Forms: α. 4–6 volym, 5 volom, 5–8 volum (5–6 vollum, 5 Sc. wolum). β. 5 volyme, velome, volome, 5– volume (6 Sc. wollume). γ. 7 volumne, 7–9 volumn. [a. OF. volum, volume, volumme (F. volume, = It. and Pg. volume, Sp. volumen), ad. L. volūmen coil, wreath, roll, etc., f. volvĕre to roll. The chief senses of the English word also exist in French.]
I. 1. Hist. A roll of parchment, papyrus, etc., containing written matter; a literary work, or part of one, recorded or preserved in this form, which was customary in ancient times. Also fig.
1382. Wyclif, Deut. xvii. 18. He shal discriue to hym a declaracioun of this lawe in a volym.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 27. He expownede Ypocras his bookes as it were, and … also he made meny veleyns [v.rr. volyms, volums] of his owne.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, vi. (1592), 65. Hee wrote sixe and thirtie thousand, fiue hundred, and fiue and twentie Volumes, that is to say, Rolles of paper, as Iamblichus reporteth.
1611. Bible, Ps. xl. 7. In the volume of the booke it is written of me.
1623. Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. Test., Esdras. Esdras the Scribe wrote a volume, how the people returned from Chaldea to Jury.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., I. Sel. Wks. 1898, II. 166. In history a great volume is unrolled for our instruction.
1865. J. Hannett, Bibliopegia, 23. Two strings…, attached to the last sheet or cover of the volume, round which, when it was rolled up, they were fastened.
1881. G. W. Moon, King’s English, II. 99. The rolls, or volumes, were composed of several sheets, fastened to each other, and rolled upon a stick; the whole making a kind of cylinder, which was to be managed by the stick, as a handle.
† b. A roll or scroll containing a legal document, Obs.–1
1530. Will T. Broke, Ld. Cobham (Somerset Ho.). This my present testament and laste will in two volumes.
2. A collection of written or printed sheets bound together so as to form a book; a tome.
α. c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 61. Men algatis don worse now, for in stede of philateries men maken gret volyms of newe lawes.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 15. Þat þey mowe be enformed by þis schort tretys, þat haueþ nouȝt i-seie þe grete volyms and large, þat beeþ of stories i-write.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IV. Prol. 25. I haf set me … to tret in þis wolum Qwhen biggit was be Romule Rome.
1445–50. Metham, Wks. (1916), 157. I rede in elde volummys this matere subsequent.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, Wks. 1874, IV. 223. Virgillis volum of hir sonne Enee.
1590. Lydgate’s Serpent of Division, Concl. C iv. Thus by the large writings and golden vollums of that woorthye Chaucer, the froward Dame of Chaunce hath no respecte of persons.
1651. Burton’s Anat. Mel. (ed. 6), III. iv. II. i. 692. To describe them in particular … would require a just volum.
1652. Culpepper, Eng. Physic., 180. It being sufficient for a Volum by itself to speak fully of them.
1698. Keill, Exam. Th. Earth (1734), 19. Mr. Erasmus Warren, who has wrote the greatest Volum against it.
1700. Maidwell, in Collectanea (O.H.S.), I. 313. Never to be bound up in the last volum.
β. c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 681. Ouides Art and bookes many on And alle thise were bounden in o volume [v.rr. volome, velome].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 512/1. Volyme, booke, volumen.
1480. Caxton, Myrr., III. xii. 160. Boece … compiled in his lyf plente of fair volumes aourned of hye and noble philosophye.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VI. (1811), 445. Of his notable dedis myght I make a great volume.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 278. It wolde requyre rather a hole volume then a booke.
1594. Southwell, St. Peters Complaint (1602), 15. Sweet volumes stoard with learning fit for Saints.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. vi. § 16. You erre not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God: laying before vs two Bookes or Volumes to studie, if we will be secured from errour.
1646. Crashaw, Poems (1858), 61. Lo, here a little volume, but great book!
1691. Hartcliffe, Virtues, 225. The Lawyers … in those infinite and immense Volumes, which they have written.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 170. It would take up a larger Volume than this whole Work is intended to be, to set down all the Contrivances I hatch’d.
