v. [a. OF. stellifier, ad. med.L. stellificāre, f. stella star: see -FY.]
1. trans. To transform (a person or thing) into a star or a constellation; to place among the stars.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, 1002. When thou redest poetrie How goddes gonne stellifye Briddes, fisshe, best, or him or here.
c. 1403. Lydg., Temple of Glas, 136. Hou þat she,… Iweddit was to god of eloquence,… And with hir song hov she was magnified With Iubiter to bein Istellified.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., 52. O venus clere! of goddis stellifyit!
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 18835. [He] is in heuene stelleffyed, And with seyntis gloreffyed.
1530. Palsgr., 734/2. The olde panymes for a vayn glory dyd stellyfye their kynges.
a. 1562. G. Cavendish, Poems (1825), 11. 44. O lady most excellent, by vertue stellefied, Assendyng the hevyns, where thou raynest aye.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 278/2. The bishop of Rome … which for his abhominable pride is fallen from heauen … thinketh … to stellifie againe himselfe there from whense he fell.
a. 1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Dog of War, C 2 b. Thou shalt be Stellifide by me, I’le make the Dog-star wayte on thee, And in his roome I’le seate thee.
1873. Ruskin, Fors Clav., xxv. III. 12. The great Charles … therefore deserves to be stellified by British astronomers.
† b. fig. To extol. Obs.
1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 963. I wyll my selfe applye … Yow for to stellyfye.
1595. E. C., Emaricdulfe, Sonn. xxxix. in Lamport Garl. (Roxb.). Thy name, thy honour, and loues puritie, With Stanzas, Layes and Hymnes Ile stellifie.
1644. J. Taylor (Water P.), No Merc. Aulicus, 3. You did most audaciously stellifie the head fire-brand of this Kingdome Iohn Pym.
1721. D’Urfey, Operas, etc. 230. This Lady you have stellify’d, Is my Acquaintance.
† c. To compare to stars. Obs.
1628. Shirley, Witty Fair One, I. (1633), B 3 b. I ha’ knowne him … stellifie their eyes.
† 2. To set with stars, or with something compared to stars. Obs.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 21174. Thys lasse world ys stellefyed Lych hevene, and as the ffyrmament.
1608. Plat, Gard. Eden (1653), 173. The physicall use of this fire is to divide a Cœlum terræ, and then to stellife the same with any animall or vegetable starre.
1616. Drumm. of Hawth., Sonn. ‘Then is She gone.’ With Roses here Shee stellified the Ground.
1650. T. Blount, Estienne’s Art Devises, etc. 86. Sir James Mongomery … had another Devise wherein was depainted the Skie stellified.
1658. Phillips, s.v. Orbe, That without stars is the Primum Mobile, the other are all stellified, either with fixed Stars or Planets.
Hence Stellifying vbl. sb.
a. 1612. Harington, Epigr., I. (1633), 68. They cald this sparing diet, Stellifying.
1634. T. Carew, Coelum Brit. (1640), 258. In the firmament about him, was a troope of fifteene stars, expressing the stellifying of our Brittish Heroes.
1640. W. Crabtrie, in Phil. Trans., XXVII. 280. I must acknowledge you say more for the stellifying of these Solar Obscurities, than I have heard before.
