Forms: α. 4–7 engin, 4–8 engyn(e, 4–6 engynne, (5 pl. engenys, 7 enging), 4– engine. β. 5–8 ingin(e, 6–7 ingyn(n)e, (5–6 yngyne, 6 injyne, ingen, 7 ingene). See also INGENY. [a. OF. engin, corresp. to Pr. engen, engein, engienh, Sp. ingenio, Pg. engenho, It. ingegno:—L. ingenium (whence INGENIOUS), f. in in + gen- root of gignĕre to beget.
The β forms, some of which are directly influenced by the Lat. ingenium, appear to occur after 16th c. only in senses 1–3.]
† 1. Native talent, mother wit; genius. Obs.
From the middle of 17th c. app. only Sc. in β forms, retaining the older accentuation ingi·ne, and prob. regarded as a distinct word from engine.
α. c. 1386. Chaucer, Second Nun’s T., 339. A man hath sapiences thre, Memorie, engin, and intellect also. Ibid. (c. 1391), Astrol., Prol. 2. I ne usurpe nat to haue fownde this werk of my labour or of myn engin.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 276/1. Saynt Augustyn concluded all the other by engyn and by scyence.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. viii. [ix.] (Arb.), 95. Such … made most of their workes by translation … few or none of their owne engine.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IX. (1682), 379. High press thy [Etna’s] Flames … But higher moves the scope of my Engine.
β. 1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., Proem, in Ashm. (1652), 7. It is no small inginn To know all secreats pertaining to the Myne.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 100. It will transcend the strenth of my ingyne, To tell ȝow all thair godlines diuyne.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. (1846), I. 64. Kennedy … one of excellent injyne in Scotish poesye.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., V. iii. If thy master … be angrie with thee, I shall suspect his ingine, while I know him for’t.
1599. James I., Βασιλικον Δωρον, To Rdr. Which I wrote for exercise of my own ingene.
1651. Fuller, Abel Rediv., Colet, 101. Great respect had wont to be had, both to the Ingine and Ingenuity of the Intrants.
1785. Burns, 1st Ep. Lapraik, v. A’ that ken’t him round declar’d He had ingine.
18[?]. Scott, Monastery, 531/2. A man of quick ingine and deep wisdom.
† b. Natural disposition, temper. Chiefly Sc.
c. 1565. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot., 55 (Jam.). Wikkitness, to which he was given allenarly, through the impiety of his own ingyne.
1572. Lament. Lady Scot., in Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 239. To quhom can I this throuch propyne Bot unto one of excellent ingyne.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, I. lxxxiii. 17. His fell ingine His grauer age did somewhat mitigate.
† 2. Skill in contriving, ingenuity: also, in bad sense, artfulness, cunning, trickery. Obs.
c. 1320. Sir Beues, 2003. Ac now icham from him ifare Þrouȝ godes grace & min engyn.
c. 1320. Seuyn Sag. (W.), viii. 1959. Gold and siluer to wille he wan Bi losengerie an bi engin.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 83. The women were of great engine.
c. 1450. Merlin, i. 20. I am the sone of the enmy that begiled my moder with engyn.
15[?]. trans. Sir T. More’s Edw. V. (1641), 2. By what crafty engin he first attempted his ungracious purpose.
1549. Compl. Scot., Ep. Q. Mary 4. Be ane diuyne miracle, rather nor be the ingyne of men.
a. 1628. B. Jonson, in Sir J. Beaumont, Bosworth F. (1629), a j b.
| And doth deserue all muniments of praise, | |
| That Art, or Ingine, on the Strength can raise. |
† b. In OF. phrase mal engin evil machination: see MALENGIN. Also in similar sense, false, malicious engin. Obs.
c. 1440. Partonope, 1440. Thought his counsell was fals engyne.
1545. T. Raynold, Womans booke, B. 4. This knowledge also ministreth yet a farther ingyn and polycye to inuent infynitely the better how [etc.].
1557. K. Arthur (Copland), IV. xii. Brought to the purpose by fals engyn and treason and by false enchauntement.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 156. Their malicious ingyns in conspyreing aganis Kirk, King, and countrey.
† 3. An instance or a product of ingenuity; an artifice, contrivance, device, plot; and in bad sense, a snare, wile (cf. 5 c. and GIN sb.1); also, in weaker sense, an appliance, means.
The later instances are partly fig. from 4, 5 c, or 7.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 759. He het him telle his engin Hu he to blauncheflur com in.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4549. The develles engynnes wolde me take.
c. 1430. Lydg., MS. Cott. Aug. iv. 28 b. By what engyne the fylthes fer nor nere Were borne awaye.
