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▪ I. humour, humor, n.|ˈhjuːmə(r), ˈjuːmə(r)|
Also 4 umour, -or, 4–6 humure, 5 -ore, 5–6 -oure.
[a. AF. (h)umour, F. (h)umor, -ur, mod.F. humeur (= It. umore, Sp., Pg. humor):—L. hūmōrem, more properly ūmōr-em fluid, moisture.
For the spelling cf. honour; humour is now usual in Great Britain, humor in U.S. The English formations, humoured, humourless, humoursome, are here spelt like the n. and vb.; but the derivatives formed on a Latin type, as humoral, humorist, humorous, are spelt humor- as in L. humōrōsus, etc. (This agrees with Johnson's use.) The pronunciation of the initial h is only of recent date, and is sometimes omitted, esp. in the senses under II: see H (the letter).]
I. Physical senses.
†1. Moisture; damp exhalation; vapour. Obs.
1382Wyclif Jer. xvii. 8 As a tree, that is ouer plauntide vp on watris, that at the humour [L. ad humorem, 1388 moisture] sendith his rootes. ― Ecclus. xxxviii. 29 The humour [L. vapor] of the fyr brenneth his flesh. c1420Pallad. on Husb. i. 790 That diche wol drie vp humours of thy londe. 1599Chapman Hum. Dayes Myrth Plays 1873 I. 52 The skie hangs full of humour and I thinke we shall haue raine. 1601Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 262 To walke vnbraced, and sucke vp the humours Of the danke Morning. 1670in Evelyn's Mem. (1857) III. 228 At Christmas last we could hardly find humour enough in the ground to plant. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 129 Redundant Humours thro' the Pores expire.
2. Any fluid or juice of an animal or plant, either natural or morbid. (Chiefly in mediæval physiology; now rare or arch.)
1340Ayenb. 132 He yuelþ þe kueade humours ine þe bodye. c1386Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 105 Whan humours been to habundant in a wight. 1489Caxton Faytes of A. ii. xxxviii. 160 Nother in marche nor in aperyll the trees that thenne haue habondaunce of humore ought not to be felde a doune. 1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 34 The humoure or ioyse which droppeth out of the braunches of the date trees. 1610J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xi. (1660) 149 Either true and natural blood, or..some kind of hot humour that is to it instead of blood. 1704J. Harris Lex. Techn. s.v. Aspera, The Wind-pipe..being besmear'd with a fattish and mucous Humour..to make the Voice smoother. 1727–41Chambers Cycl. s.v. Mistletoe, A flattish seed..enclosed with a viscid, glutinous humour. 1789W. Buchan Dom. Med. (1790) 639 The cold bath..occasions an excessive flux of humours towards the head. 1833I. Taylor Fanat. vi. 198 Cold as marble:..solid as iron..because there are no humours or lymph in their constitutions.
b. spec. In ancient and mediæval physiology, one of the four chief fluids (cardinal humours) of the body (blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy or black choler), by the relative proportions of which a person's physical and mental qualities and disposition were held to be determined: cf. 4, and see temperament. Obs. exc. Hist.
† black humour, black choler or melancholy (obs.).
c1380Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 169 Blood is moost kyndely umour, answeringe to þe love of God, þre oþere umors in man answeren to þree oþer loves. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iv. vi. (Add. MS. 27944), Þere beþ foure humours, Blood, Flewme, Colera and Melencolia. 1581W. Stafford Exam. Compl. iii. (1876) 84 He answered me that choler was the cause of my sicknes, and that hee gaue me those purgations to auoyde this humour. 1588Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 235 Besieged with sable coloured melancholie, I did commend the blacke oppressing humour to the most wholesome Physicke of thy health-giuing ayre. 1618Demeanour Sir W. Raleigh 52 Two Physitions..being come, could tell nothing of what humor the said sicknesse was composed. a1695Marquis of Halifax Lady's N. Year's Gift (1756) 37 If your Husband should be really sullen..let the Black Humour begin to spend itself, before you come in. 1881R. Routledge Science i. 32 According to Hippocrates, the human body contained four humours; blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.
c. With allusion to the mental qualities or disposition held to arise from these ‘humours’.
1604Shakes. Oth. iii. iv. 31 æmil. Is he not iealous? Des. Who, he? I thinke the sun where he was borne, Drew all such humors from him. 1844Mrs. Browning Vis. Poets ccxi, One that drew Sour humours from his mother.
