vigils of flowers

1 definition found

vigils of flowers - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Vigil \Vig"il\, n. [OE. vigile, L. vigilia, from vigil awake,
     watchful, probably akin to E. wake: cf. F. vigile. See
     Wake, v. i., and cf. Reveille, Surveillance, Vedette,
     Vegetable, Vigor.]
     1. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is
        customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state
        of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch. "Worn
        out by the labors and vigils of many months." --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Nothing wears out a fine face like the vigils of the
              card table and those cutting passions which attend
              them.                                 --Addison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other
        religious exercises.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              So they in heaven their odes and vigils tuned.
                                                    --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Be sober and keep vigil,
              The Judge is at the gate.             --Neale
                                                    (Rhythm of St.
                                                    Bernard).
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Eccl.)
        (a) Originally, the watch kept on the night before a
            feast.
        (b) Later, the day and the night preceding a feast.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  He that shall live this day, and see old age,
                  Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors,
                  And say, "To-morrow is St. Crispian." --Shak.
            [1913 Webster]
        (c) A religious service performed in the evening preceding
            a feast.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     Vigils of flowers or Watchings of flowers (Bot.), a
        peculiar faculty belonging to the flowers of certain
        plants of opening and closing their petals at certain
        hours of the day. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]