1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., i. in Ashm. (1652), 20.
| To make trew Silver or Gold is noe ingin, | |
| Except only the Philosophers medicine. |
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccccxiv. 724. To fynde way and engin howe to passe the bridge.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 18. Shee [Juno] soght al possibil engins In surging billows too touze thee coompanie Troian.
1625. Bacon, Ess. Superst. (Arb.), 345. Astronomers … did faigne Eccentricks, and Epicycles, and such Engines of Orbs.
1635. Quarles, Embl., III. ix. (1658), 161 (D.).
| The hidden Engines? and the snares that lie | |
| So undiscover’d, so obscure to th’eye? |
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 750. Nor did he scape By all his engins.
1683. Temple, Mem., Wks. 1731, I. 376. The Dutch and the Spaniards set on Foot all the Engines they could.
1719. T. Gordon, Apol. Alberoni, 31. The pious Art of Falshood is the only Engine they have left to defend the Reputation of the Crape.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. xxxiii. 252. The warrior could dexterously employ the dark engines of policy.
4. A mechanical contrivance, machine, implement, tool; in 15th c. also collect. apparatus, machinery. arch. in gen. sense. (For fig. uses see 10.)
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 8816. Geauntz … sette þem [the stones at Stonehenge] on an hil ful hey With engyns fulle queyntely.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5292. Þis selere was be sorsry selcuthely foundid, Made for a mervall to meeue with engine.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 140. Engynne, or ingyne, machina.
c. 1550. Sir J. Balfour, Practicks (1751), 38. He or sche sall be put and haldin in the stokkis or sic uther ingine.
1571. Mem. Ripon (1882), I. 309. Ropes and other yngynes.
1635. Pagitt, Christianogr., III. (1636), 49. The Image with all his engines was openly shewed at Pauls crosse.
1662. Fuller, Worthies (1840), III. 58. Some thieves (with what engines unknown) … forced it [a chest] open.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., Pref. b 2. Our Modern Engine (the Microscope).
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 132. He … extends The little engine [a pair of scissors] on his fingers’ ends.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, I. I. viii. 136. With Ropes and Engines, I made a shift to turn it.
1747. Carte, Hist. Eng., I. 535. Being drawn from his horse by an engine with an iron hook at the end.
1866. Bryant, Death Slavery, vii. At thy feet Scourges and engines of restraint and pain.
5. spec. a. A machine or instrument used in warfare. Formerly sometimes applied to all offensive weapons, but chiefly and now exclusively to those of large size and having mechanism, e.g., a battering-ram, catapult, piece of ordnance, etc.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9889 (Cott.). Na maner engine o were Mai cast þar-til it for to dere.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 429. Vespacianus destourbed þe wal wiþ þe stroke of an engyne [Higden arietis].
c. 1440. Bone Flor., 859. And they wythowte, yngynes bende, And stones to the walles they sende.
1549. Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Hebr. xi. 30. Sodaynely to fall without any violence of Engynes.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 21. They haue expelled Lions, Beares, & such like vntamed beasts, with their bowes, and other engines.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 518. Whereof to found their Engins and their Balls.
1676. D’Urfey, Mad. Fickle, V. ii. And I shall make a private Room in your guts for this Engine here [a rapier].
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (ed. 3), II. 93. Savages, arm’d with Bows and Arrows, great Clubs, wooden Swords, and such like Engines of War.
1737. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, II. 292. The stage and the press … became battering engines against religion.
1777. Watson, Philip II. (1839), 405. Farnese … got possession of more than thirty of the enemy’s ships, with all the artillery and engines that were on board.
1843. Prescott, Mexico (1850), I. 365. They had no weapons to cope with these terrible engines.
† b. An ‘engine of torture’; esp. the rack. Obs.
c. 1430. Life St. Kath. (1884), 55. Graunt þat þis peynfull engyn be destruyed by þe strook of heuenly thonder & leuen.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 15 a. [He] was commanded to be put in engyne and tormented.
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 386–7. The words Euthymius by no engin can be wrested.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. iv. 290. Which like an Engine, wrencht my frame of Nature From the fixt place.
1689. Shadwell, Bury F., I. i. What an engine is this fop.
† c. A contrivance for catching game; a snare, net, trap, decoy, or the like. Cf. GIN. Obs.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., II. vi. 77. The hunters … by their engyns that they haue propire for the same take hym.
1523. Act 14 & 15 Hen. VIII., c. 13. Diuers weres & ingins for fisshynge.
1686. N. Cox, Gentl. Recreat., III. 141. Partridges are … most easily to be deceived or beguiled with any Train, Bait, Engine, or other Device. Ibid., III. 145. Make an Engine in the form and fashion of a Horse, cut out of Canvas, and stuff it with Straw, or such light matter.
¶ d. App. confused with henge, HINGE, or with the synonymous HENGILL. Obs.–0
1552. Huloet, Engin of a dore, vertebra.
1580. in Baret, Alv., E 237.
