinal’s Blessing.
† 2. Name of a variety of apple. Obs.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 223. Apples … Lording-Apple, Pear-Apple, Cardinal, Winter Chestnut.
3. A short cloak worn by ladies, originally of scarlet cloth with a hood.
1745. Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr. (1861), II. 382. You are capering about in your fine cardinals, and things, like a girl of twenty.
1775. Sheridan, Duenna, I. iii. 193. My cardinal & veil are in her room.
1826. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. II. (1863), 451. The thickest and brightest red cardinal that ever came out of a woollen-draper’s shop.
1858. Thackeray, Virgin., xxxii. (1878), 248.
4. = Cardinal-bird; see 7.
1756. P. Browne, Jamaica, 467. The Cardinal. This bird is frequently imported from South Carolina.
1851. Voy. Mauritius, iv. 160. The cardinal, though scarcely larger than a bullfinch, is conspicuous for his bright scarlet plumage.
5. slang. ‘Mulled red wine.’
II. 6. In plural (for the adj. with a sb. pl.). = cardinal points, winds, virtues, numbers, muscles, etc.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. vi. (1495), 304. The endes of this lyne that hyghte Axis ben pyghte in the poles and hyghte Cardinales.
1704. P. Gordon, Geog. Anat., 39. ’Tis impossible to distinguish properly in it any one of the Intermediate Points of the Compass; nay, nor so much as two of the four Cardinal themselves.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 402. Philosophy … classes the virtues under the four cardinals of prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice.
1816. J. Smith, Sc. & Art, II. 183. Each segment between the several cardinals and their compounds, is subdivided into four equal portions.
1841–71. T. R. Jones, Anim. Kingd., 553. Three pairs [of muscles] denominated respectively ‘adductors,’ ‘cardinals,’ and ‘accessory cardinals.’
1871. Roby, Lat. Gram., I. 442. The genitive plural of the cardinals and distributives.
III. 7. Comb. (all in sense 1), as cardinal-making vbl. sb.; cardinal-bird, grosbeak, a North American singing-bird (Cardinalis virginianus) with scarlet plumage; cardinal’s († cardinal) hat, the red hat worn by a cardinal, taken typically for his dignity or office; cardinal lace, the name of a modern pattern of lace; cardinal spider (see quot.). Also CARDINAL-FLOWER.
1802. Bingley, Anim. Biog. (1813), II. 161. The *Cardinal Grosbeak … is an inhabitant of several parts of North America.
1885. Lady Brassey, The Trades, 422–3. ‘Cardinal gros-beaks’ (Petylus Cardinalis) are a kind of Virginian nightingale.
1538. Bale, Thre Lawes, 1225. And as moch besydes he had not longe afore For a *Cardynall hatte.
1832. G. Downes, Lett. Cont. Countries, I. 349. The devices of a cock and a Cardinal’s hat.
1881. Daily News, 12 Sept., 3/5. *Cardinal laces are still wanted.
1662. Fuller, Worthies (1840), I. iv. 16. This custom of *cardinal-making.
1883. Wood, in Gd. Words, Dec., 762/1. The common House-spider … sometimes grows to an enormous size, and it is then known by the name of the *Cardinal Spider.
