Forms: 6 forniture, (furnature, furnitury), 6–7 furnyture, 6– furniture. [ad. F. fourniture (forneture, 13th c.), f. fournir to FURNISH. Cf. Sp., It. fornitura. (Many of the applications, including the important sense 7, have been developed in Eng.)]
† 1. The action of furnishing: a. The action of fitting out or equipping, of accomplishing (a design), or of providing with (supplies); occas. furniture forth. Obs.
1529. Wolsey, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 11. Appoyntyng such thyngs as shuld be convenient for my furniture.
1531. Elyot, The Boke Named the Gouernour, I. xvi. Exercises, apt to the furniture of a gentilemannes personage.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 14. The said owners shalbe more charged for the furniture of their shippes … with vitailes.
1550. in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), II. xxxiv. 282. The King … granted 200 mark … toward the charge of the said Earls furniture.
1563. Shute, Archit., B iij b. You must deuide all your seuerall places of offices appartayning to the furniture of your house.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 855/2. That he should be at so great charges for his furniture foorth at this time.
1581. Lambarde, Eirenarcha, II. iv. (1588), 172. For the more complete furniture of the Iustice of the Peace in this seruice.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. iii. 226. There shalt thou know thy Charge, and there receiue Money and Order for their Furniture.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xii. (1632), 711. Toward the furniture of his hostile designs hee had extraordinary Subsidy granted.
1668–83. Owen, Exp. Heb. (1790), IV. 33. The furniture of the Lord Christ … to the discharge of his work of mediation, was the peculiar act of the Father.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 359. We are sure, that for a hundred years after the beginning of the Thurian Government, the Expense and Furniture of Tragedy was very moderate.
† b. The action of decorating or embellishing; a means of doing this. Hence concr. a decoration, an embellishment; also collect. Obs.
1548. Gest, Pr. Masse, 132. But for so moch as thei [the gospell and epystell] be inserted and placed in the pryvee masse to the furniture, worship, and commendation therof, and for a coverte or cloke at the ungodlynes in the same, they so misused must nedes be synneful.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Jas. 25. Nothing wanting in you that perteyneth to the perfite absolute furniture of the godlynes of the Gospell. Ibid., 1 Cor. xi. 15. Doeth not nature her selfe teache you that it is shame for a manne, to haue long heare lyke a womanne? And contrarie, that it is to a womanne a furniture to haue long heare?
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer (1577), X 6 a. Laughters, gestures, and all the other pleasaunte furnitoures of beautye.
1601. R. Johnson, Relations of the Most Famous Kingdoms, etc. (1603), 138. They adorne themselves with plumes and feathers of eagles…. These and such like furnitures do cause them to be discerned of their fellowes.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. i. 99. See the Barge be ready; And fit it with such furniture as suites The Greatnesse of his Person.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Affliction, ii. I looked on thy furniture so fine.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, II. 21. That God … should erect this stately fabrick of heaven and earth decked with so rich and goodly furniture.
† c. The action of supplying, affording, or yielding. Obs.
1646. Evelyn, Diary (1889), I. 227. Passing by the Euganean hills, celebrated for the furniture of rare simples, which we found growing about them.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Jas. V., Wks. (1711), 93. They surround the Castle with Two Thousand Men in Arms, and stop all Furniture of Food and Victuals, which should have been afforded by the Town.
1690. E. Gee, Jesuit’s Mem., 141. The provision and furniture of Vestments.
2. The condition of being equipped whether in body or mind; equipment in dress or armor; preparedness for action; mental cultivation, culture. Obs. exc. arch. † Furniture of (arts): the being equipped with or accomplished in. Cf. 5, 5 b.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 260 b. They … through their [cities’] force, & furniture, haue gotten the landes & possessions of others.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. ii. 4. David hath reherced … the furniture and powers … of his enemies.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits (1616), 129. Anciently the doctors of the law were adorned with the name of Oratour, for the perfection of pleading required the notice & furniture of al the arts in the world, for the lawes do iudge them all.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. iii. 183. Neither art thou the worse For this poore furniture, and meane array.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 662. Souldiers … differing … in language, countenance, and manner of furniture.
a. 1656. Hales, Gold. Rem. (1688), 17. So when we are so easily doz’d and amazed with every Sophism, it is a certain Argument of great defect of inward Furniture and Worth, which should, as it were ballance the Mind, and keep it upright against all outward occurrents whatsoever.
