Forms: 4– violet (6 Sc. violat), 4–7 violett, 5–6 vyolet (5 -ett, wyolet); 5–6 violette (5–6 -ete), vyolette (5 -ytte); 5 vyalett, vielet, 6 vilet, 7–9 vi’let. [In senses 1–2, a. OF. violete, violette (mod.F. violette, = It. violetta, Sp. and Pg. violeta), dim. of viole VIOLA1. In senses 3–4, a. OF. violete, vielete, vilette fem., or violet, vielet, vilet (mod.F. violet) masc., of similar origin.]
1. A plant or flower of the genus Viola, esp. V. odorata, the sweet-smelling violet, growing wild, and cultivated in gardens; the flowers are usually purplish blue, mauve or white. a. In sing. without article or with the.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 3061. Mirie it is in time of June,… Violet & rose flour Woneþ þan in maidens bour.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 261. Of þat hille [the stones] smelleþ swete as violet.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. xxviii. 74. The white lely, the rede rose, the fresshe violet.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 1014. In busshis, treen, & herbis they may fynde Herbe origane, and tyme, and violette.
c. 1480. Henryson, Fables, Lion & Mouse, iii. The rosis reid … and the purpour violat bla.
c. 1530. Crt. of Love, ccvi. Eke eche at other threw the floures bright, The primerose, the violete, and the gold.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 36. There growes … the cowsloppe, the primrose, and the violet.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 700. Underfoot the Violet, Crocus, and Hyacinth with rich inlay Broiderd the ground.
a. 1718. Prior, Garland, i. The Pride of ev’ry Grove I chose, The Violet sweet, and Lilly fair.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xxxi. (1794), 477. Antirrhinum, Fumitory, Violet, Impatiens, and Orchis.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 386. The violet is well known to be coloured by a blue matter which acids change to red.
1855. Kingsley, Heroes, Theseus, I. 199. The meadows [are sweet] with violet.
b. With a and pl.: A single flower, plant or species of this.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., I. met. vi. (1868), 25. Yif þou wilt gadre violettz, ne go þou not to þe purper wode whan þe felde chirkynge agriseþ of colde.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xiv. 160. Here colour is … more browne than the Violettes.
14[?]. Nom., in Wr-Wülcker, 712. Hec viola, a vyolytte.
1483. Cath. Angl., 402/2. A violett, viola.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 352. What man is able to affirme, that he euer sawe the Spring tide without Marche Violettes?
1598. Yong, Diana, 469. Roses and vilets strowing.
1613. Dekker, Strange Horse Race, Ep. Ded. It can bee no shame to gather a Violet, growing close to the ground.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 269. He spoils the Saffron Flow’rs, he sips the Blues Of Vi’lets.
1728–46. Thomson, Spring, 448. Where purple violets lurk With all the lowly children of the shade.
1791. Cowper, Odyss., V. 86. Meadows of softest verdure, purpled o’er With violets.
1811. A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 408. Violets have an agreeable sweet odour, and a very slightly bitter taste.
1880. Bessey, Bot., 551. The genus Viola, the Violets, includes about half of the species of the order.
c. collect. and pl. The plant, or more usually the flowers, pulled or plucked for use in medicine or in making confections.
collect. a. 1400–50. Stockh. Med. MS., 11. For to makyn surripe of violet.
14[?]. Med. Rec., in Rel. Ant., I. 52. For the stane: tak grummel, percel, rede nettil, violet, franken ensens, and chiristane kirnels.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 67. Oile of violette with white of iii. eiren well stired togidre.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 164. The violet is better that is gathered in the morninge.
1811. A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 688. Syrup of Violet.
pl. a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 93. Oile of violettez may be made in þe same maner. Ibid. Oile of violettz.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 164. Violettes make a man to slepe, and they are good for the disease of the vuula.
1563. Hyll, Art Garden. (1593), 83. The Violets ought especially to be gathered in March, and dryed in a shadowey place of the aire.
1631. Jordan, Nat. Bathes, vi. (1669), 41. If Matthiolus his reason were good, then Roses and Violets, and Vinegar should be hot.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 181. Violets … are in every one’s acquaintance, for their Use in Medicine.
