Forms: 1 fręncisc, 3 frenkis, (4 frenkysch), 34 frankys, frankis, 3 Frenchis, freinsse, frence, frenchs, frenynch, frensc, (frennssce), frenysch, 35 Frenseh(e, 3, 6 franch(e, 36 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.
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).]
A. adj.
1. Of or pertaining to France or its inhabitants.
O. E. Chron., an. 1003 (Laud MS.). Her wæs Eaxeceaster abrocen þurh þone Frenciscan ceorl Hugon.
c. 1205. Lay., 3239. Aganippus þe Frennsce king.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 81.
Ðes frenkis men o france moal, | |
it nemnen un iur natural. |
c. 1450. Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 118.
And seyn, olde cokwold, thi bowe is bent | |
Newly now after the Frensche gyse. |
a. 1490. Botoner, Itin. (Nasmith, 1778), 125. Trewrew, a frensh priorie.
1529. Supplic. to King (E.E.T.S.), 52. Sometyme cappe, somtyme hoode; Nowe the Frenshe fasshyon, nowe the Spanyshe fasshyon.
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.
1612. Webster, White Devil (Rtldg.), 34/2. I have a rare French rider.
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.
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.
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.
1782. Cowper, Truth, 127.
But why before us Protestants produce | |
An Indian mystic or a French recluse? |
¶ Misused for: Gaulish. Obs.
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.
1616. Budden, trans. Ærodius Disc. Parents Hon., 4. C. Flaminius tribune of the common people, which enacted the law about the partage of some french grounds.
b. with reference to the language, its words or phrases, compositions written in it, etc.
Partly an attrib. use of the sb. French class, a class to which French is taught; so French master.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23 (Cott.).
Sanges sere of selcuth rime, | |
Inglis, frankys, and latine. |
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 174. Thilke newe frenshe song.
1780. Cowper, Progr. Err., 375.
His stock a few French phrases got by heart, | |
With much to learn, but nothing to impart. |
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.
† c. French fox: a game of some kind. Obs.
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.
2. Having the qualities attributed to French persons or things; French-like.
† French fare: ? elaborately polite behavior.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1116.
& syþen with frenkysch fare & fele fayre loteȝ | |
Þay stoden, & stemed & stylly speken. |
a 1500[?]. Chester Pl., Noahs Flood, 100.
For all thy frankish fare | |
I will not doe after thy red. |
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.
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.
1710. Death of T. Whigg, I. 6. He was resolvd that Tom shoud 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 constraind him to drop his Cannon.
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.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 670.
And his address, if not quite French in ease, | |
Not English stiff, but frank, and formed to please. |
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.
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 horses 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.
1661. Specif. Burnebys Patent, No. 133. That sort of barley commonly called *French barley.
1770. Latham, in Phil. Trans., LX. 451. He followed the trade of a miller, and maker of French barley.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 915/1. *French-bit. (Carpentry.) A boring tool adapted to use on a lathe-head or by a bow.
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.
1879. Rossiter, Dict. Sci. Terms, *French boiler = Elephant boiler: one large and two smaller cylinders connected by transverse pipes.
1686. Manch. Crt. Leet Rec. (1888), VI. 246. Short rated *ffrench bread.
1836. Act 6 & 7 Will. IV., c. 37 § 4. Bread usually sold under the Denomination of French or Fancy Bread or Rolls.
1686. Blome, Gentl. Recreat., II. 11. Rub him [Horse] all over with the *French-Brush, beginning at his forehead, Temples and Cheeks.
184259. 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.
a. 1728. Woodward, Catal. For. Fossils, I. 3. Red *French Chalk, got at in the French-Flanders.
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.
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.
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.
1634. in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 699. The *French Eves to keepe the water from the building.
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.
1862. Dict. Arch. (Arch. Publ. Soc.), *French grey. A tint composed of white with ivory black, Indian red and Chinese blue.
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.
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.
1704. Lond. Gaz., No. 4067/8. A *French Lock on her off Foot before.
1556. in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 564. The backe behinde vnderneth the turned pilleres of the stalles to be *frenche pannell.
