[L. sōl (for earlier *sāol, *sāwol), = Gr. ἥλιος (Homeric ἠέλιος, Cretan ἀβέλιος), Skr. suvar, Lith. sáule, Goth. sauil, ON. and Icel. sól (Norw., Sw., Da. sol), Welsh haul.]
1. The sun (personified).
Used without article and written with capital S.
c. 1450. Treat. Astrol. (MS. Ashm. 337), 2. Sol is hote & dry but not as mars is.
1592. Kyd, Span. Trag., I. i. 23. Ere Sol had slept three nights in Thetis lap.
1593. Peele, Poems, Wks. (Rtldg.), 601/2. More beautiful … Than Sol himself amid the Planets Seven.
1609. Ev. Woman in Hum., II. in Bullen, O. Pl., IV. His smile is like the Meridian Sol Discern’d a dauncing in the burbling brook.
1670. D. Denton, Brief Desc. New York (1845), 19. The Vines … doth shelter them from the scorching beams of Sols fiery influence.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, I. 13. Sol thro’ white curtains shot a tim’rous ray.
1791. Cowper, Retired Cat, 62. Till Sol, declining in the west, Shall call to supper.
1820. Combe, Syntax, Consol., V. (Chandos), 203. In bright Sol’s diurnal round, No such delightful place was found.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 277. Clytie, inconsolable for the loss of the affections of Sol,… is represented as brooding over her griefs in silence and in solitude.
† 2. a. Alch. Gold. Obs.
a. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 273. Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe.
[1460–70. Bk. Quintessence, I. (1866), 3. Good gold naturel … is clepid of philosophoris sol in latyn.]
1477. Norton, Ordin. Alch., iii. in Ashm. (1652), 41.
| Or Sol by it selfe, or Mercury alone, | |
| Or Sulphur with them, for matters of our Stone? |
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iv. 400. Pure goldy-locks, Sol, States’-friend, Honor-giver.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 45.
| Zeuxis his painted dogge shal barke and whine, | |
| When Ioue they turne to Sol or Luna fine. |
1606. J. Davies (Heref.), Select Husband, Wks. (Grosart), II. 7/1. Though Beauty then seem Sol, at least as rich, It wil be found but Lune, on Tryalls touch.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., II. iii. D 3 b. Bright Sol is in his robe.
1651. [see SOLARY a. 2].
1758. [see JUPITER 2 b].
† b. Her. (In blazoning by planets instead of metals) = OR sb. Obs.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. i. 83. Hee beareth Luna, on a Chiefe Iupiter, a Cherub displaied, Sol.
a. 1646. J. Gregory, Posthuma, Assyrian Monarchie (1650), 235. Emperors and Kings ought to bear Gold in their Arms, and then it might bee thus; The Field is Sol a Dove volant proper.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Sol … is taken … in Heraldry for the Gold Colour, in the Coats of Soveraign Princes.
1709. Hearne, Collect., 6 Nov. Canterbury bears a Staff in Pale Sol.
[1880. Encycl. Brit., XI. 691/2. Or, Yellow, Topaz, Sol.]
† c. ? The topaz. Obs.
1567. Maplet, Greene Forest, 21. Sol the Precious stone, is in colour like to the Sunne, and is called Sol, for that it giueth reflexions of Sunne beames.
