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† ˈtrangam Obs.
Also 7 trangame, 7–8 -gham, -gum.
[Origin obscure: the first two quots. suggest that it was a fictitious law-term. Obs. after 1719, but recalled by Scott.
In quot. 1712 misquoted by Johnson as trangram, which erroneous spelling has been followed by later dictionaries, some of which further associate it with tangram (known only from 1864). Cf. trankum.]
An odd or intricate contrivance of some kind; a knick-knack, a puzzle; a toy, trinket; a gewgaw, trumpery ornament. Applied to anything which the speaker views with contempt.
a1658Cleveland Engagement Stated 21 When neither Arts nor Arms can serve to fight, And wrest a Title from its Law and Right, Must Malice piece the Trangum? and make clear The Scruple? 1672Eachard Hobbs' State Nat. 21 A Cause is a certain pack or aggregate of trangams, which being all packed up and chorded close together, they may then truly be said in Law to constitute a compleat and essential pack. 1676Wycherley Pl. Dealer iii. i, But go, thou Trangame, and carry back those Trangames, Which thou hast stol'n or purloin'd. 1678A. Behn Sir P. Fancy iv. iii, Get you gone, and finefy your knacks and tranghams. 1679Oldham Sat. Jesuits iv. (1682) 85 These [pretended sacred relics] are the Fathers Implements, and Tools, Their gawdy Trangums for inveigling Fools. [1686Goad Celest. Bodies iii. ii. 399 He, who looks upon Architecture and Fortification to be only Trangunims, is a Wise Man.] 1712Arbuthnot John Bull iii. vi, Hey day, what's here? What a Devil's the meaning of all these Trangams and Gimcracks, Gentlemen? 1719J. Roberts Spinster 349 If they should rise from the dead now, and see you dressed up in your painted trangums, and East India rags, while all the poor Spinners hung about you crying for bread and for work. 1820Scott Abbot xix, When yon usher..began to inquire what Popish trangam you were wearing... This comes of carrying Popish nick-nackets about you. |