turquoisen.adj.
/ˈtəːkwɔɪz//ˈtəːkɔɪz//ˈtəːkwɑːz//təˈkɔɪz/archaic./təˈkiːz//ˈtəːkɪz/ 1.
a. A precious stone found in Persia (now Iran) ( true turquoise or oriental turquoise), much prized as a gem, of a sky-blue to apple-green colour, almost opaque or sometimes translucent, consisting of hydrous phosphate of aluminium.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > phosphates > [noun] > hydrous aluminium or copper
turquoise1398
Turkey1487
Turkish stone1577
Turkey stone1607
turquoise stone1796
agaphite1819
chalchuite1843
henwoodite1876
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > gem or precious stone > turquoise > [noun]
turquoise1398
Turkey1487
Turkish stone1577
Turkey stone1607
turquoise stone1796
α. Middle English–1600s turkeis, Middle English–1600s turkeys, 1500s turkeies, turquays, turkese, turkies, 1600s turcais, torqueis, turquies, -quize, turchis, turkkis; 1500s– turkis, 1600s– turkise (both now archaic).
β. Middle English–1500s turkes, Middle English–1600s turques, (Middle English torcas, Middle English–1500s Scottish turcas, 1500s turkas, torchas, turcasse, tourques, turquez, toorkes, turquesse, turkesse), 1500s–1600s turches.1478 in E. Hobhouse Church-wardens' Accts. (1890) 6 A ryng gold with a torcas.1488 in T. Dickson Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1877) I. 81 Item, a ryng with a turcas.1501 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 91 A ryng of gold wt a toorkes set in.1511–12 in J. B. Paul Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1902) IV. 331 Ane ruby, ane turkas.1513 Will of Robert Fabyan in R. Fabyan New Chrons. Eng. & France (1811) Pref. p. vii A ryng of gold, sett wt a turques, a dyamaunt, and a ruby.1518 in J. Raine Testamenta Eboracensia (1884) V. 8 A rynge of golde with a stone in hit callede a turkes.1527 in J. Raine Testamenta Eboracensia (1884) V. 244 Unum annulum cum le torchas.1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 282/1 Tourques a precious stone, tourquois.1551 T. Wilson Rule of Reason sig. Bv A..stone. comprehendeth in it self, A Saphire, A Rubie, A Christal, A Turkas.1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique 209 No Diamonde, no Saphire, no Rubie, no Christall: no Turcasse, no Emerode.1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 235v Turquesses are founde in Exer a place of Siech Ismael.1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 23 The Turches or Turcois, is of the common sort called Eranus... It is called a Turches for that it is onely found in Turkland or amongst the Turkes.1599 Warning for Faire Women i. 217 You wear a pretty turkesse there, methinks.1601 R. Chester Loves Martyr 107 The Turches being worne in a Ring.1625 R. Withers tr. O. Bon Grand Signors Seraglio i, in S. Purchas Pilgrimes II. ix. xv. 1583 A Bason and Ewre..of massie Gold, set with Rubies and Turkesses. 1688 [see α. ]. γ. 1500s turkoise, 1500s–1600s turquoys, turcoyse, turquoies, 1500s–1700s turcois, 1600s–1700s turcoise, ( turchois), 1600s–1800s turkois, (1700s torquois, turkquoise, 1800s tourquois), 1500s– turquoise, -ois.1567Turcois [see β. ]. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. xxxvii. viii. 619 The best Turquois is that which approcheth nearest to the grasse green of an Emeraud. 1607 [see sense 1b]. 1631 [see sense 1b]. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica ii. i. 55 Chrystall..will receive impression from steele, more easily then the Turchois.a1658 J. Cleveland Clievelandi Vindiciæ (1677) 166 The Compassionate Turcoise confesseth the Sickness of his Wearer by changing colour.1668 Bp. J. Wilkins Ess. Real Char. ii. iii. 63 Turkois.1676 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 11 755 Turkoises are no where found but in Persia.1679 London Gaz. No. 1418/4 Lost..a Ring with a large Turquoies of the Old Rock, very good colour.1747 C. Mortimer in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 44 429 This Stone has received its..Name of Turchesia, and Turquoise, from its being most commonly brought from Turky.1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede I. i. v. 96 The small brown hand..is laden with pearls, diamonds, and turquoises.1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum xvi. xcvi. (Bodl.) lf. 183 b/2 De Turtogis. Turtogis that hatte Turkeis also is a ȝelow white stone and haþ þat name of the contrey of Turkeis. Þis stone kepeþ and saueþ þe siȝt and bredeþ gladnes and comforte.
