Forms: 4–8 launce, 4 Sc. launss, 4–6 chiefly Sc. lans(s, 5 lawnce, 5–6 launse, 4– lance. [a. OF. lancier (F. lancer):—L. lancēare, f. lancea LANCE sb.1; the ONF. form lanchier was adopted as LAUNCH v. In branch II f. LANCE sb.1]
I. 1. trans. To fling, hurl, launch, throw (a dart, also fire, lightning, smoke); to shoot out (the tongue); to put forth (blossoms). Also with forth, out, up. Now rare (chiefly poet.).
13[?]. Guy Warw. (A.), 2394. To him þai launced boþe spere and swerd.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIX. 10. The tree hihte trewe-loue … launceþ vp blossemes.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 551. Þei [friars] … launceþ heiȝe her hemmes wiþ babelyng in stretes.
c. 1532. Du Wes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 949. To lance, lancer.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, III. i. 32. A Iauelin … they did lance or dart at the enemie.
1663. Sir G. Mackenzie, Relig. Stoic, iii. (1685), 28. As beams are lanced out from the body of the Sun.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4653/1. A spread Eagle, representing his Majesty’s Arms, lanced a Rocket.
1795–7. Southey, Juvenile & Minor Poems, Poet. Wks. II. 210. The lightning is lanced at our sires. Ibid. (1801), Thalaba, V. xi. The adder in her haunts disturbed Lanced at the intruding staff her arrowy tongue.
1827. I. Taylor, Transm. Anc. Bks., xvii. 279. He affirms [Xerxes] to have lanced darts at the sun.
1834. M. Scott, Cruise Midge (1859), 488. Rolling in smoaky wreaths and lancing out ragged shreds from their lower edges.
1898. M. P. Shiel, Yellow Danger, 136. The torpedo-boat lances one of her horrid needles of steel.
b. with immaterial obj., e.g., a look; † also with forth.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 350. Lo! my lore is in þe loke, lance hit þerinne.
1635. Person, Varieties, I. 15. The Stars, and these celestiall bodies … doe lance forth their power upon the Earth also.
1752. Carte, Hist. Eng., III. 9. The pope was to lance his censures against the common enemy.
1765. H. Walpole, Otranto, iv. (1798), 76. Here I lance her anathema at thy head.
1832. Examiner, 436/1. He lances one of his droll looks.
1855. M. Arnold, The Voice, 3. As the kindling glances … Which the bright moon lances From her tranquil sphere.
1898. M. P. Shiel, Yellow Danger, 157. Suddenly he lanced a horrid shriek.
† c. refl. To hurl oneself, to spring, shoot. Obs.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 183. He launced hymselfe [from the ship] & lepte into the myddes of the prease wyth his good swerde in his hande.
1658. R. White, trans. Digby’s Powd. Symp. (1660), 20. The light … lancing herself by a marvellous celerity on all sides by streight lines.
2. int. for refl. To bound, spring, move quickly, rush. Also with forth, out. Const. on. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 94. With a herde þei mette, a herte þerof gan lance.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 122. He … strak with spurs the stede in hy, And he lansyt furth delyvirly.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 90. He lansit out our ane land, and drew noght ane lyte.
c. 1470. Henryson, Mor. Fab., V. (Parl. Beasts), vii. Ane vnicorne come lansand ouer ane law.
1481. Caxton, Godfrey, xliii. 82. The conestables … launced on this partye of thoost whiche was not yet passed.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. ix. 74. Turnus, lanssand lychtly our the landis.
1530. Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 353. Ȝe, that now bene lansyng vpe the ledder, Tak tent in tyme.
1840. Evidence Hill Docks Comm., 74. When there is no wind, we lance along with poles.
1883. Hampsh. Gloss., Lance, to leap, bound; the deer are said ‘to lance over the turf.’
† b. transf. and fig. Of leaves, fire: To spring, spring forth, shoot up. Of pain: To shoot. Obs.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 526. Þe leuez lancen fro þe lynde, & lyȝten on þe grounde.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 966. As lance leuez of þe boke þat lepes in twynne.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIII. 185. Of greyn ded in erthe Atte laste launceth vp wher-by we lyuen alle.
a. 1400. Pistill of Susan, 109. Þe Lilye, þe louache, launsyng wiþ leue.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VII. 429. The lemand low sone lanssyt apon hycht.
