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VOUCHSAFE. 318 VOUB,
lime must discover. 1781 Cowper TabU-i. 699 Nature..
Kut seldom ,. Vouchsafes to man a poet's just pretence.
1818 Scott Br. Lamm, xxvii, I will be true to my word,
while the exercise of my reason is vouchsafed to me. 1856
Kane Arct. Expl, 1 1, lii. 47 We have marked every dash of
color \*bich the great Painter in his benevolence vouchsafed
to us. 1880 Swinburne Stud. Shaks. 4 It is as yet but
a partial revelation that has been vouchsafed to them.
d. To deign or condescend to give (a word,
answer, etc.) in reply or by way of friendly notice.
1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol.\. Ixiv. §2 Vouchsafe me hereunto
some short answer, such as. .may. .instruct me in the
cause thereof. 1603 Shaks. Afeas./or At 111. i. 152 Vouchsafe
a word, yong sister, but one word. 1648 M ilton Tenure
Kings 22 Vet to a tyrant we hear him not voutsafean humble
word. 173* Berkeley Aiciphr. 11. § 12 Lysicles. .smiled
at Crito, without vouchsafing any answer. 1B36 W. Irving
Aitoria II. 163 So saying, he flung out of their presence
without vouchsafing any further conversation. 1848 Lytton
Harold \. V, Twice the Duke paced ihe chamber without
vouchsafing a word to either. 187J Black Adv, Phaeton
i V. 40 Al I the reply that Tita vouchsafed was to wear a pleased
smile of defiance,
ei/ifit. 1508 B. JoNSON Ev. Man in Hum. i. v, Bob, Vou
weie wish d for, and drunk to, I assure you. Mai. Vouchsafe
mee, by whom, gi>od Captaine.
1 3. a. To condescend to engage in (some pursuit).
Obs.
c 1581 Lodge Rcfii. Cosson's Sch. AbuseiShak^. Soc. 1853)
10 Ask josephus, and he wil tel you that Esay, Job and
Salomon, voutsafed poetical practises, for. .theyre verse was
Hexameter, and Pentameter. 1667 Milton F. L. vi. 823
Nor other strife wiih them do 1 voulsafe.
+ b. To receive (a thing) graciously or condescendingly
; to deign to accept. Obs.
1589 Greene Tullies toveWks. (Grosart) VII. 156 Considering
it [a letter] came from so honourable a personage
as Lentutus, shee vouchsafed it. 15919 ? Greene George a
Greene D), Geo. Why then, to honour G. a Greene the more.
Vouchsafe a peice of beefe at my poore house. 1599 BroughioiCs
Let. iii. 1 1 Whose singular affabilitie and clemencie.
[is] such, that shee will vouchsafe the speech of the meanest.
1601 Shaks. Jul. C, 11. i. 313 Vouchsafe good morrow from a
feeble tongue. 1607 — Timon \. i. 1 52 Vouchsafe my Labour,
And long liue your Lordship.
to. To be prepared to bear or sustain, Obs.
1613 Shaks. Hen. VJlf, n. iii. 43 If your backe Cannot
vouchsafe this burthen, 'tis too weake Euer to get a Boy.
+ 4. To acknowledge (a person) in some favourable
relationship or manner, Obs,
1582 in T, Jfa/ji;«V/'^«;«(Arb.) 34 LetBritanbeareyour
spring. .That it hence foorth may of your fauour boast, And
him, whome first you heere vouisafe for hoast. 1584 Lodge
Hist.Forbouiusif Prisceria K4 b, He which whilome hated
Forbonius, now vouchsafeth him his son in lawe. 1615 T.
Adams Two Sonnes 73 It is no ordinary favour that God
will vouchsafe thee his Servant; yet hath hee made us his
Sonnes. 1634 Fokd /'tfr^. /^aW'^t^ i. ii, If my princely mis.
tress Vouchsafd me not her servant, twere as good 1 were
reduc'd to clownery.
H. +5. To grant, permit, or allow, as an act
of grace or condescension. Usually const, with
clause introduced by that. Obs.
