Philip, n.
Forms:
lME Felyp, lME– Philip, 15 Philippe, 15 Phylyp, 15–16 Phillip, 15–16 Phillipp, 17 Philippis (plural). Also with lower-case initial.(Show Less)
Origin: From a proper name. Etymon: proper name Philip.
Etymology: < the male forename Philip < classical Latin Philippus < ancient Greek Φίλιππος , use as personal name of ϕίλιππος fond of horses (see philippy n.). Compare French Philippe, Catalan Felip, Spanish Felipe, Italian Filippo, German Philipp, Swedish Filip, Irish Pilip, Scottish Gaelic Filip, Welsh Phylip, Russian Filipp, Czech Filip, Bulgarian Filip, Hungarian Fülöp, Finnish Filip.
In sense 1 with reference to various rulers with the name Philip; in the earliest quots. probably Philip III the Good, Duke of Burgundy, then including Flanders (reigned 1419–67). For information on Philip II of Macedon see Philippian n. and adj. For information on Philip II of Spain see Philippical adj. Compare classical Latin Philippus , Philippeus gold coin of Philip II of Macedon, in post-classical Latin also a French coin (a1142 in a British source), Middle French, French philippe gold or silver coin from Spain or Burgundian Flanders (1462–8 as phelippe ), coin from France (1435 as philippus ), coin of Philip II of Macedon (1636), Italian filippo coin of Philip II of Macedon, Milanese coin modelled on those of Philip II of Spain (a1606), Spanish filipo coin of Flanders and of Castile (1589), Spanish filipeo coin of Philip of Macedon (1559; 1490 as philippeo ), coin current in Castile (late 16th or early 17th cent.), Dutch Philippus , Philips , denoting various coins minted by rulers called Philip, German Philipper coin of the Spanish Netherlands under Philip II of Spain (16th cent.; obsolete in this sense). Compare also Dutch Philippusdaalder (a1559 as Philippus daelder ), early modern German philipps-thaler ( > Middle French philippedales (plural) German or Burgundian coins (1514)): see dollar n. 2. Compare also philippic n. 2. Compare also philippo , the name of a Spanish coin (one isolated attestation; apparently < Spanish filippo : see above): In sense 2 perhaps with allusion to the similarity of the name to the sound of the house sparrow's chirp (compare quot. 1885 at sense 2 and also earlier phip n.). Earlier currency is apparently implied by a surname (Joh. Philipschank (1379)). Quot. 1463 at sense 2 apparently reflects an Anglo-Norman parallel, although this is apparently not otherwise attested. Compare Dutch regional (Limburg) Philip kind of warbler, Breton filip sparrow. In sense 3 with allusion to Philip the Evangelist: see Acts 8:26–40. The name is attested in Old English both in the Latin form Philippus (also Filippus) and (more rarely) in the anglicized form Philip (also Philippe), frequently as the name of the apostle. A great variety of forms is attested in Middle English, including: α. Philip, Philipp, Philippe, Phillip, Phillipp, Phillippe, Phillipe, Philyp, Philyppe, Phylyp, Phylypp, Phylyppe, Philpp, Filip, Filippe, (also Philippus, Phillipus). β. Phelip, Phelipp, Phelippe, Phelyp, Phelypp, Phelyppe, Felip, Felyp (also Phellypus). Attested as a personal name in England from the mid 12th cent. in Latinized form, and from the second half of the 13th cent. in anglicized form. A form identical to the anglicized male form also occurs as a female forename ( < Latin Philippa) from the 15th cent. until at least the 17th cent. (use of Philippa as a female forename in English is late).
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. x. 454
Eleauen Philippoes or Ducatons.
1. Any of a number of coins of gold or silver issued by kings or dukes named Philip. Now hist.Applied spec. to various French, Spanish, and Burgundian coins of the medieval and early modern period, and to classical coins of the period of Philip II of Macedon: see etymological note.
[1482 W. Cely Let. 6 Oct. in Cely Lett.
(1975)
180
Item, an Phellypus..iij s. iiij d. Fl.]
?1482 G. Cely Let. in Cely Lett.
(1975)
160
Item iij Felyppys at iij s. iiij. d.
