a. (sb.) [f. L. Corinthi-us (Gr. Κορίνθι-ος) + -AN.]
A. adj. 1. Of or pertaining to Corinth.
b. Arch. The name of one of the three Grecian orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian), of which it is the lightest and most ornate, having a bell-shaped capital adorned with rows of acanthus-leaves giving rise to graceful volutes and helices.
[1563. Shute, Archit., D iij a. The Pedestal of Corinthia. Ibid., D iv b. The whole Trabeations of the Corinthe.
1592. R. D., Hypnerotomachia, 24 b. For beautie columnes Corinthies.]
1656. Blount, Glossogr., s.v., In Architecture there are five orders of pillars, The Tuscan, Dorique, Ionique, Corinthian, Composite or Italian.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), II. 30. The disposition of doric pillars in the first story, of ionic in the middle, and corinthian in the third.
1851. Ruskin, Stones Ven. (1874), I. i. 14. The two orders, Doric and Corinthian, are the roots of all European architecture.
c. Corinthian brass (bronze) [L. Corinthium æs]: an alloy, said to be of gold, silver, and copper, produced at Corinth, and much prized in ancient times as the material of costly ornaments. Also fig. (from the fig. sense of BRASS) effrontery or shamelessness, such as that attributed to the Corinthians. Hence also Corinthian = ‘brazen.’
1594. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vii. Wks. (Grosart), I. 86. For God remembred that he made not Man Of stone, or Steel, or Brass Corinthian.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 487. The Corinthian brasse mettall was most highly commended: and the same mixture happened euen by meere chance and fortune, when the city Corinth was woon, sacked and burnt to the ground.
1706. in Phillips.
1755. T. Amory, Memoirs, 504. He has the Corinthian face to offer [etc.].
2. After the elegant style of Corinthian art. Applied by Mr. Matthew Arnold to an over-brilliant literary style: see quot. 1865.
1860. Emerson, Cond. Life, Behavior, Wks. (Bohn), II. 387. Nothing can be more excellent in kind than the Corinthian grace of Gertrude’s manners.
1865. M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., ii. 73–4. I have already spoken of the Attic and the Asiatic styles; besides these, there is the Corinthian style…. It has not the warm glow, blithe movement, and soft pliancy of life, as the Attic style has; it has not the over-heavy richness and encumbered gait of the Asiatic style; it has glitter without warmth, rapidity without ease, effectiveness without charm. Ibid. (1869), Cult. & An. (1883), p. xii. A Night of Corinthian leading-articles, and an irruption of Mr. G. A. Sala.
3. ‘Relating to the licentious manners of Corinth’ (J.), profligate; in 19th c. use: Given to elegant dissipation.
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. (1847), 81/2. The sage and rheumatic old prelatess, with all her young Corinthian laity.
1821. P. Egan (title), Life in London; or, the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorne, Esq. and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom.
1890. Daily Tel., 25 Feb., 4/7 (Farmer). Is it not curious that hotel proprietors [at Monte Carlo] should countenance, if not encourage, a ‘Tom and Jerry’ tone and a wild Corinthian element even in well-conducted restaurants?
4. (U.S.) Yachting. Amateur.
1885. B. Matthews, in Harper’s Mag., June, 83/1. He did his duty all summer on the yacht of a friend who was fond of sailing Corinthian races.
B. sb.
1. A native or inhabitant of Corinth.
1526. Tindale, 2 Cor. vi. 11. O ye Corinthyans! [Wyclif A ȝe Corynthis, 1388 Corynthies] oure mouth is open vnto you.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, III. 253. The Corinthians seem to have had some reason for expecting an attack.
2. (From the proverbial wealth, luxury and licentiousness of ancient Corinth): † a. A wealthy man; a profligate idler; a gay, licentious man; also, a shameless or ‘brazen-faced’ ‘fellow (cf. A. 1 c). Obs.
1577. Fenton, Gold. Epist., 282. If there were any manne in anye parte of Asia, verye wealthye and riche, he was called by a common Phraze, a Corinthian.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. iv. 13. I am … A Corinthian, a lad of mettle, a good boy.
1697. Potter, Antiq. Greece, ii. 12 (T.). To act the Corinthian, is, to commit fornication, according to Hesychius.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Corinthian, a very impudent, harden’d, brazen-fac’d Fellow.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, Corinthians, frequenters of brothels; also an impudent brazen faced fellow.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., iii. Who is this gallant, honest Mike!—is he a Corinthian—a cutter like thyself?
1879. Farrar, St. Paul (1883), 403. A reference to the immorality of the city may still be heard in the use of the word ‘Corinthians’ for profligate idlers.
b. A ‘swell’; a man of fashion about town.
‘In the third decade of the present century the word, both as a substantive and an adjective, was at the height of its popularity’ (Latham).
1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Mem., 9 (Farmer). ’Twas diverting to see, as one ogled around, How Corinthians and Commoners mixed on the ground.
1821. New Monthly Mag., II. 242, note. This more elegant appellation [Corinthian] has superseded its predecessor Dandy, once so popular in every rank.
a. 1847. Mrs. Sherwood, Lady of Manor, I. ix. 385. The brothers were what, in modern times, we should call Dandies, or Corinthians.
1854. Thackeray, Leech’s Pictures, in Q. Rev., Dec., 77 (Farmer). ‘Corinthian,’ it appears, was the phrase applied to men of fashion and ton in Plancus’s time: they were the brilliant predecessors of the ‘swell’ of the present period.
c. A wealthy amateur of sport who rides his own horses, steers his own yacht, etc.; esp. in U.S. an amateur yachtsman.
Hence Corinthianism.
1823. Blackw. Mag., XIII. 279. In England their profession was Corinthianism, when that sect was in its glory; but now … real pleasures are too low for their refined appetites.
