[a. L. tumor, -ōrem, swollen state, a swelling, f. tum-ēre to swell; cf. OF. tumour (14th c. in Godef., Compl.).]
† 1. The action, or an act, of swelling; distension, increase of bulk; swollen condition. Obs.
1541. R. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., 2 A iv. The … flesshe … whan with the euyl qualyte it hath tumour agaynst nature.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXV. iv. 267. The tumor of his veines and arteries stopped his spirits.
1671. R. Bohun, Wind (Contents), The suddain tumours in the Lake of Geneva.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., Refl. Agric., xix. 72. This Distension or Tumor of such tyed Branches.
2. concr. A part rising above or projecting beyond the general level or surface; a swollen part or object; a swelling. Now rare or Obs. exc. as in 3.
In quot. 1678 applied to anything having bulk, i.e., occupying space.
1601. Holland, Pliny, VIII. xlv. I. 225. [The cattle] of Caria … are illfavoured to be seen, having between their necks & shoulders a tumor or swelling hanging over.
1647. H. More, Song of Soul, Notes 151/2. The tumour [of water] at B is bigger then that at A.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. v. § 3. 780. There are … two kinds of Substances in the universe; the first corporeal,… are nothing but ὄγκοι, bulks, or tumours, devoid of all self-active power; the second incorporeal … are ἄογκοι δυνάμεις, substantial powers.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., 111. A like ferment makes notable tumours and ventricles.
1847. W. E. Steele, Field Bot., 13. Style … thickened beneath its branches, and often fringed at the tumour.
3. An abnormal or morbid swelling or enlargement in any part of the body of an animal or plant; an excrescence; a tumefaction. Now usually in restricted sense: see b.
[1541: cf. 1.]
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxii. § 18. To helpe the tumors which alwaies fulnes breedeth.
a. 1601. ? Marston, Pasquil & Kath., II. 61. The gowt causeth a great tumour in a mans legs.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., iv. 136. Tumors and Excrescences of Plants … made by such Insects.
1758. Gooch, Cases Surg., 17. A Species of tumor called by the common people the Mumps.
1874. Lubbock, Orig. & Met. Ins., i. 10. To produce a tumour or gall.
b. spec. A permanent circumscribed morbid swelling, consisting in a new growth of tissue, without inflammation.
Phantom tumor: see PHANTOM 8.
1804. Abernethy, Surg. Obs., 6. I shall restrict the surgical signification of the word ‘Tumour’ to such swellings as arise from some new production.
1807–26. S. Cooper, First Lines Surg. (ed. 5), 428. The tumour being removed, the surgeon should examine the interior of the wound…. He should also examine the surface of every scirrhous tumour, immediately it is taken out.
1870. Maudsley, Body & Mind, 184. Certain colloid tumours have the structure of the umbilical cord.
1878. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg. (1879), II. 28. Tumours of the pharynx or tonsils are occasionally met with.
† 4. fig. a. ‘Swelling’ of passion, pride, or the like; the condition of being ‘puffed up’; haughtiness, arrogance, vain-glory; inflated pride or conceit. Obs.
1600. Heywood, 1st Pt. Edw. IV., Wks. 1874, I. 5. If you resist this tumour of her will.
1636. Wotton, Lett. to Q. of Bohemia, in Reliq. (1651), 394. There is in him no tumour, no sowrenesse,… but a quiet mind.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 98, ¶ 11. The tumour of insolence, or petulance of contempt.
1778. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., viii. (1876), 444. The tumour of this presumptuous loftiness.
† b. Turgidity of language, style, or deportment; affected grandeur; bombast: = TUMIDITY b. Obs.
a. 1639. Wotton, Parallel Essex & Buckhm. (1641), 8. His Stile was … rich of praise [1651 phrase],… and so farre from Tumor that it rather wanted a little Elevation.
1652. J. Hall, Height of Eloquence, p. v. It appears one of the nicest cautions in all Speech to beware of Tumour.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 105, ¶ 4. A slow pace, and tumour of dignity.
1840. De Quincey, Style, I. Wks. 1860, XI. 204. Better to be flippant, than by a revolting habit of tumour and perplexity [etc.].
† c. Something vain or empty; a ‘bubble.’ Obs.
1629. Massinger, Picture, I. i. Nor is it in me mere desire of fame … that puts on my armour: Such airy tumours take not me.
1662. Royal Trade of Fishing, 15. I present you with no Chimeraes or tumors, toyes to please Children.
5. attrib. and Comb., as tumor-cell, -formation, growth, -mass, symptom, etc.; tumor-like adj.
1853. N. Y. Times, 28 April, 2/5. Another notable instance of the tumor-like state into which the body politic may be swelled by this self-will, is manifest in the Woman’s Rights’ business.
1880. Barwell, Aneurism, 116. Tumor symptoms on the left side of the chest.
1889. J. M. Duncan, Clin. Lect. Dis. Women, ii. (ed. 4), 5. A rounded soft, tumour-like mass.
1898. J. Hutchinson, in Arch. Surg., IX. No. 36. 295. Multiple Fractures … with Tumour Growths.
Hence † Tumored, tumoured a., obs., affected with tumor or swelling, swollen (lit. and fig.): const. as adj. or pa. pple.
1635. Heywood, Hierarch., VI. 362. By his poys’nous draught which life expel’d I might behold his legs tumor’d and swell’d.
1639. R. Junius, Sin Stigm., 50. Such an one … seldome unbuttons his tumored breast.
1647. Trapp, Comm. Matt. xix. 23. The greatest wealth … tumoured up with the greatest swelth of rebellion.
