heathen 
heath or open country ' (but not found in this 
sense), < hieth, E. heath (= Goth, haithi, etc.), 
open country, being equiv. to LL. paganus, 
heathen, lit. 'of the country^': see pagan. The 
resemblance to Gr. Ifhea, cfhr/, gentiles, 'hea- 
then,' pi. of effvoc, a nation, is slight and acci- 
dental.] I. n. sing, and j)/. 1. One of a race, 
nation, or people that does not acknowledge the 
God of the Bible, or such races, nations, or peo- 
ples collectively, especially when uncivilized 
or uncultured ; one who is not a Jew, Christian, 
or Mohammedan ; a pagan. 
So many were deed and wounded of cristin and hethen 
that the f elde was all couered, so that oon myght not come 
to a-nother but ouer deed cors. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ill. 596. 
The Russian Ambassador still at Court behav'd himself e 
like a clowne, compar'd to this civil heathen. 
Evelyn, Diary, Jan. 24, 1682. 
He [Geraint] . . . fell 
Against the heathen of the Northern Sea, 
In battle, fighting for the blameless King. 
Tennyson, Geraint. 
2. In Scrip., with the definite article, the gen- 
tiles; those nations or peoples that did not 
acknowledge Jehovah, the God of the Jews, as 
the true God ; hence, idolaters, from the preva- 
lence of idolatry among them. 
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine 
inheritance. Ps. ii. 8. 
Go, and the Holy One 
Of Israel be thy guide 
To what may serve his glory best, and spread his name 
Great among the heathen round. Milton, S. A., 1. 1430. 
3. Any irreligious, rude, barbarous, or unthink- 
ing person or class : as, the heathen at home. 
[The plural, in all senses, is usually heathen; 
but in many instances, especially with refer- 
ence to individuals, the regular plural form, 
heathens, is used.] 
II. a. Pagan; gentile: as, heathen supersti- 
tions or customs. 
Til It [a child] be crystened in Crystes name, and con- 
f ermed of the bisshop, 
It is hethene as to heueneward, and helpelees to the soule, 
Hethene is to mene after heth and vntiled erthe. 
Piers Plowman (B), xv. 460. 
The heathen emperor thinks it absurd that Christian 
baptism should be able to cleanse from gross gins, while it 
cannot remove a wart, or gout, or any bodily evil. 
Schaf, Hist. Christ. Church, III. 9. 
=Syn. See gentile, n. 
heathendom (he'THen-dum), n. [< ME. hie- 
thendom, < AS. heathendom (= D. Jieidendom = 
MLG. heidendom = OHG. heidantuom, MHG. 
heidentuom, G. lieidentmn = Sw. Dan. heden- 
dom), < haithen, heathen, + -dom, E. -dom.~\ 1. 
The state or condition of a heathen ; heathen- 
ism. 
Degradation, pestilence, heathendom, and despair. 
Kingsley, Cheap Clothes and Nasty. 
2. Those parts of the world in which heathen- 
ism prevails: opposed to Christendom, 3. Hea- 
then nations or peoples regarded collectively. 
heathenesset, . See heathenness. 
heathenhoodt, [ME. hethenehod, haithen- 
hede; < heathen + -hood.'} Heathendom. 
Al thes world is biheled mid hethenhode. 
Old. Eng. Misc., p. 91. 
heathenise, . t. See heathenize. 
heathenish (he'THen-ish), a. [< ME. *hethen- 
ish, < AS. hcethenisc (= D. heidensch = MLG. 
heidens, heidensch = OHG. heidanisc, MHG. hei- 
denisch, heidensch, G. heidenisch = Sw. hednisk= 
ODan. heydensk, hedninsk, Dan. hedensk), < hie- 
then, heathen, + -isc, E. -w/t 1 .] 1. Of or per- 
taining to gentiles or pagans; characteristic 
of or practised by the heathen : as, heathenish 
rites. 
When the apostles of our Lord and Saviour were or- 
dained to alter the laws of heathenish religion, chosen 
they were, St. Paul excepted ; the rest unschooled alto- 
gether, and unlettered men. Hooker, Eccles. Polity. 
Under whatever disguise it [the classical drama] ap- 
peared, it was essentially heathenish; for, from first to 
last, it was mythological, both in tone and in substance. 
Ticknor, Span. Lit., I. 228. 
Hence 2. Uncivilized; uncultured; rude; 
savage; degraded; cruel. 
Lod. Here is a letter . . . imports 
The death of Cassio to be undertook 
By Roderlgo. . . . 
Cas. Most heathenish aud most gross ! 
Shak., Othello, v. 2. 
That execrable Cromwell made a heathenish or rather 
Inhuman edict against the Episcopal clergy. 
South, Sermons. 
heathenishly (he'THen-ish-li), adv. In a hea- 
thenish manner. 
'Tis heatheniihly done of 'em in my conscience, thoti 
deserv'st it not. Beau, and Fl., King and No King, i. 