1657. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 83. You will inform yourself of the … furniture of the French on the Mediterranean Seas.
1748. J. Mason, Elocut., 8. It is false Oratory then to seek to perswade or affect by mere Vehemence of Voice. A Thing that hath been often attempted by Men of mean Furniture, low Genius, or bad Taste, among the Antients as well as the Moderns.
1846. Urwick, Life Howe, in H.’s Wks., p. ii. The Gospel had to grapple with antagonists of no common nerve, furniture and skill.
† b. The condition of being occupied (by persons); complement of occupants. Obs.
1526. Househ. Ord. (1790), 153. There shall be a boord in the same furnished with lords spirituall and temporall, to be served with the service called the King’s service, as for that time shall be in the courte, being above the degree of a barron, and lacking such furniture to supply and fulfill the same boord with barrons.
† 3. That with which one is provided; a provision, stock, or supply of anything (whether material or immaterial); stores in general, provisions; necessaries. Obs.
1549. Somerset, Lett. to Hoby, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. App. FF. 106. Their victuals and other provisions, wherof they had gotten large furniture.
1570. Billingsley, Euclid, II. i. 62. Great increase & furniture of knowledge.
1577–87. Holinshed, Scot. Chron. (1805), II. 210. He left … his own treasurie not emptie, but abundantly stored with gold, silver and other furniture.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., V. 235. Wee were particularly searched, to the effect wee carried in no Furniture of Armes, nor Powder with us.
1670. Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1711), 95. Ships … which come from Lima with Furniture for the People.
1683. Cave, Ecclesiastici, Chrysostom, 528. Having thus ransack’d the Sacred Treasuries, and carried away a noble Furniture of Divine Learning, he have up himself almost intirely to Preaching and Instructing others.
1725. Watts, Logic, III. iv. § 2. Enlarge your general acquaintance with things daily, in order to attain a rich furniture of topics.
1787. Best, Angling (ed. 2), 4. Fishes considered as a food, make a considerable addition to the furniture of the table.
b. That with which something is or may be stocked; something to fill or occupy (a receptacle, etc.), contents. Now rare.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 15. For first, whose are the heauens and earth, and the furniture of them?
1692. Ray, Dissol. World, III. xi. (1732), 415. The Earth remaining without any Furniture or Inhabitants, &c. falls to the Ground.
1788. Cowper, Lett. to Mrs. Hill, 17 March. I am likely to be furnished soon with shelves … but furniture for these shelves I shall not presently procure, unless by recovering my stray authors.
1828–31. Miss Berry, Soc. Life Eng. & Fr., 107. The modern furniture of a circulating library.
1851. D. Jerrold, St. Giles, xi. 109. St. Giles had felt somewhat abashed to display his wealth; the furniture of his pocket, and his outside chattels in no way harmonising together.
4. Means of equipment.
† a. Apparel, dress, outfit, personal belongings. Also pl. in the same sense. Obs.
1566. Painter, Pal. Pleas., I. 66. His wife sitteth vpon the ground, apparelled with those furnitures that he did weare, leaning her head vpon her knees.
1605. Verstegan, Dec. Intell., x. (1638), 322. It became the name of the office of prouiding furniture for the armie.
1633. Massinger, Guardian, II. iv. How shall we know them?… if horsemen, by short boots, And riding furniture of several counties.
1672–3. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 111. The King would find himself incommoded with all that furniture upon his back, and would scarce reconcile himself to wear even the Lawn-sleeves and the Surplice.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand. (1760), I. viii. 44. My companion being charged with the furniture of us both, crammed into one knapsack.
† b. Armor, accoutrements, weapons, munitions of war. Also, a suit of armor. Obs.
1569. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. lv. 603. They shall want Furniture; yourself shall have Abundance.
1570–6. Lambarde, A Perambulation of Kent (1826), 301. For what needed he good man to recite Sallet, Shield, Sword, and so many other partes of defensive and invasive furniture, when the Holywatersticke alone would have served the turne?
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., lxxviii. 158 b. The Boates went verye heauie laden with theyr furniture, by reason wherof they could not passe the shoells that were there.
