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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.
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 It is obsolete, at least in New England.
Definition 2024
welkin
welkin
English
Noun
welkin (plural welkins)
- (archaic) The sky, the upper air; the heavens.
- c1388, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales,
- This day in mirth and revel to dispend
- Till on the welkin shone the starres bright
- 1739, Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems, Bristol, Hymns for Christmas Day:
- Hark! How all the welkin rings!
- 1924, Herman Melville, Billy Budd, London: Constable & Co., Chapter 11,
- To him, the spirit lodged within Billy, and looking out from his welkin eyes as from windows, that ineffability it was which made the dimple in his dyed cheek, suppled his joints, and dancing in his yellow curls made him preeminently the Handsome Sailor.
- 1951, Bosley Crowther, “Great Caruso Makes Its Debut”, in (Please provide the title of the work), The New York Times:
- Miss Kirsten and Miss Thebom are ladies who can rock the welkin, too, and their contributions to the concert maintain it at a musical high.
- c1388, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales,
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
sky — see sky
(archaic) the sky, the upper air, the heavens