waxen

comparative more waxen · superlative most waxen

1. UKdialectalGrown.

1. alternativearchaicparticiplepastalternative past participle of wax.

1. obsoletepluralpresentplural simple present of wax

   When the rayne is faln, the cloudes wexen cleare.

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “September. Ægloga Nona.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 35, verso

   2 more examples

   And they that occupye them bene in moche ſauegarde, and hauen greate conſolacyon, and bene the readyer vnto all goodnes, the ſlower to all euyll, and yf they haue done any thing amyſe, anone euen by the ſyght of the bookes theyꝛ conſciences bene admoniſhed, and they waxen ſoꝛy ⁊ aſhamed of the facte.

   1540, Thomas [Cranmer], “A Prologue or Preface […]”, in The Byble in Englyshe, […] (Great Bible), [2nd edition], [London]: […] Edward whytchurche, signature [i];, verso

   and then the whole Quire hould their hippes, and loffe, and waxen in their myrth, and neeze, and ſweare a merrier hower was neuer waſted there.

   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], signature B3, verso

comparative more waxen · superlative most waxen

1. Made of or covered with wax.

   a waxen tablet

   2 more examples

   She is fair; and so is Julia that I love— That I did love, for now my love is thaw’d; Which, like a waxen image, ’gainst a fire, Bears no impression of the thing it was.

   c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]

   [T]o the altar each man brought some goodly offering, […] a waxen honey-comb / Dripping with oozy gold which scarce the bee / Had ceased from building, […]

   1881, Oscar Wilde, “Charmides”, in Poems, London: David Bogue, […], →OCLC, page 105

2. Of or pertaining to wax.
3. Having the pale smooth characteristics of wax, waxlike, waxy.

   It was hard to imagine that the broken thing had once been new; that those withered, waxen cheeks had been fresh and tinted. That her eyes had long ago glinted with laughter.

   1950, Mervyn Peake, chapter 28, in Gormenghast, Penguin, published 1969, page 185

4. Easily molded, influenced, or bent; yielding, impressible.

   The traveller hears me now and then, ⁠And sometimes harshly will he speak: ⁠‘This fellow would make weakness weak, And melt the waxen hearts of men.’

   1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 35

5. rareEasily effaced, as if written in wax.