[f. as prec. + -ING2.] That climbs, in the senses of the vb.
1561. Norton & Sackv., Gorboduc II. ii. (1565), C i. Greedy lust doth raise the clymbynge minde.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. ii. 11. You tempt the fury of my three attendants, Leane Famine, quartering Steele, and climbing Fire.
1642. J. Eaton, Honey-c. Free Justif., 62. Bridle this climbing and presuming spirit.
1801. Southey, Thalaba, III. vi. The dews had ceased to steam Toward the climbing Sun.
1882. Vines, Sachs’ Bot., 863. The interpretation of the phenomena of climbing plants.
b. in many names of plants, as Climbing Buckwheat (Polygonum Convolvulus), Climbing Fumitory (Corydalis claviculata), Climbing Palm (Desmoncus macracanthos), Climbing Sailor (Linaria Cymbalaria), etc.
1670. Ray, Catal. Pl. Climbing Fumitory.
1863. Bates, Nat. Amazons, xi. (1864), 338. Jacitara, or the wood of the climbing palm tree.
c. Special combs., as climbing-boy, a chimneysweep’s boy formerly employed to climb chimneys (now illegal); climbing-iron, an iron strapped to the boot to assist in climbing (see CLIMBER 4); climbing-perch, a fish (Anabas scandens), found chiefly in Indian waters, and believed to have the power of ascending trees: see ANABAS.
1785. Hanway (title), A Sentimental History of Chimney-Sweepers in London and Westminster, showing the necessity of putting them under regulations to prevent the grossest inhumanity to the *Climbing Boys.
1803. Nicholson’s Jrnl., VI. 255. A machine for cleansing chimneys, without the aid of Climbing-boys.
1884. A. Lang, in Harper’s Mag., Nov., 895/1. A small ‘climbing boy’ being roasted to death up the chimney.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, II. iii. (1871), 259. Fitting new straps on to his *climbing-irons.
1872. Carpenter, Anim. Phys., vi. The Anabas or *climbing-perch of Tranquebar which climbs bushes and trees in search of its prey.
