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▪ I. spinet1|ˈspɪnɪt, spɪˈnɛt|
Forms: α. 7– spinette, 8 spinnette. β. 7–9 spinnet. γ. 8 spinett, 8– spinet.
[ad. older F. espinette (1522; mod.F. épinette), = It. spinetta, -etto. Sp., Pg. espineta, mod.L. spineta (a 1558 Scaliger Poet. i. xlviii). Cf. espinette.
Acc. to Scaliger spineta was formed on L. spīna, with reference to the crow-quills which had been introduced into the mechanism. This, however, would be an unusual application of spīna, and greater probability attaches to the explanation given by A. Banchieri in 1608, that the name was derived from the inventor of the instrument, Giovanni Spinetti of Venice, whose name Banchieri had seen on a spinet dated 1503. See Grove's Dict. Mus. s.v.]
1. A keyed musical instrument, common in England in the 18th century, closely resembling the harpsichord, but smaller and having only one string to each note.
A full description of the various kinds of spinet is given in Grove's Dict. Mus. s.v.
α1664Pepys Diary 1 July, One Cheswicke, a master who plays very well upon the Spinette. 1686tr. Chardin's Trav. Persia 229 When the Spinette came they set it upon the Table in the midst of the Room. 1761Ann. Reg., Chron. 128 Father de la Borde, the inventor of the electrical spinette. 1763Jefferson Writ. (1892) I. 352, I am vastly pleased with her playing on the spinnette and singing. 1874T. Archer Sword & Shuttle i. in Casquet Lit. 2nd Ser. I. 250/1 A spinette in the corner of the room was open. 1886E. Marshall Tower of Cliff iv. 52 It is not every woman can..play on the spinette.
β1696H. Purcell (title), A choice Collection of Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinnet. 1713Swift Cadenus & Vanessa Wks. 1751 III. ii. 27 When miss delights in her spinnet, A fiddler may a fortune get. 1786Ann. Reg., Chron. 207/2 The strings of a spinnet were heard to vibrate. 1821Galt Ann. Parish xii. 118 An old woman, sitting whole hours jingling with that paralytic chattel a spinnet. 1881Besant & Rice Chapl. of Fleet i. viii. (1883) 61 [She] had once been a proficient on the spinnet, but there was no spinnet to be had.
γ1702Steele Funeral ii, There's the Spinet Mr. Campley, I know you're Musical. 1773J. Adams Wks. (1850) II. 323 The young ladies..entertained us upon the spinet, &c. 1810A. Boswell Edinburgh Poet. Wks. (1871) 51 While ‘Nancy Dawson’, ‘Sandie o'er the lee’,..Ring on the jingling spinet or guitar. 1847H. Miller First Impr. Eng. v. 74 He had fitted up an old spinet, until it awoke into life, in these latter days of Collards and Broadwoods. 1889Brinsmead Hist. Pianoforte 94 The English spinet was similar to the virginal except in its shape.
attrib. and Comb.1703Steele Tender Husb. iii. ii, Madam, your Spinet Master is come. 1883Grove's Dict. Mus. III. 656/1 Stephen Keene was a well-known spinet-maker. Ibid., His spinets..reached the highest perfection of spinet tone possible.
2. U.S. In full spinet piano. A type of small piano.
1936Arts & Decoration Jan. 30/1 The spinet pianos are inviting musical instruments. Their design, suitable to the modern apartment or small house, delights the decorator and the owner. 1937Étude Dec. 803/3 In a few months manufacturers had worked out many refinements in the popular vertical pianos, which came to be known under the generic terms of ‘consoles’ or ‘spinets’. 1970W. Apel Harvard Dict. Mus. (ed. 2) 804/2 Spinet,..a piano with strings perpendicular to the keyboard (as in an upright piano) but with an indirect action. 1977J. Philips Five Roads to Death (1978) i. ii. 31 There was a little spinet piano in one corner.
▪ II. ˈspinet2 Obs. exc. arch.
[ad. L. spīnēt-um (f. spīna thorn) or It. spineto.]
A thicket; a spinney.
1603B. Jonson Entertainm. at Althorpe 1 The invention was, to have a Satyre lodged in a little Spinet by which her Majestie and the Prince were to come. 1635R. Brathwait Arcadian Princess ii. 179 Walking one day in a delightfull spinet, beautified with shady poplars. 1848Tyas Fav. Field Fl. Ser. i. 17 We came near a spinet, consisting chiefly of lofty well-grown ash trees.
▪ III. † ˈspinet3 Obs.—1
[dim. of spine n.1]
A small spine or thorn.
1671Grew Anat. Pl. i. iv. (1682) 33 Of affinity with these are the Spinets or Thorny Prickles upon the Edges and Tops of divers Leaves. |