1736. Bailey, Housh. Dict., Violets are of a laxative quality, and are us’d medically in syrups, juleps, conserves, oils, &c.
1855. Mayne, Expos. Lex., 539. Iosacchar,… old name for the sugar of violets.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 458. The Violets generally, have been used on the Continent, as demulcent expectorants.
1887. Lady, 20 Jan., 38/3. Small cut-glass dishes of pink and white bon-bons, together with candied violets.
d. fig. (Applied esp. to persons.)
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, III. 4380. Somme also … With Þe lillye of virginite And violettis of parfit chastite, Ascendid ben a-boue þe sterris clere. Ibid. (14[?]), To My Soverain Lady, 96. O violet, O flour desiree, Sith I am for you so amorous [etc.].
c. 1440. York Myst., xxv. 498. Hayll! vyolett, vernand with swete odoure.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., V. ii. 46. Welcome my sonne: who are the Violets now, That strew the greene lap of the new-come Spring?
1842. Tennyson, Will Waterproof, 147. How out of place she makes The violet of a legend blow Among the chops and steaks!
2. With specific epithets: a. Denoting species of Viola, or varieties of the common violet.
The number of these is very large, and only the older or more prominent are illustrated here. Tournefort’s species (53 in all) are enumerated in Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. (1753), II. s.v. Viola; later lists may be found in Loudon, Encycl. Pl. (1829–36), 186 and Johnson, Cottage Gard. Dict. (1852), 912–3. American species are given by Gray, Man. Bot. (1860, etc.) and in recent American dictionaries. See also DOG-VIOLET.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., II. s.v. Viola, The purple *alpine Violet, with very small leaves.
c. 1710. Petiver, Catal. Ray’s Eng. Herbal, Tab. xxxvii. *Bog Violet.
1777. Lightfoot, Flora Scot. (1789), II. 1109. Viola hirta,… *Hairy Violet.
1578–1601. *March Violet [see MARCH sb.2 2 b].
1728. Bradley, Dict. Bot., s.v. Viola, Single March Violets. Ibid., Double March Violets.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Viola, Greater hairy March Violet, without Smell.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Suppl., s.v. Viola, The round-leaved *marsh Violet.
1777. Lightfoot, Flora Scot. (1789), I. 506. Viola palustris,… Marsh Violet.
1657. W. Coles, Adam in Eden, 175. *Mountain Violets with jagged Leaves.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. II. s.v. Viola, The great flowered yellow mountain Violet.
1858. A. Irvine, Handbk. Brit. Plants, 688. Viola lutea, Yellow Mountain Violet, or Yellow Pansy.
1836–. *Neapolitan Violet [see NEAPOLITAN a. b].
1856. Delamer, Fl. Gard. (1861), 106. The *Parma Violet has very light-blue double flowers.
1880. Miss Braddon, Just as I am, xxi. A conservatory all abloom with snowdrops and Parma violets.
c. 1710. Petiver, Catal. Ray’s Eng. Herbal, Tab. xxxvii. Yellow *Rock Violet.
1856. Delamer, Fl. Gard. (1861), 106. Such are the *Russian and the Neapolitan Violets, amongst the singles.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1218/2. Large-flowered simple kinds—e.g., the Russian Violet.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. 148. The *sweete Violet is called … in Latine Viola nigra, Viola purpurea.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xxvi. (1794), 405. The Sweet Violet, that scents the banks, hedges, and borders of woods.
1853. Royle, Mat. Med. (ed. 2), 327. The … Sweet Violet … is found wild on the borders of fields.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Viola, White *sweet-scented Violet.
1831. Davies, Mat. Med., 338. Sweet Scented Violet. Viola odorata.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 705. The vpright Pancie is called … Viola assurgens,… Tricolor, that is to say Straight, or vpright Violet *three coloured.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. II. s.v. Viola, The mountain three coloured Violet, or pansie, with variegated flowers. Ibid., The *tree Violet, with blue and white flowers. Ibid., The yellow-flowered tree Violet.
