[‘ Of the nature of a bitter attack, denunciation, or invective; that is a philippic (sense B. 1); spec. relating to or designating the Philippics of Demosthenes and Cicero.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /fᵻˈlɪpɪk/, U.S. /fəˈlɪpɪk/
Forms: 15 *philipique* /Sc./, 15 *phillipique*, 15–16 *philippique*, 16 *philipick*, 16 *philippick*, 16–17 *phillippick*, 16– *philippic*, 17 *philipic*, 19– *phillipic*. Also with capital initial.
Etymology: < classical Latin /Philippicus/ of or connected with Philip II of Macedon, of or associated with the city of Philippi (see Philippian n.) < Hellenistic Greek /Φιλιππικός/ of or against Philip II of Macedon < ancient Greek /Φίλιππος/, the name of Philip II of Macedon + -ικός/ -ic suffix. With use as noun compare classical Latin /Philippica (usually in plural, Philippicae) speech of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon, speech of Cicero against Mark Antony, use as noun (short for Philippica ōrātiō Philippic speech) of feminine of Philippicus. Compare Middle French, French /philippique/ speech of Cicero against Mark Antony (1528), speech of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon (1554), scathing attack in speech or writing (1557), Spanish /filípica/ speech of Cicero against Mark Antony (1490; also as filippica, philippica).
Cicero used the title Philippicae for his speeches against Mark Antony as well as for the orations of Demosthenes against Philip II of Macedon in defence of Athenian liberty, in an attempt to point out the similarity between the two situations.
With sense B. 2 compare classical Latin /Philippēum/ (noun), Hellenistic Greek /Φιλίππειος/ (adjective, used to qualify στατήρ/ stater n.1, /χρυσός gold).
*A.* adj.1
*1.* Of the nature of a bitter attack, denunciation, or invective; that is a philippic (sense B. 1); spec. relating to or designating the Philippics of Demosthenes and Cicero.
/c/1550 /Complaynt Scotl./ (1979) xvi. 109 The fyifteen inuectyuis philipiqnes of cicero contrar anthonius.
1707 J. Toland (title) A Phillippick oration to incite the English against the French.
1792 J. Williams /Clerical Reform/ 71 If it is thought sufficient for a minister to establish his character in the senate by a Philipic speech, and to harangue in a Ciceronian stile.
1851 (title) The Philippic Orations of Demosthenes, with English notes.
1877 (title) The first and second Philippic Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero. A new translation.
1988 /Times/ (Nexis) 15 Dec., The philippic pith was couched..in an analogy about wives and prostitutes so convoluted as to leave even the smartest of structuralists crawling on all fours towards the nearest vodka.
†*2.* In form *Philippic*. Of or relating to the city of Philippi in ancient Macedonia; spec. relating to or designating two battles fought there in 42 b.c., in which Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius. Obs.
1569 E. Fenton tr. P. Boaistuau /Certaine Secrete Wonders Nature/ xxii. f. 67v, She understode he was slain in Thessaly, in ye fields Phillipiques [Fr. /champs Philippiques/].
1614 D. Dyke /Myst. Selfe-deceiving/ xxviii. 344 Though the Phillippick preachers preached of enuy and vaine-glorie, yet..what was that to Paul?
1638 W. Rawley tr. Bacon /Hist. Nat. & Exper. Life & Death/ 107 Shee survived the Philippick Battaile, sixty foure yeares.
1761 /Descr. Anc. Rome/ 58 Temple of Mars..built by Augustus to the god Mars..in consequence of a vow made by him in the Philippic war.
1871 A. W. Ward /Hist. Greece/ V. 271 Just as Themistocles foresaw the War with Persia, and Pericles that with Sparta, so Demosthenes saw the Philippic War.
*B.* n.
*1.* A scathing attack, denunciation, or invective; spec. each of the speeches made by Demosthenes against Philip II of Macedon, or of those made by Cicero against Mark Antony.
1592 G. Harvey /Foure Lett./ iii. 42 What honest Eloquence is not furnished with Catilinaries, & Philippiques against Vice?
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch /Morals/ sig. Zzzzz 5v/2, /Philippicks/, were invective orations made by Demosthenes..against Philip King of Macedony… And heereupon all invectives may be called Philippicke, as those were of M. Tullius Cicero against Antonie.
/a/1635 T. Randolph /Muses Looking-glasse/ iii. iv. 59 in /Poems & Muses Looking-glasse/ (1638), How like you my Orations? Those against Catiline; I account them best, Except my Philippicks; all acknowledge me Above the three great Oratours of Rome.
1755 H. Walpole /Lett./ (1857) II. 491 Since the last philippic of Billingsgate memory you never heard such an invective as Pitt returned.
1798 T. Jefferson /Writings/ (1859) IV. 227 Mr. Harper and Mr. Pinckney pronounced bitter philippics against France.
1813 Duke of Wellington /Dispatches/ (1838) X. 443 Then follows the usual Philippic against England.
1864 J. H. Burton /Scot Abroad/ II. i. 29 (note) Lord North, sound asleep during one of Burke’s philippics on him.
1916 A. Huxley /Let./ 10 Mar. (1969) 93 His case was not heard, because the military representative leapt up and made a Phillipic against him.
1990 /Byte/ Feb. 48/1 Over the years, I’ve read several of your philippics against Unix.
†*2.* A gold coin of low value, struck in the reign of Philip of Macedon. Cf. Philip n. 1. Obs.
1651 Bp. J. Taylor /XXVIII Serm./ viii. 99 Æsops picture was sold for two talents, when himself was made a slave at the price of two Philippicks.
1684 C. Whitaker tr. /Flaminius/ in Dryden tr. Plutarch /Lives/ II. 664, 14514 pieces of coin’d Gold, called Philipicks [Gk. /Φιλιππείους χρυσοῦς/].
1772 /Philos. Trans. 1771/ (Royal Soc.) *61* 462 Some..have supposed the Roman Aureus to have been heavier than the Greek Philippic.