martial

comparative more martial · superlative most martial · alternative Martial · alternative martiall

1. comparableOf, relating to, or suggestive of war; warlike.

   But peaceful Kings, o'r martial people ſet, / Each others poize and counter-ballance are.

   1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, stanza 12, page 4

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   The captaine he, which climbes for high advaunce, / By piercing blade imbrude in enimies blood, / In martiall ſhewes who formoſt leades the daunce, [...]

   1576, George Whetstone, “The Ortchard of Repentance: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], →OCLC, page 216

   Sir, if I were to yeeld a reaſon of my preſent preſumption for thus boldly offering vnto your worſhipful view this little hyſtoricall Abridgemẽt of Martiall exploits, by ſundrye moſt famous warriours and renowmed Capitaines long ſince atchieued: [...]

   1580, Rutilius Rufus [pseudonym; Thomas Newton], “[The Epistle Dedicatorie]”, in A View of Valyaunce. Describing the Famous Feates, and Martiall Exploites of Two Most Mightie Nations, the Romains and the Carthaginians, for the Conquest and Possession of Spayne. […], imprinted at London: By Thomas East, →OCLC

   They [the Dutch] were, however, repelled by the valour of the Engliſh, and the matter is now under a civil deliberation, which makes it improper for a Martial Review.

   1763, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Martial Review; or, A General History of the Late Wars; […], London: Printed for J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 170

2. comparableConnected with or relating to armed forces or the profession of arms or military life.

   He was lying on the table with head pillowed on the broken concertina and body sheltered with the Federal Flag, looking like a martial corpse. He did not wake properly till Blossom dragged him to the tap outside and turned the water on him.

   1938, Xavier Herbert, “Dawn of a New Era”, in Capricornia, Sydney, N.S.W.: Angus & Robertson, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton-Century, 1943, →OCLC, page 194

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   [D]ivers commissions under your Majestie's Greate Seale have issued forth, by which certaine persons have been assigned and appointed commissioners, with power and authoritie to proceed within the land, according to the justice of martiall lawe, against such soulders and marriners, or other dissolute persons joining with them, as should commit any murder, robbery, felonie, meeting, or other outrage or misdemeanour, whatsoever; [...]

   1628 June 7, The Petition of Right; republished in Francis Lieber, “Appendix V. The Petition of Right.”, in On Civil Liberty and Self-government, enlarged edition, Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott and Co.; London: Trübner and Co., 1859, →OCLC, page 486

3. comparableCharacteristic of or befitting a warrior; having a military bearing; soldierly.

   With Marſhall ſtalke he paſſed through our watch.

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

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   His Martial Valour Flanders will confeſs; / And France Regrets his Managing the Peace. / Faithful to England’s Intereſt and her King: / The greateſt Reaſon of our Murmuring.

   1701 January (indicated as 1700), [Daniel Defoe], “Part II”, in The True-Born Englishman. A Satyr, [London: s.n.], →OCLC, page 58

   Ah!—each the pride of Iſrael's martial train, / Now breathleſs, on their native mountains ſlain!

   1774 March, Thomas Mytton, “David’s Lamentation for the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan, 2 Samuel c. 1”, in Sylvanus Urban [pseudonym; Edward Cave], editor, The Gentleman’s Magazine, and Historical Chronicle, volume XLIV, London: Printed […], for D[avid] Henry, and sold by F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 136, column 1

   Thus near the bard were ſeen / Matrons and men, join'd with the breathleſs ſhades / Of martial heroes and unbearded boys, / And virgins chaſte, or youths beore the eyes / Of their ſad parents, on the pile conſum'd; [...]

   [1791], T[homas] May, “The Retreat of Æneas from the Burning City of Troy; or, A Noble Example of Filial, Paternal, and Conjugal Affection. Translated from the Second Book of Virgil’s Æneis.”, in Poems Descriptive and Moral; […], Henley, [Oxfordshire?]: Printed by and for the author; and sold by C. Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 98

   Martial arts were developed for fighting, but studying them doesn't make the practitioner a hostile individual. In fact, most practitioners are incredibly peaceful.

   2015, Noel Plaugher, “Martial Postures”, in Standing Qigong for Health and Martial Arts: Zhan Zhuang, London; Philadelphia, Pa.: Singing Dragon, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 91

   Jeffrey Wall, 15, is just as compassionate as he is fierce. The accomplished Tang Soo Do Korean martial artist is helping his community stay fit during the coronavirus pandemic.

   2020 June 10, Ashley Vaughan, “This teenage martial artist creates videos to help superhero seniors stay active while in quarantine”, in CNN

   Synonyms: soldierlike, warriorlike

4. not comparableobsoleteastrologyPertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mars.

   Venus was placed below Mars; that is, the sensual passion was subjected to martial ardour.

   1875, J. A., “ASTROLOGY”, in The Encyclopædia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature, 9th edition, volume II, Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, →OCLC, page 741, column 2

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   The Sun to the Quartile or Oppoſition of Mars. This Direction threatens the native with ſome martial Diſeaſe or Infirmity, as Fevers peſtilential, exceſs of Choler and Blood corrupted; it ſheweth danger by Fires, Wounds and Scalds, ill ſucceſs in Affairs, danger by Thieves and Robbers, ill having to do with martial Men, or to deal in martial Affairs; [...]

   1682, Joseph Blagrave, “[The Effects of Directions.] The Sun Directed unto Promittors.”, in Obadiah Blagrave, editor, Blagrave’s Introduction to Astrology. In Three Parts. […], London: Printed by E. Tyler, and R. Holt, for Obadiah Blagrave, […], →OCLC, part III, page 251

   A martial man is many times full-faced, with a lively, high colour, like sun-burnt, or like raw tanned leather; a fierce countenance, his eyes being sparkling or sharp and darting, and of yellow colour; his hair, both of head and beard, being reddish (but herein you must vary according to the sign).

