a. Forms: 5 imperyal, 7 empyreall, emperial, imperial(l, 7–8 empyrial(l, 6– empyreal. [f. Med.L. empyreus, empyræus, f. Gr. ἐμπύρ-ος fiery) + -AL.]

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  1.  Of or pertaining to the EMPYREAN or highest heaven. Also fig.

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1481.  Caxton, Myrr., III. xxxii. 184. And that is called the heuen Imperyal.

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c. 1590.  Marlowe, Faustus, vi. C 3 b. The seuen planets, the firmament, and the imperiall heauen.

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1652.  Caryl, Job xiv. 12. 604. The imperial heaven, which is called the Seat of the blessed.

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1667.  Milton, P. L., VII. 14. Into the Heav’n of Heav’ns I have presum’d … and drawn Empyreal aire.

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1732.  Pope, Ess. Man, II. 23. Go soar with Plato to th’ empyreal sphere.

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1850.  W. Irving, Mahomet, vii. (1853), 39. Seated securely in the empyreal heavens.

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  b.  Of or pertaining to the sky or visible heaven; celestial.

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1744.  Akenside, Pleas. Imag., I. 202. Amaz’d she views The empyreal waste.

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1882.  Whinfield, trans. Omar Khayyám, 64. Yon palace whose roofs touch the empyreal blue.

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  c.  quasi-sb.

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1827.  Keble, Chr. Y., Quinquages. Sund., Happy souls … Plunge in th’ empyreal vast.

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  2.  fig. Sublime, elevated, superior. rare.

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1641.  Milton, Ch. Govt., II. (1851), 143. A mortall thing among many readers of no Empyreall conceit.

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1735–6.  H. Brooke, Univ. Beauty, I. 194. Empyreal natures with empyreal names.

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a. 1797.  W. Mason, Ode to Truth, iv. 39. Shall a form … of mould’ring clay, Vie with these charms empyrial?

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  3.  In etymological sense: Fiery; composed of or resembling the pure element of fire. Also fig.

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1601.  Deacon & Walker, Spirits & Divels, 93. They … consist of empyriall or fierie bodies.

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a. 1711.  Ken, Hymns Evang., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 6. A chariot … Of brightest empyreal Substance built.

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1809.  W. Irving, Knickerb., I. i. (1849), 32. Certain empyreal, luminous or phosphoric clouds.

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  † 4.  Chem. Capable of supporting combustion. Empyreal air: Scheele’s name for oxygen. Obs.

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1780.  trans. Scheele’s Experiments, 35. Since this air is absolutely necessary for the generation of fire,… I shall henceforth … call it empyreal air.

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1812.  Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 226. Only two undecompounded empyreal substances have been as yet discovered.

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  † b.  (See quot.) Obs.

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1801.  Herschel, Sun, in Phil. Trans., XCI. 303. An elastic gas, which may be called empyreal, is constantly formed [in the sun].

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