loyalistn.adj.
/ˈlɔɪəlɪst/, U.S. /ˈlɔɪ(ə)ləst/, /ˈlɔ(ɪ)jələst/ a. One who is loyal; one who adheres to his sovereign or to constituted authority, esp. in times of revolt; one who supports the existing form of government; spec. (frequently with capital initial) an Irish advocate or supporter of parliamentary union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland (or, before partition, the whole of Ireland). United Empire Loyalist (American History): see quot. 18971. For the quot. from Howell's Vocal Forest (1640) given by Johnson to illustrate this word, see quot. 16401 at Loyolist n.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > faithfulness or trustworthiness > fidelity or loyalty > [noun] > to sovereign or government > one who
loyalist1685
society > authority > rule or government > politics > Irish politics > [noun] > principles or policies > adherents or supporters of
unionist1799
West Briton1805
repealer1829
nationalist1849
Home Ruler1867
loyalist1885
Little Irelander1900
devolutionist1905
N1906
partitionist1921
1647 M. Hudson Royall & Royallist's Plea (running title) The Royall and the Loyallists Plea.]
1685 J. Kettlewell (title) The Religious Loyalist: or, a Good Christian Taught. How to be a Faithful Servant both to God and the King.
1712 E. Cooke Voy. S. Sea 294 The wounded were above 400 of the Loyalists.
1721 Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses (ed. 2) II. 98/2 It was then the hap and fortune of one Dr. Tho. Bayly a great Loyallist, to meet with this Nobleman.
1781 S. Peters Gen. Hist. Connecticut 357 Colonel Street Hall, of Wallingford, a loyalist, was appointed General.
1812 Gen. Hist. in Ann. Reg. 205 The provinces of Spanish America were still the theatre of a sanguinary civil war between the two parties of independents and loyalists.
1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond I. i. 29 This resolute old loyalist..was with the King whilst his house was thus being battered down.
1885 Times 11 Nov. 7/2 A meeting of the Loyalists of the county Wexford..was held to-day..in order to declare a firm adherence to the legislative union between Ireland and Great Britain.
1886 Lady Monkswell Diary 1 Feb. in Victorian Diarist (1944) I. 125 If he [sc. Mr. Gladstone] proposes Home Rule I almost think the loyalists will fight.
1893 Times 11 May 9/3 Mr. Rentoul asserted that the Loyalists in Ireland repudiated with one voice the Legislative Council proposed in the Home Rule Bill.
1897 J. G. Bourinot Canada xxi. 291 This event was the coming to the provinces of many thousand people, known as United Empire Loyalists, who during the progress of the war..left their old homes in the thirteen colonies.
1897 J. G. Bourinot Canada xxi. 297 Those loyalists..who joined the cause of Great Britain before the Treaty of Peace in 1783, were allowed the distinction of having after their name the letters U.E. to preserve the memory of their fidelity to a United Empire.
1934 Hansard Lords 25 July 1073 I am glad to understand that the Irish loyalists are not suffering from any injustice or persecution by reason of their political faith.
1975 Irish Times 10 May 11/1 It is politic, of course, for the Loyalists to cut sober figures these days.
1986 Daily Tel. 14 May 1/7 Several Loyalists were arrested in Northern Ireland yesterday in connection with rioting during an illegal parade.
b. attributive or as adj.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > politics > Irish politics > [adjective] > principles or policies
unionist1799
Fenian1865
Home-Ruling1872
loyalist1885
1885 Times 19 Oct. 12/4 (heading) The loyalist union in Ireland.
1934 Times 7 May 11/6 The immediate object for which the Irish Loyalist Imperial Federation has been formed is to assert the constitutional rights and privileges of all loyal South Irish-born subjects of the King.
1970 M. M. Orkin Speaking Canad. Eng. vii. 186 Nova Scotia is The Mayflower Province, and New Brunswick The Loyalist Province. Together with Prince Edward Island, they are collectively known as the Maritime Provinces or, more familiarly, the Maritimes.
1986 Sunday Tel. 11 May 3/1 A territory the ‘loyalist’ extremists were designating ‘Catholic-free’.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.adj.1685