[originally cathedral church: see prec. F. cathédrale.]
1. The principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop’s cathedra or throne; usually remarkable for size and architectural beauty. (It has been applied to the Abbey Church of Westminster.)
1587. Harrison, England, II. i. (1877), I. 16. As the number of churches increased, so the repaire of the faithfull vnto the cathedrals did diminish.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, D vij a. The great Cathedralls of St. Paul, and St. Peter, in this Metropolitan City.
1718. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett. to Pope, 28 Sept. The great Cathedral of St. John [in Lyons] is a good Gothic building.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 340. Cathedrals decorated by all the art and magnificence of the middle ages.
1852. Tennyson, Ode Wellington, ix. Lay your earthly fancies down, And in the vast cathedral leave him.
1861. Beresf. Hope (title), The English Cathedral.
b. Taken as a type of the Episcopal system.
1679. Establ. Test, 11. They had … ruin’d the Monarchy, and pull’d down the old Cathedral, without Establishing … any Church at all.
2. fig. Chief center of authority and teaching.
1643. Milton, Divorce, To Parlt., Our ancient Druides, by whom this Iland was the Cathedral of Philosophy to France.
1651. Biggs, New Disp., Pref. 5. Let England then keep that honour … to be the Cathedral to other Nations.
3. attrib. and Comb., as cathedral air, chime, close, dome, family, front, man, music, service, spire, tower, town, walk (= resembling an aisle in a cathedral); cathedral-like, -wise advbs.
1644. T. Hill, Right Separation (1645), 34. This made *Cathedrall aire (for the most part) so impure.
1841. Penny Cycl., s.v. Salisbury, There is in the *cathedral close a college or almshouse for ten clergymen’s widows.
1877. Bryant, Lit. People of Snow, 155. Like some vast *cathedral-dome.
1740. in Swift’s Lett. (1766), II. 264. When there is a place vacant in your family…. I mean your *cathedral family.
1864. Tennyson, Sea Dreams, 211. Huge *cathedral fronts of every age.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 628. This Church is spatious, beautifull, and built *Cathedrall-like.
1691. Bethel, Providences of God, 27. As ready and perfect in their Responses, as any *Cathedral Man whatever.
1879. Grove, Dict. Mus., *Cathedral Music. Music composed for use in English Cathedral Service since the Reformation.
1703. Locke, Lett., in Wks. 1823, X. 300 (J.). His constant and regular assisting at the *cathedral service.
1842. Tennyson, Gardener’s Dau., 213. The gray *cathedral towers Reveal’d their shining windows.
a. 1859. Macaulay, Hist. Eng. (1861), V. 157. Visions of … closes in old *cathedral towns.
a. 1744. Pope, Imitat. Cowley, 13. Here aged trees *Cathedral walks compose.
a. 1780. Blackstone, Farewell Muse, 22. Aged elms … In long cathedral walks extend.
1713. Steele, Guardian, No. 80 (1756), I. 354. The service was performed *cathedral-wise.
Hence Cathedralesque, Cathedralic, Cathedralish, adjs., like a cathedral; Cathedralized a., converted into a cathedral; Cathedralism, the cathedral system.
1884. R. St. J. Corbet, in Pall Mall Gaz., 7 Jan., 2/2. Such magnificent minsters and cathedralesque churches as Tewkesbury, Malvern, Wimborne, [etc.].
1870. Hawthorne, Eng. Note-bks. (1879), II. 206. Almost cathedralic in its dimensions.
1840. Tupper, Lett., in My life as Author (1886), 43. A large cathedralish church.
1885. G. N. Boardman, in Advance (Chicago), 3 Dec., 777. One large element of English religious character … is, if I may coin a word, Cathedralism.
1861. Beresf. Hope, Eng. Cathedr. 19th C., 178. The cathedralised abbey churches.
