Also 6 charme. [A dialectal variant of cherme, a common 16th c. form of CHIRM, q.v. Perhaps some fancied association with CHARM sb.1, or with L. carmen, may have contributed to give this form its literary standing; for an original chirm would naturally give later cherm and churm, but not charm, (cf. fir, first, bird, dirt, none of which become ar).]
1. The blended singing or noise of many birds; the blended voices of school-children, and the like.
[1530. Palsgr., 617/2. What a cherme these byrdes make, comment ces oyseaux jargonnent.]
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Luke (1548), 31 b. The hymne … which that same heauenly quier of Aungels … syng all together in one charme.
1580. H. Gifford, Gilloflowers (1875), 97. I … listened … Unto the small birdes chirping charme.
1584. Peele, Arraignm. Paris, I. iii. 12. Hark, Flora, Faunus, here is melody, A charm of birds.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 642. Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest Birds.
1879. Jefferies, Wild Life in S. Co., 233. Thousands of starlings, the noise of whose calling to each other is indescribable—the country folk call it a ‘charm,’ meaning a noise made up of innumerable lesser sounds, each interfering with the other.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropshire Word-bk., s.v., The coppy’s all on a charm.… Whad a charm them childern bin makin i’ school.
1886. W. Barnes, Dorset Dial. Charm, a noise or confusion of voices, as of children or birds.
† 2. Song or singing: a. of a bird; b. of men.
1587. Churchyard, Worth. Wales (1876), 102. The chirp and charme, and chaunt of euery bird.
1604. Drayton, Owle, 38. The small Birds warbled their harmonious Charmes.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., I. xviii. 5. If … Mævius chaunt his thoughts in brothell charm.
