Fairies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fairy \Fair"y\, n.; pl. {Fairies}. [OE. fairie, faierie,
     enchantment, fairy folk, fairy, OF. faerie enchantment, F.
     f['e]er, fr. LL. Fata one of the goddesses of fate. See
     {Fate}, and cf. {Fay} a fairy.] [Written also {fa["e]ry}.]
     1. Enchantment; illusion. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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              The God of her has made an end,
              And fro this worlde's fairy
              Hath taken her into company.          --Gower.
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     2. The country of the fays; land of illusions. [Obs.]
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              He [Arthur] is a king y-crowned in Fairy. --Lydgate.
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     3. An imaginary supernatural being or spirit, supposed to
        assume a human form (usually diminutive), either male or
        female, and to meddle for good or evil in the affairs of
        mankind; a fay. See {Elf}, and {Demon}.
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              The fourth kind of spirit [is] called the Fairy.
                                                    --K. James.
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              And now about the caldron sing,
              Like elves and fairies in a ring.     --Shak.
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     5. An enchantress. [Obs.] --Shak.
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     {Fairy of the mine}, an imaginary being supposed to inhabit
        mines, etc. German folklore tells of two species; one
        fierce and malevolent, the other gentle, See {Kobold}.
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              No goblin or swart fairy of the mine
              Hath hurtful power over true virginity. --Milton.
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