Forms: 1 fręncisc, 3 frenkis, (4 frenkysch), 3–4 frankys, frankis, 3 Frenchis, freinsse, frence, frenchs, frenynch, frensc, (frennssce), frenysch, 3–5 Frenseh(e, 3, 6 franch(e, 3–6 frensh(e, 4 freynsch, 4, 6 frenche, 5 frenssh(e, 3– French. [OE. fręncisc, f. franc-a FRANK sb.1 + -isc, -ISH; the suffix produces umlaut. With respect to the contraction, which began in early ME., cf. Welsh from OE. wielisc, Scotch from Scottish.

1

  The equivalent continental Teut. frankisk-, Latinized as franciscus, became in OF. franceis, -ois, mod.F. français; but the fem. franceise instead of francesche shows that the termination was very early confused with -eis:—L. -ēnsis (see -ESE).]

2

  A.  adj.

3

  1.  Of or pertaining to France or its inhabitants.

4

O. E. Chron., an. 1003 (Laud MS.). Her wæs Eaxeceaster abrocen þurh þone Frenciscan ceorl Hugon.

5

c. 1205.  Lay., 3239. Aganippus þe Frennsce king.

6

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 81.

        Ðes frenkis men o france moal,
it nemnen ‘un iur natural.’

7

c. 1450.  Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 118.

        And seyn, ‘olde cokwold, thi bowe is bent
  Newly now after the Frensche gyse.’

8

a. 1490.  Botoner, Itin. (Nasmith, 1778), 125. Trewrew, a frensh priorie.

9

1529.  Supplic. to King (E.E.T.S.), 52. Sometyme cappe, somtyme hoode; Nowe the Frenshe fasshyon, nowe the Spanyshe fasshyon.

10

1592.  G. Harvey, Four Lett., Wks. (Grosart), I. 174. Such French occurrences, and other intelligences, as the credible relation of inquisitiue frendes, or imployed straungers, shall acquaint me withall.

11

1612.  Webster, White Devil (Rtldg.), 34/2. I have a rare French rider.

12

a. 1687.  Petty, Polit. Arith., iv. (1691), 85. The value of the French commodities brought into England, notwithstanding some current estimates, is not above £1,200,000 [=£3,600,00 now] per annum.

13

1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 350, 11 April, ¶ 1. It contained an Account of an Engagement between a French Privateer, commanded by one Dominick Pottiere, and a little Vessel of that Place laden with Corn, the Master whereof, as I remember, was one Goodwin.

14

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), VII. 120. It [the crocodile] was eighteen feet and an half, French measure, in length; of which the tail was no less than five feet and an half, and the head and neck above two feet and an half.

15

1782.  Cowper, Truth, 127.

          But why before us Protestants produce
An Indian mystic or a French recluse?

16

  ¶ Misused for: Gaulish. Obs.

17

1548.  W. Patten, Exped. Scotl., Pref., in Arb., Garner, III. 57. For killing VIRIDOMAX the French king in [the] field at the river of Padua.

18

1616.  Budden, trans. Ærodius’ Disc. Parent’s Hon., 4. C. Flaminius tribune of the common people, which enacted the law about the partage of some french grounds.

19

  b.  with reference to the language, its words or phrases, compositions written in it, etc.

20

  Partly an attrib. use of the sb. French class, a class to which French is taught; so French master.

21

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 23 (Cott.).

        Sanges sere of selcuth rime,
Inglis, frankys, and latine.

22

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 174. Thilke newe frenshe song.

23

1780.  Cowper, Progr. Err., 375.

        His stock a few French phrases got by heart,
With much to learn, but nothing to impart.

24

1870.  Dickens, E. Drood, iii. The French class becomes so demoralised that the mark goes round as briskly as the bottle at a convivial party in the last century.

25

  † c.  French fox: a game of some kind. Obs.

26

1759.  Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr. (1861), III. 575. Last night how do you think we warmed and amused ourselves? why I taught them French fox.

