a. and sb. Also 4 Troien, 4–5 Troiane, 4–6 Troyan, 4–7 Troian, 5 Troienne, 6 Troyane, -en(e. [Formerly Troyan, Troian; ad. L. Trōiānus, f. Trōja Troy.
The spelling Troian app. stood originally for Troyan; later it prob. represents Trojan.]
A. adj. Of or pertaining to ancient Troy or its inhabitants.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 825. Antigone … Gan on a troyan lay to syngin clere.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. 8591. For Achilles þouȝt it dide hym good with his swerde Troyan blood to schede.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxv. 91. The troienne folke is alle … descended of the forsworne laomedon.
1574. R. Bristow, Motives (1599), 7 b. The Troian horse.
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, V. 92. Through all the camp Troyene So honord … as he King Priams sonne had bene.
1649. Ogilby, trans. Virgil’s Georgicks, I. (1684), 72. Long since enough we with our Blood did pay What might the Trojan Perjury defray.
a. 1721. Prior, Pallas & Venus, 1. The Trojan Swain had judg’d the great Dispute.
1835. Thirlwall, Greece, I. 149. We … pass … out of the mythical circle … into that of the Trojan war.
B. sb. 1. An inhabitant or native of Troy. (In quot. 1910 used allusively.)
[c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. viii. § 4. Ymb ealra þara Troiana ʓewin to asecʓenne.]
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 158. Of manyon hereknes & sayes, both of Troiens & of Gregeis.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 933, Dido. The hors … Thour which that many troyan [v.r. many a troian] muste sterue.
1503. Hawes, Examp. Virt., vii. To the Troyans story lette hym resort.
1579. E. K., Gloss. Spenser’s Sheph. Cal., July, 147. Paris, who thereupon with a sorte of lustye Troyanes, stole her [Helena].
c. 1620. T. Robinson, Mary Magd., 122. Thousand Hellens faire,… And as many Troians braue.
1835. Thirlwall, Greece, I. 33. The Pelasgians … in the Trojan war … side with the Trojans against the Greeks.
1910. M. G. Kyle, Fundamentals, 3. The Hittites have in one respect been the Trojans of Bible History.
2. colloq. a. A merry or roystering fellow; a boon companion; a person of dissolute life; also (in later use only) as a vague term of commendation or familiarity: a good fellow (often with the alliterative epithet true or trusty). Cf. GREEK sb. 5.
[1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 681. Fellow Hector … Vnlesse you play the honest Troyan, the poore Wench is cast away.]
1600. Kemp, Nine Daies Wond., C ij. He was a kinde good fellow, a true Troyan.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. i. 620. There they say right, and like true Trojans.
1762. Bp. Forbes, Jrnl. (1886), 208. I was most hospitably entertained by that honest old Trojan Mr. Sutherland.
1827. Scott, Surg. Dau., v. None are so scrupulous as I am about making promises. I am as trusty as a Trojan for that.
1888. F. Cowper, Captain of Wight (1889), 84. Eustace, my Trojan, don’t you call me a goose again.
b. A brave or plucky fellow; a person of great energy or endurance: usu. in phr. like a Trojan.
[1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 255. Ȝif we wil mene þat þey [the people of Ilium] beeþ stronge we clepeþ hem Troians.]
1846. Newman, in Ward, Life (1912), I. iii. 114. Working like a Trojan.
1882. Jamieson, Trojan, a name applied to a person of uncommon size, strength, daring, or endurance.
1897. G. Allen, Type-writer Girl, xvii. 179. I worked hard at that gown…. Dear little Elsie helped me with it like a Trojan.
3. Entom. A name given by Linnæus to certain species of butterflies, chiefly tropical, distinguished by crimson spots on the wings from allied species called Greeks.
1832. T. Brown, Bk. Butterflies & M. (1834), I. 142. The Imperial Trojan. Papilio Priamus.
1863. Bates, Nat. Amazon, iii. (1864), 62. Those species of Papilio … so conspicuous in their velvety black, green, and rose-coloured hues, which Linnæus … called ‘Trojans.’
Hence Trojanry (nonce-wd.), body or company of Trojans. See also TROYANISH, TROYISH.
1667. Cotton, Scarron., IV. 135. Dido … Ran … to spie, What was become o’ th’ Trojanry.
