verb. (old colloquial: now recognised).—To flirt; TO SPOON (q.v.); to wanton: of both sexes. Hence, as subs. (or PHILANDERER) = a lover: specifically a dangler after women.
1619. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Laws of Candy. Dramatis Personæ. PHILANDER, Prince of Cyprus, passionately in love with Erota.
1700. CONGREVE, The Way of the World, v. 1. I’ll couple you; I’ll baste you together, you and your PHILANDER.
1709. STEELE, Tatler, 10 May. PHILANDER … the most skilful of all men in an address to women.
1749. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 113. Tired of waiting … she had gone back … and the happy moment of PHILANDERING was over. Ibid., 364. In a PHILANDERING tone of voice.
1800. EDGEWORTH, Castle Rackrent, II. Sir Kit was too much taken up PHILANDERING to consider the law in this case.
1827. BULWER-LYTTON, Pelham, iii. Sir Lionell Garrett … the favourite of the old ladies, the PHILANDER of the young.
1852. THACKERAY, Esmond, III. iv. ’Tis no question of sighing and PHILANDERING between a nobleman of his Grace’s age and a girl who hath little of that softness in her nature.
1857. C. KINGSLEY, Two Years Ago, xix. A phenomenon which … perturbed … the spirits not only of the Oxford PHILANDERERS, but also those of Elsley Vavasour.
1873. F. HALL, Modern English, 274. Who, in Queen Anne’s time, ever heard … of the verbs cede, olden, PHILANDER? [Note. This verb, not impossibly, did not see the light till after Mr. Thackeray (b. 1812) himself.]
1876. G. ELIOT, Daniel Deronda, xxv. You can’t go PHILANDERING after her again for six weeks.