27

  2.  Having the qualities attributed to French persons or things; French-like.

28

  † French fare: ? elaborately polite behavior.

29

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1116.

        & syþen with frenkysch fare & fele fayre loteȝ
Þay stoden, & stemed & stylly speken.

30

a 1500[?].  Chester Pl., Noah’s Flood, 100.

        For all thy frankish fare
I will not doe after thy red.

31

1606.  Birnie, Kirk-Buriall (1833), 13. The proper sort of sepulchers, the world (as I said) hes labored to make them proudly proper: so french hes men beene in their fashions.

32

1634.  W. Tirwhyt, trans. Letters of Mounsieur de Balzac, I. 168. Whereas it cannot be you should be born any where but in the heart of Paris, or if any place be more French then Paris, that certainly must needs have been your Cradle.

33

1710.  Death of T. Whigg, I. 6. He was resolv’d that Tom shou’d for once have his own way, in spight of those in the Company, who by their Frowns, French Shrugs, turning up their Eyeballs, Laughing, Lolling out the Tongue, and such like Muscular Arguments, which work powerfully upon the Machine, had well nigh constrain’d him to drop his Cannon.

34

1749.  Lady Luxborough, Lett. to Shenstone, 28 Nov. As the French style (and French every thing) is fashionable, it might be allowable for you to say in that language to me, Cela suffit; which phrase I have often heard used by those who would be shocked to hear in rough English ‘Hold your tongue’; though I think sound makes the difference, not sense.

35

1784.  Cowper, Tiroc., 670.

        And his address, if not quite French in ease,
Not English stiff, but frank, and formed to please.

36

1794.  Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, i. Their sprightly melodies, debonnaire steps, the fanciful figure of their dances, with the tasteful and capricious manner in which the girls adjusted their simple dress, gave a character to the scene entirely French.

37

  3.  In names of things of actual or attributed French origin, as French barley (see BARLEY); French-bit (see quot.); French-blue, artificial ultramarine; French-boiler (see quot.); French bread, a kind of fancy bread; French brush, a brush used for rubbing down horses; French-casement (see quot. and cf. French window); French chalk, a variety of steatite, used for making marks on cloth, removing grease-spots, and (in powder) as a dry lubricant for boots and gloves; French drain, a rubble-drain; † French eaves, eaves provided with a gutter to carry off the water; French fake, a variety of the Flemish fake (in Young, Naut. Dict., 1846); French-flyers (see quot.); French-grey (see quot. 1862); French hem (see quot.); French horn, a metal wind-instrument (see HORN); † French lock, ? a kind of shackle for a horse’s foot; † French panel, some kind of wainscoting; French paste (see quot.); French pink (see PINK); French purple, French red, rouge (see quots.); French rice = AMELCORN; French roll: see ROLL; French roof, a mansard roof; † French rowel, a kind of seton for a horse; French salt, ? = bay salt; † French shroudknot (see quot.); French sixth Mus. (see quot.); French tub, tuning (see quots.); French white (see quot.); French window, a long window opening like a folding-door, and serving for exit and entrance.

38

1661.  Specif. Burneby’s Patent, No. 133. That sort of barley commonly called … *French barley.

39

1770.  Latham, in Phil. Trans., LX. 451. He followed the trade of a miller, and maker of French barley.

40

1874.  Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 915/1. *French-bit. (Carpentry.) A boring tool adapted to use on a lathe-head or by a bow.

41

1879.  Rood, Chromatics, x. 157. Genuine ultramarine-blue still was always blue with a slight tendency to purple; cobalt-blue exhibited this same tendency, which reached a maximum in *French-blue.

42

1879.  Rossiter, Dict. Sci. Terms, *French boiler = Elephant boiler: one large and two smaller cylinders connected by transverse pipes.

