spangle

plural spangles

1. A small, flat piece of sparkling metallic or metal-like material with a hole which is sewn on to a garment, etc., for decoration; a sequin.

   The other Knight was all in milke white, his attiring els, all cutte in starres, which made of cloath of silver, and silver spangles, each way seemed to cast many aspects.

   The New Arcadia

   c. 1580 (date written), Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC

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   […] I had coſt his Majeſty above a million and a half of Sprugs, (their greateſt Gold Coin, about the bigneſs of a Spangle;) and upon the whole, that it would be adviſeable in the Emperor to take the firſt fair Occaſion of diſmiſſing me.

   1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “Of the Inhabitants of Lilliput; […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), pages 111–112

   A tawdry scarf of yellow silk, trimmed with tinsel and spangles, which had seen as hard service, and boasted as honourable a transmission, was next flung over one shoulder, and fell across her person in the manner of a shoulder-belt or baldrick.

   1818 July 25, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter VI, in Tales of My Landlord, Second Series, […] (The Heart of Mid-Lothian), volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Company, →OCLC, page 153

   His wardrobe was extensive—very extensive—not strictly classical perhaps, nor quite new, nor did it contain any one garment made precisely after the fashion of any age or time, but every thing was more or less spangled; and what can be prettier than spangles?

   1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “In which is Given a Faithful Portraiture of Two Distinguished Persons; […]”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC, page 151

   "Miss Bart, if you can't sew those spangles on more regular I guess you'd better give the hat to Miss Kilroy." Lily looked down ruefully at her handiwork. The forewoman was right: the sewing on of the spangles was inexcusably bad. What made her so much more clumsy than usual?

   1905, Edith Wharton, chapter X, in The House of Mirth, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, book II, page 462

   Act of 1913. Par. 333. Beads and spangles of all kinds, including imitation pearl beads, not threaded or strung, or strung loosely on thread for facility in transportation only, 35 per centum ad valorem; […] A spangle is a small plate or bar of shiny metal or other material used as an ornament or trimming on wearing apparel.

   1922, United States Tariff Commission, “Schedule 14.—Sundries. [Paragraph 1403.]”, in Summary of Tariff Information 1921: Relative to the Bill H.R. 7456, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 1094

   Synonyms: paillette

2. Any small sparkling object.

   And all the ſhrubs, vvith ſparkling ſpangles, ſhevv / Like Morning-Sun-ſhine tinsilling the devv.

   1648, Robert Herrick, “The Apparition of His Mistresse Calling Him to Elizium”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 240

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   There they doe finde that godly aged Sire, / VVith ſnowy lockes adowne his ſhoulders ſhed, / As hoary froſt with ſpangles doth attire / The moſſy braunches of an Oke halfe ded.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 48, page 148

   1. A shiny particle of a mineral.

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      There wanted good Refiners; for thoſe that tooke vpon them to haue skill this way, tooke vp the waſhings from the mountaines, and ſome moskered ſhining ſtones and ſpangles which the waters brought downe, flattering themſelues in their owne vaine conceits to haue been ſuppoſed what they were not, by the meanes of that ore, if it proued as their arts and iudgements expected.

      1624, Iohn [i.e., John] Smith, “Of Such Things which are Naturally in Virginia, and How They Vse Them”, in The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, 2nd booke, page 28

      The surface texture [of galvanized metal] can also be controlled and, in particular, the classical spangle finish can be eliminated. The spangle finish of galvanized strip is quite unsuitable for certain applications, most particularly for organic liquid paint coating; it is practically impossible to paint a galvanized sheet with normal spangle in such a way that the pattern of the spangles is not apparent through the coat of paint.

      1991, Frank Porter, “Sheet Galvanizing”, in Zinc Handbook: Properties, Processing, and Use in Design (Mechanical Engineering; 73), Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, →ISBN, page 259

   2. figurativelyA star.

      Thus in a Starry night fond children cry / For the rich ſpangles that adorn the Sky; / Which though they ſhine for ever fixed there, / With light and influence relieve us here.

      1645, Edmond Waller [i.e., Edmund Waller], “Of the Queen”, in Poems, &c. Written upon Several Occasions, and to Several Persons: […], 6th edition, London: […] H[enry] Herringman, and sold by Jacob Tonson, […], published 1694, →OCLC, page 118, lines 35–38

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      See round the Poles where keener ſpangles ſhine, / Where ſpices ſmoke beneath the burning Line, / (Earths wide extreams) her ſable flag diſplay'd; / And all the nations cover'd in her ſhade!

