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Webster 1913 Edition

Welkin

Wel′kin

,
Noun.
[OE.
welken
,
welkene
,
welkne
,
wolcne
,
weolcne
, AS.
wolcen
, pl.
wolcnu
, a cloud; akin to D.
wolk
, OFries.
wolken
, OS.
wolkan
, G.
wolke
, OHG.
wolchan
, and probably to G.
welk
withered, OHG.
welc
moist, Russ. & OSlav.
vlaga moisture
, Lith.
vilgyti
to moisten.]
The visible regions of the air; the vault of heaven; the sky.
On the
welkne
shoon the sterres lyght.
Chaucer.
The fair
welkin
foully overcast.
Spenser.
When storms the
welkin
rend.
Wordsworth.
☞ Used adjectively by Shakespeare in the phase, “Your welkin eye,” with uncertain meaning.

Webster 1828 Edition

Welkin

WELKIN

,
Noun.
[G., a cloud.] The visible regions of the air; the vault of heaven. [This is obsolete, unless in poetry.]
Welkin eye, in Shakespeare, is interpreted by Johnson, a blue eye, from welkin, the sky; by Todd, a rolling eye, from Sax. Wealcan, to roll; and by Entick, a languishing eye. See Welk. It is obsolete, at least in New England.

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