† 6. Taken as the equivalent of L. machina (see MACHINE) in certain specific uses, a. Engine of the world, after L. machina mundi (Lucretius): the ‘universal frame.’ b. The mechanism by which in a Greek theater gods, etc., were made to appear in the air: cf. L. deus ex machina. Obs.
a. 1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 220. The cloyster of mary beryth hym that gouernyth the thre engynes … heuen, erthe, and helle.
1529. More, Heresyes, I. Wks. 129/1. There was a god, eyther maker or gouernour or both, of al this hole engine of the world.
1539. Bp. Hilsey, Primer, in Myrr. our Ladye, 349. The governor of the triple engine, The Son of God of mightes most.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. xiv. (1634), 73. In governing of the so swift whirling about of the engine of heaven.
b. 1633. T. James, Voy., 107. As if they had been brought home in a dreame or engine.
1654. Trapp, Comm. Ps. lxviii. 20. He appeareth as out of an Engin, and pulleth us out of Death’s jaws.
7. A machine, more or less complicated, consisting of several parts, working together to produce a given physical effect.
As in recent use the word has come to be applied esp. to the STEAM-ENGINE (q.v.) and analogous machines (see 8, 9), the wider sense expressed in the above definition has become almost obsolete, surviving chiefly in the compounds beer-engine, calculating-engine, fire-engine, garden-engine, water-engine (q.v. under their initial elements).
1635. N. Carpenter, Geog. Del., I. i. 12. An artificiall Clock, Mill, or such like great Engine.
1651. Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., Author’s Pref. As in a watch, or some such small engine.
1667. Boyle, in Phil. Trans., II. 425. A Glass-Receiver of the above mention’d Engine [an air-pump].
1708. J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 28. If the Pit be sunk more than thirty Fathom, then we use the Horse Engin.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull (1755), 15. I’ll rather wheel about the streets an engine to grind knives and scissars.
c. 1730. Burt, Lett. N. Scotl. (1818), I. 106. An engine to chop straw withal for my horses.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N. (1869), II. IV. viii. 243. The exportation of frames or engines for knitting gloves or stockings is prohibited.
1816. Wordsw., Thanksg. Ode (1850), II. 215. The tubed engine feels the inspiring blast.
b. transf. and fig.
1633. Costlie Whore, II. i. in Bullen, O. Pl., IV. I feele within my breast a searching fire Which doth ascend the engine of my braine.
1667. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual., 4. Those curious and elaborate Engines, the bodies of living Creatures.
1697–8. Watts, Reliq. Juv. (1789), 180. Our Sovereign Creator formed our souls, and sent them to inhabit these two engines of flesh.
1842. Tennyson, Two Voices, 347. No life is found … only to one engine bound.
c. spec. (a.) Short for beer-engine, fire-engine, garden-engine, etc. † (b.) = engine-loom: see 11. † (c.) See quot. 1696.
In 18th c. and still later the word engine, when used spec. without defining word or contextual indication, usually meant ‘fire-engine.’
1645. Pagitt, Heresiogr. (1647), B iij b. Your Engines to cast water upon the houses.
1670. Trigg, in Bedloe, Popish Plot (1679), 23. This Fire was most mischievously designed, as being in a place where no Engine could come.
1696. Phil. Trans., XIX. 345. Some [Mills] go with Sails, and serve also to Dreyn the Fens, and are called Engines.
1725. Lond. Gaz., No. 6364/3. By Trade a Silk-Weaver on the Engine.
1779. Johnson, in Boswell, III. 234. The engines will soon extinguish the fire.
1796. C. Marshall, Garden., iv. (1813), 54. An engine to water the leaves of vines, and all other wall trees.
1798. Capt. Miller, in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1846), VII. Introd. 156. A boat that was taking in a hawser … I filled with fire-buckets … and was putting the engine in another.
1844. W. H. Maxwell, Sports & Adv. Scotl., viii. (1855), 87. ‘Him wot was drawin’ at the engine, as you passed the bar.’
8. = STEAM-ENGINE. (This is now the prevailing sense, and often influences the later use of the word in other senses.) Often with defining word, as locomotive-, marine, pumping, railway engine.
1876. Encycl. Perthensis, XXI. 384. In consequence of the great superiority of Mr. Watt’s engines … they have become of most extensive use.
1838. F. W. Simms, Public Wks. Gt. Brit., 69. The adhesion of the wheels of an engine upon the rails was sufficient to effect its progression.
1852. Clough, Songs in Absence, I. 2. His iron might the potent engine plies.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Manners, Wks. (Bohn), II. 46. Little is left for the men but to mind the engines, and feed the furnaces.
