1. The proper name or distinctive title of a confederacy, federation, or union of States.
In later use freq. construed as a singular.
a. The kingdom or republic of Holland, = the United Provinces (UNITED ppl. a. 4). Also attrib. Now rare or Hist.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 94. The Territory of Utrecht is also associated under the same United States.
c. 1622. Fletcher & Massinger, Barnavelt, V. iii., in Bullen, O. Pl., II. 306. Do you hold the United States so tame to feare him?
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 929. By the publick and private colloquies of the United States people.
1779. Hervey, Nav. Hist., II. 168. The United States, overwhelmed with the expence of the war,… were extremely desirous of an accommodation.
b. The Republic of North America. Abbrev. U.S. or U.S.A. (Cf. STATE sb. 31 c, d, and United Colonies UNITED ppl. a. 4 a.)
1776. The Battle of Brooklyn, I. My dear General, the great, the important day advances; big with the fate of empire, in the united States of America.
1781. J. Adams, Fam. Lett. (1876), 403. You will never have peace while the Britons have a company of soldiers at liberty within the United States.
1781–8. in Bryce, Amer. Commw. (1888), I. 569. The style of this Confederacy shall be, ‘The United States of America.’
1812. Earl of Liverpool, in Examiner, 11 May, 292/2. The United States had assumed a very warlike attitude.
a. 1817. T. Dwight, Trav. New Eng., etc. (1821), I. 18. The United States have been regarded by this class of men as fair game.
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIII. 759/1. The United States … was anxious to establish what Great Britain was not disposed to grant.
attrib. 1840. (title) United States Digest.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVI. 13/2. The officers of the United States navy.
1875. Jevons, Money, xix. 246. The United States government.
c. In other applications (see quots.).
1864. Chambers’s Encycl., VI. 734. New Granada (since 1858 the official designation has been The Granadian Confederation, and since 1862, The United States of Colombia).
1890. Hazell’s Annual, 64/2. That the provinces of Brazil, united by federation, compose the United States of Brazil.
2. The form of English spoken in the United States of North America or regarded as distinctly American. To talk United States, to use strong language, to express oneself forcibly.
1891. E. Roper, By Track & Trail, ix. 134. Most of the ladies spoke decided ‘United States’; one was ‘Dutch,’… and one … had a decided British accent.
1898. Hamblen, Gen. Manager’s Story, x. 134. If he made any disparaging comments … I vowed to myself that I’d talk United States to him if I lost my job by it.
Hence United Statesian a., of or belonging to the United States of America; sb., an inhabitant or citizen of the United States.
Also United Statesman (1850), and, in recent use, United Stateser.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xvii. I’m a United Statesman!
1892. N. & Q., 8th Ser. II. 146/2. To an outsider, say a Frenchman or a United Statesian.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 26 Aug., 3/3. The secret of the American or rather United-Statesian race.
1905. Mary Dillon, In Old Bellaire, xiv. 193. But I am not a Southerner any more. I am a United-Stateser.
