coherence
(kəʊˈhɪərəns)
Also 6–7 cohærence.
[a. F. cohérence (16th c. in Littré), ad. L. cohærēntia, n. of state f. cohærēnt-em coherent.]
1. a. lit. The action or fact of cleaving or sticking together; cohesion.
| 1613 R. C. Table Alph. (ed. 3), Cohærence, ioyning, and vniting together. 1678 Hobbes Nat. Philos. ix. 108 For then not only the points of Contact will be many (which make the coherence stronger). 1796 De Serra in Phil. Trans. LXXXVI. 501 The coherence of two living embryos..may form monsters. 1874 Boutell Arms & Arm. i. 6 In order to obtain for the two parts of their weapons a solid coherence. |
b. concr. Anything that coheres; a cohering object: an adjunct.
| 1668 Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. iii. ii. 132 [He] accounts them to be Coherences of the Duplicated Brain. |
c. Physics. The property of being coherent (in various senses: see coherent a. 1 d).
| 1926 Sci. Abstr. A. XXIX. 478 (Heading) Experiment on capacity for coherence of light. 1951 Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. XLVII. 624 The range of order is related to the range of coherence of the electronic wave functions. 1953 Proc. R. Soc. A. CCXVI. 548 The behaviour of a superconductor is in some way controlled by an interaction of rather long range (called the ‘range of coherence’) within the electron assembly. |
2. transf. and fig. of association other than material.
| c 1580 Trag. Rich. II, iii. (1870) 49 Woodstock. But this most fashionable chayne that li[n]ckes as it were the tooe and knee together? Courtier. In a most kynd coherence. 1598 Florio Colleganza, Collegamento, affinitie, alliance, coherence. 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God 398 The coherence of the body and the soule to the making of a full man. 1692 Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 226 By a secret relation, and I know not what cohærence which still remains between their souls and others. 1795 Burke Let. W. Elliot Wks. 1842 II. 245 They have not enough of coherence among themselves, nor of estimation with the publick. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 18 There is something truly noble in the coherence of society upon principles of fidelity. |
3. a. Logical connexion or relation; congruity, consistency.
| 1588 Fraunce Lawiers Log. i. ii. 4 b, Where there is a greater cohærence and affinitie betweene the argument and the thing argued. a 1600 Hooker (J.), Why between sermons and faith should there be ordinarily that coherence, which causes have with their usual effects? 1636 Healey Epictetus' Man. 53 To bee now a Philosopher, now a Publican..here is no coherence in these things. 1778 R. Lowth Isaiah Notes 189 The destruction of Ephraim has no coherence with the grandeur of Syria. |
† b. Agreement. Obs.
| 1597 T. J. Serm. Paules Crosse 3 Wee may perceive a sweet coherence betwixt the one and the other. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. i. 73 It is a wonderfull thing to see the semblable Coherence of his mens spirits, and his. 1680 Morden Geog. Rect. (1685) 425, I have two Lunar observations and the co-herence of the Sea chart with them to strengthen my assertion. |
4. a. ‘Consistency in reasoning, or relating, so that one part of the discourse does not destroy or contradict the rest’ (J.); harmonious connexion of the several parts, so that the whole ‘hangs together’.
| a 1623 W. Pemble Exp. Zachary (1629) 160 The division of the Chapters here make the cohærence somewhat difficult. 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 184 If there be any Coherence left in your Scull, you cannot but perceive, etc. 1711 Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) III. 24 He..says everywhere great and noble Things..with infinite Wit, but with little or no Coherence. 1850 R. I. Wilberforce Holy Baptism 178 This want of coherence and completeness in his system has opened a door to Socinianism. 1856 Sir B. Brodie Psychol. Inq. I. i. 21 There is sometimes so much coherence in them [dreams], that they are very like realities. |
b. coherence theory: in Philosophy, the theory that the definition, or the criterion, of truth is that the propositions which are its parts form a coherent system; also transf.
| 1906 H. H. Joachim Nature of Truth iii. 65 The coherence-theory..goes deeper than the theories we have rejected. 1927 H. J. Paton (title) The good will: a study in the coherence theory of goodness. 1940 B. Russell Inquiry x. 140 The coherence theory of truth..is that of Hegel. |
† 5. concr. Context: the immediately connected parts of a discourse. Obs.
| 1581 E. Campion in Confer. iii. (1584) Y ij, When the coherence of the place yeeldeth it, then we say it must signifie the substance. 1659 Fuller App. Inj. Innoc. (1840) 291 A naked sentence..disarmed of the assistance of the coherence before and after it. 1737 Whiston Josephus' Antiq. i. xviii. §1 note, The coherence requires that we read Esau. |