Also 6–7 Salomon. [The name of the Jewish king Solomon (in older English usage Salomon), L. Solomon, Salomon, Gr. Σολομών, Σαλομών, Σαλωμών, ad. Heb. Sh’lōmōh.] One who resembles, or is comparable to, Solomon, esp. in respect of wisdom or justice; a profoundly wise person, a sage; also ironically, a wiseacre.
1554. Mayland, in Hawes’ Past. Pleas., *iij. The famous Prince and seconde Salomon, Kynge Henrye the Seuenth.
1557. Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 168. In sober wit a Salomon.
1624. Bedell, Lett., v. 90. Let our Salomon [James I.] be Iudge between them.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., II. lix. (1674), 212. Command, makes men seem wise Solomons … who … have no more Brains than a Goose.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. Lady’s Answer to Knight, 195. If you all were Solomons, And Wise and Great as he was once.
1773. H. Walpole, Lett. (1857), VI. 42. These Solomons delight to sit to a maker of wax-work.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxx. But the old Swiss is a Solomon compared with him.
1889. Science-Gossip, XXV. 244. It must imply that there was once an exceptionally wise Paramœcium…. The existence of such an infusorial Solomon is at least improbable.
b. British, English, or Scotch Solomon, King James VI. of Scotland and I. of England.
1814. W. Wilson, Hist. Dissent. Ch., IV. 123. About the year 1621, our English Solomon then sitting on the throne.
c. 1830. Coleridge, in Lit. Rem. (1838), III. 48. In the slavering times of our Scotch Solomon.
Solomon, variant of SALMON sb.2 Obs.
