The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective.[2]
Adjective sense 2.2 (“of or relating to China”) and noun sense 3 (“native of China”) refer to Celestial Empire (a calque of Mandarin天朝(Tiāncháo, “(literary) the Chinese Empire, China”), from 天(tiān, “heaven; sky”) + 朝(cháo, “dynasty; emperor’s reign; imperial court; etc.”)), a dated name for China when it was subject to imperial rule.
[G]oe vvith ſpeede / To ſome forlorne and naked Hermytage, / Remote from all the pleaſurs of the vvorld: / There ſtay vntill the tvvelue Celeſtiall Signes / Haue brought about the annuall reckoning.
1597, Richard Hooker, “Of Festivall Daies and the Natural Causes of Their Conuenient Institution”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie,[…], London: […]Iohn Windet,[…], →OCLC, book V, section 69, page 191:
[W]e muſt of neceſſitie vſe the benefit of yeares, daies, hovvers, minutes, vvhich all grovve from cœleſtiall motion.
1790, Charles Vallancey, “Of the Use and Application of the Cælestial Alphabet as an Astronomical Character; and of the Origin of the Figures on the Cælestial Globe”, in Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis.[…] [Collection of Irish Matters], volume V, Dublin: […] R. Marchbank,[…], →OCLC, pages 191–192:
[T]he pictures of the cæleſtial globe vvere deſigned memoriæ cauſâ [for memory's sake], by the ſouthern Scythians, vvho dvvelt in Chaldæa, Armenia, &c.— […] [W]e mean to prove, that the ſouthern Scythians, from vvhom the Iriſh and primitive inhabitants of Britain are deſcended, vvere the authors or inventors of thoſe extraordinary figures on the cæleſtial charts, vvhich they drevv or painted as repreſentations of the things expreſſed by the vvord formed of the aſtronomical characters.
He [Ebenezer Scrooge] then conveyed him and his sister into the veriest old well of a shivering best-parlour that ever was seen, where the maps upon the wall, and the celestial and terrestrial globes in the windows, were waxy with cold.
A Celestial Nose in a woman is very frequently an index of wit. […] A Celestial-nosed woman is only more witty than a similarly gifted man, because the impudence which it invariably indicates is backed by woman's ever-ready tact and quickness.
If there is a man in the Celestial Empire, who will lay his hand upon his breast, and declare in the presence of our God, that he hath derived more pleasure from truth than from lies, then let Rao-Gong-Fao be thrown on his belly, and let his back be channelled for a bamboo-bed.
1870–1871 (date written), Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter LIV, in Roughing It, Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company [et al.], published 1872, →OCLC, page 396:
We ate chow-chow with chop-sticks in the celestial restaurants; […]
[H]e possessed the most delightful chinoiseries—trophies of his sojourn in the Celestial Empire: […]
1893 April 12 (date delivered), Harry W[ithers] Chubb, “The Construction of Locks and Safes”, in Journal of the Society of Arts, volume XLI, number 2,108, London: […][F]or the [Royal] Society [of Arts] by George Bell and Sons,[…], published 14 April 1893, →OCLC, page 512, column 2:
It is no wonder that loose, portable locks, like those used to secure baggage of all kinds in transit, should become well known and distributed, especially along the ancient lines of trade. But as this style of padlock is found to be the almost universal one now in China, one is tempted to ask who was the first and true inventor, Roman or Celestial?
I think this a Pattern of a nevv Sort of Stile, not yet taken Notice of by the Criticks, vvhich is above the Sublime, and may be called the Celeſtial; that is, vvhen the moſt ſacred Phraſes appropriated to the Honour of the Deity are applied to a Mortal of Good Quality.
Dear Cecil: […] [W]hen are they in season and is there any way to judge which one to bring home? A really bad coconut is soooo yukky. But a really good coconut is so celestial. […] Sadie, Chicago. / Cecil replies: […] If you can hear the milk sloshing inside, odds are you’ve got a celestial coconut rather than a yukky one.
But ſome man will ſaye: howe ſhall the deed [the resurrection of the dead] aryſe? with what body ſhall they come? […] There are celeſtiall bodyes⸝ and there are bodyes terreſtriall: Butt the glory of the celeſtiall is one⸝ and the glory off the terreſtriall is another.
[H]e [Jesus] charges them if at any time they come to offer with malice couchant in their breasts, that they should leave their gift at the Altar, and goe, be reconciled. […] It was spoken of the cælestiall temple, of which ours are adumbrations, or rather ours are the gates of that. Bethel or Gods house is the gate of Heaven.