      1728, [Alexander Pope], “Book the Third”, in The Dunciad. An Heroic Poem. […], Dublin; London: […] A. Dodd, →OCLC, page 39, lines 61–64

      [N]ight closed with a blue and cloudless sky, in which the thousand spangles that deck the firmament received double brilliancy from some slight touch of frost, although the paler planet, their mistress, was but in her first quarter.

      1825 June 22, [Walter Scott], chapter VIII, in Tales of the Crusaders. […], volume I (The Betrothed), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 148

3. broadlyA point of light; also (rare), a glitter, a sparkle.

   Mariner, mariner, furl your sails, / For here are the blissful downs and dales, / And merrily, merrily carol the gales, / And the spangle dances in bight and bay, / And the rainbow forms and flies on the land / Over the islands free; […]

   a. 1893 (date written), Alfred Tennyson, “Sea Fairies”, in The Complete Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson, Chicago, Ill.: The Dominion Company, published 1897, →OCLC, page 31

4. broadlyA speckle or spot, especially on the body of an animal.

   The Golden-Spangled Hamburg has an attractive pattern, the plumage over the body being golden bay, each feather ending with an elongated, greenish-black spangle. […] The spangles of the wing coverts should form two distinct, parallel bars across the wings.

   1954 March, “Ornamental Bantam Class”, in Ornamental and Game Breeds of Chickens (Farmers’ Bulletin; no. 2066), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 6

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   In the male [mille fleur booted bantam] the general plumage color is red with the tip of each feather ending in a V-shaped, white spangle which is separated from the red portion of the feather by a black bar. […] The wing bows are also red, tipped with white spangles.

   1942 January, M[orley] A. Jull, “Ornamental Bantam Class”, in Standard Breeds and Varieties of Chickens. II. Ornamental and Game Classes (Farmers’ Bulletin; no. 1507), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 33

   In summer, mated female wasps deposit large numbers of eggs in the tissue on the underside of expanded oak leaves, inducing the formation of characteristic spangle galls. […] Spangle galls often occur in vast numbers, and cause spotting of the foliage, visible from above. However, infested trees are seldom if ever harmed.

   2012, David V. Alford, “Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Sawflies and Wasps)”, in Pests of Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Flowers: A Color Handbook, 2nd edition, Waltham, Mass.; San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 400, column 1

5. Any of a number of swallowtail butterflies (genus Papilio); specifically Papilio protenor.

   Spangle butterfly (Papilio protenor) photographed in Tokyo, Japan.

   2008, Martin J. Hodson, Margot R. Hodson, “Caring as Communities”, in Cherishing the Earth: How to Care for God’s Creation, Oxford, Oxfordshire; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Monarch Books, Lion Hudson, →ISBN, photo 5 caption, page 128

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   The female is unusually beautiful with grayish-brown wings hemmed by velvet black, while the male, resembling the black-winged Long-tail Spangle (Onaga-ageha) [Papilio macilentus], has unique vermillion marks on the body, and gives out a unique fragrance from which comes its Japanese name.

   Bulletin of Aichi Institute of Technology. Part A, Basic Education Dissertation Collection.

   1974 March 30, Toshikazu Horiuchi, “Where Have All the Butterflies Gone? An Essay”, in 愛知工業大学研究報告. A, 基礎教育系論文集 [Bulletin of Aichi Institute of Technology. Part A, Basic Education Dissertation Collection.], number 9, Toyota, Aichi, Japan: Aichi Institute of Technology, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Oct 2021, page 228, column 2

   [page 25] Papilio protenor euprotenor Fruhstorfer, 1908 / The Spangle was mentioned from Bangladesh by Collins & Morris (1985); it is quite likely in the Srimangal forests since it occurs in the Khasi Hills at low levels. […] [page 26] Papilio elephenor Doubleday, 1845 / The Yellow-Crested Spangle was collected once at Cachar. It is a very rare butterfly.