1338 R. BRUNNECArtTM. (1810) 260 Homage vp to 5eld,lordschip
to forsake, . . As 5e haf mad present, [re Kyng vouches
it saue. c 1350 IVilt. Pnlenie 144Q Heprayeih, lord, vowchesauf
)>at his sone hire wedde. Jbid. 4152 pat ^e quen beofscnt
sauf wol i fouche. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 315 Now
voucheth sauf, that I may you devise How that I may be
holpc. ^1400 Rom, Rose 2002 My mouthe...to no vilayn
was never couthe.. For sauff of cherlis I ne vouche That
they shulle never neigh it nere. 1430-40 Lvdg. Bochas in.
V. f 1554) 74 Rehearce I wil, so that ye .»;auf it vouch, A mortal
wronge which the and me doth touch. iS39ELYOTCai/'.
Heii/te Proheme a ij b, Truely yf they wyll call hym a
physition,..I wytsaufe they so name me. 1560 Rolland
Sfren Sages 72 War I gyltie or^it committit crime, I wald
witschaif 5e held me out this time. 1594 Kyd Cornelia 111.
i. 50 Doe ye vouchsafe that ihys victorious title Be not expired
in Cornelias blood. 1601 Shaks. Jul. C. in. i. 130 If
Brutus will vouchsafe, that Anthony May safely come to
him. 1639 Sir W. Mure Psahn xvii. 2 Wouchaife furth
from before thy face. My sentence may proceid.
b. To permit or allow (a person) to do something,
t Also eilipt,^ to allow to speak.
14.. Lvdg. Lyfe our Ladye (14B4) a viij b, And lord also
on me saue thou vouche.. That holy mayde to handyl and
louche. 1590 Shaks. C(»///. ^rr. v.i. 282 Most mighty Duke,
vouchsafe me speak a word. 1599— Much Ado 111. ii. 3
Clan. He bring you thither my Lord, if you'i vouchsafe me.
x6o8 Chapman Byron^s Conspir. v. Plays 1873 II. 244, 2.
'I'luely we are not of his counsaile of warre. Sau. Nay but
vouchsafe me, 3. Vouchsafe him, vouchsafe him, else there
is no play in 't. 2827 Keblk Chr, K., St. Luke xx, Be it
vouchsafd thee still to see Thy true, fond nurslings closer
cling.
6. To show a gracious readiness or willingness,
to grant readily, to condescend or deign, to do
something : f a. In earlier types of usage (with
verb and adj. still distinct).
(a) a 1350 St. Stephen 207 in Horslm. Aliengl. Le^.
(1881) 30 Gamaliell wouched safe To lay J>at body in his
awyn graue. C1380 Wvclif .5"^/. fF-6f. III. 339 For as Crist
vouchip-saaf to clepe JjIs Chirche his spouse, so he clepij*
curside men fendis. c 1400 Prymer in Masketl Mon. Rit.
(1847) II. 23 The maker of mankynde takynge a bodi..
fouchide saaf to be born, c 1450 tr. De Imitatione \\\. vi. 69,
I blesse t>e, heuenly fader, ..for J>ou vouchist saaf to haue
mynde on me. 1483.CAXTON Gold. Leg. 376/1 Thou haste
vouched sauf to comforte me poure caytyf. 1545 Uuall
Erasm. Pnr. /.«*/ (1548) 21 Who.. hath vouchedsafe to
cast a fauonrable iye on me. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle
Facions Ded. 3 The Emperours Maiestie. .voucbedsaulfe to
teceiue the presentacion therof. 1565 Golding Ovid's Met,
IV. (1593) Bi In vouching safe to let Our sayings to our
friendly eaies thus fieely come and go.
. .To appoint [etc.].
5'. 1444 Aberdeen Reg. (1844) L 10 We counsaile.. yhour
lordschip..that..yhe witsaufe to louse and deliuerfiely the
said Inglisemen. 1482 Monk ofEvesham {\rh.)2Z'^ h\css,yd
our lorde and thankid him that he wolde white safe to chaste
me. .in a fadyrly chastment. 1509 Barclay ShyP of F''olys
(1874) n. 228 The Mast nowe meuyth,the taklynge and the
sayle, O god wythsaue the wayke shyp to socour. 1523
Cromwell in Merriman Life ^% preestis of his grace, J^at l^ei wolden
mekeli leeve l>is. 1393 Langl. P. PI. C. xix. 18 Ich Jjonke
50W a l?owsend sythes. . t^at ^e fowche-saue to seye me what
hit hihte. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 21^5 5yff God wold fouchesave
to consent |?erto. 1432-43 in Cal. Proc. Chanc. Q,
Eliz. (1827) 1. Intiod. 24 That ye wold fuchesef of your
benygne grace to graunte a writ of sub pena. C1440 Gesta
Rom. iv. g (Harl. MS.) Thei prayd him.. that he wold fuchsafe
to helpe hem ayenst theyre enemeys.
y. c i^zo-yi in Hampole's IVks. (1805) I 171 pissyght isbot
be tymes, wen god will woches-sawf forto gif it vnio a wyrkande
saule. 1448 Paston Lett. Suppl. (1901) 18 My mastrea
..pray yow that and ye wold wochesafF to speke to my
master Edmund. 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W.