43

1686.  Manch. Crt. Leet Rec. (1888), VI. 246. Short rated *ffrench bread.

44

1836.  Act 6 & 7 Will. IV., c. 37 § 4. Bread usually sold under the Denomination of French or Fancy Bread or Rolls.

45

1686.  Blome, Gentl. Recreat., II. 11. Rub him [Horse] all over with the *French-Brush, beginning at his forehead, Temples and Cheeks.

46

1842–59.  Gwilt, Archit. Gloss., *French Casements. Windows turning upon two vertical edges attached to the jambs, and, when shut, lap together like folding doors upon the other two parallel edges.

47

a. 1728.  Woodward, Catal. For. Fossils, I. 3. Red *French Chalk, got at ——— in the French-Flanders.

48

1882.  Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, French Chalk.—A variety of indurated Talc, in masses composed of small scales, of a pearly white or grey colour.

49

1776.  G. Semple, A Treatise on Building in Water, 34. The force of the Water had carried away every Thing it could, and left little behind it but coarse Rubbish and Stones, which were just like a *French Drain under our Dike.

50

1884.  G. E. Waring, Jr., The Principles and Practice of House-Drainage, in Century Mag., XXIX. Nov., 47/1. The ‘box drains,’ ‘French drains,’ ‘blind drains,’ and various other antique devices for getting rid of soil-water.

51

1634.  in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 699. The *French Eves to keepe the water from the building.

52

1874.  Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 915/1. *French-flyers. (Carpentry.) Stairs that fly forwards until they reach within a length of a stair from the wall, where a quarter space occurs; the steps next ascend at a right angle, when another quarter space occurs; they then ascend in an opposite flight, parallel to the first direction.

53

1862.  Dict. Arch. (Arch. Publ. Soc.), *French grey. A tint composed of white with ivory black, Indian red and Chinese blue.

54

1882.  The Garden, XXI. 25 March, 202/3. The flowers [of Ageratum mexicanum] are pale blue, or French grey in colour, with the exception of a few varieties which have white flowers.

55

1882.  Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, *French Hem.—A description of Hem employed for the finishing of Flounces, in lieu of employing a silk binding, and especially suitable for such materials as Mohair and Alpaca.

56

1704.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4067/8. A *French Lock on her off Foot before.

57

1556.  in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 564. The backe behinde vnderneth the turned pilleres of the stalles to be *frenche pannell.

58

1884.  Chamb. Jrnl., LXI. 15 Nov., 731/2. The beautiful *‘French paste’ which imitates the diamond so well, is a kind of glass into which a certain quantity of oxide of lead is introduced.

59

1873.  Weale’s Dict. Archit. (ed. 3), *French purple, a beautiful dye prepared from lichens.

60

1844.  Hoblyn, Dict. Med. Terms, *French red, or rouge. Genuine carmine, one ounce, mixed with fine sifted starch powder, according to the shade required.

61

1669.  in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 557 The roofe of the said building shalbe a sufficient strong *French roofe to be made after the best manner hipt of[f].

62

1883.  W. D. Howells, Woman’s Reason, II. xvii. 118. The row of French-roof cottages, in the last and poorest of which Margaret was so proud of living.

63

1703.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3928/4. A bay Nag … all his Paces, and had lately a *French Rowel in the inside of the near Leg behind above the Hock.

64

1670.  Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1711), 45. We brought as much Salt with us as filled a Punchion, very good white Stone-Salt, whiter than *French-salt, and of a very pleasant smell.

65

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *French shroud-knot. The shroud-knot with three strands single walled round the bights of the other three and the standing part.

66

1841.  Hamilton, Dict. Mus. Terms, App., *French sixth. The name of a chord composed of a major third, extreme fourth, and extreme sixth.

67

1873.  Weale’s Dict. Archit. (ed. 3), *French tub, a mixture used by dyers, of the protochloride of tin and logwood.

68

1876.  Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, Flat tuning. One of the varieties of tuning on the lute; called also *French tuning, or French flat tuning, because the French pitch was formerly lower than that used elsewhere.

