Visage sb.

Forms: 4–6 vysage (4 fysage), uisage, 4– visage (4, 5 Sc., wisage, wysage), 5 visache, 6 visadge, 6 Sc. visag (wissag), vissage; 4 vysege, fisege, 5 fyssege; 5 vesage, -ayge, Sc. wesage, 6 Sc. vessage. [a. AF. and OF. (also mod.F.) visage, = Sp. visage, visaje, Pg. visagem, It. visaggio, f. L. vīs-us face (cf. VIS sb.¹): see -AGE.]

  1.  The face, the front part of the head, of a person (rarely of an animal).

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 5887. He hydde hys vysege al þat he myȝt, Out of knowlych of here syȝt.

13[?].  Coer de L., 827. Sche gahchyd herself in the vysage.

c. 1340.  Nominale (Skeat), 14. Forhede, visage, and browes.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 1162. Þe bond þat is fysage was bounde wyþ.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 141. To treten of anotamie of þe visage.

a. 1450.  Mirk’s Festial, 141. Then had þis Vaspasyan … a maledy yn hys vysage.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, ix. 230. They scratched theyr vysages & pulled theyr heeres.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 296. He was sore hurt in the bodye and in the visage.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 144. Vpon the next occasion that we meete, With Visages displayd to talke and greete.

1632.  J. Pory, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. III. 272. One out of the house dischardged haile shot upon Mr. Atturnies sonnes face, which … pitifully mangled his visage.

1653.  W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 297. Rubbing their feet about their visage and head, whence the vulgar usually say at such times, the cat washeth her face.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, IX. 1019. Scalp, face, and shoulders, the keen steel divides; And the shared visage hangs on equal sides.

1715.  Pope, Iliad, II. 331. Shrunk in abject fears, From his vile visage [he] wiped the scalding tears.

1784.  Cook’s Voy., II. IV. i. 273. Sometimes the orator of the canoe would have his face covered with a mask, representing either a human visage, or that of some animal.

1797.  Godwin, Enquirer, I. xii. 108. There are no wrinkles in his visage.

1842.  Borrow, Bible in Spain, vi. The sun burnt my visage, but I heeded it not.

1847.  C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, xxvi. The maniac bellowed: she parted her shaggy locks from her visage.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. v. 41. The ruddy fire-light … lending animation to the visages sketched upon them [sc. the walls] with charcoal.

  † b.  In one’s (or the) visage, in or to one’s face.

1430–40.  Lydg., Bochas, V. x. (1554), 120 b. On a day, the story telleth us, With Affricans and folkes of Chartage, Siphax the Romaines met in the visage.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, I. xi. 61. But euer the xj Kynges and their hooste was euer in the vysage of Arthur.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 18/2. That the moneye … he tooke and dyde with all his prouffyt, and [it] was prevyd in his vysage that [etc.].

1521.  Burgh Rec. Stirling (1887), 12. Frier Wynssent … protestit solemnitly in presens of the saidis ballies, and in the vesiagh [sic] of the haill court, that [etc.].

  2.  The face with reference to the form or proportions of the features.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 18858. O suilk a moder, wel slik a child, Wit fair wisage.

13[?].  K. Alis., 6425 (Laud MS.). Anoþer folk bisiden is, Wiþ brode visage, & pleyn, I wys.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 383. In wysage wes he sumdeill gray.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 110. A not-heed hadde he, with a broun visage.

1422.  Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 228. Tho that haue grete visachys and fleschy bene dysposyd to concupyscence.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 88. With vesage lufly and lang, Body stalwart and strang.

1480.  Caxton, Myrr., I. xiv. 46. They be dyuerse in somme caas or of body or of membres … or of the visage.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, xxiv. 71, I neuer sawe … soo fayre a creture in y^e visage.

1550.  J. Coke, Eng. & Fr. Heralds, § 5. Saynt Gregory … writeth … howe the vysages of Englande resemble more unto aungelles than earthly creatures.

