Forms: 6 lineamente, linyament, 6–7 liniament, lyniament, 6– lineament. [a. F. linéament, ad. L. līneāmentum, f. līneāre (in the unrecorded sense ‘to trace lines’: see LINE v.1), f. līnea LINE sb.2]
† 1. A line; also, a delineation, diagram, outline, sketch; pl. outlines, designs. lit. and fig. Obs.
1570. Dee, Math. Pref., 41. The whole Feate of Architecture in buildyng, consisteth in Lineamentes, and in Framing.
1587. Harrison, England, II. ii. (1877), I. 51. Circles, characters, & lineaments of imagerie.
a. 1640. J. Ball, Answ. Canne (1642), 33. I see here a perfect image of the Brownists … but not so much as any lineament of any English Protestant Preacher.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. I. ii. 15. The choicest parts [of Grecian Metaphysics] … received their first lineaments, and configuration from [etc.].
1675. trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., To Rdr. b 3. A great part of these Annals … lay yet shadowed in their first Lineaments.
1709–29. V. Mandey, Syst. Math., Geom., 137. All Magnitude is either a Line, or a Lineament or Diagram.
1752. Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 237. The broken lineaments of the piece … are carefully studied.
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., V. 395. The imagination, being free in the choice of its colors and lineaments, incessantly passes from object to object.
1811. Pinkerton, Petral., p. viii. Diversity may be used to imply a still greater difference than the variety presents. A very faint shade of difference might, if necessary, be called a lineament.
† b. A minute portion, a trace; pl. elements, rudiments. Obs.
1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, I. x. 38. The first Lineaments of Mist or Fog, we impute to the Influence of ♃.
1686. A. Snape, Anat. Horse, IV. vii. 159. The Muscles of the Ears in … men … are so very small, that Galen calls them the lineaments of Muscles.
1811. Pinkerton, Petral., II. 323. The paste … encloses some lineaments of black mica.
† 2. A portion of the body, considered with respect to its contour or outline, a distinctive feature. Obs.
In the 17–18th c. very frequently applied to the parts of insects.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), IV. 255. The liniamentes of his body and membres.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 3. God hath no lineamentes nor partes corporall.
1540. Morysine, Vives’ Introd. Wysd., B v. Beautie standeth in suche liniamentes, shape, and portrature of the body, as [etc.].
1605. Camden, Rem., 7. Equalling the most excellent inhabitants of the earth, both in the endowments of minde and lineaments of bodie.
1611. J. S., Hooker’s Eccl. Pol., To Rdr. Beholding the goodly Lineaments of their well set Bodies.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., vii. 64. In the Scriptures, those bodily lineaments, head and feet, and hands, and eyes, and eares be ascribed to God.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, IV. v. 85. Insects, with so many lineaments in a little compass, that [etc.].
1671. Milton, P. R., I. 91. Man he seems In all his lineaments, though in his face The glimpses of his Father’s glory shine.
1707. Miége, State Gt. Brit., ii. 50. The Lineaments of their Bodies are … well proportioned.
1733. Swift, On Poetry, Wks. 1755, IV. I. 197. What lineaments divine we trace Through all his figure, mien, and face!
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), I. 36. Men are even as their fellow-insects; they rise to life, exert their lineaments, and flutter abroad.
b. fig. in pl. (Now associated with the narrower sense 3.) Distinctive features or characteristics.
1638. Rouse, Heav. Univ., iv. (1702), 29. Yet have we other fruits that by some kindred may seem to counterfeit some Lineaments of that taste.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 103. So near of Kin are all fantastic Illusions, that you may discern the same Lineaments in them all.
1709. Swift, Advancem. Relig., Wks. 1755, II. I. 97. Tracing, however imperfectly, some few lineaments in the character of a lady.
1750. G. Hughes, Barbadoes, Pref. 5. The most beautiful lineaments in the character of Cato are owing to this excellent science.
1796. Burke, Let. Noble Ld., Wks. VIII. 52. Complete in all the lineaments of men of honour.
1840. Macaulay, Clive, Ess. (1887), 526. Some lineaments of the character of the man were early discerned in the child.
1845. Stephen, Comm. Laws Eng. (1874), II. 68. To trace the principal lineaments of the law of contract.
1864. Kirk, Chas. Bold, I. i. 13. The general lineaments of the era that was passing away.
3. In narrower sense, a portion of the face viewed with respect to its outline; a feature.
1513. More, in Grafton, Chron. (1568), II. 789. Aswell in all princely behavior, as in the liniamentes and favour of his visage.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., May, 212. Shee sawe (in the younglinges face) The old lineaments of his fathers grace.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. ii. 44. Fortune reignes in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of Nature.
a. 1665. J. Goodwin, Filled w. the Spirit (1867), 462. Every lineament of his face being here represented.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., ix. 328. The same Features, the same Lineaments visible in both.
1702. Eng. Theophrast., 208. A single fine lineament cannot make a handsom face.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, III. vii. General benevolence for mankind, in every lineament of his countenance.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., II. lxii. In his lineaments ye cannot trace … The deeds that lurk beneath.
1885. J. Payn, Talk of Town, I. 75. He examined his lineaments, in the hopes of detecting a likeness to the Chandos portrait.
Hence † Lineament v. trans., to delineate, trace in outline. † Lineamental a., of the nature of a sketch or imperfect outline; pertaining to lineaments. † Lineamentally adv., in accordance with a general design. Lineamentation, representation in form or lineament.
1628. Jackson, Creed, IX. xxix. § 5. The forementioned speculative knowledge, being lineamented in our brains.
1601. Deacon & Walker, Spirits & Divels, 140. They might … have cunningly carued or cut out … some lineamentall fashion … or shape of serpents.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 17. In whom alle thinges excerpte of oþer men ar broken in to smalle membres, but concorporate here liniamentally [L. lineamentaliter].
1791. J. Learmont, Poems, 188. Man’s winter day must also come And all his lineamental bloom Be stained.
1890. J. H. Stirling, Philos. & Theol., iv. 65. It does not follow, however, that we must think the νοῦς a merely immanent principle, as it were, of lineamentation and proportion in the material mass.
