Forms: 3–4 champiun, 4–5 champioun, (chaumpion, -yon, -youn, scaumpioun, schampion, 5–6 champyon), 4– champion. [ME. champiun, -on, a. OF. champiun, -on (= Pr. campio, -on, Sp. campion, -eon, Pg. campião, -eão, It. campione):—late L. campio, -ōnem combatant in the campus or arena, professed fighter, f. L. campus field of athletic or military exercise, place of combat, lists: see CAMP sb.1 and sb.2
Campio was formed on campus, like tabellio ‘scrivener’ on tabella ‘written deed.’ Isidore has ‘campiones gladiatores, pugnatores’; Joh. de Janua ‘campio, gladiator, vel in campo duellum exercens’; see Du Cange. ME. had also the doublet CAMPION from northern Fr., and see KEMP sb.]
1. A fighting man, a combatant; a stout fighter, a man of valor. Also fig.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 236. Heo weren itented, & þuruh þe tentaciuns ipreoued to treowe champiuns.
a. 1300. Havelok, 1007. With hem com mani chanbioun. Ibid., 1015. Champiouns, and starke laddes.
c. 1400. Gamelyn, 203. A champioun is in þe place þat hath i-wrouȝt me sorwe.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 60. Campyon, or champyon, athleta, pugil, campio.
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. 1 Cor. ix. 26. Nor play I the champion as some do, which for their pastime with their handes do beate the ayre.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., III. iv. 19. A stouter Champion neuer handled Sword.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. xiv. (1660), 176. The Boare … is counted the most absolute Champion amongst beasts.
1862. Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. xii. 224. The champion … who won the ancient fortress.
2. One who fights on behalf of another, or on behalf of any cause. techn. One who ‘does battle’ for another in ‘wager of battle,’ a duel, or the like.
[1292. Britton, I. xxiii. § 15. Et ausi en totes batayles de champiouns.]
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 31. Or fynd a noþer man To fight with Colibrant, þat was his champion.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 104. Ȝoure champion chiualer, chief knyght of ȝow alle, Ȝelt hym recreaunt rennynge.
1494. Fabyan, VI. ccix. 222. This Gunylda was falsely accused of spowsebrech, for tryall wherof she was put to her champion.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng. (1609), 104. The parties must either themselues in person, or else finde other for them, who be called in our law Champions, or Campions.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. xvii. 51. When the Philistines sawe their champion was dead, they fled.
1669. Pepys, Diary, 4 March. The Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes, his champion … go to him to do the business.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 340.
1820. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxvii. God will raise me up a champion.
b. Also, one who fights in ‘wager of battle’ in his own cause.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. ii. 5. The Champions are prepared, and stay for nothing but his Maiesties approach.
1672. Cowel’s Interpr., s.v., In the Common Law, it [champion] is taken no less for him that tryeth the Combat in his own case, than for him that fighteth in the Quarrel or Place of another.
c. Champion of the king, or queen, of the realm or England: (see quots.).
1672. Cowel’s Dict., Champion of the King, His Office is at the Coronation of our Kings, when the King is at Dinner, to ride armed into Westminster-hall, and by a Herald make a Challenge, That if any Person shall deny the Kings Title to the Crown, he is there ready to defend it; which done, the King drinks to him, and sends him a gilt Cup with a cover full of Wine, which he hath for his Fee. This Office ever since the Coronation of Richard the Second, hath continued in the Family of the Dymockes.
1685. Acc. Coronation, in Lond. Gaz., No. 2028/3. The Kings Champion … performed the usual Ceremony of the Challenge.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 17, ¶ 2. Just such a great Action as that of the Champion’s on a Coronation Day.
1714. in Lond. Gaz., No. 5270/8.
1832. Scott, Redgauntlet, ch. xviii. note.
3. fig. and transf. One who in any kind of contest or conflict acts as the acknowledged defender of a person, cause or side; one who stoutly maintains any cause. (The literal sense is sometimes distinctly in view, sometimes out of sight.)
a. 1300. Cursor M., 18651. Sua did iesus, vr champiun [v.r. scaumpioun], Þof he lai ded for vr ranscun.
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 289. Strong schampions and pileris of holy chirche.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 430/4. God fader … gafe & betoke the sayd kyng champyon or deffensour of the feythe.
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., II. i. 15. Bodin the champion of witchmongers.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. ii. 43. To heauen, the widdowes Champion.
c. 1665. Mrs. Hutchinson, Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1846), 25. He hated persecution for religion, and was always a champion for all religious people against all their great oppressors.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 144, ¶ 8. No other qualification for a champion of controversy.
1806. Med. Jrnl., XV. 544. The great champion of vaccination.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess. Heroism, Wks. (Bohn), I. 110. Human virtue demands her champions and martyrs.
1851. Robertson, Serm., Ser. II. i. (1864), 10. He never was the champion of a class, because He was the champion of Humanity.
4. He who holds the first place in prize-fighting, rowing, walking, or other trial of strength or skill; one who has defeated all opponents, and is open to contend with any new competitor.
1825. [implied in CHAMPIONSHIP].
1840. G. C. Boase, in Dict. Nat. Biog. IX. 331/2. On 26 Oct. 1840 he beat John Leechman, known as Brassey … and was hailed ‘champion of England.’ Ibid. (1887), IX. 332/1. A subscription had been raised to purchase a ‘champion’s belt.’
1879. Sat. Rev., 13 Sept., 325. Gold medals … were won by the champion and championess.
b. transf. The animal, plant, etc., that obtains the first prize in a general competition; also applied to a variety of vegetable, fruit, etc., for which the first excellence is claimed; e.g., to a variety of potato.
[a. 1845. Hood, Decl. Chivalry, iv. Bold Sidney, and his kidney—nay, Those ‘early champions’—what are they?]
1880. Social Notes, 20 Nov., 246/2. Five tons of Scotch Champions.
1882. Garden, 4 Feb., 79/1. A vast store of Potatoes—Champions, sir; Champions!
5. attrib. a. Acting as champion. b. That has defeated all competitors, as champion boxer, punter, sculler, walker. c. Hence, Of the first class, excelling all others, as champion pease, turnips, etc.
1820. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxix. The office of Champion Defender had devolved, not on a Preceptor, but on a Companion of the Order.
1859. S. Sharpe, Hist. Egypt, II xiii. 85 (L.). The emperor’s wish to check the tyranny of the prefects and tax-gatherers was strongly marked in the case of the champion fighting-cock.
1880. W. Cornw. Gloss. (E. D. S.), Champion lode, a large vein of metal.
1886. Illust. Lond. News, 16 Jan., 71. Mr. Warton, the champion ‘blocker’ of the late Parliament.
1887. Dict. Nat. Biog., IX. 331/1. Benjamin Caunt (1815–1861), champion pugilist.
6. Comb., as champion-like adj.
1633. Ford, Love’s Sacr., I. ii. C 3 c. He vndertooke Most Champion-like to win the prize at tilt.
1836. G. S. Faber, Answ. Husenbeth, 44. Let us hear his champion-depute in continuation.
Champion sb.2 and a.: see CHAMPIAN.
