a. and sb. A. adj.
1. Belonging to the continent of America.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iii. (1641), 25/1. Under the Empire of the Ocean, Atlantike, Indian, and American.
1633. Herbert, Temple, Ch. Mil., 235. Religion stands on tiptoe in our land, Readie to pass to the American strand.
1773. Barrington, in Phil. Trans., LXIII. 285. I have happened … to hear the American mocking-bird.
1839. Penny Cycl., XIII. 320. The singular congruity in structure between all the American languages, from the northern to the southern extremity of the continent.
2. a. Belonging to the British colonies in North America (obs.). b. Belonging to the United States.
1647. Ward, Simp. Cobler, 24. Divers make it an Article of our American Creed.
1775. Johnson (title), Taxation no Tyranny, an Answer to the Resolutions and Address of the American Congress.
1883. Daily News, 14 May, 5/8. Mr. J. R. Lowell (conspicuous amongst the diplomatic corps by the plain evening dress which bespeaks the American Minister everywhere).
B. sb.
1. An aborigine of the American continent; now called an ‘American Indian.’
1578. G. Best, Frobisher’s Voy. (1867), 284. The Americans … which dwell under the equinoctiall line.
1632. Massinger, City Madam, III. iii. Worse Than ignorant Americans.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 56, ¶ 1. The Americans believe that all creatures have souls.
1777. Robertson, Amer., II. 417. Amazing accounts are given of the persevering speed of the Americans.
2. A native of America of European descent; esp. a citizen of the United States.
1765. Gale, in Phil. Trans., LV. 198. Paying quit-rents to monopolizers of large tracts of land, is not well relished by Americans.
1775. Johnson, Tax. no Tyr., 13. That the Americans are able to bear taxation is indubitable.
1809. Kendall, Trav., II. lviii. 286. The Americans, that is the subjects of the United States.
1882. Howells, in Cent. Mag., Nov., 26/1. We Americans are terribly in earnest about making ourselves, individually and collectively.
3. A ship belonging to America.
1817. Southey, in Q. Rev., XVII. 2. He had sailed in an American to Manilla.