1769. Junius Lett., xx. (1788), 115. The writer of the volume in question meets me upon my own ground.
1808. Med. Jrnl., XIX. 109. The great number of pages, I might perhaps say, volumes, which have been written on the subject.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 394. The shops of the great booksellers … were crowded … and a known customer was often permitted to carry a volume home.
1893. Bookman, June, 85/2. Some writers would have gathered their fugitive pieces into volumes and called them books.
γ. 1648. Pagitt, Heresiogr. (ed. 4), Ep. Ded. A Uolumn wil hardly contain the hurt that these Sectaries have … done to this poore Church.
1649. J. H., Motion to Parl., 10. The best man upon earth … did so many things as all the Volumnes in the world could scarce containe.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 211. He cannot answer without reading over eight or ten large Volumns in Folio.
1693. South, Serm., Rom. i. 32, 288. In every volumn there is a nursery … of vice.
b. The sacred volume, the Bible. The Christian volume, the New Testament.
1785. Burns, Cotter’s Sat. Nt., xv. Perhaps the Christian Volume is the theme.
1850. Forshall & Madden, Wycliffite Bible, I. Pref. p. iii. Aelfric … added greatly to the knowledge of the sacred volume [among the Anglo-Saxons].
1860. Brief Mem. Eliz. Fry, 60. Fifty copies of the entire Sacred Volume, and twenty-five New Testaments, were promptly forwarded for her use.
3. fig. Something that in character or nature is comparable to a book; esp. something that may be studied after the manner of a book.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. iii. 81. This night you shall … Read ore the volume of young Paris face, And find delight, writ there with Beauties pen. Ibid. (1593), Rich. II., I. iv. 18. Would the word Farwell haue lengthen’d houres, He should haue had a volume of Farwels.
1605. Timme, Quersit., Ded. p. iii. This philosophy natural, both speculatiue and actiue, is not only to be found in the volume of nature.
1638. R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. II.), 19. The publick prosperities would be less deare unto me if yours were not bound up in one volume with them.
1663. Sir G. Mackenzie, Religio Stoici, 96. It is as strange that man, having that huge volumn of the Creation to revolve [etc.].
1709. Prior, Carm. Sec., 338. Be kind, and with a milder Hand, Closing the Volume of the finish’d Age,… A more delightful Leaf expand.
1814. Byron, Lara, I. ix. Books, for his volume heretofore was Man, With eye more curious he appear’d to scan.
1869. Farrar, Fam. Speech, i. 7. Thought which so completely permeates the whole of language as to render it one vast volume of compressed allegories.
b. In the phrase to speak (also express, tell) volumes, to be highly expressive or significant.
1808. Aurora Gen. Advertiser, 15 June, 2/2. The letter of Pickering speaks volumes.
1810. Shelley, Zastrozzi, iv. Pr. Wks. 1888, I. 23. A pause ensued, during which the eyes of Zastrozzi and Matilda spoke volumes to each guilty soul.
1833. Whittier, Abolitionists, Pr. Wks. 1889, III. 86. The late noble example of the eloquent statesman … speaks volumes to his political friends.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), I. vi. 444. Something which speaks volumes in favour of the King.
1891. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Lumley, xv. Mrs. Jock’s tone expressed volumes.
4. A separately bound portion or division of a work; one of two or more portions into which a work of some size is divided with a view to separate binding; one of a number of books forming a related set or series.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. 322/2. Thus endeth the first volume of sir Johan Froissart: of the cronycles of England, Fraunce, Spayne [etc.].
1549. Coverdale (title), The second tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the newe testament.
1684. Scanderbeg Rediv., vi. 155. To Attempt his Character would require another Volumne.
1706. London & Wise (title), The Retir’d Gard’ner. In Two Volumes. Ibid., To this Volume is added [etc.].
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 11. I have given, in the advertisement to my first Volume, the origin of this error.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, etc., i. 4. When the first volumes of Tristram Shandy appeared.
1855. Poultry Chron., III. 555/1. The ‘Poultry Chronicle,’ in its present form, being now complete in three volumes, those who wish to complete their copies, are requested to apply immediately to the Publishers.
5. attrib. and Comb., as volume form, -swollen, -trophied adj.
a. 1661. Holyday, Juvenal (1673), 1. Mighty Telephus … Or volume-swolne Orestes, that does fill The margin of an ample book.
