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▪ I. psaltery, n.|ˈsɔːltərɪ| Forms: α. 3–5 sautre, 4 sawtree, sauteray, 4–5 sawtrie, -ye, 4–6 sautrie, 5 sawtre, sautry, -triȝe, 5–6 sawtrey, 5 (–9) -try, 6 sawtery, saltry; β. 4 psautery, 6 psautry, 6–7 psalterie; 5– psaltery. [a. OF. saltere, sautere, and sauterie, psalterie (12th c. in Godef.), ad. L. psaltērium, ad. Gr. ψαλτήριον; a learned form from L. for the name of the instrument, after sautier had become confined to the Psalter; subseq. superseded by sauterion, psalterion. Retained in Eng. as the name of the instrument (rarely in error put for psalter).] 1. An ancient and mediæval stringed instrument, more or less resembling the dulcimer, but played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum; differing from the harp in having the soundboard behind and parallel with the strings. Also, a modern imitation of this. Chiefly in biblical translation or reference (after L. psaltērium of the Vulgate, usually rendering Heb. nēbēl), or in vague poetic or rhetorical use; mostly coupled with other instruments.
a1300E.E. Psalter xxxii[i]. 2 Schriues to lauerd, in harpe and sautre Of ten stringes to him singe yhe. a1340Hampole Psalter xxxii. 2 In psautery of ten cordis syngis til hym. c1386Chaucer Miller's T. 27 And all aboue ther lay a gay Sautrie [v.rr. Sautrye, sawtrie] On which he made a nyghtes melodie. c1400R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) App. H. 245 Nas þer noman in londe þat so muche of song couþe..Ne of sautriȝe ne of coriun. a1440Sir Degrev. 35 [He] gretlech yaff hym to gle, To harp and to sautre. c1450Holland Howlat 757 The psaltery, the sytholis, the soft sytharist. a1529Skelton Replyc. 340 Dauid..harped so melodiously..in his decacorde psautry. 1530Palsgr. 265/1, 2 Saltry,..Sautrie an instrument. a1557in Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 197 Bothe his harpe and sawtrey he [Apollo] defide. 1607Shakes. Cor. v. iv. 52 The Trumpets, Sackbuts, Psalteries, and Fifes, Tabors, and Symboles, and the showting Romans. 1700Dryden Flower & Leaf 358 The sawtry, pipe, and hautboi's noisy band. 1808Scott Marm. iv. xxxi, Sackbut deep, and psaltery, And war-pipe with discordant cry. 1864Pusey Lect. Daniel i. (1876) 33 The Psaltery, as described by S. Augustine, corresponds with the ‘Santour’, as recognised..on the bas-relief of Babylon. 1901W. B. Yeats Let. 20 July (1954) iii. 354 Dolmetsch has interested himself in the chanting..and has made a psaltery for Miss Farr. It has 12 strings. 1975Gramophone Oct. 709/1 The psaltery heard here is a bigger instrument than those we see in old paintings... It has seventy-three strings..and is played with both hands, the instrument lying flat on a table. †2. a. = psalter 1, 2. rare.
1628J. Hume Jewes Deliv. v. 82 The princely Prophet throughout all his Psalterie makes out onely a generall confession of Gods blessings. 1822Lamb Elia Ser. i. Dreamchildren, She knew all the Psaltery by heart, ay, and a great part of the Testament besides. 1890Healy Insula Sanctorum 156 The entire psaltery seems to have been recited during the daily office at least at certain times of the year. b. = psalter 4. rare—1. (erron.)
1809Campbell O'Connor's Child vi, Their tribe, they said, their high degree, Was sung in Tara's psaltery. ▪ II. ˈpsaltery, v. rare. In 4 sautrien. [ME., prob. repr. an AF. or OF. sautrier, f. sautier, psalter.] intr. To play on the psaltery.
1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xvi. 208 Ich can..Noþer sailen ne sautrien ne singe with þe giterne. 1903G. B. Shaw Let. 11 June in Florence Farr, Shaw, Yeats (1946) 17 Are you too busy psalterying to copyright my new play at the Bayswater theatre? |