Definition of "humour"

Merry VVhitefoord, farevvel! for thy ſake I admit / That a Scot may have humour, I had almoſt ſaid vvit: […]

1774, page 22

A great deal of excellent humour was expended on the perplexities of mine host.

1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], Tales of a Traveller, (please specify |part=1 to 4), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […]

They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups. The boy became volubly friendly and bubbling over with unexpected humour and high spirits.

1909, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], “A Court Ball”, in The Squire’s Daughter, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, published 1919, page 9

Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour.

1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax

I like not the humour of lying.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene i]

King James, as he was a Prince of great Judgment, ſo he was a Prince of a marvellous pleaſant humour; […]

a. 1627 (date written), Francis Bacon, “[Baconiana Politico-Moralia. […].] Certain Apothegms of the Lord Bacon’s, hitherto Unpublished. [Apophthegm 10.]”, in [Thomas Tenison], editor, Baconiana. Or Certain Genuine Remains of Sr. Francis Bacon, […], London: […] J. D. for Richard Chiswell, […], published 1679, page 55

Examine how your humour is inclined, / And which the ruling passion of your mind.

1684, Lord Roscommon, Essay on Translated Verse

Is my friend all perfection, all virtue and discretion? Has he not humours to be endured?

1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, 6th edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] J[ames] Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1727

([I]t was the town's humour to be always gassing of phantom investors who were likely to come any moment and pay a thousand prices for everything)—“ […]Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. […]”

1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock

A humour is a liquid or fluent part of the body, comprehended in it, for the preservation of it; and is either innate or born with us, or adventitious and acquisite.

1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps

For some days a fistula lacrymalis had come into my left eye, which discharged an humour, when pressed, that portended danger.

1763, Antoine-Simon Le Page du Pratz, History of Louisisana (PG), (tr. 1774) page 42