Also 5–6 spange. [Probably ad. MDu. spange (spaenge, Du. spang), = OHG. spanga (MHG. and G. spange), OS. *spanga (see sense 3), OFris. *spange (NFris. spung, spōng), ON. spang-, spǫng (Norw. spong; MSw. and MDa. spang) clasp, buckle, brooch, spangle, etc.]
† 1. A small glittering ornament; a spangle. Obs.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., xlvii. A chaplet fresch of hewe, Off plumys … Full of quaking spangis bryght as gold.
1480. Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 115. vj coursour harneis … embrowdered and wroght with … spanges of silver and gilt.
c. 1534. in Lewis, Life Fisher (1855), II. 297. A swett of vestments of rede clothe of gold with spangs and crossys in the myddyst.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 76. The same horse Harneis were sette full of tremblyng spanges.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., III. Wks. 1856, I. 34. The other glistering copper spangs That glisten in the tyer of the Court.
1616. Drumm. of Hawth., Poems, Urania, iii. To spreade the azure Canopie of Heauen, And make it twinckle all with Spanges of Gold.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Masques & Triumphs (Arb.), 540. And Oes, or Spangs, as they are of no great Cost, so they are of most Glory.
2. techn. A stain. (See quot.)
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 136. The stains which come out upon maddered goods, in consequence of defective bleaching, are called in this country spangs.
3. arch. A clasp or buckle.
After OE. spang, occurring once in the OS. part of Genesis (l. 445).
1892. Stopford Brooke, Early Eng. Lit., II. xxii. 106. [He] Set on’s head a hollow helm, and … Spanned it down with spangs.
