Forms: 6 veyne, 6–7 veyn, 7 veine, 7– vein; 6 Sc. vane, 6–7 vaine (Sc. uaine, wayne), 7 vain. [f. prec. Cf. F. veiner in sense 1 b.]
1. trans. † a. Sc. To ornament (a garment, etc.) with narrow stripes of some suitable material. Obs.
1502. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 200. For ij elne wellus to veyne the samyn cote, iiij li. Ibid. (1505), 332. For ane elne wellus to veyn the said cote. Ibid. (1549), IX. 351. Ane elne tannye welwote to vane the said goun.
1654. Burgh Rec. Glasgow (1881), II. 297. Ane covering of grein cloathe uained [printed named] with gallowne lace.
b. To ornament with colored, incised or impressed lines or streaks suggestive of veins. Also with in.
1686. [see VEINING vbl. sb. 1].
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., To vein a Mantle-piece, to paint it Marble-like with Veins.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), II. 25. They often vein it by Art, especially for Gun stocks and such uses, by steeping of filings of Iron in Aqua Fortis.
1755. Johnson, To Marble, v.a., to variegate, or vein like marble.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Vein, to stripe or mottle, to marble, etc.
1895. Rowe, Chip-Carving, 40. In veining in the marginal lines of a box or blotter, a ruler is often of great assistance.
1896. Daily News, 9 June, 9/6. The tinted petals are passed up to another room, where they are ‘veined’ by being squeezed into a sort of mould.
2. refl. To diffuse like a vein. rare–1.
1681. T. Flatman, Heraclitus Ridens, No. 19 (1713), I. 129. This is Vox Populi, this is Plato Redivivus, this is Huntscrap Mr. Petyt,… and indeed veins it self through all the late Pamphlets and Libels.
3. trans. Of things: To extend over or through (something) after the manner of veins.
1807. J. Barlow, Columb., X. 226. Proud Mississippi … Flings forth … Ten thousand watery glades; that, round him curl’d, Vein the broad bosom of the western world.
1844. Mrs. Browning, Drama of Exile, 399. Yon spectacle of cloud Which seals the gate up to the final doom, Is God’s seal manifest…. The unmolten lightnings vein it motionless.
1847. Tennyson, Princ., IV. 522. All the gold That veins the world.
1889. Rider Haggard, Cleopatra, II. x. Half Hercules and half a fool, with a dash of genius veining his folly through.
† 4. intr. To put oneself into a particular ‘vein’ or mood. Also with it. Obs.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng., VI. xxxi. (1612), 154. But her, not coy I found so chast, as saue a kisse or twaine, I nothing got, although in all I vained to her vaine. Ibid. (1592), IX. xlvi. 217. Hence Citizens with Courtiours so do vaine it for the time, That with their paper Ladders they euen stately Castels clyme.
† 5. refl. To injure (oneself) in a vein. Obs.
Cf. self-vein’d in Warner, Albion’s Engl. (1602), X. lix. 263.
1631. G. Markham, Country Contentm. (ed. 4), I. xix. 117. If your Cocke haue in his fight veined himselfe eyther by narrow striking, or other crosse blow, you shall find out the wound.
