Forms: α. 4–5 spaynel, 5–6 -ell (5 -yel, 6 -iel). β. 5 spanȝelle, -ȝeall, 6– -ȝell, -ȝeoll; 5–6 spanyel(l, 6 -yelle, spannyell, -iell, 7 -iel, 6–7 spaniell, 7 spaniele, spani’el, 6– spaniel. γ. 5 spayngyel, spanegeole, spangel, 6–7 -gell. δ. 5 speygn-, spaygn-, spaignol, 6 spaignell, 7 spagnel. ε. 6 span(n)el, 7 span(n)ell, 9 dial. or vulgar spanil. [ad. OF. espaignol, espaigneul (mod.F. épagneul) ‘Spanish dog’: see next. So MDu. spanjoel, -goel, spaelgoen, etc.]
1. A variety of dog characterized by large drooping ears, long silky hair, keen scent, and affectionate nature, some breeds of which are used for sporting purposes, esp. for starting and retrieving game, while others are favorite pet- or toy-dogs.
α. c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 267. For, as a spaynel, she wol on hym lepe.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xvi. A goode spaynel shulde not be to rough, but his taile shulde be rough.
1425. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 298/1. By þe Rees of a Spaynell, þere was on a nyght taken … a man.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Poge, iv. A fayr yong man … whiche … had with hym two fayre spaynels.
β. c. 1450. Bk. Hawking, in Rel. Ant., I. 297. Lete the spanyell flusch up the covey.
1489. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 112. Joly Johne … that brocht ij spanȝeallis to the King.
1519. Presentm. Juries, in Surtees Misc. (1890), 32. That no man kepe no hown, grewand, nor spanȝell.
1557. R. Edgeworth, Serm., vi. 56. It is natural … to a spaniel to be gentle & familiar.
1589. ? Lyly, Pappe w. Hatchet, E ij. There is not a better Spanniell in England to spring a couie.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., Democr. to Rdr. 4. Like a ranging Spaniel that barkes at euery bird hee sees.
1675. Cocker, Morals, 7. Beware of that sly Sycophant’s Dogg-Tricks, Who, like a Spanniel flatters, fawns, and licks.
1704. Pope, Windsor For., 99. Before his lord the ready spaniel bounds.
1789. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Expost. Ode, xi. Wks. 1812, II. 239. Like crouching Spaniels, down black Lords must lie, Whene’er admitted to the Royal eye.
1840. Blaine, Encycl. Rural Sports, § 2550. The varieties of the spaniel are numerous…. A popular distinction made between them by many writers is into springers, cockers, and water spaniels.
1877. Encycl. Brit., VII. 328. The Spaniel is the favourite of the sportsman.
γ. c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), Prol. First y will begynn at Racches … and after at Spayngyels.
c. 1425. Seven Sages (P.), 1448. I hadde a spangel good of plyght.
1533. Presentm. Juries, in Surtees Misc. (1890), 33. Neither hownde, spangell, ne grewend.
δ. 14[?]. Master of Game (MS. Royal 17. B. xli), xvi. Off Houndes that men calle Spaygnell.
1553. [see 1 c].
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 107. Some are smaller which are called Hounds,… House-curs, Spagnels both for the Water and Land.
ε. 1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, Prol. The calling Spanels quest.
1589. Gold. Mirr. (1851), 51. I calde my Spannels, and to the field I went.
1616. Surfl. & Markham, Countrey Farme, 679. When you make choice of any spannell, you shall chuse him by his shape, beautie, mettall, and cunning hunting.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, VI. (1632), 232. Hauing a mastiue Bitch and a Spanell with them.
1640. Gent, Knave in Gr., I. i. B iv. I think I am little kin to a Spannell, the more I am beaten, the better I affect.
b. With distinguishing terms to denote different varieties or breeds, as Alpine, Blenheim, English, King Charles, Norfolk (etc.) spaniel. Also † spaniel gentle (see first quot.).
See also land-spaniel LAND sb. 11 b, WATER-SPANIEL.
1576. Fleming, trans. Caius’ Dogs (1880), 14. Of the delicate, neate, and pretty kind of dogges called the Spaniel gentle, or the comforter, in Latine Melitæus.
1778. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 2), III. 1618/2. They [Canis Hispaniolus] are still distinguished by the name of English Spaniels.
1833. W. H. Maxwell, Field Bk., 497. King Charles’s spaniel, Can[is] brevipilis. Ibid. The hunting spaniel or cocker…, Can[is] index. Ibid. The Alpine spaniel.
