Forms: α. 4– sparkle, 4–7, 9 dial. sparcle (6 -ckle); 5, 7 sparkel, 5 -ele, 5–6 -ell, 5 sparkull, 6 -ul, 5 sparkil, 6 -yl(l. β. 4–6, 9 Sc. sperkle, 5 sperkyl(l, 6 -kil, 5–6 spercle. [f. SPARK sb.1 + -LE 1, perh. on the analogy of the vb. The earlier senses run parallel with those of spark.]
1. A small spark; an ignited or luminous particle.
α. c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 8544. Þe sparkles fleye as fir of flyntes.
c. 1407. Lydg., Reson & Sens., 1579. A firy bronde, Castyng sparklys fer a-broode.
1482. Monk of Evesham, xvii. (Arb.), 40. They ware bore vppe an hy by the grete vyolente flamys of fier as sparclys byn of a brennyng fornece.
1532. More, Confut. Barnes, VIII. Wks. 757/2. We be sure by the smoke & the sparcles that there is fyre in the chymneye.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1860), 29. When the steele and the flint be knockde togither, a man may light his match by the sparkle.
1620. T. Granger, Div. Logike, 126. A sparkle hath the same vertue that fire hath.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 766. Fierce Effusion … Of smoak and bickering flame, and sparkles dire.
1758. Reid, trans. Macquer’s Chym., I. 362. You will see a great many sparkles darted up from the surface of the metal.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxiii. I remained … gazing after them, as if endeavouring to count the sparkles which flew from the horses’ hoofs.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, IV. I. 108. A radiant meteor scattering sparkles round.
β. 1382. Wyclif, Gen. xix. 28. Abraham … saw a multitude of sparkis [v.r. sperklis] steiynge vp fro the erthe.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xii. 43. Thynke it not nomore than the sperkell yssuyng oute of the fyre wyth the smoke.
1508. Stanbridge, Vulgaria (W. de W.), A vj b. Fauilla, a sperkle.
15[?]. Adam Bel, 133, in Hazl., E. P. P., II. 144. The spercles brent, and fell hym on.
1570. Levins, Manip., 125. A sperkil, scintilla.
Prov. 1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xi. 34. Of oo sparcle fyr is eechid.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., X. viii. (1495), 379. Of a lytill sperkyll in an hepe of towe or of tyndyr cometh sodaynly a grete fyre.
c. 1470[?]. G. Ashby, Active Policy, 426. For of a litle sparkel a grete fyre Comyth, displeasaunt to many a sire.
a. 1536. Proverbs, in Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.), 130. Of a lytill sparkyll, commeth a gret fyre.
b. With of (fire, etc.).
c. 1422. Hoccleve, Minor Poems, xxiii. 702. Right as sparcles of fyr aboute sprede Whan þat a greet toun set is on a lowe.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W., 1495), I. xlii. 68/1. Noo thynge fantastyque, but a sparcle of fyre.
1597. J. King, On Jonas (1618), 10. Quenching a sparkle of wild-fire.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 202. The aire appeared as if full of sparkles of fire.
c. In similes or comparisons, and in allusive use.
c. 1330. King of Tars, 194. Whon he was brouht uppon his stede, He sprong as sparkle doth of glede.
1382. Wyclif, Wisd. iii. 7. As sparcles in reeddy places thei shuln renne hider and thider.
14[?]. Sir Beues (M.), 1884. Vp he sterte also right As sperkyll oute of fire right.
1660. W. Secker, Nonsuch Prof., 342. A man that carries Gun-powder about him, can never stand too far from Sparkles.
d. fig. and in fig. context; freq. with allusion to the kindling of a fire or conflagration.
(a) 1382. Wyclif, Wisd. ii. 2. Sermoun of [read is] a sparcle to stirn togidere oure herte.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol. Reeve’s T., 31. Foure gleedes han we…: Avauntyng, liyng, Anger, Coueitise, Thise foure sparkles [v.r. sperkles] longen vn to eelde.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 249 b/1. How be hit that the membres were bounden in the hete of the Sparcles, the force of the feith was not corrupt.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 263. It shal be as easie a matter for a man to finde as much Relligion in Tullies Officies … as this your Relligion is,… a fewe sparckles onely except.