†d. Used for the peculiar constitution or quality (e.g. saltness, sourness) of a material substance. Obs.
1661J. Childrey Brit. Bacon. 166 Along the Sea side..lye heaps of Sand, upon which the people pour water till it contract a saltish humour from the sand. 1729S. Switzer Hydrost. & Hydraul. 72 To wonder how Sea-Water shall be thus stripped of its pristine Humour.
3. One of the transparent fluid or semi-fluid parts of the eye, viz. the aqueous humour in front of the iris, and the vitreous humour, which fills most of the space between the iris and the retina; formerly including also the denser crystalline lens.
1398–1615 [see crystalline a. 6]. 1643[see aqueous 1 b]. 1710J. Clarke Rohault's Nat. Phil. (1729) I. xxx. 239 [The ray] falling..upon the Superficies of the Vitreous Humour. 1831Brewster Optics xxxv. §166. 286 The..globe of the eye consists of four coats..these coats enclose three humours. 1861Hulme tr. Moquin-Tandon ii. i. 50 A perfect dioptric apparatus. This consists of the aqueous humour, the crystalline humour or lens, and the vitreous humour. 1872Huxley Phys. ix. 227 The two humours are separated by the..crystalline lens, denser..than either of the humours.
II. Senses denoting mental quality or condition.
4. Mental disposition (orig. as determined by the proportion of the bodily ‘humours’: see 2 b); constitutional or habitual tendency; temperament.
c1475in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems 154 In my loue was neuere desaite, Alle myn humours y haue opened hir to. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. i. 212 Thus Ile curbe her mad and headstrong humor. 1639T. Brugis tr. Camus' Mor. Relat. 156 You know the severe humour of my Lord. 1654tr. Martini's Conq. China 222 Being of a bold and couragious humour. 1676tr. Guillatiere's Voy. Athens 220 Having found our humours to be inquisitive and generous, he studied all ways of gratifying them. 1775Sheridan St. Patr. Day i. i, The corporal is the lieutenant's countryman and knows his humour. 1861Tulloch Eng. Purit. I. i. 56 A fine old country gentleman..with the genuine hearty humour of the race.
†b. transf. Character, style, ‘vein’; sentiment, spirit (of a writing, musical composition, etc.).
1599Broughton's Lett. iv. 14 Of the like Lunaticall humour are your epistles. 1674Playford Skill Mus. i. xi. 40 The understanding of the conceit and the humour of the words. 1686Lond. Gaz. No. 2119/4 Several Overtures or Sonatta's, containing Variety of Humors, as Grave Aires, Minuetts, Borees, &c. 1717tr. Frezier's Voy. 256 The Bass is made in France, to the Humour of the Harp.
5. Temporary state of mind or feeling; mood, temper.
1525in Thoms Anecd. E. Eng. Hist. (Camden) 11 Hacklewitt and another..in a madde humour..coyted him downe to the bottome of the stayres. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. ii. 229 Was euer woman in this humour woo'd? Was euer woman in this humour wonne? 1596Spenser F.Q. iv. x. 50 With smyles that all sad humors chaced. 1676tr. Guillatiere's Voy. Athens 97 The whole Company was in a very good humour. 1679Penn Addr. Prot. i. ii. (1692) 4, I do not wrong the present Humor of too many in this Nation. 1711Addison Spect. No. 26 ⁋1 When I am in a serious Humour. 1773Johnson Lett. to Mrs. Thrale 21 Sept., We were by this time weary and disgusted, nor was our humour much mended by our inn. 1884Pae Eustace 33 That's why you are in such a bad humour.
†b. Mood natural to one's temperament; habitual frame of mind. Obs.
1598B. Jonson (title) Every Man in his Humour. 1599― (title) Every Man out of his Humour. 1676D'Urfey Mad. Fickle iii. i, Every man in his humor, and let the World rub.
c. An excited state of public feeling. Now rare.
1600E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 99 It was not fitte to stirre up humours in Spaine. 1633T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. iii. (1810) 46 The taking of this great Lord breeds unsetled humors in these parts. 1659Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 423 These tymes, and the affairs transacted in them, give motion to all sorts of humours in the nation. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. xxi. II. 27 The humours of the people, set afloat by the parliamentary impeachment..broke out in various commotions. 1865Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xv. vi. VI. 21 Friedrich is deeply unaware of the humour he has raised against himself.
6. A particular disposition, inclination, or liking, esp. one having no apparent ground or reason; mere fancy, whim, caprice, freak, vagary.
