Also 6–7 euphueisme, 9 -eism. [f. prec. + -ISM.]
1. Properly, the name of a certain type of diction and style that originated in the imitation of Lyly’s Euphues (see prec.), and that was fashionable in literature and in the conversation of cultivated society at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th c. Hence applied to any similar kind of affectation in writing or speech, and (loosely) to affectedly periphrastic or ‘high-flown’ language in general.
The chief features of ‘euphuism’ in the proper sense are the following: the continual recurrence of antithetic clauses in which the antithesis is emphasized by means of alliteration; the frequent introduction of a long string of similes all relating to the same subject, often drawn from the fabulous qualities ascribed to plants, minerals and animals; and the constant endeavor after subtle refinement of expression. The sense in which (exc. in books on literary history) the word is now commonly used, is chiefly suggested by the absurd bombast which Scott puts into the mouth of Sir Piercie Shafton (who is described as a ‘Euphuist’) in The Monastery: this caricature, however, bears very little resemblance to the genuine ‘euphuism.’ Some loose uses of the word can hardly be accounted for exc. by supposing that the writers (recognizing the familiar prefix eu-) had the notion that its etymological sense was ‘fine talking’ or something equivalent.
1592. G. Harvey, Foure Lett., iii. 34. What hee is improued since, excepting his good olde Flores Poetarum, and Tarletons surmounting Rhetorique, with a little Euphuisme, and Greenesse inough.
1632. E. Blount, Lyly’s Six Crt. Comedies, Ep. to Rdr. All our Ladies were then his Schollers; And that Beautie in Court, which could not Parley Euphueisme, was as little regarded; as shee which now there, speakes not French.
1820. Scott, Monast., II. 48. When Euphuism is out of fashion.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Nature, Wks. (Bohn), I. 227. As soon as men begin to write on nature, they fall into euphuism.
1852. Lever, Daltons, I. xxvii. 225. Her perfumed little notes, written in a style of euphuism all her own.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vii. 427. The Pedantry of Euphuism was giving way to the pedantry of Scriptural phrases.
¶ transf. Affected elegance in dress, etc.
This curious use is found also in Fr.; see Littré.
1824. New Monthly Mag., X. 493. Their own frippery euphueism of dress and manner.
2. An instance of euphuism; a euphuistic phrase or composition.
1871. R. F. Weymouth, Euph., 13. I take a euphuism … as signifying a particular form of expression characteristic of Lilie’s prose.
1884. E. P. Hood, in Chr. World, 21 Aug., 629/2. Hymn-writers … whose frigid euphuisms have found their names in Mr. Miller’s large catalogue.
¶ Erroneously for EUPHEMISM.
1865. Mrs. Gaskell, Wives & Dau., in Cornh. Mag., Aug., 139. ‘If anything did—go wrong, you know,’ said Cynthia, using an euphuism for death.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 63. Those are your roundabout euphuisms that dress up swindling till [etc.].