2761 
heathenishness (he'THen-ish-nes), . The 
state or character of being heathenish. 
The . . . heathenishness and profaneness of most play 
books. Prynne, Histrio-Mastix, p. 913. 
heathenism (he'THen-izm), n. [< heathen + 
-ism.] 1. Heathen systems of religion or mor- 
als; pagan practice or belief ; paganism. 
Julian attempted to set up preachers of heathenism, in 
opposition to those of Christianity. Seeker, Works, I. xxi. 
Heathenism partially, if not wholly, merged God in na- 
ture. O. P. Fisher, Begin, of Christianity, p. 26. 
2. Heathenish manners or condition; the de- 
graded or uncultured state of those who are 
uninfluenced by Christianity; barbarism; ig- 
norance; irreligion: as, the heathenism of the 
slums. 
heathenize (he'5Hen-iz), . *. ; pret. and pp. 
heathenized, ppr. heathenizing. [< heathen + 
-ize.~\ To render heathen or heathenish. Also 
spelled heathenise. 
The continuance of these unscriptural terms, without 
an exact application of them in sermons and catechisms, 
heathenizes all the common people, nay, and great num- 
bers of not unlearned persons. 
Account of Mr. Finnin'i Religion (1698X p. 63. 
heathenlyt, a. [< heathen + -ly 1 .] Heathenish. 
An heathenly Pagan. 
Lyly, Euphues, Anat. of Wit, p. 176. 
heathenness (he'THen-nes), n. [Archaically 
heathenesse (prob. regarded as analogous to 
noblesse and other abstract nouns with F. term. 
-esse) ; < ME. hethenesse, haithenesse (for "hethen- 
nesse : cf . forgiveness for *forgivenness), < AS. 
hcetltennes, < hcethen, heathen, + -nes, E. -ness."] 
1. The state of being heathen. 2. The coun- 
tries inhabited by heathens ; heathendom. [Ar- 
chaic.] 
Therto hadde he riden, no man ferre. 
As wel in Cristendom as in hethenesse. 
Chaucer, Gen. Prol. to C. T., 1. 49. 
jef ony brother or sister deye in straunge cuntre, in 
cristendom or in hethenesse, the bretheren sshollen . . . 
doun a messe of requiem for the soule. 
English Gilds (E. E. T. S.), p. 36. 
Neither in Christendome, nor yet in heathennest, 
None hath soe much gold as he. 
Ballad of King Arthur (Child's Ballads, I. 234). 
heathenry (he'SHen-ri), n. [< heathen + -ry.] 
1. Heathenish rites and practices; heathen 
systems of religion or morals ; heathenism. 
Are you so besotted with your philosophy, and your 
heathenry, and your laziness, and your contempt for God 
and man, that you will see your nation given up for a 
prey, and your wealth plundered by heathen dogs? 
Kingiley, Hypatia, vi. 
In most places, even in the heart of Meccah, I met with 
debris of heathenry, proscribed by Mohammed. 
JR. F. Burton, El-Medinah, p. 20. 
2. The heathen ; heathendom. 
heatheushipt (he'THen-ship), n. [< heathen 
+ -ship. Cf. MLG. heidenschop = OHG. hei- 
dinscaft, MHG. G. heidenschaft = Dan. heden- 
skab.~\ Heathenism. 
But a higher importance attaches to a clause in the 
Northumbrian Priests' Laws, by which a person accused 
of the practice of any heathenship was bound to clear 
himself by the oath of compurgators, partly his kinsmen 
and partly native strangers. N. and Q., 7th aer., VI. 53. 
heather (heTH'er), n. [Formerly also nether, 
hather, and (dial.) hadder; < heath, open coun- 
try, + -er; equiv. to heath, used, without term., 
as the name of the plant.] 1 . Heath : especial- 
ly applied to Calluna vulgaris, the common hea- 
ther. It differs from the other true heaths in possessing 
astringent properties, and is employed by both fullers and 
dyers. See cut under Calluna. 
Heath Is the generall or common name, whereof there 
is owne kind called hather, the other ling. 
Norden, Surveiors Dialogue (1610). 
They [Indian Brachmanni] lay upon the ground covered 
with skins, as the Redshanks doe on hadder, and dieted 
themselves sparingly. Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 642. 
Come o'er the heather, come round him gather. 
Wha'll be King but Charlie? 
Patches bright of bracken green, 
And heather black, that waved so high, 
It held the copse in rivalry. 
Scott, L. of the L., v. 8. 
2. The crowberry, Empetrum nigrum. [Rare.] 
3. A tweed or similar fabric, usually 56 
inches wide, woven of heather-wool, and pre- 
senting a color-effect like that of heather. Also 
called heather mixture. saver heather, a moss, 
Polytrichum commune. See Polytrichum.To set tne 
heather on fire, to kindle disturbance ; bring smolder- 
ing disaffection to a blaze. 
