Obs. [ad. L. cornūtus, -a, -um horned, f. cornū horn. Already in med.L. used as a sb. in sense B. 1, cornūta a retort.]
A. adj. = CORNUTED.
1706. in Phillips (ed. Kersey); hence in Bailey, etc.
B. sb. 1. A retort used in distilling.
1605. Timme, Quersit., III. 172. Distill it by a cornute.
1730–6. Bailey (folio), Cornute (with Chymists) a still … having a crooked Neck … to draw Spirits or Oils out of Woods, Minerals, and Things which require a strong Heat.
2. A forked pennon.
1625. F. Markham, Bk. Hon., III. ix. § 9. Those that were to receiue this Honour … came before him with their Cornutes, which were long Streamers or Ensignes with two long Forkes, or Nookes at the lower ende in the manner of Hornes.
3. Some horned animal.
1634. R. H., Salernes Regim., 50. Wholesome … against the byting of a Beast called the Cornute.
4. One who is ‘horned’; a cuckold.
1608. Machin, Dumb Knt., III. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, X. 173. Your best of friends … Usurps your bed, and makes you a cornute.
1707. E. Ward, Hud. Rediv. (1715), II. IX. In the next severe Dispute Between the King and Earl Cornute.
5. Logic. A ‘horned’ argument, dilemma; the ancient sophism ‘cornutus’: see CERATINE.
1739. R. Bull, trans. Dedekindus’ Grobianus, 21. A Dilemma is a kind of a Cuckoldy or horned Argument; wherefore Logicians frequently call it a Cornute.
[1837–8. Hamilton, Logic, xxiii. I. 466. The sophisma heterozeteseos, or sophism of counter-questioning … obtained among the ancients the names of the Dilemma, the Cornutus, the Litigiosus [etc.]…. To take for an example of this fallacy, the κεράτινος or Cornutus:—it is asked;—Have you cast your horns? [etc.].
1887. Fowler, Deduct. Logic, 155, note.]
