Also 6–7 sonet (6 pl. sonettes). [a. F. sonnet (1543), or ad. It. sonetto (the source of the F. word), dim. of suono sound.]
1. A piece of verse (properly expressive of one main idea) consisting of fourteen decasyllabic lines, with rhymes arranged according to one or other of certain definite schemes.
In the first quot. perh. including sense 2. In many instances between 1580 and 1650 it is not clear which sense is intended, as the looser use of the word would appear to have been very common.
1557. (title) Songes and Sonettes written by the right honorable Lorde Henry Haward late Earle of Surrey, and other.
1575. Gascoigne, Posies (1907), 471. I can beste allowe to call those Sonets whiche are of fouretene lynes, every line conteyning tenne syllables.
1595. W. P., in Spenser’s Minor P. (1910), 370. These sweete conceited Sonets, the deede of … maister Edmond Spenser.
1609. (title) Shake-speares Sonnets. Neuer before Imprinted.
a. 1631. Donne, Lett. to Persons of Hon. (1651), 104. The Spanish proverb informes me, that he is a fool which cannot make one Sonnet, and he is mad which makes two.
1683. Soame & Dryden, trans. Boileau’s Art of Poetry, II. 319/20.
| A faultless Sonnet, finish’d thus, would be | |
| Worth tedious Volumes of loose Poetry. |
a. 1771. Gray, Metrum, Wks. 1843, V. 249. Sonnets of Fourteen, on Five Rhymes. [Note.] This, and the fourth kind, are the true Sonnet of the Italians.
1797. Anna Seward, Lett. (1811), IV. 326. My design of publishing, this spring, my centenary of sonnets.
1822. Hazlitt, Table-t., II. ii. 19. The great object of the Sonnet seems to be to express in musical numbers,… with undivided breath, some occasional thought or personal feeling.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 304. The Earl of Surrey composed the first sonnets in the English language.
1879. B. Taylor, Stud. Germ. Lit., 174. Fischart first introduced the Italian sonnet into German literature.
2. A short poem or piece of verse; in early use esp. one of a lyrical and amatory character. Now rare or Obs.
1563. (title) Eglogs Epytaphes, and Sonettes, Newly written by Barnabe Googe.
1575. Gascoigne, Posies (1907), 471. Some thinke that all Poemes (being short) may be called Sonets. Ibid., 472. There are Dyzaynes & Syxaines … which some English writers do also terme by the name of Sonettes.
1599. (title) Sonnets To sundry notes of Musicke.
1650. J. Cotton, Sing. Psalms, 19. Neither doe drunkards … usually invent Sonnets.
c. 1674. Roxb. Ball. (1886), VI. 274. In this Sonnet you may find A fancy that may please your mind.
1719. Hamilton, Ep. Ramsay, I. 43. Sae I conclude, and end my sonnet.
c. 1820. G. Beattie, John of Arnha (1826), 15. My dowie sonnet Upo’ the Horner’s guid braid bonnet.
3. attrib. and Comb., as sonnet-book, -fancier, -maker, -making, -wise adv., -writer, -writing.
1657. Cokayne, Obstinate Lady, Poems (1659), 312. I should then perhaps a had a *Sonnet-book ere this.
1824. Macaulay, Misc. Writ. (1860), I. 86. These *sonnet-fanciers would do well to reflect [etc.].
1691. Wood, Antiq., I. Fasti, 761. He was at this time a pastoral *Sonnet-maker.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 147. This thirst of glory … is to be found among fiddlers and sonnet-makers.
1875. Tennyson, Q. Mary, II. i. No call for sonnet-sorting now, nor for *sonnet-making either.
1588. Greene, Perimedes, Wks. (Grosart), VII. 88. The yoong Prince … writ him an answer *Sonnet-wise to this effect.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. V. xxii. I send you the inclos’d Verses Sonnet-wise.
1824. in Spirit Public Jrnls. (1825), 355. Verses written sonnet wise On London’s learned Lord.
1781. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, III. 483. In 1582, a suite of tales was published by George Whetstone, a *sonnet-writer of some rank.
1887. Encycl. Brit., XXII. 263/1. The crowning difficulty … of the sonnet writer.
1899. Miss E. T. Fowler, Double Thread, ii. 18. He would willingly have instructed Milton in *sonnet-writing.
