Forms: 1, 3–5 lilie, 4 lely, leli, lilye, luly, 4–5 lylye, lyle, 4–6 lely, 5 lylie, lylle, lelly, lele, 5–6 lyl(l)y, 5–8 lilly, 6 lile, 6–7 lillie, lyllie, 8– lily. Plural. 1 lilian, 2 lilien, 5 lilijs, -iis, lylly(e)s, lylyes, lelyes, 6 Sc. lilleis, 6–8 lillies, 7 lyllies, 8 lilys, 4– lilies. [OE. lilie wk. fem., ad. L. līlium, a. Gr. λείίριον.
The L. word has passed into nearly all the European langs.: OS. lilli, Du. lelie, OHG. lilja, liljo (MHG. lilje, gilge, mod.G. lilie), ON. lilia (Sw. lilja, Da. lilie; F. lis (cf. fleur-de-lis), Pr. lilis, liris (:—popular L. *līlius), Sp., Pg. lirio, It. giglio.]
1. Any plant (or its flower) of the genus Lilium (N.O. Liliaceæ) of bulbous herbs bearing at the top of a tall slender stem large showy flowers of white, reddish, or purplish color, often marked with dark spots on the inside; esp. (without qualification) L. candidum, the White or Madonna Lily (cf. b), which grows wild in some Eastern countries, and has from early times been cultivated in gardens; it is a type of whiteness or purity.
971. Blickl. Hom., 7. Seo hwitnes þære lilian scineþ on þe.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 90. Drince he lilian wyrttruman awylledne on wine oððe on ealað.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 1433. Se rudie & se reade ilitet eauereach leor as lilie ileid to rose.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Doctor’s T., 32. As she [Nature] kan peynte a lilie whit And reed a Rose.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. xci. (1495), 658. The lely is an herbe wyth a whyte flour and though the leuys of the floure be whyte yet wythin shyneth the lyknesse of golde.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3902. Leons quyte as lylly.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 200. Þou schalt make þe lyme neische wiþ oile of lilie.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xiii. I was radder of rode þene rose in þe rone, My lere as þe lele, louched one highte.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 38. The Lily hath a long stalk…. The flour is excedyng white.
1634. Milton, Comus, 862. In twisted braids of Lillies knitting The loose train of thy amber-dropping hair.
1704. Pope, Autumn, 26. For her, the lillies hang their heads and die.
1820. Shelley, Sensit. Plant, 33. The wand-like lily, which lifted up,… its moonlight-coloured cup.
b. With qualification, applied to: (a) various other plants of the genus Lilium or N.O. Liliaceæ, the qualifying word indicating the color, appearance, habitat, etc.; e.g. flax, martagon, orange, panther, Persian, St. Bruno’s, tiger, Turk’s cap lily (see the first element); (b) certain allied plants, esp. of N.O. Amaryllidaceæ, e.g. belladonna, calla, gold, Guernsey, ixia, Jacobæa(n, knight’s-star, lent, lide, Mexican, pond, sword lily (see the first element); also DAY-LILY, WATER-LILY.
African lily, Agapanthus umbellatus (Treas. Bot.). Atamasco lily, Zephyranthes Atamasco. Yellow lily, † (a) the yellow iris, Iris Pseudacorus; (b) the daffodil, Narcissus Pseudonarcissus (dial.).
1555. Eden, Decades, 200. An herbe much lyke vnto a yelowe lyllie.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. xlii. 200. The white Lillies be very common not only in this Countrie, but in all places els where in gardens. Ibid., xliii. 201. Or the Orenge colour, and redde purple Lillies. Ibid., xliv. 202. The wilde Lillie hath a straight rounde stemme set full of long leaues, at the toppe whereof there grow fayre pleasant floures … of an old purple or dimme incarnate colour, poudered or dashte with small spottes. Ibid., xlvi. 204. The yellowe Lillie non bulbus, his leaues be long and narrow … flowers much lyke to the other Lillies, of a fainte or Ochre colour yellowe…. The darke red and purple Lillie non bulbus.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, I. xciii. 150. Lilium montanum maius, the great mountaine Lilly.
1633. Johnson, Gerarde’s Herbal, I. cvi. 199. The Yellow Mountain Lilly with the spotted floure.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. iii. 374. Fiery Lilly,… Yellow Asphodel Lilly.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. African Scarlet Lily, Amaryllis. Atamasco Lily, Amaryllis.
1882. Garden, 20 May, 356/2. A variety of the African Lily, in which the leaves are marked longitudinally with stripes of yellow.
c. Used in all versions of the Bible to render Heb. shūshan, shōshan, shōshannāh, LXX and NT. κρίνον.