1851. Glenny, Handbk. Fl. Gard., 164. The tree-violet is a double-flowered, dark variety, which, if kept trained to a single stem, acquires the appearance of a miniature tree.
1846–50. A. Wood, Class-bk. Bot., 178. Viola tricolor. *Tricolored Violet. Pansey. Heart’s-ease.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 700. Viola canina syluestris. Dogs Violets, or *wilde Violets.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Viola, Wild or Dogs Violet.
c. 1710. Petiver, Catal. Ray’s Eng. Herbal, Tab. xxxvii. Hairy *Wood Violet.
1829. Loudon, Encycl. Plants, 186. Viola sylvestris, wood violet.
1903. Westm. Gaz., 19 Feb., 4/2. Such pretty toques of wood violets are coming over from Paris!
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 700. Viola martia lutea. *Yellow Violets.
1657. W. Coles, Adam in Eden, 175. Yellow Violets of Virginia.
1796. Withering, Brit. Pl. (ed. 3), II. 263. Viola lutea. Yellow Violet or Pansies.
b. Applied to plants of other genera, as bulbous, dog’s tooth, false, rock, toothed violet.
See also BOG sb.1 3, CALATHIAN a., CORN sb.1 11, DAME’S VIOLET, GUERNSEY, MARIAN sb.1 2, MERCURY sb. 11, QUEEN sb. 14 c, RAPE sb.5 4, WATER sb.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 120. Viola Bulbosa, or *bulbed Violet…. In English we may call it the *Bulbose Violet.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, liv. 216. White *bulbus violet.
1633. Johnson, Gerarde’s Herbal, I. lxxxviii. 149. Touching the faculties of these bulbous Violets we haue nothing to say.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 66/2. The bulbous Violet;… the Flower hangeth down its head.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 331. Violet, Bulbous, Galanthus.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 835. The Toothed Violet, or after some *Dogs tooth Violet, is commonly called Dentaria.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 331. Violet, Dog’s Tooth, Erythronium.
1846–50. A. Wood, Class-bk. Bot., 253. Dalibarda repens. *False Violet.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1218/2. *Rock Violet, Chroolepus Jolithus.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 85. In number of leaves this floure passeth the *Sea-violet aforesaid, which never exceedeth five.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v., Mr. Chomel particularly distinguishes them into two sorts, viz. the Sea-Violet, or our Lady-Glove, and March-Violets.
1657. W. Coles, Adam in Eden, 333. Some have called the yellow Lupine *Spanish Violets,… and … Virginia Roses.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 833. Of *toothed Violets, or Corallwoorts.
1728. Bradley, Dict. Bot., s.v., Dentaria,… Toothed Violets, and Coral-Wort. Ibid., Bulb-bearing toothed Violet.
3. Cloth, dress or vestments of a violet color.
Not always clearly separable from next.
1380. in Test. Karleol. (1893), 139. j cote de violett.
a. 1400. Sir Degrev., 625. Sche come in a vyolet, With whȝthe perl overfret.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 696. And where be my gounes of scarlet,… Grenes also, and þe fayre violet?
1483. in R. Davies, York Rec. (1843), 142. The aldermen shalbe in vielet & the xxiiijtl in blew.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 523. He was mette with the prouost of ye marchantys with a company of xv. C. horse, ye cytezyns beyng cladde in whyte and vyolette.
c. 1580. in Eng. Hist. Rev., July (1914), 520. In every tene clothes you muste have ij light popengaye grenes, ij light violettes, ij light skye collers, ij azars and ij Blewes.
1598. Stow, Surv., 130. The Maior with … the Aldermen are accustomed to be present in their Violets at Paules, on Good Friday, and in their Scarlets … at the Spittle in the Holy daies (except Wednesday in Violet).
1721. C. King, Brit. Merch., II. 96. What is become of our noble Manufacture of Plunkets, Violets, and Blues, formerly made in Suffolk?
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Engl., x. II. 599. He was well pleased that, in his own palace, an outcast … should, as king of France, dress in violet on days of court mourning.
