Expression

[a. F. expression, ad. L. expressiōn-em, n. of action f. exprimĕre: see EXPRESS v.]

  I.  1. The action of pressing or squeezing out.

1594.  Plat, Jewell-ho., 59. After … the coast-men haue by expression … gotten that kind of traine oyle … from the fish.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 633. And for those Iuyces, that are so fleshy, as they cannot make Drinke by Expression.

1725.  Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Plague, Separate the Vinegar from the Herbs by way of strong Expression.

1822.  Imison, Sc. & Art, II. 129. Many vegetables afford essential oil by expression, or by distillation.

1859.  Tennent, Ceylon, II. IX. vi. 542. The crushing of the coco-nut for the expression of the oil is another flourishing branch of trade.

  † b.  concr. Something pressed or squeezed out; an expressed drink, juice, liquor, etc. Obs.

1612.  Enchirid. Med., 158. Let it bee againe boyled. Then make a strong expression.

1616.  Surfl. & Markh., Countrey Farme, 435. Mixe together both these expressions, letting them coole.

1686.  W. Harris, trans. Lemery’s Chym. (ed. 3), 504. Express through a Linen Cloth strongly that which remains in the body, and [pr. end] let the expression settle.

  II.  Representation, manifestation. Cf. EXPRESS v. II.

  2.  a. The action of expressing or representing (a meaning, thought, state of things) in words or symbols; the utterance (of feelings, intentions, etc.). Also, in early use: † Explicit mention; description (obs.). b. The action or process of manifesting (qualities or feelings) by action, appearance or other evidences or tokens.

1460.  Capgrave, Chron., Ded. 2. Elde bokes … make more expression of thoo stories … than I have.

1634.  W. Tirwhyt, trans. Balzac’s Lett., 48. You haue now no further vse of Cyphers, for the expression of your minde to my Lord the Cardinall of Richelieu.

1647.  Crashaw, Sospetto d’Herode, xxv. (1785), 34. The forehead’s shade, in grief’s expression there, Is, what in sign of joy … a smile is here.

1659.  Pearson, Creed, 403. It behoved us to take notice of the Roman Governour in the expression of our Saviours passion.

1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. iii. 207. To encourage the fullest expression of public feeling.

  c.  phr. Beyond, past expression, † within the compass of expression; to seek, find expression.

1624.  Massinger, Parl. Love, V. i. This is cruelty Beyond expression.

1665.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 17. The greatest piece of barbarity within the compass of expression one would think.

1667.  Milton, P. L., III. 591. The place he found beyond expression bright.

1700.  Dryden, Theodore & Honoria, 384, Fables 271. Th’ unhappy Man. Rich, Brave, and Young, who past expression lov’d.

1830.  Tennyson, Adeline, i. Faintly smiling Adeline … beyond expression fair.

1870.  Max Müller, Sc. Relig. (1873), 218. Some of the fundamental ideas that found expression in the ancient systems of faith and worship.

1878.  M. A. Brown, trans. Runeberg’s Nadeschda, 44. So born in love’s own heaven Was all that sought expression.

  3.  quasi-concr. a. An utterance, declaration, representation. b. An action, state or fact whereby some quality, feeling, etc., is manifested; a sign, token. (Now only const. of).

  a.  1634.  Habington, Castara (Arb.), 134. You’le … hate th’ expressions of your heart.

1642.  Charles I., Wks. (1662), 206. Who have … made most real expressions to prevent the present Distractions and Dangers.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warrs, 898. King Philips expressions were not written in Latine or French, but in the Spanish Tongue.

1714.  Ockley, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 350. Upon the account of an unguarded expression.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 256. Your words … are the very expression of my own feelings.

  b.  a. 1628.  Preston, New Covt. (1629), 385. That same fearfullnesse at Mount Sinai, was but onley an expression of the feare which [etc.].

1669.  W. Holder, Elem. Speech, 5. Common life is full of this kind of significant Expressions, by Knocking, Beckoning, Frowning, Pointing and the like.

1734.  Grub-St. Jrnl., 2 May, 4/3. A Conference on their [the Passions’] general and particular Expressions.

1816.  Mackintosh, Bacon & Locke, Wks. 1846, I. 336. To render theory the simple expression of facts.

1836.  J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., viii. 308. The death of Christ was the expression of Divine love.

1878.  Huxley, Physiogr., 222. Every change in the form and size of the growing plant is, simply, the expression of the mode of growth.

  † c.  Nonce-use. To become expression: to become a byword, or proverbial type of something.

c. 1634.  W. Cartwright, Ordinary, III. iii. in Hazl., Dodsley, XII. 262. Mean. Let me be More miserable than Littleworth. Jane. Is he become expression?

  4.  Manner or means of representation in language; wording, diction, phraseology.

1628.  Wither, Brit. Rememb., II. 18/42. And such a plaine Expression, to acquire, That ev’ry one my meaning may discerne.