1592.  R. D., Hypnerotomachia, 34 b. With a visage adulterated betwixt a mans and a Goates.

1625.  B. Jonson, Staple News, II. i. Shun. And such a parboil’d visage! Fit. His face looks like a dyer’s apron, just.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, IX. 890. Old Butes’ form he took,… His wrinkled visage, and his hoary hairs.

1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 518, ¶ 9. The intrinsick Worth … is ordinarily calculated from the Cast of his Visage, the Contour of his Person [etc.].

1769.  E. Bancroft, Guiana, 133. The visage of this animal is erect, & pretty much resembles that of the Quato.

1775.  Adair, Amer. Ind., 5. Their faces are tolerably round, contrary to the visage of the others, which inclines much to flatness.

1820.  W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 72. Their visages, too, were peculiar; one had a large head, broad face, and small piggish eyes.

1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola, iii. A visage like mine, looking no fresher than an apple that has stood the winter.

1866.  G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xxxii. (1878), 554. The form of her visage was altered.

  3.  The face or features as expressive of feeling or temperament; the countenance.

1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 308. Boldely þei bed bataile with visage fulle austere.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 307. Ȝif þei froþen bi irose fisege aȝen men þat tellen hem treuþe, noo drede þei froþen heere owen confusion.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 7402. Of her estat she her repented, As her visage represented.

1448.  Hen. VI., Will, in J. W. Clark, Cambridge (1880), 158. As they wol answere before the blessed and dredeful visage of our Lord Jhesu in his … last dome.

c. 1500.  Lancelot, 460. The king stondith heuy cherith, And to the clerkis his visag so apperith, That all thei dred them of the kingis myght.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, lxiv. 221. He was so ouercome with ire…, that his vysage became lyke a flame of fyer.

a. 1547.  Surrey, in Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 29. A visage, stern, and myld: where bothe did grow, vice to contemne, in vertue to reioyce.

a. 1578.  Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), II. 58. Mr. George … without stope of toung ansuering, nocht moveing his continance nor changing his vessage.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., III. i. 90. This outward sainted Deputie, Whose setled visage, and deliberate word Nips youth i’th head.

1652.  C. B. Stapylton, Herodian, XIX. 158. A mighty Bulke he had and Visage grim.

1667.  Milton, P. L., II. 989. Him thus the Anarch old With faultring speech and visage incompos’d, Answer’d.

1728.  Young, Love of Fame, I. 219. Hence aching bosoms wear a visage gay.

1771.  Goldsm., Haunch Venison, 109. A visage so sad, and so pale with affright, Wak’d Priam in drawing his curtains by night.

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., III. iv. His grisled beard and matted hair Obscured a visage of despair.

1834.  Hogg, Domestic Manners Scott (1882), 31. He looked up to me with a visage as stern as that of a judge.

1860.  Motley, Netherlands (1868), I. i. 2. A plodding invalid … with … dreary visage.

  † b.  To make good visage, to appear cheerful or composed; to make oneself pleasant or agreeable to others. Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Shipman’s T., 230. We may wel make cheer and good visage, And dryve forth the world, as it may be.

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 211. A king schal make good visage, That noman knowe of his corage.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 3. There be suche men that lyethe and makithe good visage and countenaunce to women afore hem, that scornithe and mockithe hem in her absence.

1525.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xcix. [xcv.] 291. Than the duke and these two knyghtes rode along their batayle and made good vysage.

  4.  transf. The face or visible side of the sun or moon.

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 109. The Mones cercle so lowe is, Wherof the Sonne out of his stage Ne seth him noght with full visage.

c. 1480.  Henryson, Fables, Fox & Wolf, ii. Hesperous put up his cluddie heid, Schawand his lustie wisage in the sky.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xxxiii. 2. As ȝung Awrora,… In orient schew hir visage paile.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., I. i. 210. To-morrow night when Phœbe doth behold Her siluer uisage, in the wat’ry glasse.

