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literary, a.|ˈlɪtərərɪ|
[ad. L. litterāri-us, f. littera letter. Cf. F. littéraire.]
(Not in Johnson 1755–1775.)
†1. Pertaining to the letters of the alphabet. Obs.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. i. ix. 37 Our first and literary apprehensions being commonly instructed in Authors which handle nothing else [but idle fictions]. 1769Middlesex Jrnl. 8–11 July 4/2 A complete set of Literary Cards, for teaching children to read, spell, count. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §334 note, The literary references to Plates Nos. 19, and 20.
†2. Carried on by letters; epistolary. Obs.
1757–8Smollett Hist. Eng. (1800) II. 252 A literary correspondence was maintained between the English General and the Mareschal de Villars. [1818Todd s.v., Literary is not properly used of missive letters.]
3. Of or pertaining to, or of the nature of, literature.
a. Pertaining to letters or polite learning.
b. Pertaining to books and written compositions; also, in a narrower sense, pertaining to, or having the characteristics of that kind of written composition which has value on account of its qualities of form. literary dinner, literary lunch(eon), literary party, literary prize; also literary adviser: one who gives advice or information on literary matters; literary agent (see quot. 1960); also literary agency; literary circle (see circle n. 21); literary criticism = criticism 2 (of works of literature); so literary critic, literary-critical adj.; literary editor: (a) the editor of the literary section of a newspaper; (b) the editor of a book of collected writings; so literary-edit vb., literary-editorship; literary executor (see executor 3); literary history (e.g. of a legend, a historical personage or event, etc.): the history of the treatment of, and references to, the subject in literature; literary property: (a) property which consists in written or printed compositions; (b) the exclusive right of publication as recognized and limited by law; literary world (see world n. 16 b).
1749L. Evans Middle Brit. Col. (1755) 3 The Seats of some Half a Dozen Gentlemen, noted in the literary Way. 1758J. G. Cooper Retreat Aristippus Epist. i. 198 With these, and some a-kin to these,..I live in literary ease. 1759Goldsm. Polite Learn. vi. Wks. (Globe) 430/1 A man of literary merit is sure of being caressed by the great, though seldom enriched. 1773Johnson in Boswell 29 Apr., Mallet had talents enough to keep his literary reputation alive as long as he himself lived. 1779― L.P., Cowley ⁋2 His mother..struggling earnestly to procure him a literary education. 1831M. Edgeworth Let. 6 Jan. (1971) 469 He..criticises so well—not as a mere literary critic appealing to authorities. 1840Macaulay in Edin. Rev. Jan. 520 In 1698, Collier published his ‘Short View..’, a book which threw the whole literary world into commotion. 1845Graves Canon Law in Encycl. Metrop. II. 785/1 The literary history of the early Greek collections has been carefully illustrated by Biener. 1845H. C. Robinson Diary 27 Jan. (1967) 234 Mrs. Jameson..is now received in the highest literary circles. 1851N. & Q. 28 June 527 (Advt.), Literary Agency—Mr. F. G. Tomlins..is desirous to make it known that a Twenty years' experience with the Press and Literature,..enables him to give advice and information to Authors, Publishers and Persons wishing to communicate with the Public. 1853C. M. Yonge Heir of Redclyffe I. xv. 251 She was..the leading lady of the place.., giving literary parties, with a degree of exclusiveness that made admission to them a privilege. 1857G. H. Lewes Let. 11 Feb. in Geo. Eliot Lett. (1954) II. 295 When I am no longer here to act as go-between he [sc. Geo. Eliot] must, I think, become his own literary Agent. a1859Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxiii. (1861) V. 7 The parliamentary conflict on the great question of a standing army was preceded by a literary conflict. 1862G. H. Lewes Let. 10 May in Geo. Eliot Lett. (1956) IV. 31 Smith again offered me the editorship of the C[ornhill] M[agazine] which I again declined; but accepted the post of Literary Advisor. 1868Literary executor [see executor 3]. 1876Geo. Eliot Let. 2 May (1956) VI. 244 One cannot escape seeing and hearing something of political and literary criticism. 1883Trollope Autobiogr. II. xiv. 88 Literary criticism..has become a profession,—but it has ceased to be an art. 1885Literary circle [see circle n. 21]. 1898H. Calderwood D. Hume iii. 28 A large measure of literary ability was appearing in Scotland. 1900J. G. Frazer Pausanias, etc. 68 The writer, it is plain, has exaggerated for the sake of literary effect. 1904A. Bennett Great Man x. 98 Henry had learnt for the first time what a literary agent was. 1912R. Brooke Let. 25 Nov. (1968) 408 German literary circles are..entirely cut off from English. 1919‘C. Dane’ Legend 84 You know I'm literary executor? 1919Mrs. Belloc Lowndes Diary 10 July (1971) 91 The great literary prizes awarded in the last fifty years by the French Academy. 1923Literary-edit [see art-edit v. (art n. 18)]. 1931R. Campbell Georgiad iii. 51 O Dinners! take my curse upon you all, But literary dinners most of all. 1932H. Nicolson Diary 23 Feb. (1966) 110 Leonard Woolf has an idea that I should take on the literary editorship of the New Statesman. Ibid. 19 Oct. 122 Round to the New Statesman. Kingsley Martin indicates that he wants me to become the literary editor when Ellis Roberts goes. 1936Discovery Jan. 28/2 The literary executors of the late Professor Hicks are to be congratulated. 