a. Only in literary use. [f. L. symphōnia SYMPHONY + -OUS, after harmonious.]

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  1.  Full of or characterized by ‘symphony’ or harmony of sounds (SYMPHONY 2); sounding pleasantly together or with something else; concordant; harmonious: = HARMONIOUS 2.

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1652.  Benlowes, Theoph., VI. lxix. All, what symphonious breaths inspire, all, what Quick fingers touch.

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1667.  Milton, P. L., VII. 559. The sound Symphonious of ten thousand Harpes, that tun’d Angelic harmonies.

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1757.  Gray, Bard, 119. What strings symphonious tremble in the air!

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1784.  Cowper, Task, IV. 162. The sprightly lyre … And the clear voice symphonious, yet distinct,… Beguile the night.

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1835.  W. Hay, in Blackw. Mag., XXXVIII. 401. Whom the Muse taught to steal … Tones from the lyre symphonious with her own!

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1841.  Hor. Smith, Moneyed Man, I. viii. 226. Listening entranced to the symphonious music of the spheres.

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1865.  Trench, Poems, Prize of Song, v. At that melody symphonious Joy to Nature’s heart was sent.

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  b.  fig. or gen. Marked by ‘symphony’ or agreement (SYMPHONY 3); agreeing, accordant: = HARMONIOUS 1. Const. to, with. Often with direct allusion to prec. sense.)

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1742.  Young, Nt. Th., IV. 617. Future life symphonious to my strain, (That noblest hymn to heav’n).

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1770.  Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), II. 793/2. The word menoikes … signifies what is symphonious to the mind, what soothes its weakness.

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1813.  Shelley, Q. Mab, VI. 41. Of purest spirits, a pure dwelling-place, Symphonious with the planetary spheres.

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1858.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VII. v. (1872), II. 295. Their life was not quite symphonious.

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1878.  Stevenson, Inland Voy., 53. The shadows, the rich lights and the silence, made a symphonious accompaniment about our walk.

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  2.  Sounding together or in concert.

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1816.  T. L. Peacock, Headlong Hall, xi. In conjunction with the symphonious scraping or fiddles.

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1862.  Symonds, in H. F. Brown, Life (1895), I. v. 255. Strange inexplicable chords and combinations of symphonious instruments.

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  3.  Sounded alike: = SYMPHONIC 1 b. rare–1.

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1786.  Pinkerton, Anc. Sc. Poems, I. p. cxliii. Synorthographic and Symphonious Words.

20

  Hence Symphoniously adv., harmoniously.

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1764.  [see MELLIFLUENT].

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1804.  J. Grahame, Sabbath, 78. A thousand notes symphoniously ascend.

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1842.  G. S. Faber, Prov. Lett. (1844), II. 223. [The Church] symphoniously declares … these things, as having only one mouth.

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