[f. prec. + -AN.]
A. sb. One of the aboriginal natives or inhabitants of Virginia.
1588. Hariot, Brief Rep. Virginia, B 1 b. [If mulberry trees are planted] there will rise as greate profite in time to the Virginians, as … doth now to the Persians.
1607–12. in Capt. Smith, Wks. (Arb.), 79. Of the manner of the Virginians governement.
1619. Middleton, Love & Antiq., in Bullen, O. Pl., VII. 321. The civilly instructed Irishman, and that kind savage the Virginian.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 209. The Brasilians, and Virginians, and other Natives of America.
1859. Thackeray, Virginians, xl. A young savage Iroquois, Choctaw, or Virginian, who has lately been making a little noise in our quarter of the globe.
b. A white settler in Virginia; a native or inhabitant of the modern State of Virginia.
1797. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XVIII. 659/1. The Virginians who are rich, are in general sensible, polite, and hospitable and of an independent spirit.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVI. 372/2. Parts of the Navigation Laws were deemed highly injurious to the interests of the Virginians.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., III. xiii. 208. Two regiments composed of Pennsylvanians, Marylanders, and Virginians, remained as a garrison.
B. adj. Of, belonging or relating to the State of Virginia; connected with or interested in Virginia.
With the various applications of the adj., cf. the attributive uses of VIRGINIA.
1609–12. in Capt. Smith, Wks. (Arb.), 169. For the honorable and better sort of our Virginian adventurers, I think they vnderstand it as I haue writ it.
1614. Chapman, Masque Inns of Court, A ij. On their heads high sprig’d-feathers, compast in Coronets, like the Virginian Princes they presented.
1781. Ann. Reg., Hist., 46/2. The second line [was composed] of Virginian militia.
a. 1797. H. Walpole, Geo. II. (1822), I. 346. An Indian half king,… who in the Virginian accounts is called a very considerable monarch.
1859. Thackeray, Virginians, vi. The scanty pay and patronage of the Virginian government.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U.S., I. xx. 545. Virginian and Maryland volunteers joined together, and … besieged the fort.
b. In names of plants and trees, as Virginian anemone, azarole, bindweed, cowslip, date plum, dogwood, fir, grape, guelder-rose, hemp, ivy, jasmine, poplar, etc.; † Virginian climber, = MARACOCK; Virginian creeper, = Virginia creeper.
Also Virginian poke, snake-root, spider-wort, stock, sumach, witch-hazel: see the sbs.
1822. Hortus Angl., II. 50. *Virginian Anemone…. Petals green; flower-stalks long; seeds shaggy.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xxi. (1794), 290. *Virginian Azarole has oval leaves wedge-shaped at the base, shining and deeply serrate.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Smilax, Rough *Virginian Bindweed, with a smooth Ivy Leaf, commonly call’d Zarzaparilla. Ibid., s.v. Juniperus, Red *Virginian Cedar. Ibid., The White-berry’d Virginian Cedar.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 660. Juniperus virginiana, the Virginian Red Cedar.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 68/2. The *Virginian Climber;… these Flowers are of a whitish colour, thick spotted with a Peach colour.
1704. Dict. Rust. (1726), Virginian Climber, or Maracac, comes out of the Ground in May with long round winding Stalks.
1856. A. Gray, Man. Bot. (1860), 323. Mertensia Virginica, *Virginian Cowslip or Lungwort.
1882. Garden, 20 May, 352/1. The Virginian Cowslip … attains true development in semi-shady spots.
1856. A. Gray, Man. Bot. (1860), 78. Ampelopsis,… *Virginian Creeper.
1871. H. Macmillan, True Vine, ii. (1872), 41. The Virginian creeper is known to botanists by the generic name of Ampelopsis, derived from its vine-like habit of growth.
1866. Treas. Bot., 411/2. Diospyros virginiana is the *Virginian Date Plum or Persimon, a native of the United States.
1725. Fam. Dict., *Virginian-Dogwood, a Tree of the natural growth of Virginia, about the size of the common Cherry-Tree, blossoming early in the Spring.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Abies, The *Virginian Fir Tree, with small roundish Cones. Ibid., s.v. Vitis, The wild *Virginian Grape.
1829. T. Castle, Introd. Bot., 95, The *Virginian gelder-rose, a common garden shrub, affords a very perfect specimen of this kind of inflorescence.
1829. Loudon, Encycl. Plants, 834. Acnida,… *Virginian Hemp. [Cf. HEMP 5.]
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Hedera, Round-leav’d *Virginian Ivy.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort., Sept., 75. Yellow *Virginian Jasmine.
1882. Garden, 29 April, 297/1. The pure blue of *Virginian Lungwort combines happily with alpine Auriculas.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Acer, The *Virginian flowering Maple was rais’d from Seeds which were brought from Virginia.
1669. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (ed. 3), Aug., 23, Single flowers, Shrub Spiræa, Agnus Castus, the *Virginian Martagon, Malva arborescens.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v., *Virginian-Myrtle, otherwise call’d Candle-Berry-Tree.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXV. 341/2. Tulip-tree, the English name of the Liriodendron tulipifera:… in America, where it is a native, it is also known by the names White wood,… *Virginian Poplar, and the Poplar.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Rubus, The *Virginian Raspberry-bush with black Fruit. Ibid., s.v. Rosa, The Wild *Virginian Rose.