1601. R. Johnson, Relations of the Most Famous Kingdoms, etc. (1603), 77. It is thought that there is inough to arme 70,000, of which may be som x or 12,000 furnitures for horsemen.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 214. Caused … most part of his furniture to be convaied by the Caspian Sea.
1626. Impeachm. Dk. Buckhm. (Camden), 63. Two warlike furnitures and their bandeliers.
1648. Bury Wills (Camden), 209. My horse and horse armor, pistolls, and the other furniture belonging thereto.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 62. They showed him ail manner of furniture which their Lord had provided for Pilgrims.
fig. 1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, To the learned and vnlearned Reader. To the vnlearned I doe likewise offer it, as sufficient furniture to arme and enable them against ignoraunce, the aduersarie and sworne enimie of vnderstanding.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 207. He armed hym with sufficient furniture agaynst shine.
c. The harness, housings, trappings, etc., of a horse or other draught animal; rarely in pl. a single article of this kind. Similarly, the hood, bells, etc., of a hawk.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 15. Precious stones … wherewith ye trappers, barbes and other furnitures of his horse are couered.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1171/1. He kept in his stable … twentie great horsse … and had in a readinesse furniture for them all to serue in the field.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 127. They are able to arme 30000 foot and 800 horse, and to set out with furniture 300 Elephants.
1611. Bible, Gen. xxxi. 34. Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camels furniture, and sate vpon them: and Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
1674. N. Cox, Gentl. Recreat., II. (1677), 180. A Hawk newly taken ought to have all new Furniture.
1716. B. Church, Hist. Philip’s War (1865), I. 20. They provided him a Horse and Furniture.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. xxxv. 299. The saddles and rich furniture of the cavalry were collected.
1806. A. Duncan, Nelson’s Funeral, 35. Six led horses, in elegant furniture.
1851. D. Wilson, Preh. Ann. (1863), II. III. vi. 159. Bridle-bits and other portions of horse furniture.
1862. Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. iii. 53. The seats and furniture of the camels stowed within the covering of the tents.
d. Hangings and ornamental drapery; also, the coverlets and linen for a bed.
1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 245. When I beholde his bed, and the necessarie furniture there vnto belonging, I see a liuely representation and image, of the frugalitie and thriftinesse, which was in high estimation among our ancestours.
1683. Tryon, Way to Health, 586. Most People take care that their Furnitures are daily brushed and rubbed.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., I. 34. Riding in humble poverty upon a borrowed ass; and the way before him not covered with Tapestry or rich Furniture.
1728. Newton, Chronol. Amended, ii. 241. Menes taught them [the Egyptians] to adorn their beds and tables with rich furniture and carpets, and brought in amongst them a sumptuous, delicious and voluptuous way of life.
1791. Mrs. Radcliffe, Rom. Forest, viii. She … perceived a broken bedstead, with some decayed remnants of furniture.
1855. Browning, Fra Lippo, 64. Curtain and counterpane and coverlet, All the bed-furniture.
5. Apparatus, appliances, or instruments for work. a. material: Implements, tools, utensils; rigging, stores, and tackle of a ship; military engines and defensive works. Now chiefly Naut.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 11. Hesiodus would have a husbande have all his furniture redy.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., xxix. 73 b. The tackling with the other furniture of the Shippes, with the great force of the winde, made such a terrible noyse.
1590. Spenser, Muiopot., 56. Yong Clarion … did cast abroad to fare; And theretoo gan his furnitures prepare.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, I. xxiii. 125. A cow is not of so great charge to maintaine and keepe … neither yet of her handling … neither yet in furniture.
1601. R. Johnson, Relations of the Most Famous Kingdoms, etc., 30. Ladders, bridges, shot, powder, and other furnitures.
1602. Segar, Hon. Mil. & Civ., III. xl. 173. A Fained fortresse, with Trenches, Baracadoes, and other furniture of defence was erected.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 77. It was provided: That Antiochus should surrender his long ships and their warlike furniture.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 34. Tilting Furniture, emblazon’d Shields, Impreses quaint, Caparasons and Steeds.
1680. H. More, Apocal. Apoc., 125. Images or Idols, and such gross furniture of their worship.
1795. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1846), VII. Addendum, p. xxvii. At 11 the yawl astern swamped, and was lost with all her furniture, not being able to hoist her in.