The Heb. words were prob. used, as the corresponding Arab. sūsan still is in Palestine, for all the conspicuous species of lily, lotus (Nymphæa Lotus), anemone, ranunculus, tulip, etc. In Cant. v. 13 a red flower appears to be meant. The ‘lilies of the field’ of Matt. vi. 28 have been variously identified with the red Anemone coronaria and with the scarlet Martagon or Turk’s Cap lily, both of which are common in Galilee. The herbalists of the 16–17th c. took ‘the lily among the thorns’ (lilium inter spinas) of Cant. ii. 2 to be the honeysuckle: see Coles, Art of Simpling (1656), 7.
2. Lily of (or † in) the valley († lily convally, convall lily, † May, † great park, or † wood lily), a beautiful spring flower, Convallaria majalis, having two largish leaves and racemes of white, bell-shaped, fragrant flowers.
The name lily of the valley represents the Vulgate lilium convallium, a literal translation from the Heb. of Cant. ii. 1. The application to this particular plant is app. due to the German herbalists of the early 16th c.
1538. Turner, Libellus, Ephimeron est lilium conuallium grandius, quod angli uocant Great parke lyly. Ibid. (1548), Names of Herbes, 35. The Poticaries in Germany do name it Lilium conuallium; it maye be called in englishe May Lilies.
1563. Hyll, Art Garden. (1593), 98. The wood Lillie or Lillie of the valley, is a flour merualous sweete.
1579, etc. [see CONVALLY].
1597. Gerard, Herbal, II. lxxxvii. 331. Of Lilly in the valley, or May Lillie.
1728–46. Thomson, Spring, 444. Where scatter’d wild the lily of the vale Its balmy essence breathes.
1729. [see lily-bell in 5].
1814. Wordsw., Excursion, IX. That shy plant … the lily of the vale, That loves the ground.
1840. Hood, Up the Rhine, 221. A wreath of artificial lilies-of-the valley on her head.
b. Lily-of-the-valley tree (see quot.).
1885. Lady Brassey, The Trades, 30. The beautiful lily-of-the-valley tree (Clethra arborea) which bears branches of white flowers, like five or six sprays of lilies-of-the-valley growing from one stalk, and emitting the most delicious scent.
3. fig. Applied to persons or things of exceptional whiteness, fairness or purity; e.g., a fair lady; the white of a beautiful complexion (sing. and pl.; cf. rose).
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sec. Nun’s T., 87. The name of seinte Cecile … It is to seye in englissh heuenes lilie, For pure chastnesse of virginitee.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxv. 520. [To Jesus] Hayll! lylly lufsome lemyd with lyght!
1497. Bp. Alcock, Mons Perfect., a ii b. The beuteous lylyes of chastyte in body and soule.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., V. v. 62. A Virgin, A most vnspotted Lilly.
1622. Wither, Fair Virtue, D 7 b. The Lillies oft obtaine Greatest sway, vnlesse a blush Helpe the Roses at a push.
1713. Steele, Guardian, No. 174, ¶ 5. The gamester-ladies … wear away their lilies and roses in tedious watching.
1859. Tennyson, Elaine, 1388. Farewell, fair lily.
4. A figure or representation of the flower. a. gen.
1459. in Paston Lett., I. 478. j. pellow of silk the growund white wyth lyllys of blewe. Ibid. (1464), III. 433. Item, one box of silver … chased with liliis.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1629), 260. Pamela … was working vpon a purse certaine roses & lillies.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 134. He eiket to the circle of the croune four lillies of golde wt four goldne signes of the croce.
1714. Gay, Sheph. Week, V. 60. Sometimes, like Wax, she rolls the Butter round, Or with the wooden Lilly prints the Pound.
b. The heraldic fleur-de-lis, esp. with reference to the arms of the old French monarchy (also golden lilies); hence, the royal arms of France, the French (Bourbon) dynasty.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems, x. 3. Both þe lely and þe lipard suld gader on a grene. [See note, ed. J. Hall.]
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), II. 357. In thair armes to weir the reid lillie, Quhilk hes bene ay the king of Frances flour.
1660. Dryden, Astræa Redux, 18. We sighed to hear the fair Iberian bride [the Infanta Maria Theresa] Must grow a lily to the Lily’s side.
1738. F. Wise, Let. conc. Antiq. Berks., 27. The Emperor of Germany is sometimes stiled The Eagle, and the King of France The Lilly, from the Arms they bear.
1769. Gray, Ode for Music, iv. 39. Great Edward, with the lilies on his brow From haughty Gallia torn.
1815. J. Scott, Vis. Paris (ed. 2), 48. [A Frenchman—faithful adberent of the Bourbons], took the strangers honie to his small cottage, to talk fondly of the reviving lilies.
1843. Macaulay, Ivry, iv. Fair gentlemen of France, Charge for the golden lilies.
† c. The fleur-de-lis which is used to mark the north on a compass. Obs.