69

1844.  Hoblyn, Dict. Med. Terms, *French white, the common designation of finely pulverized talc.

70

1801.  Trans. Soc. Arts, XIX. 291. *French windows and glass doors.

71

1849.  Thackeray, Pendennis, vi. The Doctor stept out of the French windows of the dining-room into the lawn.

72

  b.  of articles of dress, stuffs, etc.

73

1592.  Greene, Def. Conny Catch., Wks. (Grosart), XI. 96. Blest be the French sleeues & breech verdingales, that grants them liberty to conny-catch so mightily.

74

1599.  Marston, Sco. Villanie, II. vii. 203.

        Seest thou yon gallant in the sumptuous clothes,
How brisk, how spruce, how gorgeously he shows?
Note his French-herring bones: but note no more,
Unless thou spy his fair appendant whore.

75

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., I. ii. 35. I had as liefe be a Lyst of an English Kersey, as be pil’d, as thou art pil’d, for a French Veluet.

76

1675.  Lond. Gaz., No. 979/4. A strait bodied Coat, with French Pockets.

77

a. 1706.  in J. Watson’s Collect., I. 30.

        French-gows cut out and double banded,
Jet Rings to make her pleasant handed.

78

1784.  Cowper, Task, IV. 546.

                        Her tott’ring form
Ill propp’d upon French heels.

79

1812.  J. Smyth, Pract. of Customs (1821), 127. Cambricks and Lawns, commonly called French Lawns.

80

1882.  Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, French Canvas.—The material so named is a description of Grenadine, of a stout, wiry character. Ibid., French Merino.—This cloth is manufactured of very superior wool from the Merino sheep, and has the same appearance on both sides. Ibid., French Point.—A name by which Alençon lace is sometimes called. Ibid., French Twill.—Although called French, this is an English-made dress material, a variety of French Merino.

81

  4.  In the names of various animals: French fly = CANTHARIDES; French gurnard, ray, sardine, sole: see quots.

82

1601.  Holland, Pliny, I. 330. The Cantharides or *French greene Flies.

83

1737.  Compl. Fam.-Piece, I. i. 15. To give certain Ease in the Tooth-ach. Take French Flies, Mithridate, and a few Drops of Vinegar.

84

1879.  Rossiter, Dict. Sci. Terms, *French gurnard = Trigla lineata.

85

1776.  Pennant, Brit. Zool., III. 77. I met with this species [Raia fullonica] at Scarborough, where it is called the *French Ray.

86

1879.  Rossiter, Dict. Sci. Terms, *French sardine = Young pilchard. Ibid. *French sole = Solea pegusa.

87

  5.  In names of various trees and plants; as † French apple, some flowering plant; French-bean (see BEAN 3); French berry = AVIGNON BERRY;French broom, Spartium monospermum; French cowslip (see quot. and COWSLIP 2); French furze, Ulex europæus; French grass, Onobrychis saliva; French heath, Erica hibernica; French honey-suckle, Hedysarum coronarium; French lavender, Lavandula Stœchas; French leek, Allium Porrum; French lungwort, Hieracium murorum; French mallow, a species of Malva ?; French marigold, Tagetes patula and other species; French mercury, Mercurialis annua; French nut, the fruit of Juglans regia = WALNUT; French oak, (a) a variety of Ilex, (b) (see quot. 1829); † French onion, Scilla maritima; French rose, the common red rose, esp. as used in the pharmacopœia; French sage, a variety of mullein; French sorrel, Oxalis Acetosella (see also quot. 1829); French turnip = NAVEW (Brassica Napus); French wheat = BUCKWHEAT 1; French willow, (a) Epilobium angustifolium, (b) Salix triandra.

88

1737.  Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. iii. 378. Several annual Flowers, as the … *French Apple, Convolvulus, Balsamines, Capsicums, and others.

89

1552.  Huloet, Beanes called *Frenche beanes, eruilia.

90

1719.  D’Urfey, Pills (1872), I. 33.

        The one thin and lean
As a garden French bean.

