Meaning of Changeling | Babel Free

Definitions

1. In pre-modern European folklore: an infant of a magical creature that was secretly exchanged for a human infant. In British, Irish and Scandinavian mythology the exchanged infants were thought to be those of fairies, sprites or trolls; in other places, they were ascribed to demons, devils, or witches.
   European, also, figuratively
2. A person or object (especially when regarded as inferior) secretly exchanged for something else.
   broadly
3. An infant secretly exchanged with another infant deliberately or by mistake; a swapling.
   broadly, informal, rare
4. An organism which can change shape to mimic others; a shape-shifter.
5. A person apt to change their loyalty or thinking; a waverer.
   also, archaic, figuratively
6. An idiot, a simpleton.
   obsolete

Equivalents

Examples

“[S]he, as her attendant, hath / A louely boy ſtollen, from an Indian king: / She neuer had ſo ſweete a changeling.”

“Every Lover admires his miſtris, though ſhee be very deformed of her ſelfe, [...] her feet ſtinke, ſhee breed⟳ lice, a meere changeling, a very monſter, [...]: if he loue her once, he admires her for all this, he takes no notice⟳ of any ſuch errors, or imperfections of body or minde.”

“Juſt as a Changeling ſeems below the reſt / Of Men, or rather is a two-legg’d Beaſt, / So theſe Gigantick Souls amaz'd we find⟳ / As much above the reſt of human kind.”

“Nothing will induce parents to show⟳ any attention to a child that they suspect⟳ of being a changeling.”

“It was easy enough to see⟳ that the child was a changeling, for it wasn't like⟳ other children at all it screamed and cried, as if a knife stuck in it, and it wheezed and hit about with its arms like⟳ a huldre-cat, and was as ugly as sin.”

“His nurse had told him all about changelings, and how the little people would always try⟳ to steal⟳ a beautiful human child out of its cradle and put⟳ in its stead one of their own⟳ ailing, puking brats [...]”

“When I firſt read⟳ Mr. Walker’s Circular Letter to the Arch-deacons, I fancied he intended to give⟳ us an Account of thoſe worthy Men, [...] But after about ten Years going with this Work⟳, and that the Time of its Birth was come⟳, I ſoon found it to be a perfect Changeling. Inſtead of what I expected it to be, I ſaw a huge Heap of the moſt Heterogeneous Characters, [...] a great many of them much more deſerving to have⟳ their Names blotted out, than their Memory to be preſerved.”

“To face⟳ the garment of rebellion / With ſome fine colour that may pleaſe the eye / Of fickle changlings and poore diſcontents, / Which gape and rub the elbow at the newes / Of hurly-burly innouation, [...]”

“Fal[staff]. [...] If you will lodge with me in Eaſtcheap, you ſhall ſee the thouſand pound fairly ſpent in ſack: you ſhall ſhare with me to the utmoſt farthing. But for dry reſtitution, I have⟳ not been accustom'd to it of many years. You would not have⟳ me a changeling at this time of day, I hope⟳, Maſter Shallow. / Shal[low]. Changeling! no, Sir John, thou art no changeling; but, depend⟳ on it, I will not put⟳ up with this wrong. [...] I will have⟳ my money; depend⟳ on't I will have⟳ my money.”

“What words are these have⟳ fall’n from me? ⁠Can calm despair and wild unrest ⁠Be tenants of a single breast, Or sorrow such a changeling be?”

“They alſo obſerue Lunaticks and changelings, and the Coniurer writeth downe their ſayings in a booke, groueling on the ground, as if he whiſperd to the Deuill to tell⟳ him the truth, and ſo expoundeth the letter, as it were by inſpiration.”

“We wander⟳ in the Fields of Air below: / Changlings and Fooles of Heav'n: and thence ſhut out, / Wildly we roam in diſcontent about: [...]”

“[C]an there be any one Sort⟳ of Men that enjoy⟳ themſelves better than thoſe which we call⟳ Idiots, Changelings, Fools, and Naturals? It may perhaps ſound harſh, but upon due Conſideration it will be found abundantly true, that theſe Perſons in all Circumſtances fare beſt, and live⟳ moſt comfortably: [...]”

CEFR level