1634.  Milton, Comus, 333. And thou fair Moon … Stoop thy pale visage through an amber cloud, And disinherit Chaos. Ibid. (1667), P. L., V. 419. Earth and the Sea feed Air, the Air those Fires Ethereal, and as lowest first the Moon; Whence in her visage round those spots.

1794.  G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., IV. xxxix. 88. Sometimes she looks full upon us, and her visage is all lustre.

1847.  Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sci. (ed. 2), I. 137, note. Aratus says of the moon,… As still her shifting visage changing turns By her we count the monthly round of morns.

  † b.  The face or surface of the earth. Obs.^–1

c. 1500.  Lancelot, 1374. He distroys by vengance of his suerd The synaris fra the vysagis of the Erde.

  5.  In various figurative uses. (Cf. 7.)

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, V. 899. Dowble wordes slye, Swich as men clepe, ‘a word with two visages.’

c. 1557.  Abp. Parker, Ps. lxxx. 234. Visite thy vyne O Lorde … that it may be reuiued continually by the brighte visage of thy presence.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., III. iii. 47. Whereto serues mercy, But to confront the visage of Offence? Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., I. ii. 266. Beseech your Grace Be plainer with me, let me know my Trespas By it’s owne visage.

1646.  J. Hall, Horæ Vac., 10. To propose his adversaries arguments with their edge blunted; nor … to set them out in more horrid visages then they truly carry.

1818.  Shelley, Eug. Hills, 173. The tattered pall of time, which scarce hides thy [i.e., Venice’s] visage wan.

  † 6.  An image or likeness; a portrait. Obs.

c. 1375.  Cursor M., 1971 (Fair.). I made mon ofter myne awen visage.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 3362 (Dubl.). Whosomeuer in þat ilke hys vysage [v.r. ymage] behaldes, Þe face is to þe foldward þe fete into þe welkyn.

1570–6.  Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 395. This is the lively visage in deede, both of the one and the other.

  7.  An appearance or aspect. † By the first visage, at first sight.

1422.  Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 157. Ofte tymes verite hath a vysage of lesynge, and ofte tymes a lesynge hath a coloure of verile.

1456.  Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 193. As be the first visage it semys that he suld nouthir obey to the tane na to the tothir.

1531.  Elyot, Gov., I. x. To here thinges merueilous and exquisite, whiche hath in it a visage of some thinges incredible.

1692.  Ray, Creation, I. (ed. 2), 103. The sad and melancholick Visage of their Leaves, Flowers and Fruit.

1811.  Pinkerton, Petral., I. 351. Noble serpentine … is generally of a dark leek green, and of an unctuous visage.

1905.  Times, Lit. Supp., 27 Jan., 28/3. Freeman … tries to reconstitute the visage of the towns Pippin … took and the towns he passed by.

  † 8.  An assumed appearance; an outward show; a pretence or semblance. Obs.

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 227. Thing which men nevere afore knewe He broghte up thanne of his taillage, And all was under the visage Of werkes which he made tho.

1524.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., VI. 280. Demonstracions and colorable dealinges … sounding more to a shewe and visage then to any parfite frute.

1534.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., III. Wks. 1211/2. They see him so many times make a great visage of warre, whan he myndeth it not.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., I. i. 50. Others there are Who trym’d in Formes, and visages of Dutie, Keepe yet their hearts attending on themselues.

a. 1684.  Leighton, Comm. 1 Pet. iii. 15. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked.’ He looks through all visages and appearances, in upon the heart.

  † b.  To give a visage, to create an appearance or impression. Obs.

1549.  Bonner in Foxe, A. & M. (1563), 717/1. Lest that they tarieing with such preachers should … gyue a vysage to the encouragement of other. Ibid., 718/1. Your tarieng with him still … shal geue a visage, that there doctrin is tollerable.

  9.  Comb., as visage-burner, -changed adj.

1625.  K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, II. viii. 88. As once in Tyre Pale, guilty, visage chang’d Penthevs appear’d.

1824.  J. Bowring, Batavian Anthol., 158.