1613. M. Ridley, Magn. Bodies, 12. The Lilly of their compasses was turned alwaies towards the North-pole.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. ii. 60. If wee place a Needle touched at the foote of tongues or andirons it will obvert … its lyllie or North point.
1661. Philipott, Disc. Navig., in Harl. Misc. (1744), II. 328. But, sailing farther, it veers its Lilly towards the West.
5. attrib. and Comb.: simple attrib., as lily-avenue, -bank, -bed, -bloom, -bud, -bulb, † -crop, -crown, family, -garth, group, -honey, -root, shade; similative, as lily-clear, -shaped, -shining, -whitening adjs.; lily-like adj. and adv.; instrumental and locative, as lily-cradled, -crowned, -paved, -paven, -robed, -silvered, -strangled adjs. Special combs.: lily-beetle, the beetle Crioceris merdigera, parasitic on lilies; lily-bell, lily cup, the flower of the lily-of-the-valley; lily-encrinite, an encrinite resembling a lily in shape; lily-iron, a harpoon having a detachable head used in killing sword-fish; lily-pad U.S., the broad flat leaf of a water-lily as it lies on the water; lily-star, (a) = feather-star, a crinoid of the family Comatulidæ; (b) the star-like flower of the water-lily; † lily-water, a ‘water’ distilled from lilies; lily-work, architectural decoration containing designs of lilies. Also LILY-FLOWER, LILY-POT, LILY-WHITE.
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 162. A *lily-avenue climbing to the doors.
1723. Ramsay, Fair Assembly, x. Like *lily-banks see how they rise.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. ii. 13. Where I may wallow in the *Lily beds Propos’d for the deseruer.
1854. A. Adams, etc., Man. Nat. Hist., 204. *Lily-Beetles (Crioceridæ).
1729. T. Cooke, Tales, Proposals, &c. 82. The Poet … To render his Melissa vain, Calls her the Lilly of the Vale … The Tears, with which her Eyelids swell, Are Dewdrops on the *Lillybell.
1854. F. Tennyson, Days & Hours, 87. Some lilybells Pluckt ere the flush of dawn.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 84. White *lily-blooms.
1877. Bryant, Poems, Sella, 344. She laid The light-brown tresses smooth, and in them twined The *lily-buds.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., III. 538. Now *lilly bulbes sowe Or sette.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, II. 309. Her face is *lily-clear—Lily-shaped.
1832. Tennyson, Œnone, 29. The golden bee Is *lily-cradled.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 249. The *lilie croppes on and on … He smot of.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Peter), 708. His angelis … with *lely and rose-cronis in hand.
1746. J. Warton, Ode to Fancy, 55. Nodding their *lilly-crowned heads.
1826. Hood, ‘I remember,’ 11. The violets and the *lily-cups, Those flowers made of light.
1808. Parkinson, Organic Rem., II. 174. The *Lily Encrinite [described].
1570. Levins, Manip., 34/13. Ye *Lilygarth, lilietum.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 908. It takes the name of Grasse-honey,… *Lilly-honey, Violet-honey, &c., respect being had to those things from which it is collected.
1852. M. H. Perley, Rep. Fisheries New Brunswick (ed. 2), 187. They [sword-fish] are captured by means of an instrument called a *‘lily-iron,’ from the form of its shaft, or wings, which resemble the leaves of a lily.
1883. Fisheries Exhib. Catal., 195. Sword-fish lily-irons and lances and harpoons.
1652. Kirkman, Clerio & Lozia, 23. That Rose and *Lilly-like colour mingled together.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, IV. 143. The lilylike Melissa droop’d her brows.
1868. Lowell, Willows, Poet. Wks. (1879), 373/2. A pike lurks balanced ’neath the *lily-pads.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. I. Eden, 531. By some cleer River’s *lilly-paved side.
1822. Shelley, Triumph Life, 368. O’er *lily-paven lakes.
c. 1450. ME. Med. Bk. (Heinrich), 211. Tak *lylie rote.
1650. H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., Relapse, 25. Sweet downie thoughts, soft *lilly-shades, calm streams.
1821. J. S. Miller (title), A Natural History of the Crinoidea, or *Lily-shaped Animals.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, IV. 268. Half-naked … lay The *lily-shining child.
1742. Pope, Dunc., IV. 303. To Isles of fragrance, *lily-silver’d vales.
1854. A. Adams, etc., Man. Nat. Hist., 334. Pedunculated *Lily-stars (Pentacrinitidæ).
1863. Woolner, My Beautiful Lady, 121. Mid splashing waters, sedge, and lily stars.
1887. Browning, Parleyings, Wks. 1896, II. 722/1. Some *lily-strangled pool.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 254/1. Take *Lillye-water, Rosewater, and water of Mayflowers.
a. 1743. Savage, Employm. of Beauty, 44. The well-rang’d teeth in *lily-whitening rows.
