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halcyonn.adj. Etymology: < classical Latin alcyōn (also halcyōn: see note) a mythical bird identified by the ancients with the kingfisher, believed to nest on the sea < ancient Greek ἀλκυών, in the same sense, of unknown origin; perhaps a Mediterranean loanword. Compare Middle French, French alcyon, denoting the mythical bird (2nd half of the 13th cent. in Old French as alcion; in Middle French also as alcione, alchione, halcion, halcyon).In manuscripts of Pliny the spelling varies between halcyōn and alcyōn ; elsewhere the word is generally written alcyōn . The spelling of the Greek word with ἁλ- (hal- ) probably arose from a folk etymological derivation < ancient Greek ἅλς sea (see halo- comb. form1) + κύων conceiving (present participle of κύειν to be pregnant: see cyesiology n.), connected with the fable that the halcyon broods upon her nest floating on the calm sea in the ‘halcyon days’. Adopted in scientific Latin as the specific name alcyon ( Linnaeus Systema Naturae (ed. 10, 1758) I. 282), in the genus Alcedo, and later as the genus Halcyon , replacing Alcedo (see quot. 1820-1 at sense A. 1c). N.E.D. (1898) also gives the pronunciation (hæ·lʃiən) /ˈhælʃɪən/; this is the usual pronunciation in dictionaries from the late 18th and early 19th century. A. n. 1. the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Coraciiformes (kingfisher, etc.) > [noun] > family Alcedinidae > genus Alcedo > alcedo atthis (kingfisher) a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) iv. l. 3123 Hire briddes yit..Of Alceoun the name bere. 1545 G. Joye Ep. Ded. f. 2 Thei saye that in the..coldest tyme of the yere, these halcions making their nestis in the sea rockis or sandis, wil sitte their egges and hatcheforth their chikens. 1585 J. Higgins tr. Junius 55/2 Alcedo, alcyon,..a winter birde commonly called the kings fisher. c1592 C. Marlowe i. i How stands the wind? Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill? 1616 W. Browne II. i. 17 About his sides a thousand Seaguls bred, The Meuy, and the Halcyon. a1649 W. Drummond (1656) 161 Makes Scotlands name to fly On Halcyons wings..Beyond the Ocean to Columbus shores. c1750 W. Shenstone v. 22 So smiles the surface of the treach'rous main As o'er its waves the peaceful halcyons play. 1769 J. Wallis I. 321 The Alcyon, or King's-fisher..is not unfrequent on the shady banks of our larger rivers, and deserves notice for its beauty. 1819 J. H. Wiffen (1820) 104 The brilliant halcyons..fluttering upon azure wings, appear Loveliest above secluded waters. 1878 E. De Amicis tr. C. Tilton (ed. 4) 98 Halcyons come and go in long files between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmora; and storks sit upon the cupolas of the mausoleums. 1880 G. Smith in Feb. 200 The halcyons of literature, art, and science were floating on the calm and sunlit sea. 1982 W. Golding (1984) 176 Would I were a halcyon flying over the flowers of foam. 2001 New Ser. 51 522 Likewise the Alcyones. In this myth Ceyx and Alcyone are changed into halcyons. 1790 V. xi. 1805 We found the halcyon, or great king-fisher, having fine bright colours. 1802 (ed. 12) at P. William's Sound The birds found here were the halcyon, or great kingfisher [etc.]. 1907 ‘N. Blanchan’ xiv. 208 (heading) Belted Kingfisher. Called also: The Halcyon. 1916 18 4 At Prince William's Sound were seen the White-headed Eagle, the Alcyon or great Kingfisher, the Hummingbird, and a small land bird evidently the Golden-crowned Sparrow. the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Coraciiformes (kingfisher, etc.) > [noun] > family Alcedinidae > member of genus Halcyon 1820–1 W. Swainson I. text to Pl. 27 The species now formed into the genus Halcyon appear entirely excluded from the American continent. 1829 E. Griffith et al. VIII. 690 The primary distinction in the external structure of Halcyon and Dacelo rests in the form of the upper mandible of the bill. 1901 A. J. Campbell 559 The New Zealand Halcyon..is allied to our Halcyons. 