1463 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 36 I beqwethe to the said Dame Margarete a doubyl ryng departyd of gold with a ruby and a turkeys.
?1504 S. Hawes Example of Vertu sig. bb.iv Of vertuous turkeys there was a cheyr.
c1530 Court of Love xii There lacked than, nor emerald so grene, Balais, Turkeis, ne thing to my devise.
1545 in J. W. Clay Testamenta Eboracensia (1902) VI. 226 A rynge of golde with a turquays.
a1597 R. Wrag in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1599) II. i. 306 Orient perles & great Turkeses.
1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iii. i. 113 Out vpon her,..it was my Turkies, I had it of Leah when I was a Batcheler. View more context for this quotation
1605 B. Jonson Sejanus i. i. 37 True, as Turkise in the deare Lords ring, Looke well, or ill with him. View more context for this quotation
1608 A. Willet Hexapla in Exodum 642 It is more like to be the turkeis..the turcais is of a blewish metalline colour.
1616 J. Bullokar Eng. Expositor Turkise, a precious stone of a silke blew colour.
1637 J. Milton Comus 31 The azurne sheene Of turkkis blew, and Emrould greene.
1648 T. Gage Eng.-Amer. 71 Bracelets of Turkises and of gold likewise.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. 40/2 The Turches or Turky stone..some call it Eranus, others Turcois or Torqueis.
1694 J. Strype Memorials T. Cranmer iii. i. 308 They seized..a good Turkeys and a Diamond.
1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in Idylls of King 35 The turf was rich in plots that look'd Each like a garnet or a turkis in it.
1877 W. Jones Finger-ring Lore 158 The turquoise, turkise, or turkey-stone having..been supposed to possess talismanic properties.
a1913 S. Vines Hotel 16 in Oxf. Poetry 154 Sapphires and amethysts and wicked Turkises.
b. In collective singular, esp. as a substance.
Π
1607 T. Tomkis Lingua iv. iv Orient Pearles, and sparkling Diamonds: Beset at the end with Emerauds and Turchois.
1631 D. Widdowes tr. W. A. Scribonius Nat. Philos. (new ed.) 28 Turcois is darke, of a skie colour, and greenish.
1836 T. Thomson Outl. Mineral. I. 230 Tourquois seems to have been known to the ancients.
1857 J. G. Wood Common Objects Sea Shore 64 They..are blue and bright as turquoise, to which jewel they bear some resemblance.
1882 ‘Ouida’ In Maremma I. 62 The Ligurian sea, blue as turquoise.
1884 R. Browning Melon-seller in Ferishtah's Fancies 35 Ferishtah..passed..To Nishapur, that Elburz looks above—Where they dig turquoise.
2. More fully turquoise stone n. see also Turkey stone n., Turkish stone (Turkish adj. and n. Compounds 2a(a)). Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > phosphates > [noun] > hydrous aluminium or copper
turquoise1398
Turkey1487
Turkish stone1577
Turkey stone1607
turquoise stone1796
agaphite1819
chalchuite1843
henwoodite1876
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > gem or precious stone > turquoise > [noun]
turquoise1398
Turkey1487
Turkish stone1577
Turkey stone1607
turquoise stone1796
1556 in J. W. Clay North Country Wills (1908) I. 240 One ring of golde with a turkeys stone in it.
1600 R. Hakluyt tr. G. B. Ramusio in Princ. Navigations (new ed.) III. 367 In the gates..there are many Turques-stones.
c1610 in Mem. G. Heriot (1822) App. vii. 215 A ring sett with 5 little Turkis stones.
1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 333 An entire image made of one Turchois stone.
1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) II. 568 Persia contains mines of..above all, turquoise stones.
1831 Ld. Houghton Mem. Many Scenes (1844) 75 This heaven..With richer, but less brilliant, hue, Built up of turkis-stone.
