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Cynic. World English Historical Dictionary

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Cynic. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1893, rev. 2025. Cynic a. and sb. Also 6 cinike, 6–7 cinick(e, cynicke, -ike, -ique, 6–8 cynick, (7 cinnick(e, cynnick). [ad. L. cynic-us (perh. in part through F.; cf. cinicque, 1521 in Hatzf.), a. Gr. κυνικός dog-like, currish, churlish, Cynic, f. κύων, κυν-ός dog: see -IC.

1   In the appellation of the Cynic philosophers there was prob. an original reference to the κυνόσαργες, a gymnasium where Antisthenes taught; but popular use took it simply in the sense ‘dog-like, currish,’ so that κύων ‘dog’ became a nickname for ‘Cynic.’]

2   A.  adj. 1. Belonging to or characteristic of the sect of philosophers called Cynics: see B. 1.

3 1634.  Milton, Comus, 708. O foolishness of men! that … fetch their precepts from the Cynic tub, Praising the lean and sallow Abstinence!

4 1846.  Trench, Mirac., iii. (1862), 145. The Cynic philosopher.

5 1868.  trans. Zeller’s Socrates, 247. The Cynic philosophy claims to be the genuine teaching of Socrates.

6   2.  Having the qualities of a cynic (see B. 2); pertaining to a cynic; cynical.

7 1597.  Pilgr. Parnass., IV. 468. I am not such a peece of Cinicke earthe That I neglect sweete beauties deitie.

8 1676.  Glanvill, Seas. Refl., 136. No sullen or Cynick humours, but the complaint of all mankind.

9 1811.  W. R. Spencer, Poems, 51. Cold Cynic censurers.

10 1851.  Disraeli, Life Ld. G. Bentinck (1852), 12. The cynic smile … the signal of a contempt which he was too haughty to express.

11   3.  Cynic year or period: the canicular cycle of the ancient Egyptians; see CANICULAR 3.

12 1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 112. That Egyptian Cynick Year which is accomplished but once in 1460 years.

13 1837.  Fraser’s Mag., XVI. 632. This erratic period of 1461 years became the great regulating cycle of the Egyptian calendar, under the name of the cynic or canicular period.

14   4.  Cynic spasm: see quot. 1882.

15 1684.  trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIV. 474. A Cynick Spasm came upon him.

16 1882.  Syd. Soc. Lex., Cynic spasm, a convulsive contraction of the facial muscles of one side … so that the teeth are shown in the manner of an angry dog.

17   B.  sb.

18   1.  One of a sect of philosophers in ancient Greece, founded by Antisthenes, a pupil of Socrates, who were marked by an ostentatious contempt for ease, wealth, and the enjoyments of life; the most famous was Diogenes, a pupil of Antisthenes, who carried the principles of the sect to an extreme of asceticism.

19 1547–64.  Bauldwin, Mor. Philos. (Palfr.), I. xix. He fel straight to the sect of the cinikes, and became Diogenes scholer.

20 1642.  Howell, For. Trav. (Arb.), 15. Like the Cynique shut up alwaye in a Tub.

21 1751.  J. Brown, Shaftesb. Charac., 174. All the old philosophers, from the elegant Plato walking on his rich carpets, to the unbred cynic snarling in his tub.

22 1868.  trans. Zeller’s Socrates, 256. To the Cynic nothing is good but virtue, nothing bad but vice.

23   2.  A person disposed to rail or find fault; now usually: One who shows a disposition to disbelieve in the sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions, and is wont to express this by sneers and sarcasms; a sneering fault-finder.

24 1596.  Edward III., II. i. Age is a cynic, not a flatterer.

25 1599.  B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., II. ii. Thou art such another Cynique now, a man had need walke uprightly before thee.

26 1632.  Heywood, Iron Age, I. I. Wks. 1874, III. 281. Peace Cinicke, barke not dogge.

27 1782.  Cowper, Progr. Err., 175. Blame, cynic, if you can, quadrille or ball.

28 1866.  Alger, Solit. Nat. & Man, II. 63. The cynic, who admires and enjoys nothing, despises and censures everything.

29 1879.  G. Meredith, Egoist, vii. (1889), 60. Cynics are only happy in making the world as barren to others as they have made it for themselves.

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