   2004, Torben B[jørn] Larsen, “Systematic Checklist [Papilionidae]”, in Butterflies of Bangladesh: An Annotated Checklist, Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh Country Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature, →ISBN, pages 25 and 26

   Many species like Yellow-crested Spangle Papilio elephenor, Nevill's Windmill Atrophaneura nevilli were recorded from the area during earlier surveys, but we did not record these species till date.

   2016 May 26, Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi, Hillol Jyoti Singha, Panna Deb, “Butterfly (Lepidoptera) Diversity in Barail Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India”, in Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, volume 4, number 4, New Delhi: Society of Agricultural Research and Social Development, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 19 Mar 2020, page 550, column 2

   A male of the spangle, Papilio protenor (black swallowtail butterfly), feeding on the flowers of the bushkiller, Cayratia japonica.

   2016, Mamoru Watanabe, “Historical Perspective”, in Sperm Competition in Butterflies (Ecological Research Monographs), Tokyo; Heidelberg, Hesse: Springer Japan, →DOI, →ISBN, →ISSN, figure 2.13 caption, page 23

present singular third person spangles · participle present spangling · participle past spangled · past spangled · first person past singular spangled · archaic present second person singular spanglest · past second person singular spangled · archaic past second person singular spangledst · present singular third person spangles · archaic present singular third person spangleth · past singular third person spangled · past plural spangled · past subjunctive spangled · participle present spangling · participle past spangled

1. alsofigurativelytransitiveTo fix spangles or sparkling objects to (something); to bespangle.

   Chapadór, m. one that plateth ouer, or ſpangleth.

   1599, Iohn Minsheu [i.e., John Minsheu], “Chapadór”, in A Dictionarie in Spanish and English, […], London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant, →OCLC, page 65, column 2

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   What ſtars do ſpangle heauen with ſuch beautie, / As thoſe two eyes become that heauenly face?

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v], page 226, column 1

   This is Timons laſt, / Who ſtucke and ſpangled you with Flatteries, / Waſhes it off, and ſprinkles in your faces / Your reeking villany.

   c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vii], page 89, column 2

   [H]er Reign / With thouſand leſſer Lights dividual holds, / With thouſand thouſand Starres, that then appeer'd / Spangling the Hemiſphere: […]

   1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 381–384

   [T]he Cohort bright / Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each / Had, like a double Janus, all thir ſhape / Spangl'd with eyes more numerous then thoſe / Of Argus, […]

   1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 127–131

   The Villages, that lie ſpangled about this vaſt Circumference, as well on the other Side the noble Thames, […] are beautiful, both by Buildings and Situation, beyond what I had imagined; and ſeveral of them ſeem larger than many of our Country Towns of Note.

   1742, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter II. From Mrs. B. to Lady Davers.”, in Pamela; Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], 3rd edition, volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; and sold by J. Osborn, […]; and J[ohn] Rivington, […], →OCLC, pages 4–5

2. figurativelytransitiveTo adorn or decorate (something).

   It seems it is in fashion with you to sugar your papers with Carnation phrases, and spangle your speeches with new quodled words.

   1647, Theodore de la Guard [pseudonym; Nathaniel Ward], The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America. […], London: […] J[ohn] D[ever] & R[obert] I[bbitson] for Stephen Bowtell, […], →OCLC; The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America (Force’s Collection of Historical Tracts; vol. III, no. 8), 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: […] Daniel Henchman, […]; [Washington, D.C.: W. Q. Force], 1713 (1844 printing), →OCLC, page 55

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   On the morning of July 31, the mountain rose spangled in the summer sun 2,300 feet above Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli. Strapping on three oxygen tanks, the two men faced toward K2's last fastness.

   1954 October 11, “Assault on the Summit: The Conquerors' Account”, in Life, volume 37, number 15, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 33

3. intransitiveTo flash, glitter, or sparkle.

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   The gifts are differing, being diverse; their administrations are differing, and the operations of them also are differing, though all those things are from that one and the self-same Spirit, working in every one severally as he pleases. All these things will spangle in the New Jerusalem, and carry their full breadth and sway as in the days of old.

   1665, John Bunyan, “ The Holy City; or, The New Jerusalem: […]”, in Henry Stebbing, editor, The Entire Works of John Bunyan, […], volume I, London: James S[prent] Virtue, […], published 1863, →OCLC, page 316, column 1

   Synonyms: coruscate, scintillate

plural Spangles

1. A surname.