[f. LAMB sb. + -KIN.]
1. A little lamb, young lamb.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Dec., 8. O soveraigne Pan!… Which of our tender Lambkins takest keepe.
1613–6. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. iii. Doridon … Goes sadly forth … To ope his fold and let his Lamkins out.
1693. Dryden, trans. Ovid’s Met., xiii. Acis, 129. In their warm folds their tender lambkins lie.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IX. 160. The kid distinguish’d from the lambkin lies.
1870. J. H. Newman, Gram. Assent, I. v. 108. The new-dropped lamb recognizes each of his fellow-lambkins as a whole.
2. transf. A young tender person; chiefly used as a term of endearment.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. iii. 121. Sir John, thy tender Lamb-kinne now is King. Ibid. (1599), Hen. V., II. i. 133. Let vs condole the knight, for (Lambekins) we will liue.
1681. Otway, Soldier’s Fort., III. i. Wks. 1728, I. 370. Poor Fool! poor Birdsnies! poor Lambkin!
1741. Richardson, Pamela, I. 162. Well, well, Lambkin (which the Foolish often calls me).
1812. Shelley, Devil’s Walk, vii. 3. One would think that the innocents fair, Poor lambkins! were just doing nothing at all.
1860. Reade, Cloister & H., lxxviii. We will pray for her, won’t we, my lambkin; when we are old enough?
1889. H. F. Wood, Englishman of Rue Caïn, ii. 24. It staggered me, and I’m no lambkin.