1611. Bible, 1 Kings vii. 19. The chapiters that were vpon the top of the pillars, were of *lillie worke in the porch, foure cubites.
b. In plant-names (of little currency): lily asphodel, daffodil, names for the genus Amaryllis; lily-bind, -bine dial., bindweed; † lily-grass, Gerarde’s name for an aquatic species of corn-flag (Gladiolus); lily hyacinth, † jacinth, the genus Scilla, esp. S. Liliohyacinthus; † lily leek, Gerarde’s name for MOLY; † lily narcissus, a proposed name for the tulip; lily pink, the genus Aphyllanthes; lily thorn, the genus Catesbæa; lilyworts, Lindley’s name for the N.O. Liliaceæ.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Lilio-asphodelus.… The common yellow flowered *lilly-asphodel.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. Lily Asphodel, Amaryllis.
1828. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. III. 244. Snow-white *lily-bines, and light fragile hare-bells.
1733. Miller, Gard. Dict., Lilio-narcissus (is so called, because it resembles both these Plants), *Lily-Daffodil.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. Lily Daffodil, Amaryllis.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, I. xxi. 27. Water Gladiole … hath on the top of every rushie stalke a fine vmble … of small flowers, in fashion of the Lillie of Alexandria, the which it is very like, and therefore I had rather call it *Lillie grasse. Ibid., lxx. 97. Hyacinthus stellatus Lilifolius, *Lillie Iacinth. Ibid., 98. The *Lillie Hyacinth is called Hyacinthus Germanicus liliflorus, or Germanie Hyacinth, taken from the countrie where it naturally groweth wilde. Ibid., Table Eng. Names, *Lillie Leeke, that is Moly.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. lii. 213. The greater is called both Tulpia, and Tulpian, and of some Tulipa,… we may call it *Lillynarcissus.
1848. Craig, s.v., *Lily pink, the plant Aphyllanthes monspeliensis.
1816–20. Green, Univ. Herbal, I. 267/2. Catesbæa Spinosa; *Lily Thorn…. Discovered near Nassau Town in Providence.
1845. Lindley, Sch. Bot., 135. Liliaceæ—*Lilyworts.
B. as adj. a. White or fair as a lily; lily-white; lily-like. Also in parasynthetic comb., as lily-cheeked, -fingered, -handed, -wristed adjs.
15[?]. Crt. of Love, 781. And lily forhede had this creature.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., IV. vii. (Arb.), 72. It shall be euen so, by his lily woundes.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iii. 6. He … lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong.
1590. Greene, Neuer too Late (1600), 31. Lilly cheekes whereon beside Buds of roses shew their pride. Ibid. (c. 1590), Fr. Bacon, i. (1630), A 3. She turn’d her smocke ouer her lilly armes.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., IV. iv. 160. The ayre hath … pinch’d the lilly-tincture of her face.
a. 1618. Sylvester, Sonn., xxii. Wks. (Grosart), II. 325/2. Thy brow … Fairer then snow, or the most lilly thing.
1648. Herrick, Hesper., Country Life, 246. The lilly-wristed morne.
1649. Dryden, On Death Ld. Hastings, 58. Blisters … Like rosebuds, stuck in the lily-skin about.
1720. Gay, Sweet William’s Farew., 48. Adieu, she cries! and wav’d her lilly hand.
a. 1810. Surtees, Barthram’s Dirge, v. They rowed him in a lily-sheet, And bare him to his earth.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, Concl. 84. No little lily-handed Baronet he. Ibid. (1859), Elaine, 2. Elaine, the lily maid of Astolat.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, v. 69. He was no mere lily-fingered idler about town.
1877. Bryant, Poems, Little People of Snow, 110. She saw a little creature, lily-cheeked.
b. Pale, pallid, colorless, bloodless; lily-livered a., white-livered, cowardly; so lily-liver, a ‘lily-livered’ person.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 337. These Lilly Lips, this cherry nose, These yellow Cowslip cheekes. Ibid. (1605), Macb., V. iii. 15. Go pricke thy face, and ouer-red thy feare, Thou Lilly-liuer’d Boy.
1805. Joanna Baillie, Rayner, I. i. 9. That plain word Still makes Sebastian, like a squeamish dame, Shrink and look lily-fac’d.
1857. Trollope, Barchester T., xiv. Surely … you will not be so lily-livered as to fall into this trap which he has baited for you.
1860. Thackeray, Roundabout Papers, xii. (1869), 130. When people were yet afraid of me … I always knew that I was a lily-liver.
Hence Lilyfy v. trans., to make lily-like.
1866. Reade, Griffith Gaunt, I. x. 249. The full moon’s silvery beams shone on her rose-like cheeks and lilyfied them a shade.
