Forms: α. 3–7 Spaine, Spayne, 4 Spaigne, 5 Speyne, 6 Espayne, 6– Spain; 5–6 Sc. Spane. β. Sc. 5 Spanȝhe, 5–6 Spanȝe, 6 -ȝie, Spaneȝe, Spangyie, 9 Spainyie; 5–6 Spenȝe, 6– -ȝee, -ȝie, Speinȝie, 9 Spengyie. [ad. AF. Espayne, Espaigne (mod.F. Espagne, = Sp. España, Pg. Hespanha, It. Spagna):—late L. Spānia (Gr. Σπανία) for earlier Hispānia (Ispānia).
The usual form in OE. is Ispania, but in the dat. plur. the aphetic forms Spenum and Spaneum occur. The dropping of the initial vowel of OF. Espaigne is in accordance with English usage: cf. MDu. Spaengen, -gien (Du. Spanje), MHG. Spanje, Spangen- (G. Spanien), ON. Spánn (and Spánland). The later Sc. forms show the usual change of nȝ into ngy or ng.]
1. The country that together with Portugal occupies the south-western peninsula of Europe.
α. c. 1205. Lay., 1394. Heo ferden from Spaine riht toward Brutaine.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 3915. Þer nas bituene Þis & spayne no prince … Þat nas at þis rounde table.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 1482. Whan þeyr fflote … Turnede fro þe lond of Spaigne.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 299. But þere beeþ tweye Spaynes; þe hyder … Þe ȝonder Spayne.
1436. Libel Eng. Policy, 99. The wolle of Spayne hit cometh not to preffe, But if it be … menged welle Amonges Englysshe wolle.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Hawking, b vi b. Take Oyle of spayne and tempere it with clere wyne.
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., II. xxxv. Now in the realme of Trace, and now in Spane.
1547. Boorde, Introd. Knowl., xxx. (1870), 198. Spayne is a very poore countrey.
1550. J. Coke, Eng. & Fr. Heralds, § 208. Commodities of Espayne and not of Fraunce.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1623), 2. Asia serueth theo with silke and purple,… Spaine with Gold, and Germanie with Siluer.
1706. Stevens, Sp. & Eng. Dict., Pref. The long continuance of the Moors in Spain.
1838. Prescott, Ferd. & Isabella, I. ii. (1854), I. 93. The combined forces of France and Spain.
β. 1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 688. The … strait off Marrok in-to Spanȝe.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., III. ix. 1050. Wiþe-in þe kynrik of Spanȝhe hail.
1561. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 177. All writtin in the language of Spangyie.
b. New Spain, the region including Mexico and Central America. Now Hist.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 281. The Assiento Contract has excluded … Great Britain from Trading to New Spain.
1777. Robertson, Hist. Amer., III. (1851), V. 231. Grijalva … called it New Spain, the name which still distinguishes this extensive and opulent province of the Spanish empire in America.
1843. Prescott, Mexico, VII. ii. (1850), III. 215. Vera Cruz … has remained ever since the great commercial capital of New Spain.
a. 1845. Encycl. Metrop., XIII. 716/2. Of these disturbances, that of New Spain seemed to threaten the worst consequences.
c. The Spains, Spain in Europe and New Spain in America.
1847. De Quincey, Sp. Mil. Nun, Wks. 1862, III. 64. The King of the Spains and the Indies.
d. fig. A quantity such as Spain can produce.
1866. Howells, Venetian Life, xvii. 256. Whole Hollands of cabbage, and Spains of onions.
2. attrib. in Sc. use: = SPANISH a.
Also ellipt. Spainyie, Spengyie, Spanish cane.
1494. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 250. A wall of Spenȝe erne. Ibid. (1502), II. 270. For vj waw of Spanȝe irne to the werk in Halyrudhous.
a. 1520. Dunbar, Poems, lv. 30. Quhill that thai gatt the Spanȝie pockis.
1546. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., IX. 42. Tua ellis and ane half Spanȝe freis. Ibid. (1550), 399. Thre fyne Spanȝe skynnis.
1565. in Hay Fleming, Reform. Scotl. (1910), 611. Twa breistis of Spenȝee cattis and twa mantillingis of Spenȝie cattis.
a. 1585. Montgomerie, Flyting, 314. The feavers, the fearcie, with the speinȝie flees.
1825. Jamieson, Suppl., Spainyie Flees,… cantharides.
