famous (famus)

t. [ The painful warrior famoused for fight. Shak., Sonnets, xxv. Hee [Greene] made no account of winning credite by his workes, as thou dost, that dost no good workes, but thinkes to bee famosed by a strong faith of thy owne worthines. Nash , Strange Newes (1592), sig. E, p. 4. She that with silver springs forever fills The shady groves, sweet meddowes, and the hills, From whose continuall store such pooles are fed As in the land for seas are famoused . W. Browne, Inner Temple Masque. He [Keats] told them of the heroic uncle, whose deeds, we may be sure, were properly famoused by the boy Homer. Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 306. famously (fa'mus-li), adv. 1. With renown or celebrity; notoriously. He being the publick reader of diuinitie in the uniuersitie of Oxford was, for the rude time wherein he liued, famously reputed for a great clearke, Foxe , Martyrs, p. 300. A train-band captain eke was he Of famous London town. "But what good came of it at last?" Quoth little Peterkin. "Why, that I cannot tell," said he; "But twas a famous victory." Southey, Battle of Blenheim. I have always heard that Holland House is famous for its good cheer, and certainly the reputation is not unmerited. Macaulay, in Trevelyan, I. 191. 2. Deserving of fame; praiseworthy; uncommonly good; admirable: as, he is a famous hand at such work. [Now chiefly colloq.] And ther I hard a ffamus Sermon of a Doctor which began a v of the cloke in the mornyng and contynuyd tyll it was ix of the clok. Torkington , Diarie of Eng. Travell, p. 3. 3t. Of good character: opposed to infamous . Twa or thre of his nichtbouris famous and unsuspect Balfour's Pract., p. 145. ( Jamie son .) men. IMG:content-1072.png:[blocks in formation] =Syn. Noted, Celebrated, Famous, Renowned, Illustrious, Distinguished, Eminent, Notable, Notorious, famed, far-famed, conspicuous, remarkable, signal. The first nine words expre degrees and kinds of the presence or prominence of a person or thing in public knowledge or attention. Noted, celebrated, famous, are of an ascending scale of strength, and may be used in a good or a bad sense: as, a celebrated thief; a famous forger. The use of cele brated in a bad sense is rather new and le common. Noted is not much used by fastidious writers. Celebrated, renowned, illustrious, are also on an ascending scale of strength. Celebrated is, by derivation, commemorated in a solemn way, and occasionally shows somewhat of this meaning still. Renowned is, literally, named again and again. Illustrious suggests luster, splendor, in character or conduct: as, illustrious deeds; making one's country illustrious. Distinguished means marked by something that makes one stand apart from or above others in the public view. Eminent means standing high above the crowd. Notable is worthy of note, and so memorable, conspicuous, or notorious: as, a notable liar. Notorious is now used only in a bad sense, having a large and evil fame. A man may be notable, noted, or famous for his eccentricities or his industry, celebrated for his wit, renowned for his achievements, illustrious for his virtues, dist in guished for his talents, eminent for his profe ional skill or succe , notorious for his want of principle. See famel, We shall have recourse to a noted story in Don Quixote. Hume, E ays, i. 23. In 1741, the celebrated White field preached here [at Concord] in the open air, to a great congregation. Emerson, Hist. Discourse at Concord. I'll make thee glorious by my pen, And famous by my sword. Marquis of Montrose , My Dear and Only Love. Those far- renowned brides of ancient song Peopled the hollow dark, like burning stars. Tennyson, Fair Women. William Pitt... inherited a name which, at the time of his birth, was the most illustrious in the civilized world. Macaulay, William Pitt. But among the young candidates for Add is on's favour there was one [Pope] distinguished by talents above the rest, and distinguished , we fear, not le by malignity and insincerity. Macaulay , Add is on. In architecture and the fine arts, as in decorative art, the Persians of the middle ages achieved a notable succe . N. A. Rev. , CXL. 328. silicious material. famulart, a. and n. A Middle English variant of familiar.