1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus ii. f. 26v
For quhilk scho askit twelf scoir of Phillippis sine.
1770 Ann. Reg. 1769 135/2
The damage as yet is estimated at four millions of philippis.
1861 W. C. Prime Coins, Medals, & Seals 36
Some of the finest specimens of ancient coinage were issued, and among others the gold staters, which became known as Philips.
1913 Jrnl. Hellenic Stud. 33 155
The establishment of Macedonian supremacy, when the gold Philips and Alexanders ousted it.
1994 Amer. Jrnl. Archaeol. 98 241/1
Images on gold ‘Philips’ were copied by Celtic tribes, and became more and more debased.
?1482—1994(Hide quotations)
2. A name for: a sparrow. Also (Brit. regional): the dunnock. Cf. phip n. Now Brit. regional.For the sense ‘dunnock’ (quot. 1885) see the note s.v. phip n.
[1463 Will of William Phelipp (P.R.O.: PROB. 11/5) f. 23v
Vnam peciam..sculptam in profundo cum Ave vocat. le Phelipp.]
a1500
(▸c1378)
Langland Piers Plowman
(Oriel:Kane)
B. xv. 122 (MED)
Many a preest heer..Schulden go synge seruyseles wiþ sire philip þe sparwe.
a1529 J. Skelton Phyllyp Sparowe
(?1545)
sig. A.iiv
Nothynge it auayled To call Phylyp agayne Whom Gyb our cat hath slayne.
1612 W. Fennor Cornu-copiæ 97
Let chirping Philip learne to catch a flie.
1865 Cornhill Mag. July 36
The house-sparrow is still in many parts Skelton's ‘Philip’, the Philip of the Elizabethan dramatists, and of Cartwright.
1877 E. Leigh Gloss. Cheshire 110
Many kinds of birds appropriate particular Christian names... A sparrow [is] ‘philip’.
1885 C. Swainson Provincial Names Brit. Birds 29
Hedge sparrow... From its short piping note it is called..Philip or Phip.
1973 Times 17 Feb. 14/7
‘Philip’, said to be Cockney for house sparrows, is perfect, especially now when they have time to perch on the eves and call monotonously to each other.
a1500—1973(Hide quotations)
†3. An evangelist; a Christian preacher. Obs. rare—1.
1613 S. Hieron Baptizing of Eunuch in Wks.
(1620)
I. 299
God encrease the number of such Philips, and make vs all such as the eunuch was in this particular.
1613—1613(Hide quotations)
Phrases
P1. Philip and Cheyney (also Philip, Hob, and Cheyney): see Philip and Cheyney n., Philip, Hob, and Cheyney n.
P2. to appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober (and variants): to suggest that an opinion, etc., represents a passing mood only; to urge someone to give a more considered judgement; to contrast a person's initial opinion with one arrived at after reflection. Now rare.The original allusion is to Philip, King of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, whose response to such an appeal is reported in Valerius Maximus Facta et Dicta Memorabilia 6. 2.
[1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys
(Pynson)
f. xlvv
I am no traytoure, apele I woll certayne from dronken Alexander tyll he be sober agayne.]
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour ii. v. sig. Piiiv
A poure woman, agayne whom the same kynge had gyuen iugement..cried, I appele... To whom appelist thou said the kyng. I appele, said she, from the, nowe beinge dronke, to kynge Philip the sobre.
1596 T. Lodge Wits Miserie 33
I appeale from Philip drunken, to Philip sober.
1793 J. Pollock Lett. Inhabitants Newry 68
An appeal from the Committee to the Convention itself might not be, exactly, one ‘from Philip inflamed to Philip sober’.
1873 W. Bates Maclise Portrait-gallery 2
Kinnaird..retaining the document..till he had an opportunity of appealing from Philip drunk to Philip sober, succeeded in dissuading the poet from his angry purpose.
1886 E. Lynn Linton Paston Carew I. i. 5
Not even appealing from Philip drunk to Philip sober.
1925 Amer. Mercury Aug. 411/2
He did not speak to Philip drunk as he would to Philip sober.
1973 R. Ellmann Golden Codgers i. 4
This is appealing from Philip Drunk to Philip Sober.
1531—1973(Hide quotations)