Frenchman

[f. FRENCH a. + MAN. In early use two words.]

  1.  A man of French birth or nationality.

O. E. Chron., an. 1052 (Laud MS.). Þa Frencisce menn.

c. 1305.  Lay., 7663.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 239 (Cott.).

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 516. Sharper enemys and traitours þan Ffrensshe men and alle oþere naciouns.

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxliv. (1482), 295. The kyng had herde hir wordes and the ansuere of the Dolphine he was wonder sore agreued and right euyll payed toward the frensshmen.

1545.  Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 79. The spanyardes, frenchmen, and germanes, grekes, macedonians, and egyptians, eche contry vsing one singuler weapon, for whyche they were greatelye feared in warre.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 125. The breast is by the Frenchmen called peculiarly Hampan.

1782.  Cowper, Truth, 303.

1841.  T. A. Trollope, Summer W. France, I. i. 5. The generality of Frenchmen, too, are naturally averse to travelling.

  † b.  Incorrectly used for: An ancient Gaul.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 271. Afterward he come and brak the siege of Frensche men [Gallorum].

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, VIII. xi. 35. How the Franchemen did the ȝet assaill.

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXII. lvii. 467. Out of the learning conteined in those bookes of destinies, there were performed certain extraordinary Sacrifices: among which, a Frenchman together with a French woman.

  2.  A (good, etc.) French scholar, colloq.

1670.  Cotton, Espernon, The Preface. The greater part of them being better Frenchmen, than I pretend to be, such as have read the Original, could never wish to see it blemish’d by so unskilful a hand.

1828.  Bentham, Wks., 1843, I. 247/1. The subject was not without its difficulties; the language French: I am but a sorry Frenchman now; I was, I imagine, not quite so bad an one then.

  3.  A French ship.

1889.  Daily News, 21 Oct., 6/5. The vessel … proved to be a Frenchman.

  † 4.  In Virginian tobacco-raising (see quot. 1688).

1688.  J. Clayton, in Phil. Trans., XVII. 948. French-men they call those Plants, whose leaves do not spread and grow large, but rather spire upwards, and grow tall; these Plants they do not tend, being not worthy their Labour.

1896.  P. A. Bruce, Econ. Hist. Virginia, I. 439. The plants … showed … a tendency to lag in their growth and to take a spiral shape. For this reason they were always referred to as ‘Frenchmen,’ a people who were associated in the Virginian mind with tallness and attenuation in form.

  Hence Frenchmanlike a. and adv.

1807.  W. Taylor, in Ann. Rev., V. 560/1. The character of Orasmane is somewhat too chivalrous and Frenchmanlike for an eastern sultan.

1827.  Southey, Penins. War, II. 419. Frenchmen like, they had a theatre in their camp.