atomy en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (General-American) audio
- /ˈætəmi/ (General-American)
- /ˈætəmi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
- [-ɾə-] (General-American)
Etymology
A variant of atomi, the plural of atomus (“hypothetical particle posited as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter; mote of dust in a sunbeam”) treated as a singular form. Atomus is derived from Latin atomus, from Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos, “indivisible”, adjective), from ᾰ̓- (ă-, prefix forming terms having an opposite sense) + τομ- (tom-) (stem of τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- (“to cut”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming nouns of action or result). Doublet of atom.
Meanings
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A tiny particle; an atom, a mote, a speck.
[…] Hunger. It was prevalent everywhere. […] Hunger was shred into atomies in every farthing porringer of husky chips of potato, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.
1859, Charles Dickens, “The Wine-shop”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book I (Recalled to Life), page 19:Thou tellſt me there is murder in mine eye, / 'Tis pretty ſure, and very probable, / That eyes, that are the frailſt and ſofteſt things, / VVho ſhut their covvard gates on atomyes, / Should be called tyrants, butchers, murtherers.
c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], page 199:
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A tiny particle; an atom, a mote, a speck. ▸ A floating mote or speck of dust.
[T]he crew / Seemed in that light, like atomies to dance / Within a sunbeam;— […]
1822 June–July (date written), Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Triumph of Life”, in Mary W[ollstonecraft] Shelley, editor, Posthumous Poems of Percy Bysshe Shelley, London: […] [C. H. Reynell] for John and Henry L[eigh] Hunt, […], published 1824, →OCLC, page 91:Betwixt the close-set ivies came a broad / And solid beam of isolated light, / Crowded with driving atomies, and fell / Slanting upon that picture, from prime youth / Well-known well-loved.
1827–1879 (date written), Alfred Tennyson, “Part II”, in The Lover’s Tale, London: C[harles] Kegan Paul & Co., […], published 1879, →OCLC, page 65:The marvel is that man can smile dreaming his ghostly ghastly dream;— / Better the heedless atomy that buzzes in the morning beam!
1880, Hâjî Abdû El-Yezdî [pseudonym; Richard Francis Burton], translated by F[rank] B[aker] [pseudonym], The Kasîdah (Couplets) […]: A Lay of the Higher Law. […], London: Bernard Quaritch, […], →OCLC, page 6:[T]hicker then in ſunne are Atomies, / Flew bullets, fier, and ſlaughtered dead mens cries.
1595, Iruis [i.e., Gervase] Markham, The Most Honorable Tragedie of Sir Richard Grinuile, Knight, London: […] I. Roberts, for Richard Smith, →OCLC; republished in Edward Arber, editor, The Last Fight of the Revenge at Sea; under the Command of Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Grenville, on the 10–11th of September, 1591. Described by Sir Walter Raleigh, November, 1591. Gervase Markham, 1595. and Jan Huygen van ’Linschoten, in Dutch, 1596; English, 1598; and Latin, 1599 (English Reprints), Southgate, London: [Muir and Paterson, […]], 15 November 1871, →OCLC, page 70:Atomie. A mote flying in the ſunne.
[1616, I. B. [i.e., John Bullokar], “Atomie”, in An English Expositor: Teaching the Interpretation of the Hardest Words Vsed in Our Language. […], London: […] John Legatt [John Legate?], →OCLC, signature B3, verso, column 1:
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(archaic) A tiny particle; an atom, a mote, a speck. ▸ The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something; an atom.
And freely men confeſſe that this vvorld's ſpent, / VVhen in the Planets, and the firmament / They ſeeke ſo many nevv; they ſee that this / Is crumbled out againe to his Atomies. / 'Tis all in peeces, all coherence gone; […]
1611, J[ohn] Donne, “An Anatomie of the World. Wherein, by Occasion of the Untimely Death of Mistris Elizabeth Drury, the Frailty and the Decay of this Whole World is Represented. The First Anniversary.”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, page 242:It is as eaſie to count Atomies as to reſolue the propoſitions of a Louer: […]
c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 196, column 2:Spayne then enamour'd with the Romane trull, / Calls all her forces, more then Atomies, / And tells Ill-fortunes ſtorie to the full; […]
1595, Iruis [i.e., Gervase] Markham, The Most Honorable Tragedie of Sir Richard Grinuile, Knight, London: […] I. Roberts, for Richard Smith, →OCLC; republished in Edward Arber, editor, The Last Fight of the Revenge at Sea; under the Command of Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Grenville, on the 10–11th of September, 1591. Described by Sir Walter Raleigh, November, 1591. Gervase Markham, 1595. and Jan Huygen van ’Linschoten, in Dutch, 1596; English, 1598; and Latin, 1599 (English Reprints), Southgate, London: [Muir and Paterson, […]], 15 November 1871, →OCLC, page 55:atomie, […] a thing ſo ſmall that it cannot bée deuided.
[1609, Robert Cawdrey, T[homas] C[awdrey], “atomie”, in A Table Alphabeticall: Conteyning and Teaching the True Writing and Vnderstanding of Hard Vsuall English Wordes, Borrowed from the Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, or French &c. […], 2nd edition, London: […] T. S. for Edmund Weauer, […], →OCLC, signature B3, verso:[P]raiſe thy God, / O be not ſelfe-conceited, leaſt his rod / Doe bruiſe thee into Atomies;
1641, Thomas Herbert, An Elegie upon the Death of Thomas Earle of Strafford, Lord Lievtenant of Ireland. […], [London]: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 6:Laſtly, it [an element] is the leaſt part or Atomie of that thing vvhich is made, or proceedeth from it.
