▪ I. † aˈdulter Obs.
Forms: 4 avouter, 4–5 avowtier, avowter(e, 5 avoutere, 5–6 advouter, advoutour, advoutre, 6–7 adulter. Strictly speaking, avouter and adulter are two words, as distinct in form as chapter and capital, but as the meaning was always identical, and the one form was gradually changed into the other, it is most convenient to treat them together; and so with all their derivatives.
[In its oldest form a. OFr. avoutre (Pr. avoutre, -ro) aöutre:—L. adulterum (etymol. uncertain, perh. f. ad. to + alter other, different); afterwards assimilated to the L. as ad-vouter, ad-voulter (MFr. advoultre); so as to become at length in form a direct adoption of the L. See also adulterer.]
An adulterer.
| 1382 Wyclif Luke xviii. 11, I am not as othere men, raueynouris, vniust, auouters, as also this pupplican [1388 auoutreris]. c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 72 Or an Auowtier or a paramour [other MSS. auouter, -ir, Harl. avouter]. a 1420 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 64 Who so lithe with his neighbores wyfe Is cursed, and who is ony advoutour. 1440 Promp. Parv., Avowtere (v.r. avowtrere, avowterere) Adulter, Adultera. 1502 Arnold Chron. (1811) 175 Noterye and knowen fornicatours or auouteres. 1535 Coverdale Luke xviii. 11 Robbers vnrighteous aduouters or as this publican. 1537 Tindale Exp. 1st Ep. John v, The covetous, the extortioners, the adulter, the backbites. 1545 Coverdale Def. Poore Man Wks. II. 485 God will judge fornicators and advoutres. 1587 Lyrics etc. in Eng. Garner II. 84 When he first took shipping to Lacedæmon, That adulter I mean. 1645 Milton Tetrach. (1851) 244 It would be strange that he..should become an adulter by marrying one who is now no other mans wife. |
▪ II. † adulter, v. Obs.
Forms: 4 avoutre (vowtre), 5 advouter, 6 adulter.
[orig. a. OFr. avoutre-r:—aöutrer:—L. adulterā-re to debauch, to corrupt; f. adulter. Subseq. refashioned after L.]
1. intr. To commit or practise adultery.
| c 1400 Apol. for Loll. 87 Þey kepe noiþer clene lif, ne wedding, but..vowtrand, or doing a vowtri. c 1550 Cheke Matt. xix. 9 Whosoever loouseth himself from his wijf..and marieth an oþer, he adultereth, and whosoever marieth y⊇ looused awai, advoutereth. c 1616 B. Jonson Epigr. i. 26 He adulters still; his thoughts lie with a whore. 1755 Johnson, ‘A word not classical.’ 1775 Ash (‘not much used’). |
2. fig. To corrupt, debase; = adulterate.
| 1382 Wyclif 2 Cor. ii. 17 Auoutrynge þe worde of God. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas (1878) 146 With vile Drugs adultering her Face. 1651 Cartwright Cert. Relig. i. 89 Thou, O Luther, corruptest and adulterest the Scriptures. |