[f. LOVE v.1 + -ING2.]
1. That loves; affectionate.
In 16th c. ‘your loving friend’ was an ordinary form of subscription for letters. ‘Our loving subjects’ has at various times been a usual phrase in royal proclamations.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., vi. (Z.), 10. Hic amans uir, þes lufienda wer;… hoc amans mancipium, þes lufienda þeowa man.
a. 1240. Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 185. Ler to loue þe … þe louende louerd.
1320. Cast. Love, 290. And foure dowghtryne hede this kyng, And to uche he wes lovyng.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IV. 7. Thaim that till hym luffand wer, Or kyn, or freynd.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., iv. 102. Now, who would not be glad that had A child so lufand as thou art?
c. 1491. Chast. Goddes Chyld., 44. It is yeuen us and sende us fro our louyng fader.
1513. More, in Grafton, Chron. (1568), II. 781. A lovyng man and passyng well beloved. Ibid. (1529), Lett., Wks. 1419/2. At Woodestok … by the hand of Your louing husbande Thomas More knight.
1568. Grafton, Chron., I. 82. They were loving and kinde to him, and he to them.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, II. 330. They are the honestest, the loveingest, and the most conscientious Couple breatheing.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, V. i. ¶ 11. They got to be as loving as turtles.
1835. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xvi. III. 723. He brought that force only for the defence of his person and for the protection of his loving subjects.
1866. J. H. Newman, Gerontius, § 1. O loving friends, your prayers! Ibid. Help, loving Lord! Thou my sole Refuge, Thou.
† b. absol. A lover; one who loves. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14313. Lauerd, o selcut þat es slei, Þi lufand þus, qui let þou dei?
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr. (1866), 3. Fyllys þe luffande of gastely joye.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 14597 (Fairf.). Haue I na tome þidder to fare for na wele louande haue I þare.
c. transf. Tending to be closely attached, clinging, adhesive. dial.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 148. By this meanes the strawe is made lovinger, and is allsoe kept from growinge on the howses. [Common in mod. dialects: see Eng. Dial. Dict.]
2. Of words, actions, etc.: Manifesting love; proceeding from love. Hence occas. of persons with respect to their demeanor or conduct (const. to).
c. 1450. Myrc., 1697. Louynge serues and godely speche, Agayn enuye ys helpe and leche.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., xxvii. (Percy Soc.), 119. Her lovynge countenaunce so hyghe dyd appere, That it me ravyshed.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 39. They continue that louing custome [widow burning] deuoutly to this day.
18[?]. Tennyson, Early Spring, i. Once more the Heavenly Power … domes the red-plow’d hills With loving blue.
1862. Lytton, Str. Story, II. 177. Faber’s loving account of little Amy.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., III. 1303. His fingers pushed their loving way Through curl on curl.
1894. J. T. Fowler, Adamnan, Introd. 54. He was held in most loving remembrance.
3. Preceded by a sb., in various comb., as fun-, home-, money-, pleasure-loving.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, Lament. Glumdal., 33. That Money-loving Boy To some Lord’s Daughter sold the living Toy.
1838. Eliza Cook, Old Dobbin, xi. We fun-loving urchins would group by his side.
1871. S. B. James, Duty & Doctrine, 192. A pushing, eager, pleasure-loving, money-loving age!
1902. Westm. Gaz., 3 June, 1/2. The Boer is, above all things, a home-loving man.