   1852, William Lilly, Zadkiel [pseudonym; Richard James Morrison], “Another Brief Description of the Shapes and Forms of the Planets”, in An Introduction to Astrology […]: A Grammar of Astrology, and Tables for Calculating Nativities. […], London: H[enry] G[eorge] Bohn, […], →OCLC, page 55

5. not comparableobsoleteastronomyOf or relating to the planet Mars; Martian.

   [R]ound about the plain / All hid with slaughter'd carcasses, yet still did hotly reign / The martial planet; [...]

   [1611?], Homer, “Book IV”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume I, London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC, page 117

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   For, having found out by a careful series of observations, the parts of Mars' orbit where the planet entered upon its various seasons, he [William Herschel] noted that, soon after mid-winter of the northern hemisphere, the northern white spot attained its greatest dimensions, while the southern was reduced to a tiny oval of light; whereas half a Martial year later, the southern spot was at its largest, and the northern a mere speck when compared with its winter appearance.

   1869 February 6, “The Planet of War”, in E[neas] S[weetland] Dallas, editor, Once a Week, volume III, number 58 (New Series), London: Bradbury, Evans, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 74, column 1

   No naturalist can watch winter and summer come and go on the opposite hemispheres of the martial planet, without feeling that life must have come into being where all the machinery of life is in such perfect working.

   1874 September, N[athaniel] S[outhgate] Shaler, “The Moon”, in The Atlantic Monthly: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics, volume XXXIV, number CCIII, Boston, Mass.: H[enry] O[scar] Houghton and Company; New York, N.Y.: Hurd and Houghton […], →OCLC, page 277

6. not comparableobsoletechemistryContaining, or relating to, iron (which was symbolically associated with the planet Mars by alchemists); chalybeate, ferric, ferrous.

   martial preparations martial flowers (a reddish crystalline salt of iron)

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   This dephlogisticated martial vitriol, as M. [Torbern] Bergman calls it, is often found in nature, particularly in the ores of alum.

   1790, Thomas Garnett, “Experiment XI”, in Experiments and Observations on the Horley-Green Spaw, near Halifax. […], Bradford, Yorkshire: Printed for the author, by George Nicholson; and sold by T. Knott, […], →OCLC, page 28

plural martials · alternative Martial

1. obsoleteA soldier, a warrior.

   The martials (this is the name of my pirates) will pass in her eyes for an honest family of fishermen; I will go on your account, and make two or three visits to your young lady; I will order her certain potions, and at the end of eight days she will make acquaintance with the cemetery of Asnieres.

   c. 1850, Eugène Sue, “The Conversation”, in Charles Rochford, transl., The Mysteries of Paris, Translated from the French, London: Charles Daly, […], →OCLC, part II, page 213

2. obsoleteastrologyA celestial object under the astrological influence of the planet Mars.
3. obsoleteliteratureSynonym of Martian (“inhabitant of the planet Mars”).

   The Martials, if there be Martials in any sense in which there are terrestrials on our own planet, may have no eyes at all; their whole civilisation, if they have say, may depend on senses of which we have absolutely no trace, [...]

   1892, The Spectator: A Weekly Review of Politics, Literature, Theology, and Art, volume LXIX, London: F. C. Westley, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 218, column 2

   Synonyms: Martian

1. A male given name from Latin, narrowly applied to certain historic persons (but some of its foreign cognates are modern given names).

   Saint Martial was the first bishop of Limoges, circa 250

2. An Anglicized cognomen or given name of the Roman poet Marcus Valerius Martialis, born in Spain in the first century AD and noted for his epigrams.

1. not comparableobsoleteastronomyAlternative letter-case form of martial (“of or relating to the planet Mars”).

   1 more example

   For, having found out by a careful series of observations, the parts of Mars' orbit where the planet entered upon its various seasons, he [William Herschel] noted that, soon after mid-winter of the northern hemisphere, the northern white spot attained its greatest dimensions, while the southern was reduced to a tiny oval of light; whereas half a Martial year later, the southern spot was at its largest, and the northern a mere speck when compared with its winter appearance.

   1869 February 6, “The Planet of War”, in E[neas] S[weetland] Dallas, editor, Once a Week, volume III, number 58 (New Series), London: Bradbury, Evans, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 74, column 1

2. not comparableobsoletechemistryAlternative letter-case form of Containing, or relating to, iron

   1 more example

   The association of the heavenly bodies with known metals and also with human organs and destinies goes back to ancient Chaldea, the land of astrologers. In Chaucer’s words: ‘The seven bodies eek, lo hear anon. Sol gold is, and Luna silver we declare; Mars yron, Mercurie is quyksilver; Saturnian leed; and Jubitur is tyn, and Venus coper, by my fathers kyn.’ […] Corresponding names were bestowed upon salts of these metals by the alchemists, and some of them have persisted down to the present day. Some examples are lunar caustic (silver nitrate); vitriol of Venus (copper sulphate); sugar of Saturn (lead acetate); and vitriol of Mars, or Martial vitriol (ferrous sulphate).

   2013, John Read, From Alchemy to Chemistry

plural Martials

1. obsoleteliteratureAlternative letter-case form of martial (“inhabitant of the planet Mars; Martian”).

   The Martials, if there be Martials in any sense in which there are terrestrials on our own planet, may have no eyes at all; their whole civilisation, if they have say, may depend on senses of which we have absolutely no trace, […]

   1892, The Spectator: A Weekly Review of Politics, Literature, Theology, and Art, volume LXIX, London: F. C. Westley, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 218, column 2