a. Forms: 4–5 amorouse, -rows, amirous, 4–6 amorus, amerous, 5 -us, -ouse, -ose, amourous(e, 6–7 amarous(e, 7 amorose, 4– amorous. [a. OFr. amorous, (mod.Fr. amoureux):—L. amōrōs-um, f. amōr love: see -OUS.]
I. actively.
1. Of persons: Inclined to love; habitually fond of the opposite sex. Also fig. of things: Loving, fond.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 7988. Þys was a prest ryȝt amerous, And amerous men are leccherous.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 304. Whiche of the two more amorous is Or man or wife.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 90/1. Therfore saith the holy ghoost to the sowle that is amerouse.
1607. Topsell, Four-footed Beasts (1673), 341. The hairs layed to Womens lips, maketh them amorous.
1610. Gwillim, Displ. Herald., III. vii. (1660), 133. The Woodbine is a loving and amorous plant, which embraceth all that it growes near unto.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle, vi. 2583. Doth captive the hart Of amarous ladies.
1728. Young, Odes to King, Wks. 1757, I. 177. Beneath them lies, With lifted eyes, Fair Albion, like an amorous maid.
1807. Crabbe, Par. Reg., II. 405. Sir Edward Archer is an amorous knight.
† b. with unto. Obs. rare.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, VIII. 3926. Troilus was … amirous vnto Maidens & mony hym louyt.
2. Affected with love towards one of the opposite sex; in love, enamored, fond. Also fig. of things (both as subject and object of love). a. absol.
c. 1314. Guy Warw., 37. Namore wostow of armes loue … So amerous thou were anon right.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1189. This amerous quien.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., II. v. 285. The thirde knyght is wondir amerous, and lovethe you passyng well.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. i. 63. Our fine Musitian groweth amorous.
1647. Cowley, Bathing, iii. in Mistress (1669), 79. The amorous Waves would fain about her stay.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 78, ¶ 4. The young Lady was amorous, and had like to run away with her Father’s Coachman.
1822. W. Irving, Braceb. Hall, xix. 164. The amorous frog piped from among the rushes.
† b. with on. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 764. This squier On Dorigen that was so amorus.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 146. He was amerous on somme noble lady.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, II. i. 161. Sure my brother is amorous on Hero.
1625. Milton, Death Fair Inf., i. Being amorous on that lovely dye That did thy cheek envermeil.
c. with of.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 168. There came another knyght which was also amerous of that lady.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., II. ii. 202. And made The water to follow faster, As amorous of their strokes.
1692. Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 212. One must be very amorous of a Truth, to search after it at that Price.
1821. Keats, Isabel, xix. Thy roses amorous of the moon.
† d. with in: Delighting in. Obs. rare.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. VIII. 392. He was amorous in Poetry, and Musick, to which he indulged the greatest part of his time.
3. Of action, expression, etc.: Showing love or fondness; fond, loving. a. (sexual.)
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1102. Many an Amorouse [v.r. amorous, amorows] lokynge & devys.
1493. Petronylla (Pynson), 123. Nightyngalys with amerous notys clere Salueth Esperus.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xxvi. 72. His eyen gray and amorous.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. i. 48. France & Burgundy, Great Riuals in our yongest daughters loue, Long in our Court, haue made their amorous soiourne.
1750. Johnson, Rambl., No. 182, ¶ 7. Not being accustomed to amorous blandishments.
1863. B. Taylor, Poet’s Jrnl. (1866), 54. Earth in amorous palpitation Receives her bridegroom’s kiss.
b. (general): Loving, affectionate, devoted, ardent.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. III. 64. Those amorose impetuosities that are in men and tend to pietie or impietie. Ibid., 145. An amorous vehemence against sin.
1784. J. Barry, Lect. Art, v. (1848), 187. With attention and amorous assiduity.
1856. R. Vaughan, Ho. w. Mystics (1860), I. 65. The amorous quest of the soul after the Good.
4. Of or pertaining to (sexual) love.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 2616. Fful is the place … Of songis amerous, of maryage.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 31/2. The holy institucion of this amerous sacrament shold be the more honourably halowed.
1567. Drant, Horace Ep., To Reader. So greate a scull of amarouse Pamphlets.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. ii. 8. Louers can see to doe their Amorous rights, And by their owne Beauties.
1635. Swan, Spec. Mundi, vi. § 4 (1643), 266. Sow-bread … is a good amorous medicine, and will make one in love.
1741. H. Walpole, Lett. to H. Mann, 7 (1834), I. 23. The poor Princess and her conjugal and amorous distresses.
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb., 75. To manhood roused, he spurns the amorous flute.
1846. Prescott, Ferd. & Is., I. viii. 373. Offered up his amorous incense on the altar of the Muse.
† II. passively, Of persons and things: Lovable, lovely. Obs.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 2901. It is thyng most amerous, For to aswage a mannes sorowe, To sene his lady by the morowe.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 37. His wyfe … buir to him ane virgin amorus.
1557. Primer Sarum, D iij. O mother of God moste glorious, and amorous.
1567. Trial of Treas., in Hazl., Dodsl., III. 288. O she is a minion of amorous hue.
1611. Dekker, Roaring Girle, 213. J. Here’s most amorous weather, my Lord. Omnes. Amorous weather! J. Is not amorous a good word?
† B. quasi-sb. A lover: one in love. Obs.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 655. Sir Degrivaunt that amerus Had joye of that syȝth.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de Worde), I. xli. 62/2. How ofte she hath … made fayre herself for to playse her amourouse or loues.