1607. Scholast. Disc. agst. Antichrist, I. i. 38. We must nourish her sparcles least her light bee quite extinguished.
1629. H. Burton, Babel no Bethel, 119. Considering them as sparkles leaping out of the boyling brest of juvenile ardour.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., I. 75. When their glimps was gone, My pride struck out new sparkles of her own.
1707. Curios. in Husb. & Gard., 323. Seeds … contain an Atom of Life, a sparkle of celestial Fire.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxii. A sparkle hath been quenched by his blood, which no human breath can again rekindle!
(b) 1515. Barclay, Egloges, II. (1570), B j/2. A small sparcle may kindle loue certayne.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 210. Which small sparcle had growen to a greater flame, if the erle of Warwycke … had not sodaynly quenched it.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXIX. xxxi. 732. Unlesse they put out this sparkle of fire betimes,… it will be their chaunce to be caught therewith.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., II. vi. 207. That every least despised sparkle is apt to occasion great combustions.
1779. Johnson, L. P., Addison, ¶ 45. Some unlucky sparkle from a Tory paper set Steele’s politicks on fire.
1859. Tennyson, Geraint & Enid, 833. To make My nature’s prideful sparkle in the blood Break into furious flame.
2. A slight beginning, trace, indication or manifestation of something.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 279. Sparclis of grace þat we felen.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, III. xix. (1554), 91 b/2. The sparcle of vengeance is quicked … by windes foure.
c. 1450. Metham, Wks., 39. With-in Amoryus the sparkyl off loue so rootyd gan be.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark, Pref. 5. What sparcle of shame remayneth.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619), 150. They had not one sparkle of compassion on us.
1606. J. Carpenter, Solomon’s Solace, iii. 12. He … giueth not so much as any sparkle or shew of a merry conceit.
1675. Traherne, Chr. Ethics, 415. Now all these sparkles of joy … meet together in humility.
1718. Bp. Hutchinson, Witchcraft, 40. He said he had never found one Sparkle of Truth.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 531. Their frictions among one another struck out the first sparkles of judgment and forecast.
1825. Scott, Betrothed, xxii. Pleased to shew some sparkles of his ancient military education.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, vii. Truth, Wks. (Bohn), II. 55. It is an unlucky moment to remember these sparkles of solitary virtue.
3. A vital or animating principle. rare.
1388. Wyclif, 2 Sam. xiv. 7. Thei seken to quenche my sparcle whych is lefte.
1599. Davies, Immort. Soul, 3. How can we hope, that … This dying Sparkle … Can recollect these beames of knowledge cleare?
† 4. A small ruby or diamond. Obs. rare.
1480. in Cal. Doc. Rel. Scotl. (1888), IV. 297. Sparkyllys [called] rubees.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., II. 528. Entire, one solid shining Diamond, Not Sparkles shattered into Sects like you.
1704. E. Arwaker, Embassy fr. Heaven, xxxiv. 14. His Chrystal Coach in Di’mond Sparkles burn’d.
5. A glittering or flashing point of light.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xiii. 48. The sterres launchynge theyr bryghte sparkeles, excyte the appetyte of slepe.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., Interpr. Wds., When it is broken, it sendeth out the golden sparcles shinynge like sterres.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon, III. iii. As the Moone Darkneth the brightest sparkles of the night.
1634. Milton, Comus, 80. Swift as the Sparkle of a glancing Star.
1652. N. Culverwel, Lt. Nature, I. xvi. (1661), 136. The Sun … with its golden Scepter rules all created Sparkles.
1713. Phil. Trans., XXVIII. 231. Those Sparkles of Light.
1824. Miss L. M. Hawkins, Annaline, II. 169. I have witnessed at night … sparkles which adhered to the adjoining ropes.
1846. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., II. III. § 2. v. § 21. The sparkles streaming from their purple wings like the glitter of many suns upon a sounding sea.