1845. Youatt, Dog, 44. The King Charles’s Spaniel, so called from the fondness of Charles II. for it,… belongs likewise to the cockers. Ibid., 45. The Norfolk Spaniel. Ibid., The Blenheim Spaniel. Ibid., 51. The Alpine Spaniel, or Bernardine Dog, is a breed almost peculiar to the Alps.
1894. Daily News, 11 April, 6/4. There are the usual number of King Charles, ruby spaniels, and Italian greyhounds.
† c. In allusive use. Obs.
1553. Respublica (Brandl), I. iii. 187. Adul[acio]. Doe but whistle for me, and I comme foorth with all…. Avar[icia]. Yt is myne owne good spaignell Rigg.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., II. iii. (Arb.), 36. Ye shall see hir glide and swimme, Not lumperdee clumperdee like our spaniell Rig.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, 43. Fate is a spaniel that you cannot beate from you.
1605. 1st Pt. Jeronimo, I. iii. 1. Come, my soules spaniell, my lifes ietty substance, Whats thy name?
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., V. iii. 126. You play the Spaniell, And thinke with wagging of your tongue to win me.
2. fig. a. One who pries into, or searches out, something.
1562. Pilkington, Expos. Abdyas, 56. The papistes … be diligent spayniels to seek al wayes possible to set up that vyle podell of idolatrie.
1646. Quarles, Sheph. Oracles, Egl. iv. 45.
| These are the generous Spaniels that retrive | |
| Imperiall Crownes, and swallow Kings alive. |
1647. Cleveland, Char. Lond.-Diurn., 2. Suteable to their plots are their Informers; Skippers and Taylours; Spaniells both for the Land and the Water.
b. A submissive, cringing or fawning person.
1592. Nobody & Someb., in Simpson, Sch. Shaks. (1878), I. 315. Time was, base spaniell, thou didst fawne as much On me, as now thou strivest to flatter her.
1598. Barnfield, Compl. Poetrie, Poems (Arb.), 102. And herein happie, I areade the poore; No flattring Spanyels fawne on them for meate.
1600. Heywood, 1st Pt. Edw. IV., I. i. I, I, you are the Spaniels of the court.
1848. Dickens, Dombey, xlvi. Have you nothing, Spaniel, to complain of in him?
1852. Whittier, Astræa, iii. Perish shall all which makes A spaniel of the man!
3. attrib. and Comb., as spaniel bitch, dog, group, etc.; spaniel-like adj. and adv.; spanielship, a state of mean or fawning submission.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. A *Spaniel-bitch.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxvii. A black spaniel bitch.
c. 1620. Z. Boyd, Zion’s Flowers (1855), 25. The *spaniel dog he loves his Masters eye.
1694. Acc. Sev. Late Voy. (1711), I. 17. They were as big as an ordinary Spaniel-dog.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xi. A little French spaniel dog sat beside them.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, I. viii. Little Beatrix … sat at the farther end of the room … playing with a spaniel dog.
1840. Blaine, Encycl. Rural Sports, § 2538. The *spaniel group includes the setter, the common spaniel, the Newfoundland dog, and the retriever.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xvi. Of the *Spaynell Houndes.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., IV. ii. 14. Yet (*Spaniel-like) the more she spurnes my loue, The more it … fawneth on her still.
1834. Tait’s Mag., I. 385/2. The mere spaniel-like instinct of obedience.
1833. W. H. Maxwell, Field Bk., 497. The name of the *spaniel race.
1832. Carlyle, Misc. (1872), IV. 77. His devout Discipleship seemed nothing more than a mean *Spanielship.
b. Passing into adj. in the sense ‘meanly submissive, cringing, fawning,’ etc.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., III. i. 43. Low-crooked-curtsies, and base Spaniell fawning.
1606. Dekker, Double P. P., Wks. (Grosart), II. 172. He … can Creepe into credit,… And (by his Spaniell-fawning) saue his neck.
1681. Dryden, Epil. to Lee’s P’cess Cleves, 13. The Spaniel Lover, like a sneaking Fop, Lies at our Feet.
1796. Southey, Hymn to Penates, Poet. Wks. 1837, II. 277. A spaniel race That lick the hand that beats them, or tear all Alike in frenzy.
1875. Tennyson, Q. Mary, III. iii. These spaniel-Spaniard English of the time.