1831. Howitt, Seasons (1837), 325. The lamp lights the volume-trophied wall.
1880. Gentl. Mag., CCXLVI. 80. A volume Hansard is still published at the end of the session.
1897. Daily News, 13 May, 6/2. Mr. Nimmo … will publish the whole series immediately in volume form.
II. † 6. Size, bulk or dimensions (of a book).
1530. Palsgr., 285/2. Volym for the largenesse of a boke, uolume.
1555. in Lydgate’s Chron. Troy, A vi/1. After he had wryt his booke to the iuste volume, filled then the mergentes and outwarde sydes with his madnes.
1577. Vicary’s Anat., To Rdr. And albeit this Treatise be small in Volume, yet in commoditie it is great and profitable.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., iv. (1627), 30. The fittest volume for their writing booke is, to haue them in quarto.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 254. The Alcoran or Bible … is in volume twice so big as the Psalmes of David.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxii. ¶ 7. There are four Volumns in use that are differently Imposed, viz. Folio, Quarto, Octavo and Twelves…. The places of these pages for all Volumns the Compositer has always in his memory.
† b. In phr. of the largest volume, with reference to copies of the Bible. Obs.
1538. Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), II. 152. That ye shall prouide … one boke of the hole bible of the largest volume in english.
1540. (title) The Byble in Englyshe of the largest and greatest volume.
1569. Parkhurst, Injunct., A iv. 3. Item, whether you haue in your Churche a Bible, of the largest volume.
1605. Min. Archdeaconry Colchester (MS.), fol. 183. They want the saulter, the byble of the largest volume.
a. 1629. Hinde, J. Bruen, xl. (1641), 123. He set up … two goodly faire Bibles of the best Edition, and largest Volume (as then they were Printed).
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Bible, Cranmer’s Bible … was printed by Grafton, of the largest volume, and published in 1540.
7. A particular bulk, mass or quantity as an attribute of a thing. Also fig.
1621. Quarles, Div. Poems, Esther (1638), 101. So shall his people euen as well as He Princes (though in a lesser volume) be.
a. 1668. Lassels, Voy. Italy (1698), II. 31. It [the great hall] is beautified with rare pictures in a great volume.
1815. Shelley, Alastor, 540. The stream, that with a larger volume now Rolled through the labyrinthine dell.
1862. Spencer, First Princ., II. iv. § 52 (1875), 173. Certain gases, which, in assuming a larger volume, have caused the explosion.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea, I. 376. The torrent had so great a volume that it was worthy to be turned against a foreign State.
b. concr. A quantity or mass (esp. a large one) regarded as matter occupying space. Also fig.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., IV. § 98. It was now evident enough … what Use they would make upon occasions, of those Volumes of Votes they had often poured out upon all accidental Debates.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 331. The prodigious volumes of water which have from the beginning of the world been falling into [the ocean].
1806. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life, II. xviii. Volume upon volume of black, heavy clouds suddenly rising.
1833. Macaulay, Ess., Walpole (1897), 272. Every noble sharper whose vast volume of wig and infinite length of riband had figured at the dressing.
1863. Lyell, Antiq. Man, 32. Both in England and Ireland … bogs have burst, and sent forth great volumes of black mud.
1871. B. Stewart, Heat (ed. 2), § 24. The volume of mercury in the stem of a thermometer.
c. Chem. A determinate quantity or amount, in terms of bulk, of any substance.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 65. Solids differ in degrees of hardness, in color, in density, or in the weight afforded by equal volumes.
1820. Faraday, Exp. Res. (1859), 51. A mixture of equal volumes of oxygen and hydrogen was made, and two volumes of it detonated … by the electric spark.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., 316. 1 equivalent yields 4 volumes of vapour.
1877. Huxley, Physiogr., 79. Instead of a given volume or measure, a given weight of air is examined.
attrib. 1866. W. Odling, Anim. Chem., 152. The atomic weights or volume-weights of chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
1881. J. C. Maxwell, Electr. & Magn., I. 134. The volume-density at any point is determined by the equation.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. Electr. & Magn., I. 53. We call the distribution superficial in distinction from the volume distribution hitherto considered.