1871. L. Stephen, Playgr. Eur. (1894), v. 128. A few green sparkles just pointing out the Lake of Thun.
fig. 1538. Starkey, England, II. i. 144. We haue conceyuyd some sparkyl of the celestyal lyght.
1583. Babington, Commandm. (1590), 82. These were but sparcles as it were of his glorie and Maiestie that they sawe.
1606. J. Clapham, Hist. Gt. Brit., I. I. xii. 34. [The] Christian Religion … began to cast forth some small sparkles of her brightnesse.
a. 1672. Sterry, Rise & Race Kingd. God in Soul Man, 212. A glance and sparkle of this Eternal Image of essential beauty.
1816. Moore, Sacred Songs, ‘Oh, Thou! who dry’st,’ ii. (1849), 247. Hope that threw A moment’s sparkle o’er our tears, Is dimm’d and vanished too.
1888. Doughty, Trav. Arabia Deserta, I. vii. 196. These sallies are never unwelcome to Arabs, being as sparkles struck upon their own natural hearts.
b. A flashing or fiery glance.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 33. His eies did hurle forth sparcles fiery red.
1721. Ramsay, Keitha, 41. Her een, which did with heav’nly sparkles low.
1823. Roscoe, trans. Sismondi’s Lit. Eur. (1846), II. xxxviii. 509. While dark red sparkles from his eye-balls rolled.
6. Glittering or flashing appearance or quality; lively brightness.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 34. If the sparkle of her eyes appeare in the night, the starres blush at her brightnesse.
1639. Saltmarsh, Policy, A vij b. Like those jewels which have their matter from earth, their sparkle from heaven.
1820. Scott, Monast., xxxvii. The occasional sparkle of the long line of spears.
1832. W. Irving, Alhambra, II. 116. His ever-watchful eye caught the sparkle of a diamond.
1885. F. Miller, Glass-Painting, 53. By rubbing of some of the colour, a wonderful brilliancy and sparkle is imparted.
b. Brightness or liveliness of spirit; smartness; wittiness.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. viii. § 30. How a King of any royall sparkle, could brooke such Sea and Land Tempests … I cannot conceiue.
1789. Charlotte Smith, Ethelinde (1814), II. 144. The sparkle of spirit and the languish of tenderness.
1828. Lytton, Pelham, I. iii. 20. Beside him was a quick, sharp little woman, all sparkle and bustle.
1876. F. E. Trollope, A Charming Fellow, I. xvii. 234. [He] surprised himself by the amount of fun and sparkle he contrived to elicit.
1894. Julia Cartwright, Henrietta of Orleans, i. 1. The vivacity and sparkle which she inherited from her mother.
c. spec. The appearance characteristic of certain wines, due to the presence of carbonic-acid gas.
1833. C. Redding, Mod. Wines, v. 72. The Sillery has no sparkle at all.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxxii. 445. If this solitary relic of festival days had lost its sparkle, we had not.
7. A small piece, part, spot, etc., of something; a (glittering) particle.
c. 1570. Foxe, Serm. 2 Cor. v. 18. A breeder of sinne, or (as we may call it) a privy sparcle of the Serpents seede.
1585. Parsons, Chr. Exer., I. x. 131. All the pleasures … in the worlde, being onely sparkles and parcelles sent out from God.
1769. St. James’s Chron., 12–14 Sept., 1/3. A Peasant, into whose Eye flew a Sparkle of Iron.
1818. Gentl. Mag., 343/2. An aerolite is of a grey colour, and sprinkled with metallic sparkles.
1822. Shelley, trans. Calderon’s Mag. Prodig., ii. 61. Sparkles of blood on the white foam are cast.
8. Comb., as sparkle-blazing, -drifting, -eyed.
1614. Gorges, Lucan, I. 35. An vgly Fiend (that in her hand Did hold a sparkle-blazing brand).
1648. Hexham, II. Katoogigh, Cat-eyed, or sparkel-eyed like a Cat.
1845. Mrs. Norton, Child of Islands (1846), 178. Hammer the sparkle-drifting iron straight.
