a. Also 6 feliall, fyliall, 6–7 filiall. [ad. late L. fīliāl-is, f. fīli-us son. Cf. F. filial.]
1. Of or pertaining to a son or daughter.
a. Of sentiments, duty, etc.: Due from a child to a parent. Filial fear: see FEAR sb. 3 d.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IX. 216. Ys no final [v. r. filial] loue with þis folke.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 700/1. Christen people receiue the spirit of feliall loue.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 302.
| Disciplin’d | |
| From shadowie Types to Truth, from Flesh to Spirit, | |
| From imposition of strict Laws, to free | |
| Acceptance of large Grace, from servil fear | |
| To filial, works of Law to works of Faith. |
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., I. VII. 494. James had hitherto treated his mother with filial respect, and had even entered into negotiations with her, which gave umbrage to Elizabeth.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Demerara, xii. Now her filial cares were ended, she might join her sister.
1857. H. Reed, Lect. Eng. Poets, II. xi. 67. Walter Scott’s poetry is full of this spirit of nationality—a mixture of national pride and that peculiar feeling, the filial piety of her children for ‘poor auld Scotland.’
† b. That is the due of a son or daughter. Obs.
1558. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees), II. 175. I giue to my said Sonne Rob’rt in full contentacion & payment of his fyliall porcion … of all my goodes.
1635. Quarles, Embl., II. xv. (1718), 121.
| At length corrected by the filial rod | |
| Of his offended, but his gracious GOD. |
1795. Wythe, Decis. Virginia, 6. The sum of the plaintiff Mary’s filial portion.
c. Of a relation, designation, etc.: Characteristic of a son or daughter.
1659. Pearson, Creed (1839), 150. The primitive Christians did at the very beginning include this filial title of our Saviour together with his names into the compass of one word.
transf. 1874. Stubbs, The Constitutional History of England (1875), I. iii. 51–2. The foundation of new villages on the common lands standing in a filial relation to the original settlement, and looking to it as the source of their political rights, must have soon exhausted the available territory.
2. ‘Bearing the character or relation of a son or daughter’ (J.). Now only transf. and fig. of a thing: That is the offspring of something else.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 722. Thus the filial Godhead answering spake.
a. 1711. Ken, Psyche, Wks. 1721, IV. 185.
| Paternal God gave filial God to die, | |
| God filial God co-breath’d sent from on High, | |
| The Loves of Jesus to unfold. |
1718. Prior, Celia to Damon, 102.
| Where the old Myrtle her good Influence sheds; | |
| Sprigs of like Leaf erect their Filial Heads. |
1762. trans. Büsching’s Syst. Geog., IV. 213. A collegiate-church, to which within the town belong four other filial churches.
1889. Times, 13 Aug., 3/1. The size of the parent seed was reproduced in the filial seed.
† b. Entertaining the sentiments of a son or daughter. Obs. rare.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, V. ii. 20 Your ever affectionate and filial friend.
† c. absol. (quasi-sb.) An oft-shoot. Obs.
1538. Leland, Itin. (1711), VII. 48. The Body of the Cathedral Chyrch [in Carlisle] is of an older Building then the Quyer. And yt ys as a Filial deriveid from S. Oswalds fast by Pontfreyt.
1762. trans. Büsching’s Syst. Geog., IV. 214. This church is a filial of the parish of St. Veit.