It's partly that whilk has set the heather on fire e'en 
now. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxv. 
heather-alet (heTH'er-al), n. A traditional 
drink said to have been brewed in North Brit- 
ain from the bells of heather. 
heathy 
heather-bell (heTH'er-bel), n. Same as heath- 
bell. 
'Tis sweet beneath the heather-bell 
To live in autumn brown. Leyden, Keeldar. 
heather-bleat, heather-bleater (heTH'er-blet, 
-ble'ter), n. [Sc. also (obs.) hetherbhitter, 
hedderbluter; < heather (&ppar.) + bleat, bleater, 
in allusion to its cry. But the first element is 
an accom. of a different original, the word be- 
ing variously otherwise manipulated as Sc. 
heron-bluter (as if involving heron), ern-bleater, 
earnbliter, yern-bliter, -bluter (as if involving 
earn 3 , eagle), E. dial, hammer-bleat (as if in al- 
lusion to hammering) ; the ME. forms not found ; 
all ult. < AS. haiferUaste, hteferblceta, early AS. 
(Kentish) heebreblete, once erroneously liiefen- 
blwte, the name of a bird, glossing ML. bicoca 
and tiugium (both words obscure: for bugimn, 
see under fieldfare), lit. ' goat-bleater,' < AS. 
hcefer, a he-goat, buck (= L. caper: see co- 
per 1 ), + blcetan, bleat: see bleat.'] Same as 
ern-bleater. 
heather-claw (heTH'er-kla), n. A dew-claw. 
heather-grass (heTH'er-gras), H. A species of 
grass, Triodia decumbens, common throughout 
Europe, growing on spongy, wet, cold soils, 
and of little economic importance. See Triodia. 
Also called heath-grass. 
heather-Untie (heTH'er-lin"ti), . The mea- 
dow-pipit, Anthus pratensis. [Local, Eng.] 
heather-peeper (heTH'er-pe"per), n. Thepeet- 
weet or common sandpiper of Europe, Tringoi- 
des hypoleucus. [Local, Scotland.] 
heather-wool (heTH'er-wul), . Wool or worst- 
ed yarn made for knitting and other fancy work, 
party-colored or mottled in various shades, and 
producing work of a mixed or speckled color 
thought to be like that of heather. 
heathery 1 (he'ther-i), n. ; pi. heatheries (-iz). [< 
heath + -ery.~\ A place where heaths grow; 
a house in which valuable heaths are culti- 
vated. 
heathery 2 (heTH'er-i), a. Of ; pertaining to, or 
resembling heather ; abounding with heather; 
heathy. 
The antler'd monarch of the waste 
Sprang from his heathery couch in haste. 
Scott, L. of the L., L 2, 
I found the house amid desolate heathery hills. 
Emerson, English Traits, i. 
heath-fowl (heth'foul), n. The moor-fowl, La- 
gopus scoticus. Montagu. 
heath-grass (heth'gras), n. Same as heather- 
grass. 
heath-hen (heth'hen), n. 1. The female heath- 
bird ; the hen of the black grouse. 
O'er the trackless waste 
The heath-hen flutters, pious fraud ! to lead 
The hot pursuing spaniel far away. 
Thomson, Spring, 1. 700. 
2. One of several American grouse, as the pin- 
nated, ruffed, or Canada grouse. Also heath- 
cock. W. Wood, 1634; D. Denton, 1670. [Rare 
or archaic.] 
heath-honeysuckle (heth'hun'i-suk-1), n. The 
name in Australia of a flowering shrub, Bank- 
sia serrata, from the large amount of honey its 
flowers secrete. 
heath-pea (heth'pe), . A tuber-bearing legu- 
minous plant, Lathyrus macrorhizus (Orobiis tu- 
berosvs). The tubers resemble peas, and are eaten boiled 
or baked. The plant is widely diffused throughout Europe. 
The name is said sometimes to be applied also to another 
vetch, Vioia sicula (Orobus atropurpureus). 
heath-peat (heth'pet), n. Peat from the sur- 
face-soil of places abounding in heather. 
heath-poult (heth'polt), n. The pullet or young 
of the heath-bird. 
heath-pout (heth 'pout), . Same as heath- 
poult. 
heath-snail (heth'snal), . A kind of snail 
common in Great Britain, Helix ericetorum, 
ranging to the north of Scotland. 
heath-throstle (heth'thros'l), . The ring- 
ouzel, Turdus torguatus. [Local, Eng.] 
heathwort (heth wert), n. In Lindley's sys- 
tem, any plant of the heath family, Ericacea: 
used chiefly in the plural. See cut under Eri- 
cacew. 
heathy (he'thi), a. [< heath + -/!.] Of, per- 
taining to, or characteristic of heath ; covered or 
abounding with heath; adapted to the growth 
of heath: as, heathy land. 
From its hill of heathy brown 
The muirland streamlet hastens down. 
J. Baillie. 
O happy pleasure ! here to dwell 
Beside thee in some heathy dell. 
Wordficorth, To a Highland Ctrl. 