1995 M. L. Rosenzweig vii. 185 New Guinea..boasts five other species of Halcyon. 2006 123 487 The phylogeny supports splitting Todiramphus from Halcyon. the world > action or operation > inaction > quietness or tranquillity > [noun] the world > action or operation > prosperity > [noun] > prosperous conditions > peaceful 1567 W. Salesbury in tr. Ep. Ded. sig. aijv I beseeche almyghtye God,..that we..may toward God..demeane our selfes in such wyse that his iustice abrydge not these Halcyons and quiet dayes. 1647 J. Trapp (Matt. ix. 15) Our halcyons here are but as marriage-feasts, for continuance. 1654 J. Trapp ii. 4 By this means the Church had an happy Halcyon. 1747 S. Richardson II. i. 4 Tis well one of us does [want courting]; else the man would have nothing but halcyon. 1844 R. W. Emerson 2nd Ser. vi. 113 These halcyons may be looked for..in that pure October weather, which we distinguish by the name of the Indian Summer. 1915 15 Oct. 58/1 If ever the world is enwrapped in a haze that mellows with its softness the harsh edges of earthly existence, it is in the month [sc. October] whose halcyons never fail. 2013 M. Leibovich xii. 311 He partook of a beer-soaked bus tour of Iowa that harked back to his cornfield halcyons of '08. B. adj.the world > action or operation > inaction > quietness or tranquillity > [adjective] 1570 Prayer in J. Foxe sig. T.ij It hath pleased thy grace to geue vs these Alcion dayes, which yet we enioy. 1596 C. Fitzgeffry sig. B6 Pure Halcion houres, Saturnus golden dayes. c1660 J. Evelyn anno 1638 (1955) II. 21 Fortifications (a greate rarity in that blessed Halcyon tyme in England). 1705 M. Pix v. 71 No darkning Cloud threatned our Halcyon State. 1797 A. M. Bennett VI. i. 51 All, therefore, was halcyon with Mrs. Woudbe. 1841 I. D'Israeli II. 27 Peace and policy had diffused a halcyon calmness over the land. 1890 E. Phillips ii. 44 Her tender mind roamed back in silent memory to her halcyon childhood in the sunny South. 1943 22 July 5/1 It was a halcyon summer scene and its peace and beauty lifted the heart. 2000 6 Aug. (Culture section) 3/1 The halcyon heyday of the nouvelle vague, when new works by Godard, Truffaut, Chabrol and the like benefited from the ultimately short-lived xenophilia of British distributors. the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Coraciiformes (kingfisher, etc.) > [adjective] > of or relating to kingfisher 1608 W. Shakespeare ii. 76 Bring oyle to stir, snow to their colder-moods..and turne their halcion beakes With euery gale and varie of their maisters. 1693 (new ed.) i. 16 We will bear the Reproach, of having a particular Devotion for the Church of England, whose Halcyon Wings have never yet bin dipt in Blood. 1781 H. Downman xxii. 85 With thee Peace builds her Halcyon nest. 1864 July 482 Glasgow and Preston have turned out rich stuffs and fairy-like fabrics, glowing with halcyon hues. 1951 4 10 Pliny recommended dried and pulverized halcyon nests as a ‘wonderful cure’ for leprosy. 2010 W. L. Idema in tr. 31 Hairpins were often decorated with pearls and halcyon feathers. Compounds the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [noun] > bright blue the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [adjective] > bright blue 1787 J. Whitehouse 88 Those eyes of halcyon blue. 1922 E. Blunden xxvi. 164 The air was cold and lucent; the water halcyon blue. 1975 17 Nov. 3/2 A pretty backdrop of halcyon-blue Aegean. 2007 (Nexis) 2 Mar. 39 Available in four metallic colours—black, aluminium, grey or halcyon blue—the car also sports half-leather upholstery. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022). † halcyonv.Etymology: < halcyon adj. Obsolete. rare. the mind > emotion > calmness > compose or make calm [verb (transitive)] 1616 J. Lane (Douce 170) (1888) i. ix. 149 Shee, callinge Horbell, Gnartolite, Leyfurco too, thus halcioneth her spite. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2019; most recently modified version published online June 2021). <  n.adj.a1393 v.1616 |