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.
1873. Weales Dict. Archit. (ed. 3), *French purple, a beautiful dye prepared from lichens.
1844. Hoblyn, Dict. Med. Terms, *French red, or rouge. Genuine carmine, one ounce, mixed with fine sifted starch powder, according to the shade required.
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].
1883. W. D. Howells, Womans Reason, II. xvii. 118. The row of French-roof cottages, in the last and poorest of which Margaret was so proud of living.
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.
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.
1867. Smyth, Sailors Word-bk., *French shroud-knot. The shroud-knot with three strands single walled round the bights of the other three and the standing part.
1841. Hamilton, Dict. Mus. Terms, App., *French sixth. The name of a chord composed of a major third, extreme fourth, and extreme sixth.
1873. Weales Dict. Archit. (ed. 3), *French tub, a mixture used by dyers, of the protochloride of tin and logwood.
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.
1844. Hoblyn, Dict. Med. Terms, *French white, the common designation of finely pulverized talc.
1801. Trans. Soc. Arts, XIX. 291. *French windows and glass doors.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, vi. The Doctor stept out of the French windows of the dining-room into the lawn.
b. of articles of dress, stuffs, etc.
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.
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. |
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., I. ii. 35. I had as liefe be a Lyst of an English Kersey, as be pild, as thou art pild, for a French Veluet.
1675. Lond. Gaz., No. 979/4. A strait bodied Coat, with French Pockets.
a. 1706. in J. Watsons Collect., I. 30.
French-gows cut out and double banded, | |
Jet Rings to make her pleasant handed. |
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 546.
Her tottring form | |
Ill proppd upon French heels. |
1812. J. Smyth, Pract. of Customs (1821), 127. Cambricks and Lawns, commonly called French Lawns.
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.
4. In the names of various animals: French fly = CANTHARIDES; French gurnard, ray, sardine, sole: see quots.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 330. The Cantharides or *French greene Flies.
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.
1879. Rossiter, Dict. Sci. Terms, *French gurnard = Trigla lineata.
1776. Pennant, Brit. Zool., III. 77. I met with this species [Raia fullonica] at Scarborough, where it is called the *French Ray.
1879. Rossiter, Dict. Sci. Terms, *French sardine = Young pilchard. Ibid. *French sole = Solea pegusa.
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.
1737. Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. iii. 378. Several annual Flowers, as the *French Apple, Convolvulus, Balsamines, Capsicums, and others.
1552. Huloet, Beanes called *Frenche beanes, eruilia.
1719. DUrfey, Pills (1872), I. 33.
The one thin and lean | |
As a garden French bean. |
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.
172751. *French Berry [see AVIGNON BERRY].
1866. Treas. Bot., French Berries. The fruits of Rhamnus infectorius, saxatilis, amygdalinus, &c.
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.
1597. Gerard, Herball, II. cclxxv. 663. Pulmonaria Gallorum, *French Cowslips of Jerusalem.
1602. Carew, Cornwall, 21. Great store of furze, of which the shrubby sort is called tame, the better growne *French.
1863. Prior, Plant-n., 87. *French grass, sainfoin.
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.
1629. Parkinson, Paradisi in Sole (1656), 340. The red Sattin flower, although some foolishly call it, the red or *French Honysuckle.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. lxxxvii. 266. It is called in English *French Lavender.
1597. Gerard, Herball, II. clxx. § 1. 469. French lauander.
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.
1597. Gerard, Herball, Table Eng. Names, *French Lungwort.
1796. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), III. 687. French Lungwort. Golden Lungwort, or Hawkweed.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes, 50. The other kynde is called in englishe *french Mallowe.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 144. The curled Mallow, called of the vulgar sort, French Mallowes.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes, 80. Viola flommea otherwyse called in englishe veluet floure or french Marigoulde.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. xxv. 176. We do call this floure Turkie Gillofers, and French Marygoldes.
1597. Gerard, Herball, II. xlvii. 262. It [Mercurialis] is called in English *French Mercurie.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cviii. (1495), 671. The more nottes be *frenshe nottes and the lasse ben Auelanes.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, VI. lvi. 731. The fruit is called in Englishe Walnuttes and of some Frenche Nuttes.