Alaſs poor Man, is the Cœleſtial Glory of ſo ſmall eſteem vvith him, that he counteth it, not vvorth running the hazards of a fevv difficulties to obtain it.
1751 October 16 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 162. Saturday, October 5. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair,[…], published 1752, →OCLC, page 23:
Reaſon is the great diſtinction of human nature, the faculty by vvhich vve approach to ſome degree of aſſociation vvith celeſtial intelligences; […]
Nature, like the Sphinx, is of womanly celestial loveliness and tenderness; the face and bosom of a goddess, but ending in claws and the body of a lioness. There is in her a celestial beauty,—which means celestial order, pliancy to wisdom; but there is also a darkness, a ferocity, fatality, which are infernal.
A vision of both human civilization at its most celestial and human energy at its most brilliantly refined, it [Divertimento No. 15]'s one of the most exalted peaks of [George] Balanchine's idea of classical style.
Of or relating to one or more deities, or the Christian God; divine, heavenly.
Deſire of Povver, on Earth a Vicious VVeed, / Yet, ſprung from High, is of Cæleſtial Seed: / In God 'tis Glory: And vvhen men Aſpire, / 'Tis but a Spark too much of Heavenly Fire.
1947 April 4, Harold B[ingham] Lee, “Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles”, in One Hundred Seventeenth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Held in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah: April 4, 5 and 6, 1947: With Report of Discourses, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 46:
We are now living and obeying celestial laws that will make us candidates for celestial glory, or we are living terrestrial laws that will make us candidates for either terrestrial glory, or telestial law. The place we shall occupy in the eternal worlds will be determined by the obedience we yield to the laws of these various kingdoms during the time we have here in mortality upon the earth.
1997 October 4, Richard J. Maynes, “The Sustaining of Church Authorities and Officers [Elder Richard J. Maynes]”, in Official Report of the One Hundred Sixty-seventh Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Held in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah: October 4 and 5, 1997, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, →OCLC, page 40, column 1:
As young people growing up in this upside-down world, you have quite a challenge confronting the various pressures of modern-day life. How will you make it through your teenage years spiritually prepared for your celestial future? How will you connect your celestial goals with your everyday life?
There young Telemachus, his bloomy face / Glovving cæleſtial-ſvveet vvith godlike grace, / Amid the Circle ſhines: but hope and fear / (Painful viciſſitude!) his boſom tear.
[T]hat graceful VVoman, vvith her Daughters about her, appeared to me vvith greater Dignity than ever any Figure, either of Venus attended by the Graces, Diana vvith her Nymphs, or any other Celeſtial vvho ovves her Being to Poetry.
1750 June 13 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 22. Saturday, June 2. 1750.”, in The Rambler, 2nd edition, volume I, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair,[…], published 1751, →OCLC, pages 174–175:
No ſooner vvere they of age to be received into the apartments of the other celeſtials, than VVit began to entertain Venus at her toilet, by aping the ſolemnity of Learning; and Learning to divert Minerva at her loom, by expoſing the blunders and ignorance of VVit.
1913, Horace Coffin Stanton, Telepathy of the Celestial World:[…], New York, N.Y.: Fleming H. Revell Company, →OCLC, page x:
For the celestials communicate by the psychic dispatch. Scriptures prove that.
The tabernacle alſo & al the veſſel of the miniſterie he in like maner ſprinkled vvith bloud. And al things almoſt according to the lavv are cleanſed vvith bloud: and vvithout ſheading of bloud there is not remiſſion. It is neceſſarie therfore that the examplers of the cœleſtials be cleanſed vvith theſe: but the cœleſtials them ſelues vvith better hoſtes than theſe.
In Hebrews 9:23 in the New International Version of the Bible, cœleſtials is translated as “heavenly things”.
Cast a firm glance also on those notable men, who, though not achieving any valuable positive results of speculation, were useful in their day, as protesting against widespread popular error, and rousing people into trains of more consistent thinking and acting. […] [Y]ou will feel only too painfully that you cannot always lay hold of them in the first stage of your studies; you will require steps to mount up to shake hands with these Celestials; and these steps are little books.
Three celestials died during the voyage, and, in accordance with the contract, their remains were embalmed and carried on to China. […] [T]he Chinese attach great importance to certain religious offices being performed in presence of the dead man's relics, or at the spot where they are buried, by surviving relatives and descendants.
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