a. and sb. Also 6 Tuskan(e, Thuscane, 6–7 Tuscane, 6–8 Thuscan; 6 Toscane, Thoscan, -kan, 7 Toscan. [= F. Tuscan, -ane, It. Toscano, ad. late L. Tuscān-us of or belonging to the Tuscī or Thuscī, a people of ancient Italy (called also Etruscī Etruscans), pl. of Tuscus adj. and sb., an ethnic name.]
A. adj. a. In reference to ancient times = ETRUSCAN a. b. Of or pertaining to Tuscany, formerly a grand duchy, having Florence as its capital; now a part of the kingdom of Italy, nearly corresponding to the ancient Etruria.
a. 1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. xii. 3. The Tuscane Dukis and horsmen.
1552. Huloet, Tuskan tongue or language.
1587. W. Fowler, Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 100. Also Horatius that did alone defend the bridge aganis the Thoskan force.
1600. Holland, Pliny, IX. 340. He was taught the Tuscane learning and knowledge.
1649. Ogilby, Virg. Georg., I. (1684), 72. Great Vesta, Romulus, and Patriot Gods, Who guard Imperial Rome, and Tuscan Floods.
1706. Smith, in Hearne, Collect., 14 Dec. (O.H.S.), I. 312. The old Thuscan language.
1843. Macaulay, Horatius, xxxv. The Tuscan army, Right glorious to behold.
b. 1588. Kyd, Househ. Phil., Wks. (1901), 263. Therefore was it well sayde of that Thoscan Poet [Petrarch].
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Italian, The Tuscan is usually preferred to the other Dialects.
1841. W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., II. 171. All the Tuscan towns yield in interest to the classic city [Florence] which became their chief.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Art, Wks. (Bohn), I. 149. The pictures of the Tuscan and Venetian Masters.
1886. Pater, Appreciations (1890), 158. The delicate … sculpture of the early Tuscan school.
c. Arch. Name of the simplest and rudest of the five classical orders of architecture; allied to the Doric (of which it is by many considered a simpler form), but devoid of all ornament; belonging to this order, as a Tuscan pillar.
1563. Shute, Archit., C iv. I haue more at large spoken of this matter in the ending of the Tuscan piller.
1624. Wotton, Archit., I. in Reliq. (1651), 228. The Tuscan is a plain, massie, rurall Pillar, resembling some sturdy well-limb’d Labourer, homely clad. Ibid., 230. The Tuscan is of all the rudest Pillar, and his Principall Character Simplicity.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Of all the Orders, the Tuscan is the most easily executed; as having neither Triglyphs nor Dentils, nor Modillions to confine its Intercolumns.
1801. Ranken, Hist. France, I. I. v. 446. The Tuscan was more robust and unadorned than any of these orders [Doric, Ionian, and Corinthian].
1851. Ruskin, Stones Venice, I. App. vii. 359. Another order, called Tuscan (which is no order at all, but a spoiled Doric).
d. Applied to a method of plaiting the fine wheaten straw grown in Tuscany for hats, bonnets, etc.; also to the golden yellow color of this. Cf. LEGHORN 1.
1834. McCulloch, Dict. Comm. (ed. 2), 629. The Tuscan plait … largely imported, and made up into bonnets in this country.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXIII. 222/2. Men … employed in drabbets and Tuscan plait at Haverhill [Suffolk].
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 504. Tuscan straw work, finely plaited straw of wheat, having a delicate and slender stalk, and golden hue; growing in Tuscany, and manufactured into circular ‘flats,’ for hat and bonnet.
1887. Daily News, 11 Jan., 3/1. Tiring of that novelty the public called for other colours, and tuscan, apricot, coffee, and beige followed in quick succession.
B. sb. a. = ETRUSCAN sb. b. A native or inhabitant of mediæval or modern Tuscany.
a. 1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 435. Eneas afterward was kyng of eiþer kyngdom of Latyns and of Tuscans. Ibid., III. 159. He ouercame þe Vulces … and made pees wiþ Tuscans.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IV. 149. He knyt hym to þe Tuskanys, And warrayide wiþe þaim þe Romanys.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. xx. (S.T.S.), 117. King tarquyne … renewit þe bond of confederacion with tuskanis.
1600. Holland, Livy, IX. 340. The Romanes having slaine many thousands of the Tuscanes, gained thirtie eight ensignes of the field.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1851), I. 158/2. The Gauls expelled the Tuscans.
1843. Macaulay, Horatius, xliii. He eyed the flinching Tuscans, And scorn was in his eye.
b. 1633. Massinger, Guardian, II. v. The lusty girl of France, the sober German,… The Roman libertine, and sprightful Tuscan.
c. The language of Tuscany, regarded as the classical form of Italian.
1568. (title) The Fearfull Fansies of the Florentine Couper: Written in Toscane, by Iohn Baptista Gelli … and … translated into English by W. B[arker].
1671. J. Gailhard, Pres. St. Italy (ed. 2), 173. The right Italian language, or Toscan, as they usually call it, is very Sententious.
1817. Byron, Beppo, xxxi. He knew … French and Tuscan.
1906. Hibbert Jrnl., April, 583. Their language is the purest Tuscan of the golden age of the Italian Vernacular.
C. Comb., as Tuscan-colored adj. (of the color of Tuscan straw: see A. d), -like adj. or adv.; † Tuscan-top, applied sarcastically to a style of hair-dressing.
1581. Pettie, Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., II. (1586), 65. If it be lawfull for me to write Tuscane like, why … not … likewise … to speake Tuscane like?
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, III. i. These high gable-ends, these tuscane-tops.
1881. Evening Star (D.C.), 5 Nov., 6/1. The close-fitting sleeves only reached the elbow, where they ended in double frills of Tuscan colored Spanish lace.
1905. Westm. Gaz., 8 March, 8/2. Such a hat would be very dainty in a … Tuscan-coloured straw with Saxe blue ribbon velvet.
Hence † Tuscanic a. [ad. L. Tuscānic-us] = sense A. c; Tuscanish a. = sense A. b; Tuscanism, Tuscan style or character; a Tuscan idiom or phrase; Tuscanize v., (a) intr. to become Tuscan; (b) trans. to make Tuscan; (c) intr. to speak in the Italian of Florence or Tuscany.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXXVI. xxiii. II. 595. Such pillars as beare in compasse…, as much as … the sixt part of the height, be called Dorique:… such as have a seventh part, be *Tuscanique.
1580. G. Harvey, Lett. to Spenser, Wks. (Grosart), I. 84. Not a looke but [is] *Tuscanish alwayes. Ibid. Since Galateo came in, and *Tuscanisme gan vsurpe. Ibid. (1593), Pierce’s Super., ibid., II. 19. The glory of our English Eloquence, and our vulgar Tuscanisme (if I may so terme it).
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, Wks. (Grosart), III. 90. He would needs crosse the seas to fetch home two penniworth of Tuscanisme.
1906. Athenæum, 2 June, 664/3. The Tuscanism ‘si domanda.’
a. 1618. Sylvester, Epistles, vii. 13. When every thing now *Tuskanizeth so, That nothing is the same it is in show.
1768. Baretti, Mann. & Cust. Italy, I. 161. His language is the most nauseous medley … taken from several of the Italian dialects, and tuscanized in a most ridiculous manner.
1905. Athenæum, 8 April, 431/1. The Genoese who blames his Tuscanizing friend for saying ‘arimmetica’ in place of aritemetica.