1669.  W. Holder, Elem. Speech, 5–6. The variety of instructive Expressions by Speech, wherewith Man alone is endowed … for the … communication of … his Thoughts.

1709.  Pope, Ess. Crit., 317. Expression is the dress of thought.

1738.  Birch, Life Milton, in M.’s Wks., I. p. lxxviii. A luscious Style stuffed with gawdy Metaphors and Fancy, far more Expression than Matter.

1757.  Gray, Lett., Poems (1775), 252. I do not mean by expression the mere choice of words, but the whole dress, fashion, and arrangement of a thought.

1859.  Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, I. 15. Gyp jumped and gave a short bark…. He had not a great range of expression.

1887.  J. Morley, in Pall Mall Gaz., 28 Feb., 12/1. It is not merely the authors of books who should study right expression.

  b.  A word, phrase, or form of speech.

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. xviii. 153. His eyes were dimme, quando caligarunt oculi, saith Jerom and Tremellius, which are expressions of diminution, and not of absolute privation.

a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies (1840), II. 542. The Scripture expression, ‘From Dan to Beersheba.’

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, XVIII. iii. Having left Mr. Miller a little while to chew the cud (if I may use that expression).

1886.  Froude, Oceana, i. 7. Ambiguous expressions were explained away when challenged.

  † c.  A designation, descriptive title. Obs.

a. 1631.  Donne, On Transl. Ps., Wks. 1839, VI. 562.

  d.  Alg. A collection of symbols together expressing an algebraical quantity.

1796.  Hutton, Math. Dict., I. 460/2. The expression … 2 ab. Ibid. (1807), Course Math., II. 294. When the given Fluxional Expression is in this Form…, namely, a Fraction.

1841.  J. R. Young, Math. Dissert., Pref. 3. The analytical expression for the radius of curvature.

1871.  B. Stewart, Heat, § 51. We have obtained an expression for the difference in pressure.

  5.  a. Of the countenance, voice, or (occas.) attitude, etc.: Capacity or fact of expressing feeling or character; expressive quality. b. The aspect (of the countenance), intonation (of the voice) as indicating a state of feeling.

  a.  1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), II. 95. The parts of the head which give the least expression to the face, are the ears.

1779.  J. Moore, View Soc. Fr., II. li. 23. There is more expression in the countenances of French women.

1834.  Medwin, Angler in Wales, II. 175. His [Byron’s] eyes possessing wonderful fire and expression.

1842.  Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, III. ix. 156. A want … of shifting shadow—of that transition which is as expression to a lovely face.

1847.  L. Hunt, Jar Honey, x. 132. Infusing a soul into the features of nature, as expression lights up a beautiful countenance.

  b.  1830.  E. Porter, Analysis (ed. 3), Introd. p. viii. The nameless and ever varying shades of expression, which real pathos gives to the voice.

1830.  D’Israeli, Charles I., III. vi. 111. The countenance whose peculiar expression afterwards was so faithfully, perhaps so religiously, transmitted to us.

1834.  Pringle, Afr. Sk., iii. 158. The peculiar expression of the sound … instantly undeceived me.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. xi. 71. An expression of fatigue stamped upon his countenance.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vi. ‘Can’t I!’ said Abbey, with infinite expression.

  6.  Fine Arts. a. In Painting and Sculpture: The fact or way of expressing character, sentiment, action, etc. Also (rarely) a feature intended for expression.

1715.  J. Richardson, Th. Painting, 86–7. Passerotto has drawn a Christ’s Head as going to be Crucified, the Expression of which is marvellously fine. Ibid., 99. Robes, or other Marks of Dignity, or of a Profession … are Historical Expressions common in Portraits.

1768.  W. Gilpin, Ess. Prints (ed. 2), 77. There is more expression, both in action and feature, than was ever perhaps shewn in so small a compass.

1816.  in J. Scott, Vis. Paris (ed. 4), 253. Raphael’s feeling for expression was probably the most intense feeling ever bestowed on a human being (except Shakspeare) in the world.

1856.  Ruskin, Mod. Paint., III. IV. iii. § 19. The chief masterpieces of expression which the world possesses are small pictures by Angelico.

  b.  In Music. The manner of performance (with respect, e.g., to degrees of loudness or softness) suited to bring out the feeling of a musical passage.

1773.  Barrington, in Phil. Trans., LXIII. 288. Expression is wanting, without which music is so languid and inanimate.

1797.  Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, I. i. 18. A lute, which she touched with most affecting and delicate expression.

1864.  Miss Braddon, H. Dunbar, xxi. She played with brilliancy, and, what is much rarer, with expression.

  7.  attrib. in expression-mark (Music), a sign or word indicative of the desired kind of expression; expression-stop, in the Harmonium, a stop by which the performer is enabled to vary the pressure of the air and thus produce expression.

1879.  Grove, Dict. Music, 666/2 s.v. Harmonium, The Expression stop is used, by which the air reservoir is cut off and the pressure made to depend entirely upon the management of the bellows.