observant, a. and n.
(əbˈzɜːvənt)
[a. F. observant (formerly as n.), pr. pple. of observer to observe.]
A. adj.
1. a. Attentive in observing a law, custom, principle, or anything prescribed or fixed; careful to perform or practise duly. Const. of († to).
| 1608 Topsell Serpents (1658) 720 Thinking, by this devotion (..in this observant manner) to pacifie the wrath of God. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 24 When custome hath brought a thing to become..honour, whosoever is not observant and obedient thereto, is dishonored. 1701 W. Wotton Hist. Rome, Marcus i. 19 Exactly observant of Sincerity and Truth. 1829 Lytton Disowned xi, [She was] very observant of the little niceties of phrase and manner. 1834 Medwin Angler in Wales II. 332 Conscientiously observant of contracts. |
b. Acting in accordance with the precepts of behaviour associated with a particular religion, esp. Judaism.
| 1902 Daily Chron. 2 Oct. 7/1 To-day observant Jews throughout the world celebrate the commencement of their New Year. Ibid. Even the less observant..hasten to the Synagogue to-day to listen to the mystic sound of the Ram's Horn trumpets. 1905 Westm. Gaz. 25 Mar. 3/2 Someone will be suggesting [giving up] linen collars next—in which case the really Lenten-observant man will look like nothing so much as a burglar. 1972 C. Potok My Name is Asher Lev i. 36 The stores that were run by observant Jews were all closed on Shabbos. 1975 Times Lit. Suppl. 21 Nov. 1392/5 An observant Jew..declined to join a prominent Berlin literary club because he would eat only kosher food. |
† 2. Showing respect, honour, or deference; dutifully regardful; considerately attentive; assiduous in service; obsequious. Const. of, to. Obs.
| 1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alph., Obseruant, dutifull, full of diligent seruice. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. To the King §2 Beholding you not with the inquisitive eye of presumption..but with the observant eye of duty and admiration. a 1713 T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1714) 170 Yet this..made them a little the more observant to me. 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 342 Observant of the Gods, and sternly just. 1743 Pococke Descr. East I. iv. ii. 167 They are in the hands of very kind masters, and are as observant of them. |
3. Carefully particular about a matter; heedful.
| 1627 Hakewill Apol. iv. vii. §6. 358 Of their weight they were so curious and observant, that they had them weighed many times at their very tables. 1691 T. H[ale] Acc. New Invent. 22 The Dutch..are equally observant with us, in the sheathing their Rudder Irons. a 1774 Goldsm. Hist. Greece II. 118 To be scrupulously observant to avoid offending the prince. 1891 T. R. Lounsbury Stud. Chaucer I. iii. 232 The very difficulty of getting a correct copy at the hands of the scribe must have had a tendency to make the author..more observant about the character of his own original. |
4. That takes notice; attentive in marking or noting; quick to notice or perceive. Const. of († on).
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. i. 71 This same strict and most obseruant Watch. 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. i. Ad Sect. vi. §9 The active Piety of a credulous, a pious and less observant age. a 1661 Fuller Worthies (1840) III. 434 A most accomplished gentleman, and an observant traveller. 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 5 Wand'ring from clime to clime, observant stray'd. 1801 E. Helme St. Margaret's Cave (1819) I. xvii. 205 Cautiously observant on all that passed. 1824 Byron Juan xv. xv, Observant of the foibles of the crowd. 1866 Geo. Eliot F. Holt v. (1868) 53 Felix Holt, when he entered, was not in an observant mood. |
¶ 5. catachr. Observable. Obs.
| 1615 R. Brathwait Strappado (1878) 201 Onely such things as most obseruant were,..I thought to shadow briefely. 1623 T. Ailesbury Serm. 14 Foure things in Christ to us are very observant. 1653 Binning Serm. (1845) 245, I wish we could have this image of ingratitude always observant to our eyes. |
B. n.
† 1. One who observes a law or anything prescribed or fixed. Const. of. Obs.
With the pl. observance (= OF. observans) in first quot., cf. inhabitance, early pl. of inhabitant n., accidence, etc.
| c 1470 G. Ashby Policy Prince 560 Muche more rather to be obseruance Of cristen lawe we shulde yeve attendance. 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 79 b, Our Lawes.. allow no rewarde to theyr temperate obseruants. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 150 Suidas calleth them observants of the Lawe. |
2. spec. A member of that branch of the order of Franciscan friars which observes the strict rule, as restored at the beginning of the 15th cent.; the other branch being the Conventuals. Also attrib. and appos., as Observant Friars, Friars Observants.
| 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. ii. E vij b, Religyous men as monkes freres chanons obseruantes. 1502 Privy Purse Exp. Eliz. of York (1830) 56 The Fryers Observauntes at Grenewiche. 1693 tr. Emilianne's Hist. Monast. Ord. xvi. 172 They were called Minors of the Observants. a 1746 Lewis in Gutch Coll. Cur. II. 196 Frier Forest, one of the Observant Friers. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. II. 220 The houses of the Observants at Canterbury and Greenwich..were repressed. 1889 Athenæum 29 June 820/3 The Observant Order was..suppressed before all the others. |
† 3. A dutiful or attentive servant or follower; an obsequious attendant. Obs.
| 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. ii. 109 Twenty silly-ducking obseruants, That stretch their duties nicely. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 810 For the Festiuall of this Gaine-god,..the Merchants, his deuoted and faithfull obseruants,..bought a slaue..to represent that Idol. 1617 Janua Ling. Ded., Presented by..your highnesses most humblest obseruant I.B.P. |
Hence obˈservantly adv., in an observant manner, attentively, heedfully; † with dutiful service; † obˈservantness, the quality of being observant.
| a 1653 W. Gouge in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxvi. 6 Read observantly the histories of the Gospel. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 363 The whole multitude..observantly return to the Temple. 1727 Bailey vol. II, Observantness, regardfulness, respectfulness. 1817 Foster in Life & Corr. (1846) I. cvi. 467 He had observantly traversed the scenes. |