arch. Forms: 6 cittarn, citern, cithron, cythren, citharne, citheron, citherne, 6–7 citterne, cytern(e, 7 cittren, -on, citron, cytarin, cyttern, citerne, citheran, citthern, cythron, cithren, 6–9 cittern, 7–9 cithern. [App. of 16th c. Eng. formation (no corresponding form occurring in other langs.) and f. L. cithara, or some form of that word. The name gittern, F. guiterne, had long been in use, and it is possible that the name cittern was modelled upon it, to indicate an instrument of the same class, considered to be more like the ancient cithara.]
1. An instrument of the guitar kind, but strung with wire, and played with a plectrum or quill; much used in 16–17th c.
Commonly kept in barbers’ shops for the use of the customers. It had often a grotesquely carved head; cf. 2.
The Tyrolese form of the instrument, which has also come into fashion in England of late years, is commonly distinguished as the ZITHER.
1566. Gascoigne, Jocasta, in Four O. Pl. (1848), 133. Noyse of violles, Cythren, Bandurion.
1567. Turberv., Epit. Maister Edwards Poems, 142. Now lay your chearfull Cithrons downe and to lamenting fall.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 59. Noow with my Gittern, and els with my Cittern, then at the Virgynalz.
1577. Harrison, England, II. xv. (1877), I. 272. The yoongest sort [of ladies] … applie their lutes, citharnes, and all kind of musike.
1591. Florio, 2nd Fruites, 129. He plaies also upon the cittarn.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. Columnes, 702. Citrons, viols, cornets, flutes.
1604. T. Wright, Passions, V. § 2. 159. Saul being possessed or at least much vexed with the deuil, Dauid played vpon his Citheran.
1611. Bible, 1 Macc. iv. 54. Dedicated with songs, and cittherns, and harpes, & cimbals.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 146 (1677). An Irish Harp … maketh a more resounding Sound, than a Bandora, Orpharion, or Cittern, which have likewise Wire-strings.
1648. Herrick, Hesper., His Desire. Tickling the citterne with his quill.
1666. Playford, Mus. Delight on Cithren, 1. The cithren is strung with eight Wyre strings, which are divided into four course, two in a course.
1683. Tryon, Way to Health, 657. Cyterns and Gitterns … being well managed … yield pleasant soft effeminate Harmonies.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, XVIII. 574. [Dancing] to the … citterns silver sound.
1830. G. P. R. James, Darnley, I. xii. 288. A cithren or mandolin, which was a favourite instrument among the ladies of the day. Ibid., 289. It is a citharn, is it not?
1865. Swinburne, Poems & Ball. Life, 11. She held a little cithern by the strings.
1866. Engel, Nat. Mus., viii. 284, note. Hanging on the wall in their shops was commonly a lute or a cittern.
1871. Rossetti, Poems, Blessed Damozel, xxi. Angels … shall sing To their citherns and citoles.
2. Comb., as cithern-string; † cittern-head, used as a term of contempt, with reference to the grotesquely carved head of a cittern; hence † cittern-headed a.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 614. Ped. I will not be put out of countenance. Ber. Because thou hast no face. Ped. What is this? Boi. A Citterne head.
1599. Massinger, etc. Old Law, IV. i. The heads of your instruments differ; yours are hogsheads, theirs cittern and gittern-heads. Bail. All wooden heads.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Love’s Cure, II. ii. You Cittern-head.
1638. Ford, Fancies, I. ii. Thou’rt … a cittern-headed gew-gaw.