8. The bulk, size or dimensions of a thing. Also concr., the mass or solid body of something.
1792. Munchausen’s Trav., xxxi. 143. Wawau … made several violent darts against the volume of the balloon, so fierce as at length to tear open a great space.
1809. Med. Jrnl., XXI. 462. It is sufficient the volume of the muscular elements be augmented sufficiently to enlarge the fibres while the volume of the interstices, and of the superficial parts diminishes.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 249. Considerable labour has been bestowed in computing the volume of lava-streams.
1868. Lockyer, Elem. Astron., § 103. The volume of the Sun is 1,200,000 times greater than that of the Earth.
1877. Huxley, Physiogr., 185. The volume of the sea is very much greater than that of the land which rises above the sea-level.
fig. 1876. J. Parker, Paracl., I. v. 63. Inspiration increases as well as sanctifies the volume of a man’s being.
b. The amount or quantity of something.
1882. D. A. Wells, Our Merch. Marine, 112. So small a matter apparently as the civility or neglect of conductors … will sensibly influence the volume of travel.
1886. Manch. Exam., 13 March, 5/2. It would be a good thing to enlarge the volume of the currency; to make money more plentiful.
1892. Daily News, 24 Dec., 7/2. The volume of business, as is usual at this season of the year, has undergone considerable diminution.
9. Without article: Bulk, mass, dimensions.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 71. It is not true, that the seas diminish in volume, or sink gradually beneath their level.
1800. trans. Lagrange’s Chem., I. 110. A mixture of three parts in volume of hydrogen gas, and one part of sulphurous acid gas.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, xlvi. The waves, which every moment increased in volume, washed up to us.
1868. Peard, Water-farm., xiv. 139. The brook is clear, of average purity, and moderate volume.
1871. A. Meadows, Man. Midwifery (ed. 2), 96. There is usually some increase of volume and vascularity of the uterus itself.
fig. 1873. Symonds, Grk. Poets, v. 112. The Iambic did not carry weight enough or volume to sustain a lengthy narrative.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Deronda, lxi. The soul of man may know in fuller volume the good which has been.
10. a. Mus. (See first quots.)
1801. Busby, Dict. Mus., Volume, a word applied to the compass of a voice from grave to acute; also to its tone, or power: as when we say, ‘such a performer possesses an extensive or rich volume of voice.’
1876. Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, 451/2. Volume, a term applied to the power and quality of the tone of a voice or instrument.
1881. Athenæum, 10 Sept., 348/1. The voice of Herr Reichmann is a bass of great volume and richness.
1901. Scotsman, 6 March, 8/6. The solo voices were not quite of professional volume.
b. Quantity, strength or power, combined mass, of sound.
1822. Byron, Werner, V. i. 134. I heard…, Distinct and keener far upon my ear Than the late cannon’s volume, this word—‘Werner!’
1868. Milman, St. Paul’s, xvii. 428. The new organ pealed out its glorious volume of sound.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 249. The row when we reached the town redoubled in volume.
III. 11. poet. A coil, fold, wreath, convolution, esp. of a serpent. (Freq. in Dryden and Pope.)
1648. Crashaw, Delights Muses, Foule Morning, 25. Hee … will trim And brush her Azure Mantle, which shall swim In silken Volumes.
1666. Dryden, Ann. Mirab., cxxiii. So glides some trodden Serpent on the Grass, And long behind his wounded Volume trails.
1695. Blackmore, Pr. Arth., II. 164. The Crested Snake rolls on the flowry Plain, The shining Volumes of his Spiral Train.
1703. Pope, Thebais, 728. Th’ Inachians view the slain with vast surprise, Her twisting volumes and her rolling eyes.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., III. 60. The wounded serpent, agoniz’d with pain, Thus trails his mangled volume on the plain.
1784. Cowper, Task, III. 499. The overcharg’d And drench’d conservatory breathes abroad, In volumes wheeling slow, the vapour dank.
1805–6. Cary, Dante, Inf., IX. 42. Around them greenest hydras twisting roll’d Their volumes.
1821. Shelley, Epipsych., 501. In the place of it The ivy and the wild-vine interknit The volumes of their many-twining stems.
b. A winding of a stream.
1716. Fenton, Ode Ld. Gower, iii. Where Thames’s fruitful Tides, Slow thro’ the Vale in silver Volumes play.
