cloistral

comparative more cloistral · superlative most cloistral · alternative cloisteral · alternative cloysteral · alternative cloystral

1. Of, pertaining to, resembling or living in a cloister.

   As to the marriage of the friars in this cloystral house, their founder, Ivon, in my opinion, was quite right in this notion.

   1766, Thomas Amory, The Life of John Buncle: Esq., London: J. Johnson and B. Davenport, Volume 2, Section 3, page 56

   3 more examples

   1606, Samuel Daniel, The Queen’s Arcadia, in The Poetical Works of Mr. Samuel Daniel, London: R. Gosling, 1717, The Epistle, pp. 151-152, … it is in that Kind [of Words], as best accords With rural Passions, which use not to reach Beyond the Groves, and Woods, where they were bred And best become a Cloistral Exercise, Where Men shut out retir’d, and sequestred From publick Fashion, seem to sympathize With innocent and plain Simplicity:

   Coming straight from the convent, she had gone in behind the high walls of the manor-house that was almost more cloistral than any convent could have been.

   1915, Ford Madox Hueffer [i.e., Ford Madox Ford], chapter II, in The Good Soldier […], Harmondsworth, Middlesex [London]: Penguin Books, published 1972 (1982 printing), →ISBN, part III, page 126

   [T]he three men followed, rushing into the hall, pausing, bringing with them into its stale and cloistral dimness something of the savage summer sunlight which they had just left.

   1932, William Faulkner, chapter 19, in Light in August, [New York, N.Y.]: Harrison Smith & Robert Haas, →OCLC; republished London: Chatto & Windus, 1933, →OCLC, page 438

   Synonyms: claustral

2. Sheltered from the world; monastic.

   Speak not! he is consecrated— / Breathe no breath across his eyes: / Lifted up and separated / On the hand of God he lies, / In a sweetness beyond touching,—held in cloistral sanctities.

   1844, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “A Child Asleep”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 126

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   He must not dilute his own soul’s essence. He must not surrender to any passion his dandihood. The dandy must be celibate, cloistral; is, indeed, but a monk with a mirror for beads and breviary—an anchorite, mortifying his soul that his body may be perfect.

   1911, Max Beerbohm, chapter II, in Zuleika Dobson

   [H]owever cloistral our elementary schools may be, sheltering the eternal flame of the high ideal of human existence, Jimmy Shepherd, aged twelve, and Nancy Shepherd, aged thirteen, know very well that the eternal flame of the high ideal is all my-eye.

   a. 1931 (date written), D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “[Education.] Education of the People.”, in Edward D[avid] McDonald, editor, Phoenix: The Posthumous Papers of D. H. Lawrence, London: William Heinemann, published 1936, →OCLC, page 588

3. Secluded.

   [C]loistral avenues, / Where silence dwells if music be not there: […]

   1799–1805 (date written), William Wordsworth, “Book VI. Cambridge and the Alps.”, in The Prelude, or Growth of a Poet’s Mind; an Autobiographical Poem, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 163

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   Then, responsive to the bird’s insistence, / From the margin of some cloistral shore / Came a murmur up the hollow distance, / “On the morrow will I ope the door!”

   1904, Clinton Scollard, “The Summoner”, in The Lyric Bough, New York, N.Y.: James Pott, page 26