A. sb.
1. One given to change; a fickle or inconstant person; a waverer, turncoat, renegade. arch.
1555. T. Hawkes, in Foxe, A. & M. (1631), III. XI. 263/2. I am no changeling, nor none will be.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., V. i. 76. Fickle Changelings, and poore Discontents.
1651. Howell, Venice, 45. Making all things both animat and inanimat which have their being under that changeling the Moon to be subject unto corruption and dissolution.
1682. Bunyan, Holy War, 42. They would never be Changlings, nor forsake their old Lord for a new.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scotl., I. VI. 459. Darnley was such a changeling.
1807. Sir R. Wilson, Jrnl., 28 June, in Life (1862), II. 286. England has nought to fear from such changelings.
2. A person or thing (surreptitiously) put in exchange for another. ? Obs. (exc. as in 3.)
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. 13. They put a stinkyng harlot in place of the holy spouse of Christe. That this puttyng in of a changelyng should not deceiue vs [etc.].
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. ii. 53. I … Folded the Writ vp in forme of the other … plac’t it safely, The changeling neuer knowne.
1640. Bp. Hall, Episc., II. xx. 204. It is not St. Ambrose … but a changling in his clothes.
1830. Scott, Demonol., vi. 175. Who live as changelings ever since, For love of your domains.
3. spec. A child secretly substituted for another in infancy; esp. a child (usually stupid or ugly) supposed to have been left by fairies in exchange for one stolen. (In quot. 1590 applied to the child taken, not to that left.)
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., VII. xv. 122. They have so fraied us with … elves, hags … changlings, incubus, Robin goodfellow … and such other bugs, that we are afraid of our own shadowes.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., II. i. 23. She neuer had so sweet a changeling.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. x. 65. Such, men do chaungelings call, so chaung’d by Faeries theft.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., viii. 24. To steal a Prince out of his cradle, and leave a Changeling in the room.
1726. Gay, Fables, I. iii. 14. Your precious babe is hence convey’d, And in its place a changeling laid.
1840. W. H. Ainsworth, Tower of London, 268. Yes! I am a changeling.
transf. and fig. 1818. Shelley, Rev. Islam, IV. i. That great tower … A changeling of man’s art, nursed amid nature’s brood.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 530. The small pox was always present,… turning the babe into a changeling at which the mother shuddered.
attrib. 1590. Shaks., Mids. N., II. i. 120. I do but beg a little changeling boy, To be my Henchman.
1825. T. C. Croker, Fairy Leg. S. Irel., 49, note. A strong similarity in the traits of changeling character.
4. A half-witted person, idiot, imbecile. arch.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xii. 182. A Changeling … is not one child changed for another, but one child on a sudden much changed from it-self.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 28 Dec. To think how ill she do any serious part … just like a fool or changeling.
1845. H. Rogers, Ess. (1874), I. iii. 100. The giant becomes a dwarf—the genius a helpless changeling.
† 5. The rhetorical figure Hypallage. Obs.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie (Arb.), 182. Hipallage or the Changeling … as, he that should say, for tell me troth and lie not, lie me troth and tell not.
† B. as adj. (attrib. use of 1). Changeable, variable, inconstant. Obs.
1646. Boyle, Wks., I. 20. Some are so studiously changling in that particular.
1691. [De Foe], New Disc. Old Intreague, Introd. 4. Crouds of Thoughtless Mob with Changeling Praise.
1702. Rowe, Tamerl., I. ii. 606. Curse on that Changeling Deity of Fools [Fortune].