1610, Gervase Markham, “Of the Foure Elements, Their Vertues and Operations”, in Markhams Maister-peece. Or, What doth a Horse-man Lacke. Containing All Possible Knowledge whatsoeuer which doth Belong to any Smith, Farrier, or Horse-leech, Touching the Curing of All Manner of Diseases or Sorrances in Horses; […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson, […], →OCLC, 1st book (Containing All Cures Physicall, […]), page 4:[C]ircumſtances are the atomies of policie, cenſure the being, action the life, but ſucceſſe the ornament.
1612 (date written), T. R., “Newes, from Any Whence: Or Old Truthes vnder a Supposall of Noueltie. […]. Country Newes.”, in Thomas Overburye [i.e. Thomas Overbury], A Wife Now the Widdow of Sir Thomas Overburye. Being a Most Exquisite and Singular Poem of the Choice of a Wife. […], London: […] [Edward Griffin] for Lawrence Lisle, […], published 1614, →OCLC, signature G, verso:Thinke not that all betvvixt the VVherpoole, and the Sprat, / I goe about to name, that vvere to take in hand, / The Atomy to tell, or to caſt vp the ſand; […]
1622, Michael Drayton, “The Fiue and Twentieth Song”, in The Second Part, or A Continuance of Poly-Olbion from the Eighteenth Song. […], London: […] Augustine Mathewes for Iohn Marriott, Iohn Grismand, and Thomas Dewe, →OCLC, page 109:
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(dialectal, figuratively, qualifier:archaic except UK) A very small being; a mite.
Was there a "delicate atomy" of minute dimensions and pale complexion, he forthwith strutted a hardy Highlander.
1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IX, in Romance and Reality. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 71:But why waste time fighting atomies who do not come up to your belly-button, Ben?
1934 April, Rudyard Kipling, “‘Proofs of Holy Writ’”, in Uncollected Prose: Volume II (The Sussex Edition of the Complete Works in Prose and Verse of Rudyard Kipling; XXX), London: Macmillan and Company […], published 1938, →OCLC, page 339:O then I ſee Queene Mab hath bin vvith you: She is the Fairies mid-vvife, and ſhe comes in ſhape no bigger thẽ [then; i.e., than] an Agot ſtone, on the forefinger of an Alderman, dravvne vvith a teeme of little ottamie, ouer mens noſes as they lie aſleep: […]
c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] Romeo and Iuliet. […] (Second Quarto), London: […] Thomas Creede, for Cuthbert Burby, […], published 1599, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], signature C2, recto:"Hey!" he said, "why, it's Tom! I suppose you have come here to laugh at me, you spiteful little atomy?"
1862 August – 1863 March, Charles Kingsley, chapter VIII, in The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby, London; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co., published 1863, →OCLC, pages 331–332:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| atomy | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| atomies | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
tidbit · atomy · tittle · morceau · atomy · spatter · ounce · halfpennyworth · tidbit · modicum · semblance · flip · modicum · dusting · fleck · smitch · vestige · dot · flyspeck · tad · whiff · smattering · pinch · smitch · spark · scent · dash · pinch · scintilla · relish · damn · tuppence worth · atom · spark · bit · mote · molecule · scent · ooch · ounce · skoosh · flip · tidbit · halfpennyworth · speckle · vestige · scent · scantling · skoosh · drop · speck · bissel · scintilla · dash · skerrick · trifle · tinge · scruple · morsel · dusting · fleck · glimpse · scruple · sprinkling · dusting · modicum · dab · sprinkling · strain · mote · whiff · dash · iota · scantling · glint · particle · pennyworth · tuppence worth · smidget · drop · continental · tidge · whit · vestige · smidgen · relish · smidget · smidge · sliver · tittle · scintilla · semblance · mite · halfpennyworth · continental · aught · skoosh · hooter · skerrick · sprinkle · fleck · relish · tidge · hint · toddick · sprinkle · diddly · touch · trace · molecule · aught · whit · smidget · smidge · spot · scruple · dab · morceau · trifle · atom · scantling · inch · tittle · crumb · particle · tinge · inch · semblance · smattering · damn · trifle · toddick · tuppence worth · tad · pinch · glimpse · morsel · sprinkle · hoot · particle · hint · skerrick · strain · speck · lick · piece · hint · lick · bit · grain · hooter · crumb · titch · scrap · jot · dot · glint · scooch · ounce · spot · smidgy · hoot · jot · inch · molecule · diddly · trace · sliver · toddick · smithereen · smidgen · speckle · pennyworth · soupçon · aught · damn · spatter · speck · ooch · scooch · smidgen · spot · touch · strain · tinge · piece · flyspeck · scrap · skosh · thought · lick · smidgy · trace · hoot · flip · morsel · iota · mote · scooch · smitch · iota · dab · bit · soupçon · pennyworth · shred · glimpse · drop · shred · glimmer · hooter · thought · ace · continental · spatter · dot · bissel · smithereen · glimmer · smidgy · whit · atomy · ooch · grain · tad · smattering · spark · thought · morceau · glint · grain · soupçon · atom · sliver · sprinkling · piece · speckle · skosh · ace · mite · skosh · smidge · whiff · flyspeck · crumb · shred · tidge · smithereen · scrap · touch · glimmer · jot · mite · ace · diddly · bissel