Forms: α. 6–7 camerade, (6 -erard), 7 camrade, 7–8 camarade; β. 6 commorade, 6–8 comerade; γ. 6–7 cumrade, 7– comrade. [The 16–17th c. form camerade, camarade was a. F. camarade, camerade (Cotgr.), 16th c. ad. Sp. camarada, originally ‘chamberful,’ thence ‘chamber-mate’: see COMRADO, the representative of the Sp. form. The series commorade, comerade, comrade, represent a mixture of the types taken from Fr. and Sp. respectively. Camera·de, camra·de were originally stressed on -ade; the dissyllabic comra·de, with same stress, occurs in Shaks. and Milton; but Shaks. has also co·mrade.]
orig. One who shares the same room, a chamber-fellow, ‘chum’; esp. among soldiers. a tent-fellow, fellow-soldier (also Comrade-in-arms); hence gen., an associate in friendship, occupation, fortunes, etc., a close companion, mate, fellow.
α. 1591. Garrard, Art Warre, 13. A Souldier in Campe must make choise of two or three or more Camerades.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 247. His camerard that bare him companie was a iollie light timberd iacke a napes.
1636. James, Iter Lanc. (Chetham Soc.), 76, marg. With such camarades … all our auncient wars were fought.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., 19 March (1621). I have now made choice to go over Camerade to a very worthy Gentleman, Baron Althams son.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Camerade, a tent, chamber, or cabin-fellow.
1673. O. Walker, Educ. (1677), 37. Young men … when amongst their camerades.
1682. N. O., Boileau’s Lutrin, III. 24. Night curst her Eyes to see the Camrades march.
1708–21. Kersey, Camarade or Comrade.
1725. Bailey, Erasm. Colloq., 230. To see my old Camarades.
β. 1593. Tell-Troth’s N. Y. Gift, 17. Touching their commorades.
1599. Harington, Nugæ Ant., 33. I was comerade to the Earl of Kildare, and slept both on one pillow.
1599. Minsheu, Camaráda, a comerade or cabbin-mate souldier.
1702. W. J., Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, iii. 9. This daunted my Comerades.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. iii. 53. Reflecting upon all my comerades that were drown’d.
γ. 1595. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., IV. i. 96. The … Mad-Cap, Prince of Wales, and his Cumrades, that daft the World aside. Ibid. (1605), Lear, II. iv. 213. To be a Comrade with the Wolfe, and Owle.
1601. Weever, Mirr. Mar., A vj. No meane Cumrades, no base associates.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. 38. Care would bee had that there be not two Comrades [1626 Accid. comorados] vpon one watch because they may haue the more roome in their Cabbins to rest.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1162. The slaves and asses, thy comrades.
1678–96. Phillips, Comrade, the same as Camerade [omitted from 1706 and Kersey].
1697. Dampier, Voy. (1698), I. xii. 328. A Comrade is a familiar male-friend.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, IV. 132.
| His comrades bold the while | |
| Screening him close with shields. |
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, V. xiv. His comrade’s face each warrior saw.
1848. Kelly, trans. L. Blanc’s Hist. Ten Y., II. 293. The place of his old comrade in arms.
b. Less commonly said of women.
1863. Mary Howitt, trans. F. Bremer’s Greece, II. xiii. 72. The merry vintage-women received their foreign comrade kindly.
1884. Miss Braddon, Ishmael, xxxix. She had clung to her comrade in misfortune.
c. transf. and fig.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. 120. Extravagant desires … which are but od Comerades.
1835. Clodd, Myths & Dr., I. iii. 48. In many myths the lightning is no comrade of the thunder, but its foe.
d. Applied to a ship: A consort.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xiii. (1840), 225. As for our … comrade, her complement of men was a hundred and eighty.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. xii. 265. The other two squadrons … were calm spectators of the rout of their comrades.
e. attrib.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., II. 199. The yards again ascend each comrade mast.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xviii. 187. Engaged in preparing the Red Eric as a comrade boat.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., Comrade-battery, one of a pair of joint batteries.
Hence Comrade v., a. nonce-use (see quot. 1602); b. intr. to associate with, as a comrade.
1602. Dekker, Satirom., Wks. 1873, I. 230. T. I cannot my mad cumrade. Sir V. Cumrade? By Sesu, call me cumrade againe and ile cumrade ye about the sinnes and shoulders.
1865. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 340. Comrading with him, Wolf … fell into bad habits.
1877. N. W. Lincolnsh. Gloss., s.v., She’s nivver within doors, alust comrading about somewhere.