3. As name for a colour (short for turquoise blue): see Compounds 2b.
ΘΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [noun] > greenish blue
peacock colour1598
verditer1819
verdigris blue1832
robin's-egg blue1844
aquamarine1846
turquoise1853
verditer blue1857
bird's-egg blue1858
Alice1872
Nile blue1873
starch blue1875
cyan-blue1879
peacock1881
peacock blue1881
bird's egg1885
Gobelin blue1886
cyan1889
Nile1895
kingfisher1901
Alice blue1905
teal1923
aqua1936
teal blue1949
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. viii. 61 The blue and white were mixed in a pale turkois.
1861 W. G. Clark in F. Galton Vacation Tourists & Trav. 1860 42 A cave with a floor of liquid turquoise.
1875 Guide Royal Porcelain Wks. 22 To the admirers of colour, the Persian turquoise, Imperial yellow,..and other enamels present an interesting series.
1876 R. Broughton Joan II. i. xix. 60 Looking out through the open windows at the absolute turquoise of the heavens.
1878 J. J. Young Ceramic Art (1879) 41 The Chinese value one piece..for the depth of its turquoise.
4.
a. Lapidaries' name for odontolite: see quot. 1839; also called bone-turquoise and occidental turquoise.
ΘΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > gem or precious stone > other gems or precious stones > [noun]
hepatitec1305
ligurec1305
bdellium1382
chodchod1382
nevyn1393
asteritea1398
medusa1398
myrrhitea1398
astrion1398
emastycec14..
pinkardinec1400
iralc1420
oriel?a1425
serpentine1426
nakettec1450
pentestc1450
sun's gemc1475
sepulchre-stone1489
moonstonea1500
piantea1500
efestide1567
astroite1569
polyp stone1583
bedle1591
balanite1601
eshime1613
lyncury1638
asteria1646
pangony1658
palasin1678
palatine1678
rhombite1688
tree-stone1698
toad's eye1747
peacock stone1753
turquoise1796
odontolite1819
pagoda stone1860
tangiwai1863
fish-eye1882
1796 R. Kirwan Elements Mineral. (ed. 2) II. 154 Turquoise is ivory tinged by the blue Calx of Copper.
1819 Ann. Philos. 14 416 Odontolite Turquoise deserves to be treated as an object of zoognosy.
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 744 A totally different kind of turquois, called bone turquois, which seems to be phosphate of lime coloured with oxide of copper.
1868 J. D. Dana Syst. Mineral. (ed. 5) 580 Turquoise de vieille roche (in distinction from Odontolite, or T. de nouvelle roche, called also Occidental Turquois).
b. (See quot. 1840.)
Π
1840 Penny Cycl. XVIII. 472/2 [Pottery] These mixtures give a fine white body for ornaments... A body called turquoise has been manufactured to a great extent for a few years past... When glazed, it has the peculiar milky tint of the gem after which it has been named.
Compounds
C1.
a. Simple attributive ‘of turquoise’: as turquoise bead, turquoise colour, turquoise enamel, turquoise gem, turquoise mine, turquoise miner, turquoise treasure, turquoise work, turquoise working.
Π
1662 C. Merrett tr. A. Neri Art of Glass 56 This [sea] salt so calcin'd, keep to make a Blew or Turcois colour.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. App. at Turcois The pale blue of the natural turcois gem.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. App. at Turcois Turcois enamel.
1766 Philos. Trans. 1765 (Royal Soc.) 55 21 Copper..gives the torquois colour to white glass.
1826 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. III. xxx. 177 Three blue tubercles, like..little turquois beads.
1849 M. Arnold Strayed Reveller, & Other Poems 195 Their wealth..Of gold and ivory, Of turquoise-earth and amethyst.
1876 S. Birch Rede Lect. Egypt 20 Magarah and its turquoise treasures had been lost.
1877 W. R. Cooper Short Hist. Egypt. Obelisks (1878) iv. 16 The copper and turquoise miners of the Wady Magari.
1882 Rep. Precious Metals (U.S. Bureau of Mint) 323 Many ancient turquois workings are found in the neighborhood.
1896 G. M. Stisted True Life R. F. Burton xv. 377 The Land of Midian is still wealthy; turquoise mines exist.
1906 Outlook 30 June 881/2 In common, doubtless, with the Sinai Bedawys, the Egyptians worshipped the Goddess of the Turquoise.]