1756. Mounsey, in Phil. Trans., L. 21. The pain on the stomach returned, which lanced to the left side, with dartings inwardly.
† 3. trans. To launch (a boat).
c. 1500. Cocke Lorell’s B., 12. Some ye longe bote dyde launce, some mende ye corse.
b. intr. To launch forth, push out.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 141 b. Now hath ye patriarke Noe all his chyldren … in his shyp, & is launced from the lande.
1581. Studley, trans. Seneca’s Agamem., I. Chorus 61. Nor launcing to the depe where bottom none is found.
1595. Maynarde, Drake’s Voy. (Hakl. Soc.), 7. Had wee lanced under the forte at our first cominge to anchor, we had [etc.].
† 4. To throw out (a tale, words, etc.); to utter.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1212. Al laȝande þe lady lanced þo bourdez. Ibid., 2124. Þat I schal lelly yow layne, & lance neuer tale.
† 5. intr. To make a dash or stroke with a pen.
1588. J. Mellis, Briefe Instruct., E iij. When yee haue thus entered it into Journall, then presently after in the memoriall … yee shall launce or make a stroke.
II. 6. To pierce with or as with a lance or a lancet; to cut, gash, slit. Also, to slit open; to open. Obs. exc. poet.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1428. [He] comaundes hym cofly coferes to lance.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 290. Lawncyn [v.r. lawnchyn], or stynge wythe a spere, or blode yryne, lanceo.
1586. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., I. ii. We will lift our swords, And … lance his greedy thirsting throat.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 12. In the Summer they lanced the rine with a stone.
1638. Penit. Conf., vii. (1657), 155. Baals Priests, lancing themselves to procure audience.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 167. Then they Lanced his flesh with Knives.
1713. Tickell, Guardian, No. 125, ¶ 9. Bold Nimrod first … lanc’d the bristling boar.
1728. Morgan, Algiers, II. iii. 253. They lanced the Ravisher, and every one of the Turks.
1783. Phil. Trans., LXXIII. 241. On the brain being lanced, the … whale died immediately.
fig. 1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 431. Many with great honours I dyd whylom auaunce, That nowe with dyshonoure doon me stynge and launce.
1828. Blackw. Mag., XXIV. 716. The jagged lightning lanced the forest-gulfs with its swift and perilous beauty.
b. intr. To pierce.
a. 1400. Leg. Rood (1871), 142. Þe swerd of loue þorw hire gan launce.
c. trans. To wound or kill with a lance.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 6 April, 6/3. The troopers lancing and sabring, and the officers pistolling the Dervishes.
7. Surg. To make an incision in (the gums, a sore, a tumor) with a lancet; to cut open. Occas. with a person as object. Also, to fetch out or let out by lancing.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. v. h j b. The surgyens … ought not to be hasty to launce and cutte aposthumes & soores.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 278. O blessed lorde, here in this lyfe, cutte me, burne me, launce me, that fynally thou mayst haue mercy on me.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 257. The way to cure it, is to give the humor a vent by launsing it.
1578. T. Wilcocks, Serm. Pawles, 93. Thrust diligently your sword of iustice in, to launce out all corruption and bagage which is gathered in the bowels.
1615. Latham, Falconry (1633), 132. You must haue care to launce it long wayes as the sinews do run.
1654. Trapp, Comm. Job v. 18. He is both a Father and a physitian, hee lanceth us not unlesse need be.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1884), 268. To lance and dress the … Tumours.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIV. 87. Of two [porkers] his cutlass lanced the spouting blood.
1878. L. P. Meredith, Teeth, 36. The dentist … sees the immediate beneficial results of lancing hot, congested gums.
fig. 1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 38. We are many tymes launced and cut with the word of God, to our great profit and discipline.
1621. Quarles, Esther, xii. I 2 b. When Haman then had lanc’d his rip’ned griefe, In bloody tearmes, they thus appli’d reliefe.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., III. vi. The Orator … is more sollicitous to tickle their Ears, than … to launce their Consciences.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. viii. 90. Some Inconveniencies in Church-Government, are better palliated, then lanced to the bottom.
b. absol. or intr. To make an incision.
1646. J. Hall, Horæ Vac., 48. They doe better Launce into secret humours.
Hence Lanced ppl. a.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 516. To … spread them vpon the aforesaid eaten or launced woundes.
