Also 8 cicisbee, cicisby, chichisbee. Pl. -bei, also -beos. [It.; of uncertain origin: according to the Vocab. della Crusca, perhaps an inversion of bel cece ‘beautiful chick (pea)’; used just in the same sense. Pasqualino cited by Diez says from F. chiche beau. In mod. F. sigisbée.]
The name formerly given in Italy to the recognized gallant or cavalier servente of a married woman.
1718. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett., l. II. 66. The custom of cecisbeos … I know not whether you have ever heard of those animals.
1773. Characters, in Ann. Reg., 66/2. The Chichisbeo is an appendix to matrimony.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., II. ii. A mere Platonic Cicisbeo, what every London wife is intitled to.
1782. Wesley, Wks. (1872), XI. 158. English ladies are not attended by their cicisbys yet; nor would any English husband suffer it.
1786. Gentl. Mag., LVI. I. April, 339/2.
| Affecting ease, but impudently free, | |
| Link’d arm in arm, she woes her cicisbee. |
1817. Byron, Beppo, xxxvii. The word was formerly a ‘Cicisbeo,’ But that is now grown vulgar and indecent…. But ‘Cavalier Servente’ is the phrase.
2. A knot of ribbon (such as might be worn by the cavalier servente) fastened to a sword-hilt, walking-stick, etc. [So in Italian.]
a. 1721. Smollett, cited by Ogilvie.
