Forms: 5–7 somer, 6–7 sommer, (5 someryn, somoryn, 6 soommer, Sc. 6 symmer, 9 simmer), 5– summer. [f. SUMMER sb.1 Cf. MLG. som(m)eren, LG. sommern, MHG. sumer(e)n, summern, G. sommern and sömmern, ON. sumra.]
1. intr. To pass or spend the summer, to dwell or reside during the summer (now chiefly Sc. and U.S.); (of cattle, etc.) to be pastured in summer.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 464/2. Somoron [Winch. MS. someryn], or a-bydyn’ yn’ somyr, estivo.
1560. Bible (Geneva), Isa. xviii. 6. The foule shal sommer vpon it, and euerie beast of the earth shal winter vpon it.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 806. The Ancient Nomades,… who from the moneth of Aprill unto August, ly out skattering and sommering … with their cattaile.
1819. Southey, Lett. to N. White, 14 Oct. A great many Cantabs have been summering here.
1842. E. FitzGerald, Lett. (1889), I. 100. He is summering at Castellamare.
1880. E. Cornw. Gloss., s.v. Summering, Store cattle … are sent summering under the care of the moorland herdsmen.
1895. Anna M. Stoddart, J. S. Blackie, II. 154. A short stay with Dr and Mrs Kennedy, who were summering at Aberfeldy. Ibid., 195. In September he went to Pitlochry, where his friends the Archers were summering.
1897. ‘Mark Twain,’ Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg, etc. (1900), 93. A lady from Boston was summering in that village.
† b. transf. To pass one’s time pleasantly. rare–1.
1568. C. Watson, Polyb., 82. After they had ben vexed with long warres in Scicilie, & concluded a league with the Romans, they hoped to soommer and keepe holydaie.
2. trans. To keep or maintain during summer; esp. to provide summer pasture for (cattle, etc.): said of the land or the grazier. Also transf.
Cf. SUMMERING vbl. sb.1 1.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., V. ii. 335. Maides well Summer’d, and warme kept, are like Flyes at Bartholomew-tyde, blinde, though they haue their eyes.
1601. Account Bk. W. Wray, in Antiquary, XXXII. 119. For someringe ii stirkes, xs.
1610. Folkingham, Feudigr., II. x. 63. How many Cattell such a Plot will Winter and Sommer, feed or keepe.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), I. 208. If your Colts be not well weaned, well summered and wintered.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. xliv. 190. I am obliged to allow three acres to summer a cow.
1810. J. T., in Risdon’s Surv. Devon, p. ix. Dartmoor summers an immense number of … sheep.
1883. Standard, 3 April, 3/5. It should be the aim of the grass-land farmer to summer as many and winter as few animals as possible.
b. spec. in the management of hunters.
1825. Sporting Mag., N.S. XV. 343. Now for summering the hunter.
1862. Whyte-Melville, Inside the Bar, v. 283. The fascinating pursuit for which they [sc. hunters] have been bought, and summered, and got into condition.
1879. Fearnley, Less. Horse Judging, 114. Our present plan of summering hunters in boxes instead of out in the open,… is a step in the right direction.
† c. fig. To give (a person) a ‘sunny’ or happy time. Obs.
1622. J. Taylor (Water P.), Sir Greg. Nonsence, Wks. (1630), II. 3/2. Time now that summers him, wil one day winter him.
d. refl. or intr. To sun oneself, bask. Chiefly fig.
1837. C. Lofft, Self-formation, II. 133. Summer house indeed:—and truly my best feelings … summered themselves there most complacently.
1848. Aird, Devil’s Dream, xxx. Thou shalt summer high in bliss upon the hills of God.
1906. J. Huie, Singing Pilgr., 18.
| And far from death, and far from boding fears, | |
| For ever and for ever make abode, | |
| Where happy song shall never end in tears, | |
| To sun and summer in the smile of God. |
3. To summer and winter: a. To spend the whole year; also transf. to remain or continue permanently (with).
1650. Elderfield, Civ. Right Tythes, 210. The best and usefullest Constitutions of State are those experienced firm ones, that have lived, summered and wintered with us, as we say.
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb. (1861), 276. Grey-headed negroes, who had wintered and summered in the household of their departed master for the greater part of a century. Ibid. (1832), Alhambra, II. 209. The ruined tower of the bridge in Old Castile, where I have now wintered and summered for many hundred years.
b. trans. To maintain one’s attitude to or relations with at all seasons; to associate with, be faithful to, or adhere to constantly; hence, to be intimately acquainted with; also, to consider or discuss (a subject) constantly or thoroughly; † occas. to continue (a practice) for a whole year. Chiefly Sc.
a. 1626. Breton, Packet Mad Lett., I. § 15, Wks. (Grosart), II. 10. Shake of such acquaintance as gaine you nothing but discredit, and make much of him that must as well winter as summer you.
1644. Rutherford, Serm. bef. H. of Comm., 31 Jan. 1641. To Chr. Rdr. A 2 b. Whatever they had of Religion, it was never their mind both to summer and winter Jesus Christ.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1693), 197. [Presbyterianism] was not suitable to the eternal gospel, for the fautors of it did scarce summer and winter the same form of discipline.
1726–8. P. Walker, Life Peden, To Rdr. (1827), p. xxxv. These have been my Views and digested Thoughts, that I have summer’d and winter’d these many Years.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xliv. We couldna think o’ a better way to fling the gear in his gate, though we simmered it and wintered it e’er sae lang.
1849. Longf., Kavanagh, xx. Prose Wks. 1886, II. 370. I know the critics root and branch,—out and out,—have summered them, and wintered them,—in fact, am one of them myself.
1865. Mrs. Stowe, Little Foxes (1866), 29. Mrs. Crowfield, who … has summered and wintered me so many years, and knows all my airs and cuts and crinkles so well.
1891. Mrs. Lynn Linton, Lett. to H. Spencer, 28 March. I am always afraid of ‘summering and wintering’ a subject too much.
c. intr. To consider or discuss a matter at great length; to be tediously long in discourse. Sc.
1822. Galt, Sir A. Wylie, xcviii. I’m no for summering and wintering about the matter.
1832. Blackw. Mag., XXXII. 651. The Provost was thus summering and wintering to me.
1833. Galt, Gudewife, in Fraser’s Mag., VIII. 654/1. What would you be at, summering and wintering on nothing?
4. trans. To make summer-like, summery, balmy or genial.
1863. S. Dobell, An Autumn Mood, Poet. Wks. 1875, II. 332. Myself a morning, summer’d through and lit With light and summer.
1868. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xi. (1878), 228. His rough worn face, summered over with his child-like smile.
1896. A. Austin, England’s Darling, I. iii.
| Till your name | |
| Soared into space and summered all the air. |
Hence Summered (with adv. prefixed), Summering ppl. adjs.
1804. Anna Seward, Mem. Darwin, 337. The seas of glass, the noble rocks, the ever-summered gales.
1836. Fraser’s Mag., XIII. 233. Regularly Nimrodded, as the term for a well summered hunter now is.
1887. Swinburne, Locrine, I. i. 10. Seas that feel the summering skies.
