Forms: α. See COURTESY. β. 6 curtsye, 6–7 -sie, 7 courtsie, curt’sie, 8 court’sie, court’sy, curt’sy, 8–9 courtsey, 6– curtsy, curtsey. γ. 6–7 curtchie, 7 courchie, 6–8 curchie. δ. 6–7 cursie, -sey, 7 -sy, -see, 8 coursey. [A variant of COURTESY, reduced to two syllables, and then sometimes altered to curtchie, cursie.]
1. = COURTESY in various senses (esp. 1 c, 6, 7).
1575. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 111. Our enmyes now became more circumspect And curtsie made so nere our camp to come.
† 2. The customary expression of respect by action or gesture; = COURTESY 8.
α. See COURTESY 8.
β. a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., III. iii. (Arb.), 48. To come behind, and make curtsie.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, II. i. 56. It is my cosens dutie to make curtsie.
γ. 1587. Churchyard, Worth. Wales (1876), 79. Will curchie make.
δ. 1546. St. Papers Hen. VIII., XI. 13. We receyved many curseys of them that offered.
1580. Lyly, Euphues, 275. Thankes and cursie made to each other, we went to the fire.
3. An obeisance; now applied to a feminine movement of respect or salutation, made by bending the knees and lowering the body. Commonly to make, drop a curtsy.
α. 1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 42. At this, the minstrell made a pauz & a curtezy, for Primus passus.
1583. Hollyband, Campo di Fior, 57. Put of thy cappe boye. Make a fine curtesie, Bowe thy right knee,… As it hath bene taught thee.
1665. Sir C. Lyttelton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 47. She was dressd in a vest, and, instead of courtesies, made leggs and bows.
1679. Trials White & Other Jesuits, 79. She says she saw his Face, and made him a Curtesie.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 253, ¶ 2. The whole female Jury paid their Respects by a low Courtesie.
1747. Chesterf., Lett., I. cxxv. 334. At Vienna men always make courtesies, instead of bows, to the Emperor.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., vi. (1878), 72. [She] dropped such a disdainful courtesy.
β. 1681. Otway, Soldier’s Fort., IV. i. Make me a Curt’sy and give me a kiss now.
1700. Dryden, Fables, Wife of Bath’s T., 228. One only hag remained And drop’d an awkward court’sie to the Knight.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, 72. Hetty dropped the prettiest little curtsy.
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xviii. (1889), 171. The sound of light footsteps … made her turn round and drop a curtsey.
γ. 1616. Lane, Sqr.’s Tale, 571. With a crooked curtchie, wried aright, Goglinge bothe eies, sayd, ‘At your service dight.’
c. 1685. Bagford Ballads (1876), 53. The Hostess, the Cousin, and Servant … Made Courchies.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills (1872), I. 353. Why, set thy face, and thy best Curchy make.
1786. Burns, Holy Fair, iii. An’ wi’ a curchie low did stoop, As soon as e’er she saw me.
δ. 1594. Sec. Pt. Contention (1843), 155. The match is made, she scales it with a cursie.
1694. R. L’Estrange, Fables, cccx. (1714), 325. She very Civilly dropt him a Cursie.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. Pref. A iv. b. I hope … the Women will make me a Coursey.
† 4. A ‘mannerly’ or moderate quantity, a small quantity. Obs.
α. See COURTESY 10.
β. 1528. Paynell, Salerne’s Regim., R. The figges … myngled with a curtsy of the water that they were sodde in. Ibid. With the water shulde be mixed a litell curtsy of vineger.
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., V. viii. 84. If anie woman had … borrowed a curtsie of Seasing.
γ. 1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. lxxii. 16. But a little cursie of wheate (namely, but as much as a man can holde in the palme of his hand).
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxvii. (1612), 178. The Owle … feasteth in her house The Swallow with a cursee of her then disgorged wheat.
5. attrib. and Comb.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iii. 1060. Great Scipio, sated wth fain’d curtsy-capping, With Court-Eclipses.
1603. Breton, Dignitie & Indign. Man, 196. I am no capper nor curtsie man.