1889. Pater, G. de Latour (1896), 29. The mass said so solemnly, in violet, on Innocents’ Day.
4. A purplish blue color resembling that of the violet; a pigment or dye of this color.
Partly a substantival use of the adj.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4336. Nouthire to toly ne to taunde transmitte we na vebbis, To vermylion ne violett ne variant littis.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xiv. 160. Here colour is liche Vyolet.
c. 1475. Promp. Parv., 510 (K.). Violet, coloure, violaceus.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xxvii. 284. There are other kindes which they call gilleflowers of the Indies, the which are like to a fine orange tawnie vellet, or a violet.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon. (1642), 367. Of the same stuffe and colour that the Stole was of, that is, of a violet inclining to red.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, IV. ix. (Roxb.), 382/1. Cassocks of fine scarletted murrey (which is violett).
1730. Bailey (fol.), Purple,… a red Colour, bordering on Violet.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), I. 543. More than one Churchman considers violet as the most beautiful of colours, because his Bishop wears it.
1815. Stephens, Shaw’s Gen. Zool., IX. I. 56. The whole plumage is of a beautiful blue green, changing in certain lights to violet.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, II. ii. I think I never saw such a beautiful violet as that of her eyes.
1884. Marq. Dufferin, in Lyall, Life (1905), II. 64. A tremendous thunderstorm had … dyed Olympus and his adjoining peaks with the deepest, blackest violet.
5. a. attrib., in various senses, as violet bank, -bed, breath, crown, family, flower, etc.
Sometimes fig., as violet-virtue, or in fig. context. The city of the Violet Crown, Athens (after Gr. ἰοστέφανοι Ἀθῆναι, used by Pindar and Aristophanes).
1801. Southey, Thalaba, VII. xiii. So on a *violet bank The Arabian Maid laid down, Her soft cheek pillow’d upon moss and flowers.
a. 1822. Shelley, Triumph Life, 72. Violet banks where sweet dreams brood.
1853. Hickie, trans. Aristoph. (Bohn), I. 267. The *violet-bed beside the well.
1862. Meredith, Mod. Love, xl. The *violet breath of maidenhood.
1834. Macaulay, Ess., Pitt (1897), 308. Pitt … loved England, as an Athenian loved the City of the *Violet Crown.
1851. Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., 37. Was the violet crown that crowned thy head So over-large … It slipped down?
1877. Morley, Crit. Misc., Ser. II. 385. A thrill like that which the … sight of the dear city of the Violet Crown moved in an Athenian of old.
1849. Balfour, Man. Bot., § 768. Violaceæ, the *Violet Family.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1539. He castis on a Cape of kastand hewes,… A vestoure to vise on of *violet floures.
1598. Florio, Violina, a little violet flowre.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 147. Of Violet flowers with sugar, there is made a Conserue, and also a Syrupe.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. II. s.v. Viola, Violet flowers, fresh gathered, are emollient, and gently purgative.
1814. Scott, Ld. Isles, VI. ix. When beams the sun through April’s shower, It needs must bloom, the violet flower.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 908. Grape-honey, Bean-honey, Lilly-honey, *Violet-honey, &c.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., Populeum,… an Unguent prepared of the Buds of black Poplar, *Violet Leaves, Navel-wort [etc.].
1857. Henfrey, Bot., § 416. Violaceæ. The *Violet Order.
1822. Shelley, Chas. I., I. 46. Nor leave the broad … and beaten road … For the *violet paths of pleasure.
1611. Cotgr., Violier,… a *Violet root or plant.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Oil, Palm Oil [is] … a thick unctuous Liquor, of a yellow Colour, and a *Violet-smell.
1804. Med. Jrnl., XII. 230. The flowers have a violet smell.
a. 1814. Intrigues of a Day, I. i., in New Brit. Theatre, I. 76. That may soon be washed away. Only a little milk of roses, or *violet soap, and all will be well.
1828. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. III. (1863), 117. Here I used to come almost every morning, during the *violet-tide.
1862. Goulburn, Pers. Relig., II. iv. I. 261. Here is the bosom-adder of vanity coiled up in the *violet-tuft of humility.