1869. Eng. Mech., 26 March, 5/2. The goods engines were moderate in weight.
1878. F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 654. A good engine-man takes a pride now in his engine.
9. Applied to various other machines analogous to the steam-engine; i.e., to machines including in themselves the means of generating power. Chiefly with prefixed word denoting the source of power, as caloric-, electro-magnetic-, gas-engine.
10. fig. (Chiefly after sense 4.) † a. Of a person: An agent, instrument, tool. Obs.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 610. He was … the very organ, engine, and deviser of the destruction of Humfrey the good Duke of Gloucester.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 92. That Politick Engine who … was employed … as a Missionary amongst the Nonconformists.
1723. Steele, Englishman, No. 54. 344. Sir Francis Walsingham … was one of the great Engines of State.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 69. Empson and Dudley, the wicked engines of Henry VII.
b. Of a thing: An instrument, means, organ.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon (1630), 56. Now farewell world, the engin of all woe.
1650. Major-Gen. Harrison, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 297, III. 354. I thinke Faith and Praier must bee the cheife engines.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 68. The Animal Spirits … are the chief Engine of Sight.
1762. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., vii. (1763), 147. The Exhibition of Plays and Shews was one of the very Engines of Corruption.
1789. Bentham, Princ. Legisl., xviii. § 18. The State has two great engines, punishment and reward.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. II. ix. 244. Never … had the press been turned into an engine of such political importance.
1871. Blackie, Four Phases, I. 73. Logical analysis, the characteristic engine of Socrates.
11. attrib. and Comb.: a. attrib. (chiefly in sense 8), as engine-box, -funnel, -furnace, -house, -pump, -room, -shaft, -wheel, -work; b. objective with vbl. sb. or agent-noun, as engine-†artificer, -construction, -driver, -maker, -tender, -tenter, -wright; engine-less, -like, adjs.; also engine-bearer (see quot.); engine-lathe, a lathe worked by machinery; † engine-loom, one in which the shuttle was driven by a mechanical contrivance, instead of being thrown by hand; engine-sized (paper), sized by a machine, not by hand in separate sheets; engine-turned, ornamented with engine-turning; also fig.; engine-turner, one who performs engine-turning; engine-turning, the engraving of symmetrical patterns upon metals by machinery.
1647. Haward, Crown Rev., 21. *Engine Artificer: Fee per diem 4d.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *Engine-bearers. Sleepers, or pieces of timber placed between the keelson, in a steamer, and the boilers of the steam-engine, to form a proper seat for the boilers and machinery.
1880. Contemp. Rev., Feb., 250. As if tired pedestrians should mount the *engine-box of headlong trains.
1887. Athenæum, 8 Oct., 463/3. The gradual improvement in *engine construction.
1878. Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., 66. *Enginedrivers and guards in America sometimes strike when a train is halfway on its journey, and leave the passengers to get to the next town as they best can.
1849. Sir F. B. Head, Stokers & Pokers, iii. (1851), 43. The recking *engine-funnel of an up-train is seen darting out of the tunnel.
1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 1217. An *engine-house, belonging to the Hope Fire Assurance company.
1832. G. R. Porter, Porcelain & Gl., 49. A milled edge is given to earthenware in what is called an *engine lathe.
1885. Pall Mall Gaz., 13 May, 11/2. By me swept the trim, *engineless, and almost silent railway carriage, driven by an invisible electro motor.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 136. A sort of mechanical or *engine-like twitchings.
1676. Shadwell, Virtuoso, V. i. 72. [He] invented the *Engine-loom.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Enginero, an *engine maker, machinarius.
1839. R. S. Robinson, Naut. Steam Eng., 150. The power of an engine … is estimated differently by different engine makers.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, xlviii. The clanking of the *engine-pumps.
1839. R. S. Robinson, Naut. Steam Eng., Introd. 8. We go into *engine rooms.
1807. Carne, Relistian Tin Mine, in Phil. Trans., XCVII. 293. The *engine shaft … is situated 8 fathoms north of the widest part of the lode.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 671. Valves, placed out of the reach of the operative engineer, or *engine tender.
1870. Daily News, 22 April, 3/5. Intimation was given to the *engine-tenter that they wished to be lowered down.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xiii. A gold hunting-watch … *engine-turned.
1858. O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t., 23. Your self-made man … deserves more credit … than the regular engine-turned article.
1879. Print. Trades Jrnl., XXVIII. 12. Pencil-cases elaborately engine-turned.
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 102. *Engine turning … the wavy circular curves cut into the outside of watch cases for decoration.
1873. St. Paul’s Mag., March, 266. The freezing rails grew so slippery that the *engine-wheels could not bite.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., 127 (R.). They would not lend their helping hand to any man in *engine-worke.
1862. Smiles, Engineers, III. 55. George Stephenson was, in 1812, appointed *engine-wright of the colliery.
