changeling

plural changelings

1. EuropeanalsofigurativelyartsIn pre-modern European folklore: an infant of a magical creature that was secretly exchanged for a human infant. In British, Irish and Scandinavian mythology the exchanged infants were thought to be those of fairies, sprites or trolls; in other places, they were ascribed to demons, devils, or witches.

   Nothing will induce parents to show any attention to a child that they suspect of being a changeling.

   1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 263

   5 more examples

   [S]he, as her attendant, hath / A louely boy ſtollen, from an Indian king: / She neuer had ſo ſweete a changeling.

   [c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, A Midsommer Nights Dreame. […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   Every Lover admires his miſtris, though ſhee be very deformed of her ſelfe, […] her feet ſtinke, ſhee breed lice, a meere changeling, a very monſter, […]: if he loue her once, he admires her for all this, he takes no notice of any ſuch errors, or imperfections of body or minde.

   1638, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Symptomes or Signes of Love Melancholy, in Body, Minde, Good, Bad, &c.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy. […], 5th edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Robert Young, Miles Flesher, and Leonard Lichfield and William Turner] for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 3, section 2, member 3, subsection 1, page 515

   Juſt as a Changeling ſeems below the reſt / Of Men, or rather is a two-legg’d Beaſt, / So theſe Gigantick Souls amaz'd we find / As much above the reſt of human kind.

   1709, Earl of Murlgrave [i.e., John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, formerly Earl of Mulgrave], An Essay on Poetry, London: […] H. Hills, […], →OCLC, page 15

   It was easy enough to see that the child was a changeling, for it wasn't like other children at all it screamed and cried, as if a knife stuck in it, and it wheezed and hit about with its arms like a huldre-cat, and was as ugly as sin.

   1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 298

   His nurse had told him all about changelings, and how the little people would always try to steal a beautiful human child out of its cradle and put in its stead one of their own ailing, puking brats […]

   1961, Muriel Saint Clare Byrne, Elizabethan Life in Town and Country, 8th edition, London: Methuen & Co., →OCLC, page 285

   Synonyms: oaf, swapling

2. broadlyA person or object (especially when regarded as inferior) secretly exchanged for something else.

   1 more example

   When I firſt read Mr. Walker’s Circular Letter to the Arch-deacons, I fancied he intended to give us an Account of thoſe worthy Men, […] But after about ten Years going with this Work, and that the Time of its Birth was come, I ſoon found it to be a perfect Changeling. Inſtead of what I expected it to be, I ſaw a huge Heap of the moſt Heterogeneous Characters, […] a great many of them much more deſerving to have their Names blotted out, than their Memory to be preſerved.

   1717, [John Lewis], A Few English Notes on a Late Sermon Preached before the Sons of the Clergy by Dr. [Thomas] Bisse, Intended to Vindicate the English Reformation from the Charge of Sacrilege, Fraud, &c. […], London: […] James Knapton, […]; and sold by John Morphew, […], →OCLC, page 15

3. broadlyinformalrareAn infant secretly exchanged with another infant deliberately or by mistake; a swapling.
4. fantasyAn organism which can change shape to mimic others; a shape-shifter.

   Synonyms: shape-shifter, shapeshifter, shifter

5. alsoarchaicfigurativelyA person apt to change their loyalty or thinking; a waverer.

   What words are these have fall’n from me? ⁠Can calm despair and wild unrest ⁠Be tenants of a single breast, Or sorrow such a changeling be?

   1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XVI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 26

   2 more examples

   To face the garment of rebellion / With ſome fine colour that may pleaſe the eye / Of fickle changlings and poore diſcontents, / Which gape and rub the elbow at the newes / Of hurly-burly innouation, […]

   c. 1597 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the Fourth; […], quarto edition, London: […] P[eter] S[hort] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1598, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]

   Fal[staff]. […] If you will lodge with me in Eaſtcheap, you ſhall ſee the thouſand pound fairly ſpent in ſack: you ſhall ſhare with me to the utmoſt farthing. But for dry reſtitution, I have not been accustom'd to it of many years. You would not have me a changeling at this time of day, I hope, Maſter Shallow. / Shal[low]. Changeling! no, Sir John, thou art no changeling; but, depend on it, I will not put up with this wrong. […] I will have my money; depend on't I will have my money.

   1760, [William] Kenrick, Falstaff’s Wedding: A Comedy. […], London: […] J. Wilkie, […] , →OCLC, act II, scene vi, page 28

   Synonyms: turncoat, withersake, apostate, balimbing, butterfly, defector, runagate, traitor

6. obsoleteAn idiot, a simpleton.

   We wander in the Fields of Air below: / Changlings and Fooles of Heav'n: and thence ſhut out, / Wildly we roam in diſcontent about: […]

   1669 June (first performance), John Dryden, Tyrannick Love, or, The Royal Martyr. […], London: […] H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1670, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 34

   2 more examples

   They alſo obſerue Lunaticks and changelings, and the Coniurer writeth downe their ſayings in a booke, groueling on the ground, as if he whiſperd to the Deuill to tell him the truth, and ſo expoundeth the letter, as it were by inſpiration.

   1622, John Rawlins, The Famovs and Wonderfvll Recoverie of a Ship of Bristoll, Called the Exchange, from the Turkish Pirates of Argier. […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Nathaniel Butter, […], →OCLC

   [C]an there be any one Sort of Men that enjoy themſelves better than thoſe which we call Idiots, Changelings, Fools, and Naturals? It may perhaps ſound harſh, but upon due Conſideration it will be found abundantly true, that theſe Perſons in all Circumſtances fare beſt, and live moſt comfortably: […]

   1740, Erasmus, “A Panegyrick upon Folly, Declamation-wise”, in W. Kennet [i.e., White Kennett], transl., The Praise of Folly. Made English from the Latin of Erasmus. […], 6th edition, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 59

   Synonyms: addle-brain, addlehead, addle pate, airhead, baboon, beanbrain, beetlebrain, beetlehead

comparative more changeling · superlative most changeling

1. archaicrareChangeable, fickle, inconstant, wavering.

   Away thou changeling motley humouriſt, / Leave me, and in this ſtanding wooden cheſt, / Conſorted with theſe few books, let me lye / In priſon, and here be coffin'd, when I dye.

   1719, John Donne, “Satyre I”, in Poems on Several Occasions. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, and sold by William Taylor […], →OCLC, page 107

   Synonyms: changeable, changeful, dynamic, everchanging, fickle, fluid, inconstant, labile