spangle

Etymology

The noun is derived from Middle English spangel (“small piece of ornamental metal, spangle; small ornament”) [and other forms], from spang (“small piece of ornamental metal, spangle; small ornament; type of bowl or cup”) + -el (diminutive suffix). Spang is derived from Middle Dutch spange, spaenge (“buckle, clasp; brooch; spangle”) (modern Dutch spang (“clasp; hook; metal hairband; metal pin”)), from Middle Low German spangel (“small chain or clasp”), from Proto-Germanic *spangō (“brooch; clasp”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)penh₁- (“to twist; to weave”). The English word is analysable as spang + -le (diminutive suffix). The verb is derived from the noun.

noun

1. A small, flat piece of sparkling metallic or metal-like material with a hole which is sewn on to a garment, etc., for decoration; a sequin.
   Act of 1913. Par. 333. Beads and spangles of all kinds, including imitation pearl beads, not threaded or strung, or strung loosely on thread for facility in transportation only, 35 per centum ad valorem; […] A spangle is a small plate or bar of shiny metal or other material used as an ornament or trimming on wearing apparel. 1922, United States Tariff Commission, “Schedule 14.—Sundries. [Paragraph 1403.]”, in Summary of Tariff Information 1921: Relative to the Bill H.R. 7456, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 1094
   And no use for anyone to tell Charles that this was because the Family was in mourning for Mr Granville Darracott[…]: Charles might only have been second footman at Darracott Place for a couple of months when that disaster occurred, but no one could gammon him into thinking that my lord cared a spangle for his heir. 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter I, in The Unknown Ajax (An Ace Star Book; 84665), New York, N.Y.: Ace Publishing, →OCLC, page 6
   Spangles, or sequins, often of sheets of silver-gilt cut into small roundels with central holes for retaining stitches, had been introduced to western Europe from Italy. […] For later blackwork purposes, spangles were held in place with black silk retaining stitches, or they could be held with silver-gilt thread worked in knots such as a conical 'French knot'. 1998, Mary Gostelow, “English Blackwork”, in Blackwork (Dover Needlework Series), Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, page 25
   "Again, just to clarify, my current spangles will not suffice?" / "I don't particularly care what you wear—though overalls might not be the thing. But I always see a gala as a chance to bring out that evening gown you hardly ever have the occasion to use." 2017 June, Juliet Blackwell, chapter 12, in A Ghostly Light (A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery), New York, N.Y.: Berkley Prime Crime, Berkley, page 114
2. Any small sparkling object.
   1. A shiny particle of a mineral.
      The surface texture [of galvanized metal] can also be controlled and, in particular, the classical spangle finish can be eliminated. The spangle finish of galvanized strip is quite unsuitable for certain applications, most particularly for organic liquid paint coating; it is practically impossible to paint a galvanized sheet with normal spangle in such a way that the pattern of the spangles is not apparent through the coat of paint. 1991, Frank Porter, “Sheet Galvanizing”, in Zinc Handbook: Properties, Processing, and Use in Design (Mechanical Engineering; 73), Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, page 259
   2. (figurative) A star.
      Thus in a Starry night fond children cry / For the rich ſpangles that adorn the Sky; / Which though they ſhine for ever fixed there, / With light and influence relieve us here. 1645, Edmond Waller [i.e., Edmund Waller], “Of the Queen”, in Poems, &c. Written upon Several Occasions, and to Several Persons:[…], 6th edition, London: […] H[enry] Herringman, and sold by Jacob Tonson,[…], published 1694, →OCLC, lines 35–38, page 118
3. (by extension)
   1. A point of light; also (rare), a glitter, a sparkle.
   2. A speckle or spot, especially on the body of an animal.
      In the male [mille fleur booted bantam] the general plumage color is red with the tip of each feather ending in a V-shaped, white spangle which is separated from the red portion of the feather by a black bar. […] The wing bows are also red, tipped with white spangles. 1942 January, M[orley] A. Jull, “Ornamental Bantam Class”, in Standard Breeds and Varieties of Chickens. II. Ornamental and Game Classes (Farmers’ Bulletin; no. 1507), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 33
      The Golden-Spangled Hamburg has an attractive pattern, the plumage over the body being golden bay, each feather ending with an elongated, greenish-black spangle. […] The spangles of the wing coverts should form two distinct, parallel bars across the wings. 1954 March, “Ornamental Bantam Class”, in Ornamental and Game Breeds of Chickens (Farmers’ Bulletin; no. 2066), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 6
      In summer, mated female wasps deposit large numbers of eggs in the tissue on the underside of expanded oak leaves, inducing the formation of characteristic spangle galls. […] Spangle galls often occur in vast numbers, and cause spotting of the foliage, visible from above. However, infested trees are seldom if ever harmed. 2012, David V. Alford, “Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Sawflies and Wasps)”, in Pests of Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Flowers: A Color Handbook, 2nd edition, Waltham, Mass., San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press, page 400, column 1
4. Any of a number of swallowtail butterflies (genus Papilio); specifically Papilio protenor.
   The female is unusually beautiful with grayish-brown wings hemmed by velvet black, while the male, resembling the black-winged Long-tail Spangle (Onaga-ageha) [Papilio macilentus], has unique vermillion marks on the body, and gives out a unique fragrance from which comes its Japanese name. 30 March 1974, Toshikazu Horiuchi, “Where Have All the Butterflies Gone? An Essay”, in 愛知工業大学研究報告. A, 基礎教育系論文集 [Bulletin of Aichi Institute of Technology. Part A, Basic Education Dissertation Collection.], number 9, Toyota, Aichi, Japan: Aichi Institute of Technology, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-10-18, page 228, column 2
   https://books.google.com/books?id=qFwQAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA25 page 25 Papilio protenor euprotenor Fruhstorfer, 1908 / The Spangle was mentioned from Bangladesh by Collins & Morris (1985); it is quite likely in the Srimangal forests since it occurs in the Khasi Hills at low levels. […] https://books.google.com/books?id=qFwQAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA26 page 26 Papilio elephenor Doubleday, 1845 / The Yellow-Crested Spangle was collected once at Cachar. It is a very rare butterfly. 2004, Torben B[jørn] Larsen, “Systematic Checklist [Papilionidae]”, in Butterflies of Bangladesh: An Annotated Checklist, Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh Country Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature, pages 25 and 26
   Spangle butterfly (Papilio protenor) photographed in Tokyo, Japan. 2008, Martin J. Hodson, Margot R. Hodson, “Caring as Communities”, in Cherishing the Earth: How to Care for God’s Creation, Oxford, Oxfordshire, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Monarch Books, Lion Hudson, photo 5 caption, page 128
   Many species like Yellow-crested Spangle Papilio elephenor, Nevill's Windmill Atrophaneura nevilli were recorded from the area during earlier surveys, but we did not record these species till date. 26 May 2016, Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi, Hillol Jyoti Singha, Panna Deb, “Butterfly (Lepidoptera) Diversity in Barail Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India”, in Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, volume 4, number 4, New Delhi: Society of Agricultural Research and Social Development, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-03-19, page 550, column 2
   A male of the spangle, Papilio protenor (black swallowtail butterfly), feeding on the flowers of the bushkiller, Cayratia japonica. 2016, Mamoru Watanabe, “Historical Perspective”, in Sperm Competition in Butterflies (Ecological Research Monographs), Tokyo, Heidelberg, Hesse: Springer Japan, →DOI, →ISSN, figure 2.13 caption, page 23