1800. Med. Jrnl., IV. 182. A very useful and commendable piece of furniture.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Furniture, the rigging, sails, spars, anchors, cables, boats, tackle, provisions, and every article with which a ship is fitted out.
b. immaterial; esp. Of intellectual faculties, or aptitudes; now only with mental or some equivalent defining expression.
In the quots. the sense borders closely on 2.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., II. 146. He now refuseth and abhorreth y1 sacrificing of beastes, and al that furniture of the Leuiticall presthode, wherwith in the olde time he was delited.
1609. Dekker, Gulls Horne-bk., vi. Wks. (Grosart), II. 254. That qualitie (next to your shittlecocke) is the onely furniture to a Courtier thats but a new beginner, and is but in his A B C of complement.
1677. Gilpin, Dæmonol. (1867), 52. All the malice, power, cruelty, and diligence of which we have spoken … are but his furniture and accomplishment which fit him for his subtle contrivances of delusion.
1788. Reid, Aristotle’s Log., ii. § 2. 26. Thus the whole furniture of the human mind is presented to us at one view, and contracted, as it were, into a nut-shell.
1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., I. 21–2. If the error or extravagance had been his own, exclusively, his faculty and furniture of mind would have been employed in defending himself from the assaults of other men’s good sense; and human nature does not, under such circumstances, often accumulate much force.
1887. Lowell, Democr., etc., 52. I saw him [Garfield] once or twice only, but so deeply was I impressed with the seriousness and solidity of his character, with his eager interest in worthy objects, and with the statesmanlike furniture of his mind, that when, many years afterwards, he was nominated for the Presidency I rejoiced in the wisdom of the selection, and found in my memory an image of him clearer than that of any man I ever met of whom I had seen so little.
1894. Daily News, 5 March, 5/8. Lord Russell … had a mental furniture fit for repose.
6. Accessories, appendages. (Formerly also pl. in the same sense.) Now only techn. in specific applications; used, e.g., for the finger-plates, handles, locks, etc., of a door; the plates and handles, etc., of a coffin; and the like.
1568. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees 1835), I. 282. One syde sadle wth the furnitury.
1578. Timme, Caluine on Gen., 52. The woman … was nothing else but the addition and furniture of the man.
1615. Nottingham Rec. (1889), IV. 339. To buy 16 musketts or bastard musketts and furnytures to them for the towne.
a. 1718. Penn, Tracts, Wks. 1726, I. 870. A plain Coffin, without any Covering or Furniture upon it.
1729. Shelvocke, Artillery, III. 151. By their united Efforts, to force up the Rocket and all its Furniture as long as there is any Combustible Matter left.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), III. 125. The stag and fallow deer. Alike … in the superb furniture of their heads.
1808. Beverley, Lighting Act, 20. The posts, irons, cover, or other furniture of any such lamp.
1810. Sporting Mag., XXXV. 299. The two competitors for the enemy’s furniture [fox’s brush].
1859. Gwilt, Archit., Gloss., Furniture, the visible brass work of locks, knobs to doors, window-shutters, and the like.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. xxi. 544. Sometimes, however, the cart with the whole furniture (cum toto atillo) is bought.
1881. F. Young, Every man his own Mechanic, § 1493. The new kind of door-handle or ‘furniture’ as it is technically called.
1886. Pall Mall G., 10 Aug., 8/2. A massive oak coffin, with heavy brass furniture.
† b. pl. Adjuncts or condiments of a salad. Cf. F. fourniture. Obs.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard. Dict., Gloss., Furnitures, are all hot and spicy Herbs, mixed with Lettuce, Purslain, and other cold Herbs in Sallets to temper and relish them, as Rocket, Tarragon, Basil, &c.
1719. London & Wise, The Complete Gard’ner, VIII. 196. Balm call’d in French, Melesse, is an odoriferous Herb, whose Leaf, when tender, makes a part of Sallad-Furnitures.
1727. S. Switzer, Pract. Gard., I. iii. 19. He should fill up the drier parts of the same garden with early pease and beans, lettuces of all seasons, endive, succory, chervil, tarragon, basil, burnet, mint, and other sallet furnitures.
c. Printing. (See quot. 1874.)