(In this sense very frequent in late 16th and early 17th c., and ridiculed by Shakespeare and Ben Jonson.)
1565J. Calfhill Answ. Martiall's Treat. Cross 94 They neded no more for hallowing of a Church, but a sermon, and prayers, in which peraduenture (that I may feede your humor) they made the signe of a crosse with their finger. 1588Shakes. L.L.L. iii. i. 23 These are complements, these are humours. 1598B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iii. iv, Cob. What is that humour? Cas. It is a gentleman⁓like monster, bred, in the speciall gallantrie of our time, by affectation; and fed by folly. 1611[Tarlton] Jests (1844) 45 How now, dog, saies Tarlton, are you in your humours? and many daies after it was a by-word to a man being drunke. that he was in his humours. 1634Laud Wks. (1853) V. 324 The humours of those men that do not conform. 1675Traherne Chr. Ethics xxii. 334 A wise man discards the predominancy of all humors..for he is to live the life of reason, not of humor. 1715De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. iv. (1841) I. 88 And have you really burnt all your plays to please a humour? 1770Burke Pres. Discont. Wks. 1842 I. 129 All which had been done..was the effect not of humour, but of system. 1822W. Irving Braceb. Hall xi. 91 The Squire receives great sympathy..in his antiquated humours, from the parson.
b. An inclination or disposition for some specified action, etc.; a fancy (to do something); a mood or state of mind characterized by such inclination. Const. † of (obs.), for, or infin. with to.
1590Shakes. Mids. N. i. ii. 30 My chiefe humour is for a tyrant. 1598― Merry W. ii. i. 133–4 And this is true: I like not the humor of lying: hee hath wronged mee in some humors. 1599― Hen. V, ii. i. 63, I haue an humor to knocke you indifferently well..and that's the humor of it. 1660Wycherley Gentlem. Dancing-mast. iv. Wks. (Rtldg.) 59/2, I am in a pretty humour to dance. 1709Steele Tatler No. 2 ⁋1, I am not in Humour for telling a Tale. 1752Hume Pol. Disc. x. 261 The humour of blaming the present, and admiring the past. 1802M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. 205, I am in no humour to reason. 1833Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Barrenness Imag. Faculty Mod. Art, Since the humour of exhibiting began. 1863Geo. Eliot Romola ii. xxi, People very stongly in the humour for fighting.
c. pl. Moods or fancies exhibited in action; vagaries; fantastic, whimsical, odd, quaint, or humorous traits. (Now associated with sense 7.)
1566R. Cox (title) Acteon and Diana; with a Pastoral Story of the Nymph Oenone, followed by the several conceited humours of Bumpkin, the huntsman, Bobbinall, the shepheard [etc.]. 1667Pepys Diary 9 Sept., The sport very good, and various humours to be seen among the rabble. 1674S. Vincent Yng. Gallant's Acad. Ded. A iv, To shew the Apish Fashions, and ridiculous Humors and Conversations of some of our Town-Gallants. a1763Shenstone Ess. (1765) 208 Observe the humours of a Country-Christening, and you will find no Court in Christendom so ceremonious. 1822Lamb Elia Ser. i. Praise Chimney-sweepers, Rochester..could not have done the humours of the scene with more spirit than my friend. 1850Hawthorne Scarlet L. xxi. (1879) 263 Mariners..who had come ashore to see the humors of Election Day.
7. a. That quality of action, speech, or writing, which excites amusement; oddity, jocularity, facetiousness, comicality, fun. b. The faculty of perceiving what is ludicrous or amusing, or of expressing it in speech, writing, or other composition; jocose imagination or treatment of a subject.
Distinguished from wit as being less purely intellectual, and as having a sympathetic quality in virtue of which it often becomes allied to pathos.
1682tr. Glanius' Voy. Bengala 142 The Cup was so closed, that 'twas a difficult matter for us to open it, and therefore the General gave it us on purpose, to divert himself with the humour of it. 1709Shaftesbury (title) Essay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour. 1712Hughes Spect. No. 525 ⁋3 Writings which once prevail'd among us under the Notion of Humour. 1727Swift To Earl of Oxford, The priest..shew'd some humour in his face. 1728― Intelligencer No. 3 Humour..in its perfection is allowed to be much preferable to wit, if it be not rather the most useful and agreeable species of it. 1759Goldsm. Polite Learn. ix, Wit raises human nature above its level; humour acts a contrary part, and equally depresses it. a1854H. Reed Lect. Eng. Lit. ii. (1855) 63 The happy compound of pathos and playfulness, which we style by that untranslateable term humour. 1870Lowell Stud. Wind. 132 Humor in its first analysis is a perception of the incongruous. 1874Green Short Hist. viii. §10. 585 The strange deficiency of humour which Milton shared with the Puritans generally. 1887Lowell Democr. 3 That modulating and restraining balance-wheel which we call a sense of humor.
