manuscript, a. and n.
(ˈmænjuːskrɪpt)
[ad. med.L. manūscriptus, f. L. manū, abl. of manus hand + scriptus, pa. pple. of scrībĕre to write. Cf. F. manuscrit, It. manoscritto, Sp. manuscrito, Pg. manuscripto.
Med.L. had only the neut. manūscriptum used n. for a document written with a person's own hand (cf. chirograph). In the sense of ‘written’ as opposed to ‘printed’, the adj. has been common in mod.L. from the 15th c., but has usually been written (more correctly) as two words, manu scriptus.]
A. adj. Written by hand, not printed. Abbreviated MS.
| 1597 (title) Certaine Worthye Manvscript Poems of great Antiquitie..now first published By J. S. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 185 According to manuscript relations, and report of trauellers. 1625 Bp. R. Montagu App. Cæsar 185 Origen in his Dialogue against the Marcionites, which I have manuscript. 1774 Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry (1778) II. (Addit. to vol. I) d 2, There is a manuscript copy of the poem, on vellum, in Trinity college library at Oxford. 1776 Adam Smith W.N. i. xi. iii. (1869) I. 220 Several other very well authenticated, though manuscript, accounts. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Univ. Wks. (Bohn) II. 90 The manuscript Plato..brought by Dr. Clarke from Egypt. 1893 Law Times XCV. 10/2 Only the manuscript parts of the..proposal were read over to the assured, not the printed matter. |
B. n.
1. A book, document, or the like, written by hand; a writing of any kind, as distinguished from printed matter. Abbreviated MS., pl. MSS. a. esp. A book, document, etc., written before the general adoption of printing in a country; a written copy of an ancient author or book.
| 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa vii. 288 Hither are brought diuers manuscripts or written bookes out of Barbarie. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 186 These lesser were found pictured in an old manuscript in Germany, which book did intreat of the Holy Land. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 82 In these Monasteries many excellent manu-scripts haue been preserued. 1774 Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry (1778) II. 49 This translation..is now among the royal manuscripts in the British Museum. 1845 Graves Rom. Law in Encycl. Metrop. II. 765/1 The text of Tilius was taken from a Vatican manuscript..from which all other existing manuscripts of the work are copied. 1861 Wright Ess. Archæol. II. xix. 130 The earlier illuminated manuscripts are chiefly copies of the Scriptures. |
b. gen. A written composition which has not been printed. Often, an author's written (or typed) ‘copy’ as distinguished from the print of the same.
| 1607 Beaum. & Fl. Woman-hater iv. ii, Mer. I do knowe sufficiently, their shop-bookes cannot saue them; there is a further end—. Pan. Oh: Sir, much may be done by manescript [sic]. Mer. I do confesse it Sir, prouided still they be canonicoll. a 1631 Donne Valediction to his Bk. 10 Study our manuscripts, those miriads Of letters which haue past 'twixt thee and me. 1651 Baxter Inf. Bapt. 91, I took it out of his own Manuscript sent to me. 1692 (title) The Works Of..Mr. John Bunyan,..The First Volume, Containing Ten of his Excellent Manuscripts prepared for the Press before his Death, never before Printed. 1791 Boswell Johnson 30 Mar. an. 1778, The Life of Sir Robert Sibbald..in the original manuscript in his own hand writing. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 611 After having received my manuscript they delayed putting it to the press under various pretexts. 1884 Froude Carlyle's Life Lond. (1890) I. 27 John Mill..borrowed the manuscript [of ‘French Revolution’] as it was thrown off, that he might make notes and suggestions. 1967 R. A. Waldron Sense & Sense Devel. vi. 116 Manuscript is no longer something necessarily ‘written by hand’ but is usually the author's original copy of the text of a printed book, etc. 1967 Anglo-Amer. Catal. Rules: Brit. Text 267 Manuscript, a writing made by hand. (Original typescripts are generally treated as manuscripts in libraries.) 1967 Listener 2 Mar. 282/3 Perhaps you are going to transcribe the tape-recording into typewritten manuscript. |
c. transf. and fig.
| 1622 Massinger & Dekker Virg. Mart. ii. ii, Thou art the Manuscript Where Antoninus writes downe all his secrets. 1634 Quarles (title) Mildreiados. To the Blessed Memory of that faire Manuscript of Vertue..Mildred, La. Lvckyn. 1859 FitzGerald tr. Omar lxxii, Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose! That Youth's sweet-scented Manuscript should close! |
d. attrib.
| 1770 Porteus Life Secker 47 (S.'s Serm. vol. I.) He expended upwards of {pstlg}300 in arranging and improving the Manuscript Library at Lambeth. 18.. Oxf. Univ. Cal., Bodleian Library... Special Assistant in the MS. Department. |
2. a. Written characters or written documents in general; ‘writing’ as opposed to ‘print’. in manuscript: in written form, written (not printed).
| 1875 Helps Soc. Press. iii. 35 If you look at the side-notes in manuscript of some book possessed by our book-loving ancestors. 1875 Scrivener Lect. Text N. Test. 7 All existing copies of Scripture whether in manuscript or printed. |
b. (A person's) ‘hand’ or handwriting.
| a 1849 Poe Purloined Letter (end) Wks. 1865 I. 280 He is well acquainted with my MS. 1853 Mrs. Gore Dean's Dau. III. 182 My friend Mordaunt's clerkly manuscript and lengthy style. |