1906 Outlook 30 June 881/2 That..the worship of the Turquoise goddess [was] non-Egyptian in nature.
1908 Church Times 20 Mar. 392/2 Turquoise and Indian Work for..Zenana Mission.
b. In sense ‘set or adorned with a turquoise or turquoises, or composed of turquoises’, as turquoise ear-ring, turquoise locket, turquoise ring.
ΘΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > gem or precious stone > turquoise > [adjective] > covered with or composed of
overturcased1647
turquoise1808
1808 W. Scott Marmion v. x. 255 The fair Queen of France Sent him a Turquois ring.
1868 Ld. Houghton Sel. from Wks. 60 And turkis-lockets, that no churl Hath fashioned out mechanic-wise.
1896 G. M. Stisted True Life R. F. Burton vii. 164 A red sausage-shaped cushion strung with turquoise rings.
1901 Westm. Gaz. 28 Dec. 1/3 The girl with turquoise eyes and turquoise earrings.
c. Instrumental, similative, etc., as turquoise-coloured, turquoise-encrusted, turquoise-gemmed, turquoise-hued, turquoise-like, turquoise-studded, turquoise-tinted adjs.
Π
1823 C. J. Mathews Jrnl. 13 Nov. in C. Dickens, Jr. Life C. J. Mathews (1879) I. iv. 93 The beautiful turquoise-coloured bay.
1862 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 9 One bound o'er dripping gold a turquoise-gemm'd Circlet of astral flowerets.
1864 Daily Tel. 26 Sept. The turquoise-like water, too, sparkled in the light of the declining day.
1881 Athenæum 4 June 754 A pure turquoise-coloured sky.
1893 J. Ashby-Sterry Naughty Girl xii A coquettish turquoise-hued tea~gown.
1899 Edinb. Rev. Jan. 35 The turquoise-tinted feathers of the Kingfisher.
1901 R. Kipling Kim xiv. 361 A fair-coloured woman with turquoise-studded headgear.
1906 Daily Chron. 23 Mar. 8/1 Her strings of Orient pearls, her turquoise-encrusted heart-lockets.
1906 Westm. Gaz. 24 Nov. 7/2 A gossamer turquoise-coloured scarf, lightly thrown across her shoulders.
1909 Daily Chron. 15 July 4/5 Neck ornament in the form of a turquoise studded serpent.
C2.
a. As adj. Of the colour of the turquoise; turquoise-blue.
ΘΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [adjective] > greenish blue
turquoise1573
pavonaceous1688
aquamarine1846
verditer1857
robin's egg1871
peacock1873
starch blue1875
bird's-egg blue1878
Alice blue1905
kingfisher1930
teal blue1949
1573 G. Harvey Schollers Loove in Let.-bk. (1884) 125 An alabaster neck, a turcois eie.
1844 Lady G. C. Fullerton Ellen Middleton (1854) II. xiv. 149 The cordon bleu [bird], with his turquoise breast.
1882 B. M. Croker Proper Pride xi Rising here and there against the turquoise sky were palms.
1891 E. Roper By Track & Trail x. 138 Pools of lovely turquoise water.
1901 [see Compounds 1b]. 1909 W. Le Queux House of Shadows xviii Her pretty gown of turquoise chiffon.
b. With adjective or noun of colour.
Π
1738 G. Smith tr. Laboratory ii. 44 A Turcoise blue Enamel.
1828 J. Stark Elements Nat. Hist. I. 279 Wings with from 8 to 10 spots of turquoise blue, bordered with orange.
1863 M. E. Braddon Eleanor's Victory III. viii. 108 The turquoise-blue eyes shone with a feverish light.
1877 W. Black Green Pastures xii Beds of turquoise-blue forget-me-nots.
1883 Truth 31 May 769/2 A train and corsage of turquoise blue satin.
1886 R. Kipling Delilah in Departm. Ditties viii The wasteful sunset faded out in turkis-green and gold.
1890 Daily News 15 July 5/6 One of the..ladies who wore the beautiful turquoise blue that has been a specialty of this season.
C3.
turquoise-berry n. a liliaceous Tasmanian herb, Drymophila cyanocarpa, bearing white flowers and blue pendulous berries.
Π
1898 E. E. Morris Austral Eng. 426/2 Solomon's Seal,..the Tasmanian name for Drymophila cyanocarpa,..also called Turquoise Berry.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.adj.1398