v. Now literary and arch. Also 5 limyne, lymm, 5–7 lymn(e, 6–7 limm(e, limb(e, limne. [Altered form of LUMINE v.]
† 1. trans. To illuminate (letters, manuscripts, books). Also absol. Obs.
14[?]. Trevisa’s Higden (Rolls), VII. 295. Þis bisshop hymself schonede not to write and lumine [MS. β (early 15th c.) lymne] and bynde bookes.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 317/1. Lymnyd, as bookys (K. limynid), elucidatus.
1499. Churchw. Acc. Croscombe (Som. Rec. Soc.), 24. A mass boke of veln lymmyde.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. v. Their fyrst letters to be paynted or lymned.
1534. Rich, Lett. to T. Cromwell, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., I. xxxiv. 179. A certain tale of M. Magdalen, delivering her a letter from heaven, that was limned with golden letters.
1566. Drant, Horace, Sat., I. iv. B viij b. And if their toyes, in letters lymde, be printed once in booke, Then [etc.].
1573. Art of Limming, title-p., Diuerse kyndes of colours to write or to limme withall vppon velym.
1588. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 94. When they write letters vnto anie principall person, they gilde the margent of the paper, and limbe it.
† 2. To adorn or embellish with gold or bright color; to depict in (gold, etc.). Also (rare), to lay on (color). Obs.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 73. Images … rychely lymned wyth golde and Albyn colours.
1573. Art of Limming, title-p., How siluer or golde shalbe layed or limmed vppon the sise.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 490/1. Their bannerols displaied, and richlie limmed with my lords armes.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xxiii. 84. The Royal Arms of Portugal were limned in Gold.
3. To paint (a picture or portrait); to portray, depict (a subject). † Formerly spec. to paint in water-color or distemper (see LIMNING vbl. sb. 2). † Also with forth, out.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 290. Looke, when a Painter would surpasse the life, In limming out a well-proportioned steed.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits, vi. (1596), 83. Pictures which are lymned in oyle.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 222. Nicon that famous painter of Greece, when he had most curiously limbed forth a Horses perfection [etc.].
1622. Wither, Fair Virtue, M. Where Apelles limb’d to life Loathed Vulcans louely wife.
1641. Milton, Animadv., Wks. 1851, III. 230. He may be the competent Judge of a neat picture, or elegant poem, that cannot limne the like.
1813. Scott, Trierm., III. xxxvii. For there by magic skill, I wis, Form of each thing that living is Was limn’d in proper dye.
1854. Mrs. Oliphant, Magd. Hepburn, II. 55. The dim chapel … with Scripture stories limned in its ancient glass.
1866. Cornh. Mag., Sept., 335. If he be limned aright in the canvas which has descended to us.
b. transf. and fig.
1593. Nashe, 4 Lett. Confut., 30. With life and spirit to limne deadnes it selfe Hoc est Oratoris proprium.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., II. vii. 194. As mine eye doth his effigies witnesse Most truly limn’d, and liuing in your face.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., Induct. I fear it is not possible to limme so many persons in so small a tablet as the compasse of our playes afford.
1645. Fuller, Good Th. in Bad T., Mixt Contempl., xxi. (1649), 83. It is easie for one to endure an affliction, as he limns it out in his own fancie.
1653. Middleton & Rowley, Sp. Gipsy, III. iii. What’s beauty but a perfect white and red? Both here well mix’d limn truth so beautiful.
1661. Feltham, Lusoria, xxxvii. in Resolves (1709), 601. He must limb Spirits never tir’d.
1856. Spurgeon, New Park St. Pulpit, I. 56. Instances of persons going to the house of God, and having their characters limned out to perfection.
1871. Smiles, Charac., x. (1876), 284. Perhaps the most complete picture of a great man ever limned in words.
1878. Gladstone, Prim. Homer, 130. The Odusseus is limned with … incomparable art.
4. Prov. To limn the water, limn (something) on water: said of something transient or futile.
1620. Bacon, Poems (Grosart), 49. Who then to fraile Mortality shall trust, But limmes the Water, or but writes in dust.
1692. Vindiciæ Carolinæ, ix. 73. All he had done was but a kind of Limming the Water, to them.
1871. R. Ellis, trans. Catullus, lxx. 4. A woman’s words … Limn them on ebbing floods, write on a wintery gale [L. In vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua].
† 5. absol. or intr. To paint; esp. to paint in water-colour or distemper. Obs.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., III. 44. To paint or limne with the colours that are taken from hearbs or flowers.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gent., xiii. (1634), 126. The vertuous Margaret Queene of Navarre beside her excellent veine in Poesie could draw and limne excellently.
1665. Pepys, Diary, 7 May. Yesterday begun my wife to learn to limn of one Browne.
1675. Crowne, Country Wit, IV. 57. Merry. Cannot you Limne, Sir? Rambler. Limne, what dost thou mean? Merry. Why Limne, Sir, draw Pictures in little.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. iii. § 30. 136. If Oxen, Lions, Horses and Asses … were able to limn and paint.
