Obs. Forms: 5 alphyn(e, aufyn, awfyn, 6 alfyn. [a. OFr. alfin, aufin (med.L. alphinus, It. alfino, alfido), f. Sp. alfil (arfil), Pg. alfil (alfir), a. Arab. al-fīl the elephant, Skr. pīlu; the piece in chess called the alphin, and now the bishop, having had originally with the Indians, Chinese, and Persians the figure and name of an elephant.]
1. Former name of the bishop in chess.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 70. Som tyme hy and som tyme lowe, among aufyns and pownys. Ibid., 62. The secunde, scil. alphyne, renneth iij. poyntes, both vpwarde and dounewarde.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. iii. B 8. The alphyns ought to be made and formed in manere of Juges sittyng in a chayer. Ibid., IV. iv. K 8. The alphyn goeth alwey cornerwyse.
1530. Palsgr., 194/1. Alfyn, a man of the chesse borde.
1562. Rowbotham, in Archæol., XXIV. 203. The Bishoppes some name Alphins, some fooles, and some name them Princes; other some call them Archers.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., IV. ii. 275. The alfin was also denominated by the French fol, and with us an archer, and at last a bishop.
2. fig. with reference either to the Fr. name fol fool, or to the awkward and formerly limited moves of the alfin. (Cf. ‘Alanus in Parabolis,’ quoted in Du Cange, ‘Sic inter schachos Alphinus inutilis extat, Inter aves bubo.’)
c. 1440. Morte Arth., 1343. Myche wondyre have I, Þat syche an alfyne as thow dare speke syche wordez!