1629. Parkinson, Parad., 444. *Virginian Silke.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., Periploca, Virginian Silk…. The Flower consists of one Leaf.
1860. Chambers’s Encycl., I. 468/1. Asclepias Syriaca, Syrian or Virginian Swallow-wort, sometimes called Virginian Silk, appears to be a native of North America…. It is frequently cultivated in flower-gardens.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1219/1. Virginian Silk, Periploca græca.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Veronica, Tall *Virginian Speedwell, with many Spikes and white Flowers.
1829. Loudon, Encycl. Pl. (1839), 196. Asclepias syriaca. *Virginian Swallow-wort.
1860. [see Virginian silk above].
1842. Penny Cycl., XXIV. 217/2. T. Virginiana, the *Virginian Tephrosia,… is a handsome plant with reddish flowers.
1844. Stephens, Bk. Farm, I. 393. The cock’s-spurthorn (Cratægus crus galli) and the *Virginian thorn (C. Virginiana) have been proposed.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. iii. 386. There are several other Trees and Shrubs which are now in Flower, as … *Virginian Trumpet-flower, Olives,… Capers.
1640. Howell, Dodona’s Gr., 180. In this *Virginian-Vine, the saying of the wisest of Kings may be verifyed, That a good Wife is a Tree of life.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Vitis, The Virginian Vine or Common Creeper.
1725. Fam. Dict., *Virginian Wild Crab-tree, a Plant that blossoms somewhat like the Apple, but very pleasant to the Smell.
c. In names of birds, quadrupeds, etc., as Virginian colin, deer, nightingale, owl, etc.
1843. Yarrell, Brit. Birds, II. 348. Ortyx Virginiana, *Virginian Colin.
1781. Pennant, Quad., I. 104. *Virginian Deer with slender horns…. A quite distinct species, and peculiar to America.
c. 1880. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., III. 68. The Virginian Deer … is the ‘Common’ Deer of North America, and is slightly smaller than the Fallow Deer. Ibid., 301. The Eagle Owl … and its relative, the *Virginian Eared Owl of America, are the largest of all the family.
1801. Shaw, Gen. Zool., II. I. 155. *Virginian Flying Squirrel. Sciurus Volucella.
1817. Stephens, Ibid., X. I. 153. *Virginian Goatsucker. Caprimulgus virginianus. Ibid. (1809), VII. I. 215. *Virginian Horned Owl. Strix Virginiana.
1668. Charleton, Onomast., 85. Coccothraustes Virginiana,… the *Virginian Nightingale.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. s.v. Nightingale, Virginian Nightingale,… the common, but improper, name of a bird of the gross-beaked kind.
1775. Sheridan, Duenna, II. i. She is a nightingale—a Virginian nightingale.
1896. P. A. Bruce, Econ. Hist. Virginia, I. 119. The cardinal or red bird, which was always described as the Virginian nightingale, on account of the clearness and strength rather than the variety of its notes.
1800. Shaw, Gen. Zool., I. II. 473. Didelphis Virginiana. *Virginian Opossum.
1843. Yarrell, Brit. Birds, II. 348. Perdix Virginiana, *Virginian Partridge.
1884. St. James’ Gaz., 28 April, 6/2. The so-called Virginian partridge … has unaccountably failed to adapt himself to the English climate.
1867. Chambers’s Encycl., IX. 809. *Virginian Quail, or Colin (Ortyx), a genus of birds of the family Tetraonidæ, closely allied to quails and partridges.
c. 1880. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., IV. 144. Some of the American Partridges are familiar to us in this country, such as the Virginian Quail (Ortyx virginianus).
1785. Latham, Gen. Synop. Birds, III. I. 228. Rallus Virginianus, *Virginian Rail. [Hence in Pennant (1792) and Stephens (1824).]
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 19 Sept. 1657. 2 *Virginian rattle-snakes.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1824), II. 71. The grey *Virginian squirrel … is larger than a rabbit, and of a greyish colour.
1783. Latham, Gen. Synop. Birds, II. II. 546. Parus Virginianus, *Virginian Titmouse. [Hence in Pennant (1792) and Stephens (1817).]
d. Miscellaneous uses, as Virginian plate, silver (see quot.) Virginian sea, that part of the Atlantic Ocean lying off the coast of Virginia; † Virginian vapour, tobacco-smoke.
In quot. 1617 (and under VIRGIN sb. 11) Virginian, is an error for Vergivian, an epithet (derived from Ptolemy) of the Irish Sea.
1864. G. L. M. Strauss, etc., Engl. Workshops, 60. This new compound, to which the inventors have given the name of *Virginian plate or Virginian silver, seems, indeed, in every respect admirably adapted to serve as an efficient substitute for the real article.
1612. Capt. Smith, Map of Virginia, Map, The *Virginian Sea.
[1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 156. This famous Iland in the Virginian Sea, is by olde Writers called Ierna,… by the English at this time Ireland.]
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 256/1. On the S. it is bounded by North Carolina and Tennessee,… and on the E. by the Virginian Sea of the Atlantic Ocean.
1631. Lenton, Charact., F 7. He … then liues by *Virginian vapour a week after.
