a. and sb. Also 5–7 -tiall(e, -tyal(le, 6–8 cœl-, cælestial(l, (7 celestall, selestiall). [a. OF. celestial, -el (= It. celestiale, Sp. celestial), f. L. cælesti-s of same meaning, f. cælum sky, heaven; see -AL.]
A. adj.
1. Of or pertaining to the sky or material heavens. Celestial globe, map: one representing the heavens. † Celestial water: solution of copper sulphate, used in opthalmia (see quot. 1758).
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 2. To know the altitude of the sonne or of othre celestial bodies.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., III. xxiii. 184. This heuene Celestyall, whyche is aboue alle the other.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxix. § 2. Years, days, hours, minutes … all grow from celestial motion.
1664. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 120. The influence of the cælestial luminaries … is suspended.
a. 1721. Keill, trans. Maupertuis’ Diss. (1734), 61. The Cœlestial Bodies that turn about an Axis.
1758. J. S., Le Dran’s Observ. Surg. (1771), A a iv. Sky-coloured, or celestial Water … For Distempers in the Eyes it must be well diluted.
1868. Lockyer, Elem. Astron., IV. xxvi. 145. The celestial sphere—the name given to the apparent vault of the sky.
2. Of or pertaining to heaven, as the abode of God (or of the heathen gods), of angels, and of glorified spirits.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, I. 460. Of the goddys celestials. Ibid. (c. 1386), Prioresse’s T., 129. Folwyng ever in oon The white lomb celestial.
1494. Fabyan, 6. To the lorde that is Celestyall, I wyll nowe crye.
1526. Tindale, Luke xi. 13. Howe moche more shall youre Father celestiall.
1651. C. Cartwright, Cert. Relig., I. 252. Some by Angell there understand not a celestiall spirit, but a messenger.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 168, ¶ 10. His celestial protectress thought him not sufficiently secured.
1862. Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. v. 93. Not in any outward form, human or celestial.
b. In comb. (nonce-wds.)
a. 1743. Savage, Wks. (1777), II. 100 (Jod.).
| Celestial-hinted thoughts gay hope inspir’d, | |
| Smiling the rose, and all with hope were fir’d. |
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 92. Alive and miraculous, celestial-infernal.
3. Of a divine or heavenly nature.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, I ij. To whome he gaf celestyals and erthely goodes.
1538. Starkey, England, 207. He [Christ] cam to make perfayt man … by Hys celestyal and dyvyne doctryne.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 306. Desire of Pow’r … is of Cœlestial Seed.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., II. 449. The celestial dew of knowledge.
1866. Neale, Seq. & Hymns, 127. To fortify the parting soul with that celestial Food.
b. Divinely excellent or beautiful, divine, heavenly; also in comb., as quasi-adv.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. xiii. So heauenly fayre and so celestyall.
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Celestiall, heauenly, diuine, passing excellent.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Sat. Antients, Wks. 1730, I. 24. The celestial beauties, which we find in the writings of these incomparable men.
1713. Guardian, No. 4, ¶ 5. A new sort of Stile … which is above the sublime, and may be called the Celestial.
1725. Pope, Odyss., I. 149. His bloomy face Glowing cœlestial-sweet.
4. The Celestial Empire: a translation of one of the native names for China. So Celestial Emperor; and humorously celestial = Chinese.
1824–9. Landor, Wks. (1868), II. 117. England was devising schemes … to the detriment of the Celestial Empire.
5. Jocularly applied to a ‘pug’ nose, which turns up at the tip.
6. quasi-sb. (in pl.) Heavenly objects, bodies, attributes.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Hebr. ix. 23. It is necessarie therfore that the examplers of the cælestials be cleansed with these.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 122–3. Inferior things doe obey their celestials.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VIII. 399. Never was … goddess so easily stript of her celestials!
B. sb.
1. An inhabitant of heaven.
1573. Twyne, Æneid., X. (R.). King Ioue from golden throne vprose, Whom home to heauenly court celestials garding al did close.
1713. Guardian, No. 7, ¶ 1. Diana … or any other Celestial who owes her being to poetry.
1750. Johnson, Rambl., No. 22, ¶ 1. Of age to be received into the apartments of the other celestials.
1869. Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. xix. 3.
b. fig. A heavenly being.
1874. Blackie, Self-Cult., 27. You will require steps to mount up to shake hands with these Celestials.
1885. A. Jessopp, in 19th Cent., July, 48. From the parson’s daughter up to the celestials behind Spiers and Pond’s counters.
2. A subject of the Celestial Empire; a Chinese.
1863. Russell, Diary India, II. 182 (Hoppe). The China-patterned lands which connect India with the country of the Celestials.
1884. D. C. Murray, in Graphic, Christm. No., 4/2. The Celestial inclined his head in grave courtesy.
