Forms: α. 3–4 averil, 4–5 averel, -ylle, avyryle. β. 4–5 aprille, -yll, apprile, -ille, 5 apryle, -el, 6 -elle, -ill, 7– April. [a. OF. avrill (11th c. in Littré), cogn. w. Sp. Pr. abril, It. aprile:—L. aprīlis (sc. mensis). Soon refashioned after L. with initial apr-: at first accented apri·l(e, as still in many of the dialects. Averil long remained in Sc.]
1. The fourth month of the year.
[1140. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.). Þat was xiii k’Ap’l.]
1297. R. Glouc., 506. In the month of Aueril.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 269. In a drye apprile [v.r. auerel].
1386. Chaucer, C. T., Prol. 1. Aprille [v.r. Apprille, Auerylle] with hise schoures swote.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Apryle monythe [v.r. Aprel].
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xli. 215. Þe mone schon … Al so bryght as in Averylle.
1555. Chron. Gr. Friars (1852), 95. The vij. day of Aprelle.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 432, ¶ 12. The Present I received the second of April.
1864. Tennyson, Tithonus, 60. Half-opening buds of April.
b. attrib. quasi-adj., as in April day, green, sky.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., April, 7. Like April shoure, so stremes the trickling teares.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. iii. 85. The vncertaine glory of an Aprill day.
1833. Tennyson, Poems, 45. Tremulous eyes, like April skies.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, II. 292. A garden April-green.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 307. When April-tide was melting into May.
2. fig. a. In reference to the position of April as the first month of Spring. b. In reference to the changeable weather, the sudden showers and sunshine of the month. Also attrib.
1596. B. Griffin, Fidessa (1876), 35. The Aprill of my time, The sweet of youth.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., III. ii. 43. The Aprill’s in her eyes, it is Loue’s spring.
1713. C’tess Winchilsea, Misc. Poems (1714), 261.
| Our Sighs are then but Vernal Air; | |
| But April-drops our Tears, | |
| Which swiftly passing, all grows Fair. |
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, IX. ii. 375. The bloom, the flush, the April of the heart, was gone.
1844. A. B. Welby, Poems (1847), 163.
| I do not know if round her heart | |
| Love yet hath thrown his wing, | |
| I rather think she’s like myself | |
| An April-hearted thing. |
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., xl. And hopes and light regrets that come Make April of her tender eyes.
3. Comb., as † April-esquire, ? a new-made squire; April-fool, one who is sent on a bootless errand, or otherwise sportively imposed upon, on the first of April, or April-fool-day; † April-gentleman, a newly married husband; April-gowk (i.e., cuckow), northern equivalent of April-fool.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 247. Two pert april esquires; the one had a murrey cloth gowne on.
1687. Congreve, Old Bachel., I. iv. That’s one of Love’s April-fools, is always upon some errand that’s to no purpose.
c. 1830. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1812), IV. 518. It will be difficult to make April-fools of a whole people that can read and write.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier (1871), 1. That time when the cuckold’s chorister began to bewray April Gentlemen with his never changed notes.
1777. Brand, Pop. Antiq., 400. We in the North call Persons who are thus deceived, April-Gowks.