verb

1. (transitive)
   1. (also figurative) To fix spangles or sparkling objects to (something); to bespangle.
      Chapadór, m. one that plateth ouer, or ſpangleth. 1599, Iohn Minsheu [i.e., John Minsheu], “Chapadór”, in A Dictionarie in Spanish and English,[…], London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant, →OCLC, page 65, column 2
      Thou mad'st the spacious vault on high, / And thou, in gorgeous wide display, / Spanglest with stars the deep blue sky, […] 1827 November, G[eorge] W[illiam] B[irkett], “Paraphrase of Psalm VIII”, in The Christian Remembrancer, or, The Churchman’s Biblical, Ecclesiastical, & Literary Miscellany, volume IX, number XI, London: […] [Richard Clay] for C[harles] & J[ohn] Rivington,[…]; and sold by J. Parker,[…], →OCLC, stanza 5, page 693, column 1
      When the birds wake to music, and lift up their song, / And thou spanglest with glory the dewy clad thorn; […] 1851 July, E. B., “Day-break”, in The Literary Garland, and British North American Magazine:[…], volume IX (New Series), number 7, Montreal, Que.: John Lovell,[…], →OCLC, stanza 2, page 307, column 2
   2. (figurative) To adorn or decorate (something).
      On the morning of July 31, the mountain rose spangled in the summer sun 2,300 feet above Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli. Strapping on three oxygen tanks, the two men faced toward K2's last fastness. October 11, 1954, “Assault on the Summit: The Conquerors' Account”, in Life, volume 37, number 15, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 33
2. (intransitive) To flash, glitter, or sparkle.