Forms: 7 lelack(e, 7–8 (9) lilach, 8–9 (now chiefly dial. or U.S.) laylock, (9 layloc, U.S. vulgar lalock), 8 lylac, 7– lilac. [a. F. lilac (Cotgr.; now lilas), a. Sp. lilac, a. Arab līlăk app. ad Pers. līlak, var. of nīlak bluish, f. Pers. nīl blue, indigo (Skr. nīla, Hindī līl); cf. various Pers. words for indigo, līlah, līlanj, etc., which have parallel forms with initial n. Other forms are Pg. lilaz (from Sp. or Arab.), Turkish leilaq (whence possibly the early 17th c. lelacke, mod. laylock).]
1. A shrub, Syringa vulgaris, cultivated for its fragrant blossoms, which are of a pale pinkish violet color; a variety has white blossoms. Also, the flower of this shrub.
1625. [see lilac-tree below].
1658. Sir T. Browne, Gard. Cyrus, iii. 128. The Autumnal budds … making little Rhombuses, and network figures, as in the Sycamore and Lilac.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort., Nov., 79. Plant Roses … Lilac, Syringas [etc.].
1763. Brit. Mag., IV. 605. And gather’d laylocks perish, as they blow.
1777. T. Warton, Ode, x. 1st April, 25. The lilac hangs to view Its bursting gems in clusters blue.
1844. Lady G. Fullerton, Ellen Middleton (1854), II. xii. 69. A large nosegay of lilacs and seringa.
1860. O. W. Holmes, Prof. Breakf.-t., ii. Lalocks flowered late.
1865. Tennyson, On a Mourner, ii. Nature … makes the purple lilac ripe.
1881. Besant & Rice, Chapl. of Fleet, I. 3. The yellow laburnum, and the laylock were at their best.
b. Applied to other species of Syringa (see quots.).
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 28. Rose-Trees, Honey-suckles, Persian Lilachs, &c.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 478/2. Syringa Josikea, Josika’s lilac … is a native of Transylvania, and was discovered by the Baroness von Josika, after whom it was named by Jacquin. S. Chinensis, Chinese lilac…. In characters it is intermediate between S. vulgaris and S. Persica, and agrees with a hybrid plant produced at Rouen by M. Vain, and called S. Rotomagensis, the Rouen lilac.
1861. Delamer, Fl. Gard., 124. S. Persica, the Persian Lilac, is a smaller and slenderer shrub, with looser, more drooping heads of flowers, more aromatically perfumed. This also has a white variety.
c. Applied to plants of other genera (see quots.).
1839. Penny Cycl., XV. 80/1. Melia Azedarak, sometimes called Persian Lilac, Pride of India, and Common Bead-tree.
1860. G. Bennett, Gatherings Nat. Austral., xvii. 326. The White Cedar-tree, or Australian Lilac (Melia Australis).
1866. Treas. Bot., 681/2. African Lilac, Melia Azedarach. Australian Lilac, a name used by the settlers for Hardenbergia monophylla; also Prostanthera violacea. Indian Lilac, Melia semperflorens.
1881. J. S. Gamble, Indian Timbers, 70. Melia Azedarach, Linn…. The Persian Lilac.
1898. Morris, Austral Eng., Lilac, name given in Australia to the tree Melia composita … called Cape Lilac. It is not endemic in Australia, and is called ‘Persian Lilac’ in India. In Tasmania the name of Native Lilac is given to Prostanthera rotundifolia.
2. The color of lilac blossom.
1791. Hamilton, Berthollet’s Dyeing, II. II. III. xi. 258. The colour was more or less inclined to red, from lilac to violet.
1796. Stedman, Surinam, II. xvii. 32. The breast [of the paroquet] is of a leaden hue, the belly lilac.
1816. C’tess Hardwicke, in Two Noble Lives, I. 53. Elizabeth wore white and silver, I wore layloc and silver.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, II. 3. She brought us Academic silks, in hue The lilac.
b. attrib., passing into adj. Of the color of lilac blossom.
1801. Mar. Edgeworth, Contrast (1832), 114. It will spoil my lilac ribbons.
1854–6. Patmore, Angel in Ho., X. i. 5. The little lilac glove.
1864. Tennyson, Grandmother, xv. So Willy and I were wedded: I wore a lilac gown.
1882. Garden, 1 April, 210/1. A beautiful alpine Crowfoot, with delicate lilac flowers.
3. attrib. and Comb., as lilac-ambush, -bush, -flower, -shade, -tree; also, qualifying the names of colors, as lilac-blue, -grey, -mauve, -pink, -purple; parasynthetic, as lilac-colo(u)red, -headed, -tinted adjs.; lilac moth (see quot.); lilac-tide nonce-use, the time when lilac is in bloom.
1842. Tennyson, Gardener’s Dau., 111. This, yielding, gave into a grassy walk Thro’ crowded *lilac-ambush trimly pruned.
1851. B’ham & Midl. Gardener’s Mag., May, 52. Bunches of delicate *lilac-blue … flowers.
1862. Lowell, Biglow P., Ser. II. vi. 87. The catbird in the *laylock-bush is loud.
1766. Amory, Buncle (1770), IV. 97. You must write with this *lilach-coloured liquor.
1880. Black, White Wings, xx. The silent, glassy, *lilac-grey sea.
1802. G. Barrington, Hist. N. S. Wales, ix. 344. The beautiful *lilac-headed parroquet.
1868. Wood, Homes without H., xiv. 296. The little chocolate-coloured moth called the *Lilac Moth (Lazotænia ribeana).
1882. Garden, 7 Oct., 307/3. Pelargoniums … Lady Sheffield, *lilac-pink. Ibid., 1 April, 223/2. A compact rosette of a rich *lilac-purple.
1849. M. Arnold, Modern Sappho, i. Nothing stirs on the lawn but the quick *lilac-shade.
1765. H. Walpole, Lett. to Earl Hertford, 12 May. Though in all the bloom of my passion, *lilac-tide, I have not been at Strawberry this fortnight.
1847–9. Todd, Cycl. Anat., IV. 126/2. *Lilac-tinted spots.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Gardens (Arb.), 556. The *Lelacke Tree.
1850. Surv. Nonsuch Palace, Archæol., V. 434. A fountaine of white marble … set round with six trees called lelack trees.
