Also 6 chyronomie, 9 cheironomy. [ad. L. chīronomia, a. Gr. χειρονομία management of the hands, gesticulation, f. χειρονόμος one who practises pantomimic gestures, f. χειρο- hand + -νομος managing, etc. In F. chironomie.] The art or science of gesticulation, or of moving the hands according to rule in oratory, pantomime, etc.
[1644. Bulwer (title), Chironomia: Or, The Art of Manuall Rhetorique.]
1670. Lassels, Voy. Italy, Pref. (1698), 26. He must have … a chironomy or decent acting with his hands.
1847. Grote, Greece, IV. II. xxix. 114. Cheironomy, or the decorous and expressive movement of the hands.
¶ Used by an etymological conceit for ‘hand law’ with allusion to chirograph.
1569. J. Sa[nford], trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 121 b. A solemne Chyronomie, or hand law and prescript woordes.
So † Chironomer, one who practises or professes chironomy; Chironomic a., and (badly) † Chironomatic a., of or pertaining to chironomy; Chironomon, -ont [L. chīronomōn, Gr. χειρονομῶν, -οῦντα] = Chironomer.
1644. Bulwer, Chirol. & Chiron., 13. Give me, quoth he, Royall Sir, this Chironomer. Ibid. (1649), Pathomyot., I. § 6. 36–7. To see in a Chironomer … the Muscles of his Hand should bee directed so swiftly to the Nerves of his instrument.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xix. 159. A Chironomatick Italianising of his Demand, with various Jectigation of his Fingers.
1747. Melmoth, trans. Pliny’s Lett., IX. Let. xxxiv. II. 564, note (R.). The chironomic art, so much studied by the antients.
1850. Kingsley, Alt. Locke, xxi. 155. Assisting his meditations by certain mysterious chironomic signs.
1644. Bulwer, Chirol. & Chiron., 12. The first man that usurped the name of Chironomon or Pantomime among the Romans was Pylades. Ibid. Lipsius confounds these structores or carvers, with the Chironomonts.
