Forms: 3–5 chauntecler, 4–6 chaunticlere, 5 chantecleer, 6 chauntecleere, 7 chaunticleere, -cleare, (chant-it-clear), chante-, chanticle(e)re, -icler, 8– chanticleer. [a. OF. chantecler (mod.F. chanteclair), proper name of the Cock in Reynard the Fox, f. chante-r to sing, crow + cler (mod.F. clair) clear.]
An appellation applied to a cock, usually in manner of a proper name; but now mostly written without a capital. (Cf. Bruin, Grimalkin, Reynard, etc.)
a. 1300. Vox & Wolf, 37. Be stille, ich hote, a Godes nome! Quath the vox, Sire chauntecler.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Nonne Pr. T., 29. Sche had a cok, hight Chaunticlere.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 9. So sawe they comen doun the hylle to hem chauntecler the cock.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 1. Chearefull Chaunticlere with his note shrill.
1598. Marston, Pygmal., v. 160. Poore Gallus now … Is turned to a crowing Chauntecleere.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., II. vii. 30. My Lungs began to crow like Chanticleere [cf. Temp., I. ii. 385].
1621. Quarles, Esther (1638), 94–5.
| When Chanticleere, (the Bellman of the morne) | |
| Shall summon twilight, with his bugle horne. |
1633. B. Jonson, Tale Tub, III. v. Brave chant-it-clear, his noble heart was done.
c. 1820. S. Rogers, Italy, Lake Geneva (1839), 176. Many a chanticleer and partlet.
1858. Longf., Birds of Pass., Day break, vi. O chanticleer, Your clarion blow.
Hence Chanticleer v. nonce-wd., to crow as a cock; Chanticleering ppl. a.
1841. Fraser’s Mag., XXIV. 713. The courageous bird … chanticleered away louder than ever.
1856. Strang, Glasgow, 515. Voices as cheerful and chanticleering as the Cock.
