subs. (old).—1. A dandy; an exquisite. Hence TO ADONIZE = to dandify; to ‘dress to kill’: of men only.
[1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Adoniser. TO ADONISE it; to resemble Adonis, to imitate, or counterfeit the graces, or beautie of Adonis.]
1623. MABBE, The Spanish Rogue, ii. 21. [A man becomes] another ADONIS.
1668. SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, The Visions of Quevedo (1678), 12. Whatever you may think of a Devil, he passes … for a very ADONIS or Narcissus.
1761. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas (1802), III. 418. Three good hours, at least, in adjusting and ADONISING myself.
1765. TUCKER, The Light of Nature Pursued, I. 457. Two such ADONISES talking so sweetly of our reciprocal passion!
1818. S. E. FERRIER, Marriage, ix. Venus and the Graces, by Jove!… now I must go and ADONISE a little myself.
1850. F. E. SMEDLEY, Frank Fairlegh, xl. He positively refused to face the ladies till he had changed … so I left him up at the hall to ADONIZE.
1865. Pall Mall Gazette, 11 Aug., 9. 2. They [soldiers] may be ADONIZING at Truefit’s with a view to the park or the club.
2. (obsolete).—A wig.
1760. WALPOLE, Letter to George Montagu, in Letters (1820), 13 Nov., ii. 206. He [Duke of Cumberland] had a dark brown ADONIS, and a cloak of black cloth.
1772. R. GRAVES, The Spiritual Quixote, bk. III. ch. xix. He puts on a fine flowing ADONIS or white periwig.