III. 8. Phrases. a. out of humour: displeased, vexed, in an ill humour; out of conceit or satisfaction with. (Cf. out of temper.) So † in humour (obs.).
1660Wycherley Gentlem. Dancing-m. iv. Wks. (Rtldg.) 59/2 Don. You seem to be out of humour... Hip. For my sake be in humour. 1683D. A. Art Converse 23 The fall of..a Glass, or some like accident, puts them in, or rather quite out of humour. 1709Addison Tatler No. 108 ⁋2 Out of Humour with my self, and at every Thing about me. 1729Butler Serm., Self-Deceit Wks. 1874 II. 481 Who would choose to be put out of humour with himself? 1842Lytton Zanoni 24 The Cardinal is observed to be out of humour.
b. good humour, ill humour: see these and their derivatives in their alphabetical places.
IV.
9. Comb., as † humour-brethren (sense 2 b); humour-blind (sense 2), humour-loving (sense 7) adjs.
a1618Sylvester Paradox agst. Libertie 465 Then th' humor-brethren all, hot, cold, and wet, and dry, Falne out among themselves, augment his miserie. 1813Sporting Mag. XLII. 54 Humour-blind, greasy-heeled, and broken-winded horses. 1897Daily News 29 Sept. 6/4 A light heart and a humour-loving imagination.
▪ II. humour, humor, v.
[f. humour n.]
1. trans. To comply with the humour of; to soothe or gratify by compliance; to indulge.
1588Shakes. L.L.L. iv. ii. 52 To humour the ignorant call I the Deare the Princesse kill'd a Pricket. 1590― Com. Err. iv. iv. 84 The fellow finds his vaine, And yeelding to him, humors well his frensie. a1656Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 302 Humouring our taste with dainties. 1689Wood Life 31 Aug. (O.H.S) III. 309 The quakers..have been since humour'd in their nonsense, excused from oathes [etc.]. 1790J. B. Moreton Mann. W. Ind. 131 If you please and humour her properly, she will make and mend all your clothes. 1828D'Israeli Chas. I, I. xi. 314 Acquiring popularity by humouring the present temper of the nation.
2. fig. To comply with the peculiar nature or exigencies of (something); to adapt or accommodate oneself to; to act in compliance or agreement with; to fit, suit (with something).
1588Shakes. L.L.L. iii. i. 13 To ligge off a tune at the tongues end, canarie to it with the feete, humour it with turning vp your eie. 1648Milton Sonn. to Lawes, The man That with smooth air couldst humour best our tongue. 1712Addison Spect. No. 414 ⁋5 Our British Gardeners..instead of humouring Nature, love to deviate from it as much as possible. 1779J. Moore View Soc. Fr. (1789) I. xxiv. 188 The path is continually winding to humour the position of the mountains. 1845Graves Rom. Law in Encycl. Metrop. 758/1 The dunces, with simple credulity, would swallow all this; the smarter freshmen, tittering, would humour the joke. 1851Willmott Pleas. Lit. xv. (1857) 81 In reading this stanza we ought to humour it with a corresponding tone of voice.
†3. intr. ? To exercise one's humour or fancy; to imagine, devise. Obs.
1605Lond. Prodigal iii. ii, All the day he humours up and down How he the next day may deceive his friend.
†4. ? To imitate a person's humour. Obs.
1699Bentley Phal. Introd. 17 [He] had not so bad a hand at Humouring and Personating, but that several believed, it was the Tyrant himself.
†5. trans. ? To give a particular character or style to (cf. prec. 4 b). Obs.
1653Walton Angler iv. 123 This Song was well humor'd by the maker, and well remembred and sung by you.
b. To give a particular turn or slight direction to.
1885Athenæum 1 Aug. 136/3 To let the stream bear them [flies] on..without that..undefinable humouring of them which an angler occasionally gives. 1893Stevenson Catriona 263 The patroon humoured his boat nearer in. |