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., II. viii. 28. By Furniture is meant the Head-sticks, Foot-sticks, Side-sticks, Gutter-sticks, Riglets, Scabbords and Quoyns.
1824. J. Johnson, Typogr., II. xv. 534. If letters, quadrats, or furniture, rise up and black the paper, they should be put down with the bodkin, and the quarter locked up tighter.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 927/1. Furniture.… 5. (Printing.) The wooden inclosing strips and quoins which surround the matter in the chase.
d. (See quot.)
1704. Harris, Lex. Techn., Furniture of a Dial, are such Lines as are drawn thereon for Ornament; as the Parallels of Declination, Length of the Day, Azimuths, &c.
7. (The prevailing sense.) Movable articles, whether useful or ornamental, in a dwelling-house, place of business, or public building. Formerly including also the fittings, († Occas. const. as pl.)
1573. Tusser, Husb., viii. (1878), 16. Be house or the furniture neuer so rude.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., [x]xxii. 78 b. Hee commanded also to bee carryed with him all the furniture for his Chamber and Kitchin, with his Cupboorde of Plate, in the which there were many rich peeces of siluer gilted.
1637. Documents agst. Prynne (Camden), 99. As for my interest in the lease of Swanswick, and my hangings, pictures, and furniture there, I give and bequeath them to my dear brother, Mr. Thomas Prynne.
1705. Addison, Italy, 86. Their Furniture is not commonly very Rich, if we except the Pictures, which are here in greater plenty than in any other Place in Europe.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), I. 412. To entertain these apprehensions of him would be as idle a fear as if, upon our friend of the best credit and character coming into the house, we should disturb ourselves lest he might steal a silver spoon, or take some sly opportunity to slit holes in our furniture.
1797. Mrs. A. M. Bennett, Beggar Girl (1813), V. 197. The furniture were all in their places, but evidently out of use.
1816. J. Scott, Vis. Paris (ed. 5), Preface, p. lv. The groups of poor peasants flocking in, with cartloads of furniture, cows, horses, sheep, &c. present very distressing spectacles.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 10. There was a great deal of … dinginess on the walls and furniture of this smaller room.
8. Music. (See quots. and cf. F. fourniture.)
1690. Specif. Organ Magd. Coll., Oxf., in Grove, Dict. Mus., II. 594/2. Furniture of 3 ranks.
1776. Sir J. Hawkins, Hist. Musick, IV. I. x. 147. The compound stops are the Furniture, and sundry others.
1876. Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, Furniture. The name of one of the mixture stops in an organ.
9. Bell-founding. (See quot.) ? Obs.
1756. Dict. Arts & Sc., s.v. Bell, The waist or furniture viz. the part of the Bell, which grows always wider or thicker by a supply of metal, which is larger and larger quite to the brim.
10. attrib., as furniture-broker, -polish, -remover, -shop, -van; and in names of fabrics used for covering furniture, as furniture-plush, -print, -silk. Also furniture-pad (see quot.); furniture-picture (see quot.); furniture-pin, a pin for fixing the furniture (see 6) of a gun; furniture-stop Music (see 8); † furniture-tree, ? an ornamental tree.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes (1850), 80/1. The small shops … occupied … by *furniture-brokers.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 927/1. Furniture-Pad. A piece of india-rubber or similar thing attached to a piece of furniture to prevent rubbing or striking against objects.
1889. Barrère & Leland, Slang Dict., *Furniture pictures (studios), pictures painted by the dozen for the trade of the same class as ‘pot-boilers.’
1881. Greener, Gun, 262. After having removed the *furniture-pins, the trigger-plate and triggers may be taken from the stock.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., 363/2. *Furniture Plush. (Fabric.) Also known as Utrecht velvet.
1895. Maskelyne in Daily Chron., 29 Oct., 3/5. She has more methods of lifting a table than any *furniture remover has ever dreamt of.
1866. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., III. 337. I saw in an old *furniture-shop window at Richmond a copy of the Frederick picture that was lent you—not bad; coarsely painted, but the likeness well preserved.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva (1776), 310. Those less-experienced Gardeners, who frequently expose their Orange, and like tender *furniture-trees of the green-house, too early.
1889. H. F. Wood, Englishman of Rue Caïn, iv. A dismal *furniture-van.
