Forms: α. 6–7 chymick(e, chimick(e, 7 chymique, -ike, 8–9 chymic. β. 7–8 (also in 9 in sense B. 4) chemick, 8– chemic. [a. F. chimique, or mod.L. chim-, chymic-us, for med.L. alchimic-us: see ALCHEMIC. Chymic-us began to take the place of the earlier word, after the Renascence, under the influence of etymological studies and recognition of the Greek words (χῡμός juice, χυμικ-ός of or concerning juices, χυμεία infusion) considered to be the etymological source, it being held that chemistry was really ἡ χῡμική (τέχνη) ‘the infusory art.’ The modern spelling che- in this word-group is based on the fact that χημία, χημεία is actually found in Greek c. 300: see ALCHEMY.]
A. adj.
1. Of or pertaining to alchemy; alchemic.
1576. Baker, Jewell of Health, 6 a. The chymicke Authors.
1613. Heywood, Braz. Age, II. ii. Wks. 1874, III. 221. The Art of making gold By Chimicke skill.
1652. Ashmole, Theat. Chem., Proleg. 11. The Grecians that brought the Chemick Learning … out of Ægipt.
1718. Prior, Alma, III. 61. How could our Chymic Friends go on, To find the Philosophic Stone.
1815. Wordsw., White Doe, I. Wks. IV. 58. Close toil with chemic fire; In quest belike of transmutations.
† b. Of alchemy metal, i.e., counterfeit gold.
1635. Quarles, Embl., II. v. (1718), 83. Thy base And chymick metal.
1675. Dryden, Aurengz., IV. i. I’m tir’d with waiting for this Chimick Gold, Which fools us young, and beggars us when old.
1819. Byron, Juan, I. ccxvii. A chymic treasure Is glittering youth, which I have spent betimes.
† 2. Relating to the Paracelsian theory or practice of medicine. Obs. (Cf. CHEMIATRIC.)
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 224. Chymick medicines are to fooles like swords in mad mens hands.
a. 1763. Shenstone, Wks. & Lett. (1768), II. 187. The … difference … seems to be that of chemic and galenic medicines.
3. Of or belonging to chemistry. (poet. and rhet. for CHEMICAL.)
1634. Habington, Castara (1870), 130. You by a chaste chimicke art, Calcine fraile love to pietie.
1704. Pope, Windsor For., 241. With chymic art … draws the aromatick souls of flowers.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., vi. § 14. Extract this essential oil by chemic art.
1791. E. Darwin, Bot. Gard., I. 163. You [Nature] form with chemic hands the airy surge.
1862. Tyndall, Mountaineer., v. 37. The mystic store of chemic force, which nobody understood.
1868. Tennyson, Lucretius, 20. The wicked broth Confused the chemic labour of the blood.
B. sb. † 1. An ALCHEMIST. Obs.
1598. Florio, Alchimista, a chimicke.
a. 1631. Donne, Poems, Love’s Alchemy. As no chymique yet the Elixar got.
1673. B. Oley, Pref. Jackson’s Wks., I. 17. The chymicks (which spend much gold only upon hope of getting more).
† 2. A Paracelsian or CHEMIATRIC physician. Obs.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 253. Fixing or perfecting. This is that all good Chymickes desire.
1627. Hakewill, Apol. (1635), III. viii. § 5. Galen mentions … three sects of Physitians … we have now a fourth that goe under the name of Chymikes, Hermetiques, or Paracelsians.
1660. Howell, Lex. Tetragl., The Chymick sayes in stones, in herbs, in words, Nature for every thing a cure affords.
† 3. A chemist. Obs.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Vanitie, iii. The subtil Chymick can devest And strip the creature naked, till he find The callow principles within their nest.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 50. Some of our Chymicks facetiously affirm, that at the last fire all shall be crystallized and reverberated into glasse.
1651. Davenant, Gondibert, I. vi. 70. On which his chemics & distillers wrought.
† b. An apothecary or druggist. Obs.
1646. Suckling, Acc. Relig., 117. Every petty Chymick in his little shop.
4. A bleacher’s name for chloride of lime as a chemical bleaching agent. (Cf. CHEMIC v. 2.)
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 379. Chloride of lime … is universally called chemick in the manufactories.