91

1861.  Delamer, The Kitchen Garden, 88. French beans may be divided into two classes; the Runners, which mount high, require tall sticks, and come in late, and the Dwarfs, which require no sticks, and afford a comparatively early but much less abundant crop.

92

1727–51.  *French Berry [see AVIGNON BERRY].

93

1866.  Treas. Bot., French Berries. The fruits of Rhamnus infectorius, saxatilis, amygdalinus, &c.

94

1548.  Turner, Names of Herbes, 76. Spartium or spartum is not the Broume that we make bexomes of in Englande, but it is a bushe called of some gardiners *frenche broume.

95

1597.  Gerard, Herball, II. cclxxv. 663. Pulmonaria Gallorum, *French Cowslips of Jerusalem.

96

1602.  Carew, Cornwall, 21. Great store of furze, of which the shrubby sort is called tame, the better growne *French.

97

1863.  Prior, Plant-n., 87. *French grass, sainfoin.

98

1871.  Jrnl. Bot., IX. 52. The beautiful Erica hibernica, Syme, locally known as *French Heath, is found, from its miniature tree-like growth, to make capital brooms.

99

1629.  Parkinson, Paradisi in Sole (1656), 340. The red Sattin flower, although some foolishly call it, the red or *French Honysuckle.

100

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, II. lxxxvii. 266. It is called in English … *French Lavender.

101

1597.  Gerard, Herball, II. clxx. § 1. 469. French lauander.

102

1548.  Turner, Names of Herbes, 65. Besyde the commune Leke there are two other kyndes, the one is called in latine porrum sectiuum, in englishe a *frenche Leke.

103

1597.  Gerard, Herball, Table Eng. Names, *French Lungwort.

104

1796.  Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), III. 687. French Lungwort. Golden Lungwort, or Hawkweed.

105

1548.  Turner, Names of Herbes, 50. The other kynde … is called in englishe *french Mallowe.

106

1620.  Venner, Via Recta, vii. 144. The curled Mallow, called of the vulgar sort, French Mallowes.

107

1548.  Turner, Names of Herbes, 80. Viola flommea otherwyse called … in englishe veluet floure or french Marigoulde.

108

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, II. xxv. 176. We do call this floure Turkie Gillofers, and French Marygoldes.

109

1597.  Gerard, Herball, II. xlvii. 262. It [Mercurialis] is called … in English *French Mercurie.

110

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cviii. (1495), 671. The more nottes be *frenshe nottes and the lasse ben Auelanes.

111

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, VI. lvi. 731. The fruit is called … in Englishe Walnuttes … and of some Frenche Nuttes.

112

1796.  W. Marshall, W. England, I. 326. French nuts: walnuts.

113

1597.  Gerard, Herball, III. xxi. 1161. This Oke [Ilex] is named … in English Barren scarlet Oke, or Holme Oke, and also of some *French Oke.

114

1829.  Loudon, Encycl. Plants, 26. Catalpa longissima is an elegant upright tree, known in the West Indies by the name of French oak, and the French call it chêne-noir.

115

1548.  Turner, Names of Herbes, 71. Scilla is named of the Poticaries squilla, in english a sea Onion, and in some places, a *french Onyon, in duch Meusz Zwybeln.

116

1552.  Huloet, *French roses, trachinia.

117

1853.  Pereira’s Mat. Med., 1807. Rosa Gallica, French or Red Rose…. The dried petals of the unexpanded flowers deprived of their white claws, constitute the red-rose leaves of the shops.

118

1882.  Cassell, The petals of the French or Red Rose are astringent and contain a red colouring matter, which is turned green by alkalis.

119

1597.  Gerard, Herball, II. ccliii. 625. Verbascum Mathioli, *French Sage.

120

1861.  Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., IV. 140. Woody Mullein or French Sage.

