Thu, 25 Sep 2008, 21:25 Comments Off
word of the day: halcyon
hal•cy•on, ˈhalsēən
n. A bird of which the ancients fabled that it bred about the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, and that it charmed the wind and the waves so that the sea was specially calm during the period: usually identified as a species of kingfisher, hence a poetic name of this bird
first original usage (of this spelling): Christopher Marlowe, The famous tragedy of the rich Jew of Malta, 1592
adj. of or relating to the halcyon or kingfisher (e.g. halcyon days: fourteen days of calm weather, anciently believed to occur about the winter solstice when the halcyon was brooding)
adj. calm, quiet, peaceful, undisturbed
first original usage (of this spelling): Thomas Gouge, Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long, 1660