1495) II. 223 b/2, 1 prayed hym that he wolde woushesauf to
haue me in mynde. 1518 H. Watson Hist. Oliver 0/ Castile
(Roxh.) C 4, Wherfore I praye the that thou wouchesauf
for to kepe the honour of my fader and me. 1530 Palsgr.
769/1 If he wyll nat wouchesaufe to do it, you lese your
payne. f 1590M0NTGOMERIE 6'i'««. xxxiv. 2 Melpomene,..
Wouchsaiv to help a wrechit woman weep. 1639 Sir W.
Mure Psalms cvi, 4 Wowchaife, O Loid, to visile me With
thy salvation.
6 I. vouchsave, Ic forgive the this gilte. c 1450 Mirk's Festial
' 234 Yf Jjow see hur , , l?ou most lese Jjyn een-syght.' Then
sayde he '
: Syr, I vouchesaf wele, so J>at I may se hur.'
1596 Edward Illy iv. ii. 27 .\nd if your grace no otherwise
vouchsafe, As welcome death is vnto vs as life,
(^) 13. . Northern Passion (H.) 452 Lat J>is paines pas fra
me. And noght aniy als I will craue Bot, fader, als t>ou
vowchis saue. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 3002 t>us sal |?e
saules, als God vouches save. For sere syns, sere maledys
have. 14.. Tundaie's Vis. 2344 No wortiily goode more
wold behave, But lyved as longe, as god vowche save.
(c) 13.. .5>?yw»S'a^^j(W.) 3030 Gif meaplace.. that I may
my wonyng haue, \t myne ese, if ye vowchesaue. c:x38o
Wyclif Wks. (t88o) 466 And )>us yf god wolde fouche-saf,
hi)o!y chirche shulde be purgid of heresyes in ]jis maier.
c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 606, 1 haue do so as ye comanded
me, And if ye vouchesauf ye may go see. i^^Bury Wills
(Camden) 17 Item I wyll that Maist' Thomas Harlowe
sey the sermon at my interment, if he wochesaft. 1535
Coverdale Tobit xii. a, I praye tlie..that thou wilt desyre
him, yf happHe he wil voutsafe, to take with him the half
of all that we haue brought. 1736 SutRtoAN Let. to S^ft
15 Sept., If you pleased, or would vouchsafe, or condescend,
or think proper, 1 would rather that you would . . charge only
five per cent.
1 8. impers. To be pleasing or agreeable to (a
person) to do something. Obs,'~^
1543 Grafton Contn. Harding 587 Thomas Trencharde.
went to the kyng, desyring hym (yf it would wite salfe hym)
to take a lodging at his house.
Hence Vouchsa'fed^//. a.jVouchsa'fing vbl. sb,
1561 T. Norton Calvin^s Inst. 111. xxii. (1634) 454 By that
vouchsafing, whereof there is found no cause elsewhere than
in God. 1601 Shaks. Tivel.N. in. i. icoMy matter hath no
voice Lady, but to your owne most pregnant and \ouchsafed
eare. 1649 Taylor Gt. Exemp. i. Ad Sect. ii.
J*^-**-
22 His graces and all other his voucbsa6ngs and descents
into our hearts. 1755 Johnson, Deigning^, .a vouchsafing;
a thinking worthy.
Vouclisafeiueilt (vQutJs^'*fment). [f. prec.
+ -MENT.]
1. An act of condescension, grace, or favour ; a
boon, benefit, or blessing,
1628 Gaule Pract. The. (1629) 135 It was a woundrous
vouchsafement, that he who inioyed thehighthof Diuiniiie,
should descend to the bottome of Humanitie. 1652 J. Paw-
SON Vind, Free Grace 22 Christ hath not puichased any
such general vouchsafement to all the children of men.