121

1829.  Loudon, Encycl. Plants, 1081. The young leaves and shoots of several species of Rúmex and Rhéum are eaten either raw or baked, under the name of sorrel, *French sorrel, and tart rhubarb.

122

1863–79.  Prior, Plant-n., 86. French Sorrel, the wood sorrel, Oxalis acetosella.

123

1832.  Veg. Subst. Food, 232. The root of the *French turnip, or naveu, differs from the other varieties, having more the appearance, in shape and size, of the carrot.

124

1597.  Gerard, Herball, I. lx. 83. In English *French wheate … and Bucke wheate.

125

1658.  T. Mayerne, Receipts Cookery, xxxi. 31. Take a pint of sweet flower, and a pint of French wheat flower, otherwise called (Buck).

126

1776.  Withering, Brit. Plants, I. 237. Snakeweed…. Buckwheat…. Frenchwheat.

127

1838.  Loudon, Arboretum, III. 1499. Salix triandra.The *French Willow, so called, and cultivated in Sussex, and the east parts of England.

128

1863.  Prior, Plant-n., 87. French Willow from its leaves somewhat resembling those of the willow, Epilobium angustifolium L.

129

  b.  † French pippin, warden, varieties respectively of apple and pear; French plum, the fruit of a variety of Prunus domestica, dried and exported from France.

130

1664.  Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 191. Golden Pippin, French Pippin, Kirton Pippin. Ibid., 226. The Squib- Pear, Spindle-Pear … and French Wardens.

131

1838.  Loudon, Arboretum, II. 689. The prune d’Ast is a large long plum, with a deep violet coriaceous skin, and abundant bloom, and is chiefly used for preparing what are called, in England, *French plums.

132

  6.  In various names given to venereal diseases.

133

1503.  Priv. Purse Exp. Eliz. of York (1830), 105. A surgeon whiche heled him of the Frenche pox.

134

1592.  Greene, Disput., Wks. (Grosart), X. 233. There you shall see men diseased of the Frenche Marbles, giuing instruction to others that are sayd to beware of whoores.

135

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. I. Eden, 620.

        His burnéd stalks, with strong fumosities
Of piercing vapours, purge the French disease.

136

1607.  Tourneur, Revenger’s Trag., I. i. Wks. 1878, II. 10. Or like the French Moale heaue up haire and all.

137

1612.  Chapman, Widowes T., in Dodsley, O. Pl. (1780), VI. 229. If they be poor, they shall be burnt to make soap-ashes, or given to surgeons-hall, to be stamp’d to salve for the French measles.

138

1614.  J. Cooke, Tu Quoque, ibid. VII. 177.

        May the French cannibal eat into thy flesh
And pick thy bones so clean, that the report
Of thy calamity may draw resort
Of all the common sinners in the town,
To see thy mangl’d carcase.

139

1664.  Butler, Hud., II. ii. 456.

        As no man of his own self catches
The Itch, or amorous French aches:
So no man does himself convince
By his own Doctrine of his Sins.
    Ibid. (1678), III. i. 716.
’Tis hard to say in multitudes,
Or who imported the French Goods.

140

1688.  S. Penton, Guardian’s Instruct., 29. The easie Cure of the French Complement, otherwise the sense of Honour and care of Health would make many a Gentleman like his Own Lodging.

141

a. 1700.  B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, French Gout, the Pox.

142

1740.  Hist. Jamaica, 207. If any Servant thro’ wilful Misbehaviour, happen to have the French-pox, [etc.], he or she shall serve double the Time thereby neglected.

143

1760–72.  trans. Juan & Ulloa’s Voy. (ed. 3), II. 11. It is particularly famous for the cure of the French disease.

144

  7.  Comb. (chiefly prefixed to ppl. adjs., or objective), as French-bred, -built, -loving, -speaking adjs.; French-wise, adv. Also † French-sick a., affected with syphilis (cf. 6), also used punningly.

