a. and sb. Forms: 4 tramountayne, 7 -mountain, -montan, (6–8 -ain, 9 -aine), 6– tramontane; also in It. forms, 7–9 tramontana, 6–8 (pl.) tramontani; Lat. pl. 7 tramontanæ. See also TRANSMONTANE. [ad. It. tramontana north wind, pole-star, tramontani ‘those folkes that dwell beyond the mountaines’ Florio (= Sp., Pg. tramontana north wind, sunset), whence also Fr. tramontane north wind, pole-star, OF. tramontan(e sb. and adj. (13th c.) north wind, tresmontaine pole-star:—L. transmontānus beyond the mountains, f. trans across, beyond + mons, mont-em mountain: cf. montān-us of or belonging to mountains.]
A. adj. 1. Dwelling or situated beyond, or pertaining to the far side of, the mountains (orig. and in reference to Italy, the Alps; in quots. 1806, 1840, referring to other mountains); hence, foreign; in quot. 1662 = occupied by a non-Italian.
1596. Nashe, Saffron-Walden, Wks. (Grosart), III. 131. Were their stuffe by ten millions more Tramontani or Transalpine barbarous than balletry, he would haue prest it vpon Wolfe.
a. 1618. Raleigh, in Gutch, Coll. Cur., I. 73. Tramontane, as well as Ultramontane Civilians will deem it otherwise.
1662. Bargrave, Pope Alex. VII. (1867), 50. The Italians have ever since taken care that St. Peter’s chair shall never be a tramontan chair again.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 222, ¶ 9. As for our Tramontain Lovers … A Man might as well serenade in Greenland as in our Region.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxxi. III. 245. The rustic, or even savage, aspect of those Tramontane warriors, often disguised a simple and merciful disposition.
1806. Scott, Lett. to G. Ellis, 3 March, in Lockhart. To undertake your expedition to the tramontane region of Reged this season.
1820. Edin. Rev., XXXIV. 185, note. The clock in the clock-house built at Westminster in 1288 … is usually considered as the earliest recorded instance of a Tramontane clock.
1840. Blackw. Mag., XLVII. 245. Our empire in India had waxed so powerful as to attract the envy of the Asiatic tramontane nations.
1884. J. S. Brewer, Reign Hen. VIII., I. ix. 279. A tramontane ecclesiastic.
b. With the connotation ‘uncouth, unpolished, barbarous.’ Now rare.
1739. Cibber, Apol. (1756), I. 233. This I have mention’d to shew not only our Tramontane Taste, but that [etc.].
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 533. Virtue is so scarce, That to suppose a scene where she presides Is tramontane, and stumbles all belief.
1796. Charlotte Smith, Marchmont, IV. 115. I … for a man of fashion had strange tramontane ideas.
1832. Blackw. Mag., XXXI. 101. I beg … if these can be your real sentiments, that you will keep them as private as possible. They are totally tramontane in this part of the world.
2. Of the wind: Coming across or from beyond the mountains; spec. in reference to Italy, Blowing from beyond the Alps: cf. B. 2.
1705. Addison, Italy, Pavia, 27. That Side of the Church … which faces the Tramontane Wind.
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., IV. 236. Where no tramontane blasts could come from masses of snow.
1869. Daily News, 10 Dec. I … was exposed to a tramontane wind as bitter as an oration of Mr. Roebuck, in his most sarcastic mood.
1877. A. J. Ross, Mem. A. Ewing, vi. 63. A fierce tramontane wind usually blowing.
B. sb. † 1. The north pole-star: originally so called in Italy and Provence, because visible beyond the Alps: cf. It. tramontana (Florio, 1598), OF. tresmontaine (c. 1295 in Godefroy). Also fig.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 211. I schal telde vp my trone in þe tramountayne.
1604. Edmonds, Observ. Cæsar’s Comm., 40. Directions, both from the loadstone of reason, and tramontane of experience to shape an easie and successfull course.
1633. Drumm. of Hawth., Sp. to K. Charles, Jove, 9. The Tramontane which thy faire course directs, Thy Counsels shall approve by their effects.
2. In the Mediterranean and esp. in Italy, The north wind, as coming from beyond the Alps; hence generally, a cold wind from a mountain range. (Now usually in Italian form tramontana.)
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., I. 38. The boysterous Tramontana … here [Constantinople] most violently rages.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva (1776), 316. [Florence and Rome] exposed to the nipping Tramontans (for so they call the Northern winds).
1721. Bailey, Tramontane..., the North Wind.
1773. Brydone, Sicily, ii. (1809), 9. This morning … we have gotten a fine brisk tramontane (or North wind).
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., I. 292. The deadening sirrocco wind, which is immediately succeeded by a tramontana, the bise.
1856. Belfast News-Letter, 28 March, 1/2. The weather could hardly have been more unfavourable, a strong breeze from the N.E., known locally [Genoa, Italy] under the significant name of a ‘tramontana,’ penetrated through every protection in the way of clothing.
1887. Pall Mall G., 21 March, 11/2. An excessively cold tramontana is blowing.
3. One who dwells beyond the mountains: orig. applied in Italy to foreigners beyond the Alps; also by these nations to the Italians; hence, a stranger, a foreigner; an outsider, barbarian.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., Wks. (Grosart), IV. 184. Let not the Italians call you dulheaded Tramontain.
1622. Bacon, Hen. VII., 27. Our Holy Father the Pope likes no Tramontanes [= French] in Italie.
1636. Massinger, Gt. Dk. Florence, II. ii. A happiness Those tramontanes ne’er tasted.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. iii. 251. Yet was it a great labour for a Tramountain to climb over the Alps to S. Peters Chair.
1703. Steele, Tender Husb., Epil. Till then forgive your Writers, that can’t bear You shou’d such very Tramontanes appear.
1732. Fielding, Miser, II. iii. Oh! child, you are quite a tramontane; I must bring you to like dear Spadille.
1811. Miss L. M. Hawkins, C’tess & Gertr., II. 52. See that horrible tramontane Major Brag who dined here to-day.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr., XIII. ix. VI. 181. The subtle Italians found themselves circumvented by the steady aggression of the Tramontanes.