1674 BovLE Excell. Theol. \. i. 59, I am prone to think the
early discoveries of such great and important things, to be
in God's account no mean vouchsafcments. 172G Wodrow
Corr. (1843) III. 277 To make a judgment how far it will
be proper to publish some extraordinary vouchsafemenls
towards them. 1756 Amory Buncle (1770) \. 187 A merciful
vouchsafement from God to mankind, c 1800 R. Cumberland
John de Lancaster iiSog) 111. 231 I'hat indeed. .will
be a happiness never to be exceeded, a vouchsafement never
to be forgotten. 1822 E. Irving Let.'in OUphant Life (1862)
I. vi. 135 But these things.. delight me not, save as vouchsafemenls
of my Maker's bounty. 1874 PuszY Lent. Serm.
1 84 But by what giant progress in graces, by what undeviating
correspondence to Divine voucbsafements in time, must
that soul have been formed.
2. The action of conferring or granting some
boon, favour, advantage, etc.
1666 Glanvill Serjn. Luke xHi. 24 in Discourses^ etc
(1681) 59 [He] believes, .that God is in him of a Truth, in a
special way of Manifestation and Vouchsafement, z668
Howe Bless. Righteous (1825) 22 Reducing them to a. .dispair
of relief, otherwise than by his merciful hand and
c 1425 WvNTOUN Cron. vin. xv. 2332 To pray J?is paij) vouchsafement. 1683 J. Corbet Free Adionsiw. xxxiii. 52
Bonyface That he wald witschaif of his grace .. Off |>ai God doth ascertain Conversion, by the vouchsafement of
iniuris to set remeid. 1455 Paston Lett. I. 355 Besechyng such Grace, as doth infallibly produce it. 1721 R. Keith tr,
you that ye woll weche safe to be her goode mastre. 1462 T. a Kempis^ Solil. Soul xiii. 203 If thou standest aston-
Ibid. II. 119, 1 beseche yow that ye wole wychesave to send ished at the Vouchsafement of this Union. 1805 Eugenia
me sume mony. c 1500 Lancelot 356 Beseiching hyme he Di AcTON Nuns of Desert 1. 229 Did he not duly administer
wold wichsaif to wende To camelot the Cetee. 1560 Rol- pardon, and peace, and indulgence, to every one who ap-
LAND Seven Sages 8 The caus na way we knaw Quhill yt
plied properly to him, for such portions of Divine Vouch-
50ur grace will witchaif for to schaw. 1585 Sc. Acts Jas, VI safement? 1847 R. W. Hamilton Rexvards ^ Punishm.
(1814) III. 408/1 That our said souerane lord wald wischeaf 316 The sovereign vouchsafement of mercy tosome.
Voud(e, obs. Sc. f. Wood sb. andrt. Voudoo,
Voudou, varr. Voodoo. "Vouge, obs. f. Vogue.
Vought, obs. var. Vault sb.^ Vougy, var.
VOGIE a, Vouh, southern ME. var. Faw a,
Voul, southern ME. var. Foul a. Voxiiente,
var. VoLUNTY Obs. Voulf, obs. Sc. f. Wolf,
*V"oillt(e, obs. varr. Vault sb.^ and v.^ Voultour,
obs. f. Vulture. Voim (in Sc. mining)
see Veal sb,'^ Vound, south-w. dial. \^x, found
Find v, ; obs. Sc. f. Wound sb, and v,
fVounde, a. Obs,~~^ (Meaning obscure.)
c 1400 Rom, Rose 7063 Nought rought I. .Though it were
of no vounde stone, Wrought with squyre and scantilone.
Vounder, -ir, obs. Sc. ff. Wonder.
Vouning (in Sc. mining) : see Vealino vbl, sb.^
t VouTi V. Obs. (exc. dial,). Also 4-5 vowre,
6 vovrer-. [Aphetic f. Devour v.y perh, after L.
vordre,'] trans. To devour, to eat.
^i33oR. Brunne C/in7«. Wacei'RQWs) 10318 In l>e water
..Aiefischesinnefouremaners:..Nel?efischesaIlefoure, Ne
wy^ oJ?er menge ne voure. 138a Wyclif Exod. xii. 9 The
heed with his feet and entiayls ^e shulen vowre. i4ta-ao
Lydg. Chron* Troy v. 1644 He hath . . made hir bern oute of