1796. W. Marshall, W. England, I. 326. French nuts: walnuts.
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.
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.
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.
1552. Huloet, *French roses, trachinia.
1853. Pereiras 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.
1882. Cassell, The petals of the French or Red Rose are astringent and contain a red colouring matter, which is turned green by alkalis.
1597. Gerard, Herball, II. ccliii. 625. Verbascum Mathioli, *French Sage.
1861. Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., IV. 140. Woody Mullein or French Sage.
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.
186379. Prior, Plant-n., 86. French Sorrel, the wood sorrel, Oxalis acetosella.
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.
1597. Gerard, Herball, I. lx. 83. In English *French wheate and Bucke wheate.
1658. T. Mayerne, Receipts Cookery, xxxi. 31. Take a pint of sweet flower, and a pint of French wheat flower, otherwise called (Buck).
1776. Withering, Brit. Plants, I. 237. Snakeweed . Buckwheat . Frenchwheat.
1838. Loudon, Arboretum, III. 1499. Salix triandra. The *French Willow, so called, and cultivated in Sussex, and the east parts of England.
1863. Prior, Plant-n., 87. French Willow from its leaves somewhat resembling those of the willow, Epilobium angustifolium L.
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.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 191. Golden Pippin, French Pippin, Kirton Pippin. Ibid., 226. The Squib- Pear, Spindle-Pear and French Wardens.
1838. Loudon, Arboretum, II. 689. The prune dAst 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.
6. In various names given to venereal diseases.
1503. Priv. Purse Exp. Eliz. of York (1830), 105. A surgeon whiche heled him of the Frenche pox.
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.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. I. Eden, 620.
His burnéd stalks, with strong fumosities | |
Of piercing vapours, purge the French disease. |
1607. Tourneur, Revengers Trag., I. i. Wks. 1878, II. 10. Or like the French Moale heaue up haire and all.
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 stampd to salve for the French measles.
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 mangld carcase. |
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. |
1688. S. Penton, Guardians 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.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, French Gout, the Pox.
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.
176072. trans. Juan & Ulloas Voy. (ed. 3), II. 11. It is particularly famous for the cure of the French disease.
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.
1684. Otway, Atheist, III. i. Nor shall this Man of War, this *French-bred Hero, win her with nothing but his Cap and Feather.
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.
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.
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. |
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.
1865. Kingsley, Herew. (1866), I. Prelude, 14. That *French-speaking knights should expel them from their homes.
1573. Baret, Alv., F. 1058. Like a frenchman, or *french wise, Gallicé.
B. absol. and sb.
1. The French language, or a specified variety of it. Pedlars French: cant, thieves slang.
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. |
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 23.
Ne mowe we alle Latin wite, | |
Ne French. |
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.
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. |
c. 1483. Caxton, Vocab., 2.
Ryght good lernyng | |
For to lerne | |
Shortly frenssh and englissh. |
1530. Palsgr., 223/1. Frenche spoken in Burgondy, wallon.
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.
1567. Harman, Caveat, 24. Their language which they terme peddelers Frenche or Canting, began but within these xxx. yeres or litle aboue.
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.
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 12. I could speak but little French, and supposed they could speak no English.
1888. F. Hume, Madame Midas, I. Prol. So, he said rapidly in French we are in the land of promise.
2. The French (pl.): the French people. Also (rarely) without article = French persons. † Formerly with inflexion as sb., pl. Frenches.
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. |
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.
1664. Pepys, Diary, 11 Oct. This day, with great joy, Captain Titus told us the particulars of the Frenchs expedition against Gigery upon the Barbary Coast, in the Streights, with 6000 chosen men.
17567. trans. Keyslers Trav. (1760), IV. 434. Germany bravely defended against the French and Bavarians.
1861. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 32. Our island has indeed been conquered by Italians, and conquered by French.
b. French and English: a childrens game.
1823. Moor, Suffolk Words, 238. English and FrenchFrench and English (different games)Frog in the middle [etc.].
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.