▪ I. † conˈcerning, vbl. n. Obs.
[f. as prec. + -ing1.]
a. The taking of concern. b. Concernment; relation, reference. c. A matter that concerns one; a concern.
| 1594 O. B. (title), Questions of profitable and pleasant concernings, on the Display of vaine life. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iv. 191 'Twere good you let him know, For who..Would from a Paddocke..Such deere concernings hide. 1603 ― Meas. for M. i. i. 57 We shall write to you..and our concernings shall importune. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. iv. 60. Ibid. iv. viii. 274 One memorable act..which though single in it self, was plurall in the concernings thereof. |
▪ II. concerning, ppl. a.
(kənˈsɜːnɪŋ)
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
1. That is of concern, that gives cause for consideration; important, weighty. arch.
| 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. ii. xii. 157 When fasting is in order to greater and more concerning purposes, it puts on more religion. 1654 L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 80 The Lords had a more concerning interest in the Prerogative. 1662 More Philos. Writ. Pref. Gen. (1712) 8, I could not conceal so concerning a Truth. 1754 Richardson Grandison (1781) III. xvii. 137 Lady L. speaking..on this concerning subject. a 1834 Coleridge Lit. Rem. IV. 6 To utter all my meditations on this most concerning point. |
b. That gives cause for anxiety or distress.
| 1741 Richardson Pamela II. 159, I cannot bear anything that is the least concerning to you. |
2. As a pres. pple., concerning may be joined to its verbal object, and the whole combination used adjectively, as in all-concerning, soul-concerning, etc.
| 1795 Southey Joan of Arc ix. 425 But oh! remember ye, And in their generation let your sons Transmit to theirs the all-concerning truth. 1869 Haddan Apost. Succ. i. (1879) 7 Those..soul-concerning doctrines. |
▪ III. concerning, prep.
(kənˈsɜːnɪŋ)
[The pres. pple. of concern v. in sense 2, used at length without reference to any subject, and retaining its verbal object: cf. the series, ‘a matter intimately concerning your friend’, ‘he made to me a communication concerning your friend’, ‘I will communicate with you concerning your friend’, where concerning is, in the first the participle, in the third a preposition, in the second transitional, ‘your friend’ being its object in all.
Cf. the similar use of regarding, touching: so mod.F. concernant, touchant. See also according to, during, notwithstanding, pending, in which prepositions, or prepositional phrases have in different ways arisen out of participles.]
1. (introductory.) Where concerning agrees with a preceding n. expressed, and may be rendered that concern(s), that relates to. (But since 1600, at least, treated as in 2.)
| a 1425 Rymer Fœdera IX. 918/1 In all manere of thynges concernyng th' Exercice of Governance. 1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII, c. 35 §2 All the evydences chartres and munymentes concernyng the premysses. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 b, The sentences of illumyned doctours concernynge perfeccyon. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 74 To enquire out the matter concernyng them that were consentyng to Beckets death. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. i. 6 Some things of weight that taske our thoughts, concerning vs and France. 1601 ― Twel. N. iv. ii. 54 What is the opinion of Pythagoras concerning Wilde-fowle? 1625 Bacon Ess., Unity in Relig. (Arb.) 423 We shall therefore speake a few words, concerning the Unity of the Church. a 1654 Selden Table-T. (Arb.) 18 A law concerning Leather, or any other Commodity. 1765 Wilkes Corr. (1805) II. 204 As to all my proceedings here concerning the press. |
† b. So concerning unto. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. Ep. 2 Some thyng..in writyng..concernyng unto this mater. |
2. Where concerning does not agree with a preceding n. expressed, and becomes entirely prepositional = Regarding, touching, in reference or relation to; about; of (as in quot. 1865). (Now rather formal and literary: perh. never colloquial.)
| 1535 Coverdale 1 Cor. xvi. 1 Concernynge [Tindale of] the gadderynge that is made for the sayntes. 1541 ― Old Faith ix. Wks. (Parker Soc.) I. 63 Concerning the coming of John the Baptist. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. i. i. 228 But that is not the question; the question is concerning your marriage. 1611 Bible Matt. xvi. 11, I spake it not to you concerning bread. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 251, I asked him concerning the natives. 1752 Johnson Rambler No. 195 ¶11 Every servant..was examined concerning his departure. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. ix. 71 He will make no inquiries concerning you. 1822 Southey in Q. Rev. XXVII. 2 A point concerning which..biographers have not been able to satisfy themselves. 1865 R. W. Dale Jew. Temple i. (1877) 15 What has been said concerning the greatness and glory of Christ. |
3. The sense ‘as it concerns, as it relates to, as to’ (L. quo-ad, quantum ad, F. quant à), was formerly expressed by concerning alone, but usually by as concerning. (Now, more usually as it concerns, as concerns, as regards.)
| 1555 in Strype Eccl. Mem. III. App. xliii. 120 That Christ was ordained, concerning his humanity and not concerning the Godhead. 1611 Bible Philipp. iii. 6 As touching the law, a Pharise; concerning zeale, persecuting the Church; touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law, blameless [Greek κατὰ, Rhem. according to, Revised as touching]. 1656 Cowley Misc., Reason (1669) 27 When we trust Men concerning God, we then Trust not God concerning Men. |
| b. 1526–34 Tindale Philipp. iii. 5 As concernynge the lawe, a pharisaye, and as concernynge ferventnes, I persecuted the congregation. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 203 The matter is to me, sir, as concerning Iaquenetta. 1611 Bible Rom. ix. 5 Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came. 1792 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) III. 442 Their government, or policy, as concerning themselves or other nations. 1818 Colebrooke Import. Col. Corn, Its effect is perhaps..overrated, as concerning the direct cost of wrought goods. |
† 4. Concerning might formerly be followed by an infin., or by a subord. clause; concerning for was used = ‘as to’. Obs.
| 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John 28 a, Iohns disciples did enuye Iesu, forasmuche as concernyng he hymself was lately baptyzed of Iohn, and had behaued hymself as though he had been his disciple..he would now sodainly make himself equal to him. 1560 P. Whitehorne Arte of Warre (1573) 27 b, Concerning to learne how to handle the weapons. Ibid. 86 a, Concerning for other consideracions, they had twoo principall. 1611 Bible Acts xiii. 34 As concerning that he raised him vp from the dead. |