1628. Feltham, Resolves, II. vi. 12. It may seeme strange … that such a poore *violet Vertue [sc. humility] should euer dwell with Honour.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 125. If there be neede of cooling with Rose, or *Violet-water and Sugar.
b. In adj. combs., chiefly instrumental, as violet-crowned, -embroidered, -garlanded, -inwoven, -scented; also violet-hued, -like, -sweet.
1837. B. D. Walsh, Aristoph., Acharnians, II. vi. The envoys…, in order to cheat your Assemblies, Would call you all *‘violet-crowned.’
1869. A. R. Wallace, Malay Archip., I. 366. A beautiful violet-crowned dove.
1637. Milton, Comus, 233. In the *violet imbroider’d vale Where the love-lorn Nightingale Nightly to thee her sad Song mourneth well.
1836–48. B. D. Walsh, Aristoph., Knights, V. i. He is dwelling now in ancient and fair and *violet-garlanded Athens.
1867. Miss Braddon, R. Godwin, i. There were no tears in the large *violet-hued eyes.
1820. Shelley, Prometh. Unb., IV. 197. Two runnels of a rivulet, Between the close moss *violet-inwoven, Have made their path of melody.
1825. Greenhouse Comp., I. 107. Purple *violet-like flowers on coriaceous roundish leaves.
1840. Mrs. Norton, Dream, i. 238. The *violet-scented lanes—the warm south-wall.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, xii. An afternoon in which destiny … poisons us with violet-scented breath.
1851. Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., I. 411. Like some new bee-swarm leaving the old hive, Despite the wax … so *violet-sweet.
c. With vbl. sbs., as violet farming, -plucking, -poisoning, setting.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb. (1896), 268. Violette settyng, in Feuerer.
1833. T. Hook, Parson’s Dau., I. i. Daisy-picking and violet-plucking [were now] the only pursuits she really loved.
1896. Westm. Gaz., 28 Oct., 8/2. The above case of violet-poisoning.
1902. Daily Chron., 17 July, 6/3. Rose culture, violet farming, bee-keeping, or poultry rearing.
6. Special Combs.: † violet-apple, a violet-scented sort of apple; violet-blind a., color-blind as regards the violet rays of the spectrum; hence violet-blindness; † violet-pear, a violet-scented sort of pear; violet-powder, a variety of toilet-powder; hence violet-powder vb.; † violet tables, lozenges made from violets and sugar; violet tree (?); violet-wood, (a) kingwood; (b) the wood of the Australian Acacia pendula; (c) the wood of Andira violacea, a tree of Guiana; violetworts, Lindley’s name for the Violaceæ.
1664. in Evelyn, Pomona, 47. Herefordshire affords several sorts of Cider-apples, as … the Gennet-moyle, the Summer-*violet or Fillet, and the Winter-fillet.
1676. Worlidge, Cyder, 163. The Violet-Apple is of a most delicate aromatick taste.
1894. Abney, Colour Vision (1895), 70. The kind of colour that these colour blind imagine as white, whether they be red-, green-, or *violet-blind. Ibid., 73. So far I have only met with what appears to be one genuine case of *violet blindness.
1683. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (ed. 7), 104. *Violet-pear, Petworth-pear, otherwise called the Winter-Windsor.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Violet-powder, powdered starch or flour scented, used … to powder the skin.
1859. Habits of Gd. Society, i. 114. The use of violet-powder after shaving, now very common…, is one that should be avoided.
1876. Miss Broughton, Joan, vi. She has, however, violet-powdered her fresh cheeks.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 147. There is … made of Violets and Sugar, certaine Plates, called *Violet Tables, which are very pleasant to the taste.
1878. H. M. Stanley, Dark Cont., II. ix. 281. You may also see here [sc. Barundu] the Strelitza vagina, or the wild banana, or the *violet-tree, and the oil-berry tree.
1698. T. Froger, Voy., 129. Letter-wood (as they call it) and that of *Violet,… are very common in that country.
1843. Holtzapffel, Turning, I. 89. King-wood, called also Violet-wood, is imported from the Brazils.
1852. [see MYALL2].
1866. Treas. Bot., 1218/2.
1846. Lindley, Veg. Kingd., 338. The *Violet-worts are distinctly defined by their definite stamens.