145

1684.  Otway, Atheist, III. i. Nor shall this Man of War, this *French-bred Hero, win her with nothing but his Cap and Feather.

146

1798.  Nelson, 28 Sept., in Nicolas, Desp. (1845), III. 135. As the Guillaume Tell is now the only remaining *French-built Ship of the Line, I am anxious to get some of my Squadron to sea, and am not without hopes she may yet fall into our hands.

147

1884.  The Saturday Review, LVII. 7 June, 731/1. It would be such a very serious thing for France if they, the good *French-loving servants of her English Majesty, were turned out, and bad men who preferred the interests of her English Majesty herself were to come in.

148

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. III. Furies, 776.

          Who bear upon their *French-sick backs [dessus leurs corps du mal François rongez] about,
Farms, Castles, Fees, in golden shreads cut-out.

149

1772.  T. Nugent, trans. Hist. Friar Gerund, II. 182. Which have made our most pure and most elegant idiom so very French-sick and disfigured, that if our grandsires were to come out of their graves they would not know us.

150

1865.  Kingsley, Herew. (1866), I. Prelude, 14. That *French-speaking knights should expel them from their homes.

151

1573.  Baret, Alv., F. 1058. Like a frenchman, or *french wise, Gallicé.

152

  B.  absol. and sb.

153

  1.  The French language, or a specified variety of it. Pedlar’s French: cant, thieves’ slang.

154

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7542.

        Vor bote a man conne frenss · me telþ of him lute
Ac lowe men holdeþ to engliss · & to hor owe speche ȝute.

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c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 23.

        Ne mowe we alle Latin wite,…
Ne French.

156

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 429. Þe worþy reume of fraunse, not-wiþ-stondinge alle lettingis, haþ translatid þe bible & þe gospels wiþ oþere trewe sentensis of doctours out of lateyn in-to freynsch.

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c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 124.

        And Frensh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,
For Frensh of Paris was to hir unknowe.

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c. 1483.  Caxton, Vocab., 2.

        Ryght good lernyng
For to lerne
Shortly frenssh and englissh.

159

1530.  Palsgr., 223/1. Frenche spoken in Burgondy, wallon.

160

1533.  More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 964/1. I not onely bee bolde there to tel them, would also be bold in suche frenche as is peculiare to the lawes of this realm, to leaue it with them in wryting too.

161

1567.  Harman, Caveat, 24. Their language which they terme peddelers Frenche or Canting, began but within these xxx. yeres or litle aboue.

162

1642.  Howell, For. Trav. (Arb.), 58. Yet since the last Conquest much French hath got in, and greatly embellished and smoothed the English, so that there is very much affinity between them.

163

1724.  De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 12. I could speak but little French, and supposed they could speak no English.

164

1888.  F. Hume, Madame Midas, I. Prol. ‘So,’ he said rapidly in French … ‘we are in the land of promise.’

165

  2.  The French (pl.): the French people. Also (rarely) without article = French persons. † Formerly with inflexion as sb., pl. Frenches.

166

1595.  Shaks., John, III. iv. 173.

                    If but a dozen French
Were there in Armes, they would be as a Call
To traine ten thousand English to their side.

167

1653.  Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xlviii. Such is the nature and complexion of the frenches that they are worth nothing, but at the first push, then are they more fierce then devils.

168

1664.  Pepys, Diary, 11 Oct. This day, with great joy, Captain Titus told us the particulars of the French’s expedition against Gigery upon the Barbary Coast, in the Streights, with 6000 chosen men.

169

1756–7.  trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), IV. 434. Germany bravely defended against the French and Bavarians.

170

1861.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 32. Our island has indeed been conquered by Italians, and conquered by French.

171

  b.  French and English: a children’s game.

172

1823.  Moor, Suffolk Words, 238. English and French—French and English (different games)—Frog in the middle [etc.].

173

1854.  H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 76. The town-links, where they could play at ‘shinty,’ and ‘French and English,’ almost within hail of their parents’ homesteads.

174