Middle English Dictionary Entry
confirmāciǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | confirmāciǒun n. Also confermaciǒun, conform-. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Ratification or confirmation (of a grant or agreement); (b) approval or confirmation of the election or appointment (of a bishop or other officer), or of the establishment (of a religious order); (c) papal recognition of a ruler or his claims; granting of an office.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)172/12 : Þe confirmacioun of Kyng Iohnes chartre.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6108 : For confirmacioun Of pes final vp-on ouþer syde.
- (1437) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23219 : In trewe signe, token and confirmacyon here of, I sign with myn awne hande thys byll.
- (c1438) *Proc.Chanc.PRO ser.C 1 file 9no.302 : Lettres patentes of confirmacon.
- (1450) RParl.5.191b : Any Graunte or Grauntes or Confirmation made by us unto theym.
- (1473) RParl.6.74b : By reason of the seid Graunte, Release, or Confirmation.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.209 : Þe pape..mad þe confirmacion: Maister Steuen of Langtone Ersebisshop salle be.
- ?a1425(a1400) Brut-1377 (Corp-C 174)327/15 : Þe King..sholde..help ham [the bishops] by his lettres to her confirmacioun.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)193/4 : Saynt Dominyk..laburd beselie vnto þe pope for confirmacion of his ordur.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)168 : In this same tyme the Universite of Oxforth chose a Chauncelere..Thei sent on the bischop of Lincoln for his confirmacion.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)28/1 : While Wilfride taryed abowtyne his confirmacioun yn Fraunce, Cedda..was takyne from his monasterye Lestingence and made bysshope of Yoorke.
c
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.143 : Richard his..confirmacion fro þe courte of Rome.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.321 : Pilate..wente to Rome..that he myȝhte haue that principate by the confirmacion of Teberius, themperour.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)121/7 : He shewid opynly the kyngis ryght of England to Irland, and the Popis graunte and his confirmacion.
2.
Corroboration or proving (of a statement, proposition, or truth); also, supporting evidence.
Associated quotations
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) Pref.Jer.(Corp-O 4)68 : He determyneth alle the lawes of dialatik, in proposicoun, assumpcoun, confirmacioun, conclusioun.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)315 : Ensaumple into confirmacioun of þis present xixe trouþe may be þis.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)448 : Confirmacioun to þe same may be þis: fferþer ouȝte no man do aȝens a lawe..þan þe excepcioun maad aȝens þe same lawe..strecchiþ him to.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)17 : Confirmacioun to this ije principal argument is this: Euery thing groundid hangeth and is dependent of his ground.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)20187 : A confyrmacioun Vp-on myn oppynyoun, By ther Argumentes cler.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)93/23 : Certeynesse & confirmaciouns of saynges is yn þe faith or trowynge of þe Iuge wirkand his werkys.
3.
(a) Affirmation, asseveration; (b) vindication.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.6.16 : The ende of al her controuersye or debate is an ooth to confermacioun [WB(2): confirmacioun].
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Heb.6.16 : Þe confirmacyoun of þe ende of eferich ple is an oþ.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4030 : He caste a gloue doun, In signe & tokene of confirmacioun, For lyfe or deth þat he wil holde his day Ageyn Hector.
b
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Phil.1.7 : In defencyoun and confirmacion of þe euangelic, ȝou alle to be felaws of my ioye.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)57 : In his tyme wer many heretikes of þe arianes oppinioun sodeynly ded..whech was..confirmacioun on to us.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)61 : Martires whech spilt her blood in confirmacioun of our feith.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)3.1100 : In confirmacyon That al thyng is trewe whiche we doon here.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)32/30 : God schewet hym þe apocalyppys of þys world..he wrot hit yn gret confyrmacyon of holy chyrche.
- a1500 GLitany (Dc 42)126 : A lynen clothe..alle wete of bloode, þe whiche ȝett..is holden and kepte in grete reuerens..into the conformacion of the seyd mirakylle.
4.
Eccl. The sacrament or rite of confirmation.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.159 : His propre name was i-chaunged, as it happeþ in confirmacioun of children.
- c1390 Mirror St.Edm.(1) (Vrn)974 : Þat oþur sacrament..is cald Confirmacioun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9831 : Whan chyldryn are blessed of þe bysshopys hande, Þat blessyng ys confermacyoun Aȝens þe fendes temptacyun.
- (c1434) Drury Wks.(CmbAdd 2830)78/103 : The sacrament of confirmacion mynystrid be bischopis handis confermyd þe holy gost in þe persone baptyzid, þrow qweche he..is ablyd to receyuyn al vertu.
- c1440(?c1350) Mirror St.Edm.(4) (Thrn)29/19 : Confirmacion, þat confermys þe Haly Gaste one man þat es cristenede.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)644 : Confyrmacyone, Þat in lewde mennes menynge Is I-called þe byspynge.
- c1450(c1430) Brut-1430 (Glb E.8)427/34 : At his confirmacion the Erchebisshop of Caunterbury was his god ffadir.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)66 : He ordeyned that every child both in Baptem and Confirmacion schuld have Godfadir and Godmodyr.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)140a/b : Þis medicine…is mitigatiue, and when þou art siker of confirmacioun of þe parties, hele vp þe wounde.
Note: New sense
Note: Quot. does not seem to fit in any of the existing senses, but need more context to determine what "parties" are. (They may refer to the edges of the wound, which need to be drawn together--made firm?--in order to heal it.)
Note: List of variant spellings in the form section may not be complete. (This, however, should be coordinated with a revision of the MED -iǒun suf.) These forms may also need to be included: Also confirmation, confirmacione, confirmacon.--notes per MLL