a.; also 4 -ik, 7 -ick. [a. Fr. allégorique, ad. L. allēgoric-us, a. Gr. ἀλληγορικ-ός: see ALLEGORY and -IC.] Of or pertaining to allegory; of the nature of an allegory; constituting or containing an allegory.
1388. Wyclif, Is., Prol. ‘Literal’ ether historial vndurstondyng techith what thing is don; allegorik techith what we owen for to bileue.
1549. Compl. Scotl., iv. (1873), 29. That passage of the text nedis nocht ane alligoric expositione.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 389. A kingdom they portend thee, but what kingdom, Real or allegorick, I discern not.
1762. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), I. 234. Having painted an allegoric piece of Strength vanquished by Wisdom.
1859. De Quincey, Lessing, Wks. XIII. 281. Allegoric personages; that is, impersonated abstractions expounded by emblems.
