a. and sb. Forms: 4 egi-, egypcian, -ien, -yan, 6 egiptian, egypcy-, (sy-)an, 7 æg-, 7– egyptian. [f. EGYPT + -IAN.]

1

  A.  adj.

2

  1.  Belonging or relating to Egypt.

3

1646.  Crashaw, Delights of Muses, 129. Th’ Egyptian Pyramids themselves must live.

4

1726.  trans. Gregory’s Astron., I. 245. The Egyptian, Julian, and Gregorian [year].

5

1885.  Rawlinson, Egypt & Bab., 223. No trace has been found of camels in the Egyptian monuments.

6

Mod.  The recent Egyptian campaign. He speculated in Egyptian bonds.

7

  b.  fig. In Biblical allusions, as Egyptian bondage: bondage like that of the Israelites in Egypt; Egyptian darkness: intense darkness (see Exod. x. 22); also, † Egyptian days: the two days in each month which were believed to be unlucky.

8

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. xxi. (1495), 358. For there ben xxiiij Egypcyans dayes it folowyth that god sente mo wreches vpon the Egypcyens than ten.

9

c. 1400.  Apol. Loll., 93. A waytiþ not þeis Egipcian daies, (þat we call dysmal).

10

1641.  R. Brooke, Eng. Episc., II. iv. 76. A Glympse that might Enlighten them in the midst of Egyptian darknesse.

11

1659.  Milton, Rupt. Commw., Wks. (1851), 401. A part of the Nation were desperately conspir’d to call back again thir Egyptian Bondage.

12

1854.  J. Abbott, Napoleon, II. viii. 133. It was a night of Egyptian darkness.

13

  2.  Bot. Egyptian Bean: perh. the fruit of Nelumbium speciosum; Egyptian Lotus = Nymphæa Lotus; Egyptian Rose: a. Scabiosa arvensis L. b. Scabiosa atropurpurea L.; Egyptian Thorn: Cratægus Pyracantha.

14

  3.  Min. Egyptian Jasper, † Egyptian pebble: a brown mottled jasper from Egypt.

15

1771.  Hill, Fossils, 226. Egyptian Pebble.

16

1804.  Jameson, Mineralogy, I. 230. Egyptian Jasper.

17

1884.  Dana, Mineralogy, 195. Egyptian Jasper.

18

  4.  = GIPSY. humorous.

19

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, XII. xiii. IV. 295. Mr. Jones …. took leave of his Egyptian majesty.

20

  5.  In Printing. Egyptian type (letters, figures): a particular kind of type distinguished by the thickness of the stems; also as quasi-sb.

21

1855.  J. Gordon, Interest Tables, Pref. 7. The introduction of Egyptian figures at the tens … will … give increased facility to the eye in running over the columns.

22

1859.  H. Beadnell, Guide Typography, II. 35. Types are … distinguished according to the information … of the letter … [as] … Roman, Italic … Egyptian.

23

  B.  sb.

24

  1.  A native of Egypt. Often fig. with allusion to the aspect in which the Egyptians appear in the Bible. To spoil the Egyptians: cf. Exod. xii. 36.

25

1388.  Wyclif, Isa. xix. 21. Egipcions schulen knowe the Lord.

26

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. iii. (1495), 347. Amonge the Egypcyens the yere was tokenyd by a dragon paynted bytynge his owne taylle.

27

c. 1400.  Apol. Loll., 73. Decretists, as to þat part of wysdam þai þei haue of þe worldis wisdam, are Egipciens.

28

1658.  Cleveland, Rustic Ramp., Wks. (1687), 422. All without the Fold of the Godly were Ægyptians.

29

1828.  Blackw. Mag., XXIV. 323/1. The cordial abhorrence of the Egyptians for these barbarous Iconoclasts, whom they depicted upon the soles of their shoes to enjoy the pleasure of trampling upon them.

30

Mod.  The manners of the ancient Egyptians.

31

  2.  = GIPSY.

32

1514.  Fitzherb., Just. Peas, 98 b. It is ordayned agaynste people callynge themselves Egypcyans, that no such persons be suffred to come within this realme.

33

1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj., 179. For the better triall of … maisterfull beggers, fenȝeit foolis, counterfit Egyptians.

34

1697.  View of Penal Laws, 310. If any Transports into England or Wales, any lewd People, calling themselves Egyptians, they forfeit 40l.

35

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, xii. A company of Egyptians, or as they are vulgarly called, gipsies.

36

  3.  pl. In recent use = Egyptian stocks: securities issued by the Egyptian government.

37

  Hence Egyptianize v. a. intr., to act like an Egyptian; to adopt Egyptian practices; b. trans., to make like an Egyptian or the Egyptians. Egyptianized ppl. a. Egyptianism, Egyptian characteristics, inclination to Egyptian customs.

38

1664.  H. More, Myst. Iniq., vi. 17. But it was vainness and wickedness … to Ægyptianize in the adoration of the God of Israel.

39

1827.  G. S. Faber, Expiat. Sacrif., 268. God’s condescension to the Egyptianism of the Israelites.

40

1847.  Grote, Greece, II. xx. III. 442. This dynasty [Psammetichus’s] had too little of pure Egyptianism in them to find favour with the priests.

41

1851.  H. Torrens, in Jrnl. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 9. The existence of an Egyptianised race.

42