1936‘E. M. Delafield’ Provincial Lady in Amer. 116 Literary luncheon really important function will receive wide press publicity letter follows Stop Very sincerely Katherine Ellen Blatt. 1937F. M. Ford Let. 17 Feb. (1965) 271 The eccentric Principal, Brewer, who once humorously subedited—or rather literary-edited the Spectator for three weeks. 1940‘M. Innes’ There came both Mist & Snow x. 114 The young man..had just that deference which I am accustomed to meet with from young critics at literary parties. 1941‘G. Orwell’ in Listener 29 May 768/1, I am speaking on literary criticism. 1941V. Nabokov Real Life S. Knight (1945) i. 6 Last winter at a literary lunch, in South Kensington, a celebrated old critic..was heard to remark..‘A dull man.’ 1950‘E. Crispin’ Frequent Hearses i. 12 I'm acting as literary advisor in connexion with a film they're making. 1960G. A. Glaister Gloss. Bk. 238/1 Literary agent, an agent, paid on a commission basis, who acts for an author by submitting his work to, and dealing with a publisher; and who may arrange the sale of translation or other rights. 1962J. B. Priestley Margin Released iii. ii. 158 Most of my meetings with authors took place..at literary parties. 1965Philos. Rev. LXXIV. 208 Literary-critical description..is what is needed. 1965L. Sands Something to Hide i. 14 She had attended a dull literary luncheon. 1967Guardian 14 Sept. 2/5 A highlight of the literary world..a Foyles Luncheon. 1968Writers' & Artists' Year Bk. 242 Literary agents exist to sell saleable material. Ibid., Adamastor Press and Literary Agency Ltd. 1968K. Martin Editor i. 7 Raymond Mortimer..was the sort of literary editor with whom I scarcely ever wanted to interfere. 1969A. G. Thomas in L. Durrell Spirit of Place 11, I have had one advantage not generally available to literary editors. When work on this book was well advanced Durrell came to stay with me..and I was able to consult him. 1971D. Crystal Ling. 107 An ‘objective correlative’ (to apply T. S. Eliot's literary critical term in a context where it was never intended). 1972A. Christie Elephants can Remember i. 11 I'm always being asked to literary lunches. 1972Guardian 1 Dec. 13/2 The Marxist writer, John Berger, had arrived at the National Liberal Club to receive the Guardian literary prize for his novel ‘G’. 1973Listener 15 Feb. 211/2 I've never been a great one for going out in literary circles, but I did know Wells very well, and I knew Galsworthy slightly. 1973J. Goodfield Courier to Peking ii. 23 There's lots of people I must talk to... I'm his literary executor. 1975A. Clarke My Search for Ruth xii. 111 A terrifying woman at a literary party.
4. Acquainted with or versed in literature; spec. engaged in literature as a profession, occupied in writing books. Of a society, etc.: Consisting of literary men. Also, literary gent (colloq.): one who prides himself on his literary accomplishments.
1785Daily Universal Reg. 1 Jan. 1/1 This Day is published..by the Literary Society, Modern Times..a Novel. 1791Boswell Johnson an. 1764, That club..at Mr. Garrick's funeral [an. 1779] became distinguished by the title of The Literary Club. 1809Med. Jrnl. XXI. 192 A few years since, he married Miss Edgeworth, a lady of a respectable literary family in Ireland. 1840Carlyle Heroes (1858) 302 In the true Literary Man there is thus ever..a sacredness. 1850Thackeray Pendennis II. xxxiv. 336 Doctor Johnson has been down the street many a time with ragged shoes... You literary gents are better off now. 1870J. H. Newman Gram. Assent i. iii. 18 The primary duty of a literary man is to have clear conceptions, and to be exact and intelligible in expressing them. 1895Bookman Oct. 14/1 Artistic and literary Glasgow owed much to his genial energy. 1937‘G. Orwell’ Road to Wigan Pier xii. 243 Ten years ago..the typical literary gent wrote books on baroque architecture. 1967L. Woolf Downhill all Way i. 106 Being also what I call a literary gent, he [sc. James Stephens] used to fill me alternately with depression and irritation.
5. Of painting, sculpture, etc.: that depicts or represents a story.
1928Morning Post 20 Oct. 10/6 The music is too ‘literary’, but its craftsmanship and imagination are undeniable. 1931C. Holmes Gram. Arts vii. 118 The intrusion of ‘literary’ elements into the arts has long been suspect. 1962R. G. Haggar Dict. Art Terms 196 Literary art... The term is frequently used in a pejorative sense, but most romantic painting is dependent upon a text. 1970Daily Tel. 8 June 12/8 It is accepted by many as a compliment rather than as an insult to describe a painting as literary.
Hence ˈliteraryism, addiction to literary forms; an instance of this, a form of expression belonging to literary language.
1879Elworthy Pref. to Exmoor Scolding (E.D.S.) 13 The same culture which prompts them to compose at all, binds them in chains of literaryism. Ibid. 14 A great many literaryisms are pointed out in the notes. 1891Stevenson Vailima Lett. i. (1895) 94, I found a lot of slacknesses and (what is worse in this kind of thing) some literaryisms.
Also as n., a literary club or society; a literary person. U.S.
1904Dialect Notes II. 419 We organized a literary at the school-house. 1923U. L. Silberrad Lett. J. Armiter vi. 145 Obstacles..may be a blessing in disguise to half-baked literaries. 1928Amer. Speech IV. 130 In many districts a ‘literary’ is held every Friday night, when the ‘Sandhillers’ of this district recite and sing and debate. 1936E. G. Barnard Rider Cherokee Strip 157 We spent a happy winter at this work and visiting our neighbors and going to the ‘literaries’ and dances. |