contribution
(kɒntrɪˈbjuːʃən)
[a. F. contribution (Oresme, 14th c.), ad. L. contribūtiōn-em, n. of action f. contribuĕre, contribūt-, to contribute. Cf. F. contribution.]
1. a. The action of contributing or giving as one's part to a common fund or stock; the action of lending aid or agency to bring about a result.
| 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Rom. xv. 26 To make some contribution vpon [1611 to make a certaine contribution for] the poore sainctes that are in Hierusalem. 1616 Bullokar, Contribution, a giuing with others, when many giue together. 1637 R. Humfrey tr. St. Ambrose i. 56 Who is much in contribution and distribution of that hee possesseth. 1701 Lond. Gaz. No. 3753/8 Notice..by the Office of Insurance from Fire by Amicable Contribution. 1776 Adam Smith W.N. Introd. (1869) I. 4 To be defrayed by the general contribution of the whole society. 1790 Paley Horæ Paul. ii. 10 We find a contribution carrying on at Corinth..for the Christians of Jerusalem. 1887 Rogers Agric. & Prices V. vi. 152 The border counties were exempt from contribution, at least till the Union of the Crowns. |
b. to lay under contribution: to exact contributions from, make a levy upon; to force to contribute, render tributary. (A military phr., freq. also in gen. sense. Cf. F. mettre à contribution.)
| 1644 Milton Educ. (1738) 137 All the Historical Physiology of Aristotle and Theophrastus are open before them, and as I may say under contribution. 1687 T. Brown Saints in Uproar Wks. 1730 I. 78 Did you manage it à la militaire, and lay the country under contribution? 1774 Pennant Tour Scot. in 1772, 77 The..thief who laid the whole English borders under contribution. 1793 W. Roberts Looker-on No. 57 Who have hitherto held all the seasons of the year under contribution to their praise. 1798 Ferriar Illustr. Sterne vi. 169 Many other books..were laid under contribution. 1851 F. Hall in Benares Mag. V. 23 The native authorities which M. de Tassy has laid under contribution for his first volume. |
2. a. Something given to a common stock or fund; a sum or thing (voluntarily) contributed.
| 1609 Holland Amm. Marcel. 11 (R.) Hence it was, that the noble Valerius Publicola was buried by a contribution of money gathered for him. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xlii. 287 The voluntary contributions of the faithfull. 1715 Lady M. W. Montague Lett. II. xlii. 8 The slaves..have been..redeemed by the charitable contributions of the christians. 1851 Longfellow Gold. Leg. ii. Village Church, Near it stands the box for the poor..I will add my little contribution! 1874 Green Short Hist. viii. §10. 566 To substitute the free contributions of congregations for the payment of tithes. Mod. The smallest contribution will be thankfully received. |
b. esp. A payment or tax imposed upon a body of persons, or the population of a country or district, by the civil, military, or spiritual authority; an impost. App. the earliest sense in Fr. and Eng. use; now, esp. An imposition levied upon a district for the support of an army in the field, to secure immunity from plunder, or for similar purposes.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 301 Þo were dymes alwey i-gadred and contribuciouns i-payde, spiritualte and temporalte was alway i-pyled. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 192 For the kyng or qween in swech maner [i.e. for ransom] men schuld be leyd to a certeyn contribucion. 1553 Act 7 Edw. VI, c. 1 §20 Any..Collector of any..Benevolences, Contributions or Subsidies. 1598 Hakluyt Voy. I. 7 (R.) No notable taxe or contribution publike is historically mentioned to haue been for the charges leuied. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. iv. iii. 206. 1659 B. Harris Parival's Iron Age 116 That Party..hated for the contributions, by which it exhausted Germany. 1769 Junius Lett. i. 5 He had no doubt of the constitutional right vested in Parliament to raise the contribution. 1835 Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 545 An infantry regiment, which was quartered at Royston, had levied contributions on the people of that town and of the neighbourhood. 1866 Rogers Agric. & Prices I. ix. 155 A third liability, affecting ecclesiastical fees..was that of compulsory contributions for the maintenance of cardinals, foreign bishops, and nuncios during their stay in England. |
3. transf. and fig. a. Anything given or furnished to a common stock, or towards bringing about a common result.
| a 1648 Digby (J.), Parents owe their children not only material subsistence for their body, but much more spiritual contributions for their mind. 1837 H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 209 The American nation is made up of contributions from almost all other civilised nations. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 44 He makes a distinction..which is a real contribution to the science of logic. |
b. A writing furnished as a distinct part of a joint literary work; an article supplied to a magazine or journal.
| 1714 Spect. No. 632 ¶5 It were no hard Task to continue this Paper a considerable Time longer, by the Help of large Contributions sent from unknown Hands. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 56 ¶13 Many of my correspondents, who believe their contributions unjustly neglected. 1880 J. R. O'Flanagan Munster Circuit 408 To enrich the pages of the Dublin University Magazine by his contributions. 1882 C. Pebody Eng. Journalism ix. (1882) 65 A letter..apparently..a contribution from a fresh hand. |
4. Law. The payment by each of the parties interested of his share in any common loss or liability. action for contribution: a suit brought by one of such parties, who has discharged a liability common to them all, to compel the others to make good their shares.
| 1641 Termes de la Ley 83 Contributione facienda is a Writ, and it lyeth where there are divers Parceners, and hee which hath the part of the eldest doth make all the suit to the Lord, the others ought to make contribution to him, and if they will not, hee shall have against them the said Writ. 1809 Tomlins Law Dict. s.v. Insurance ii. §5 When goods are thrown overboard in a storm to lighten the ship, for the general safety of the ship and cargo, the owners of the ship and of goods saved are to contribute for the relief of those whose goods are ejected; this is called contribution, or general average. 1848 Wharton Law Lexicon, Contribution lies between partners for any excess, which has been paid by one partner beyond his share, against the other partners..It also lies between joint tenants, tenants in common, and part owners of ships and other chattels, for all charges..incurred for the common benefit. 1881 Sir W. M. James in Law Rep. 17 Ch. Div. 46 The right of a surety who has paid his creditor is to have contribution from his co-sureties. |
5. attrib. and Comb., as contribution-box, † contribution-money, † contribution-purse.
| 1575–6 Act 18 Eliz. c. 17 All Contribucion Money payable to the use of the same Bridge. 1666 in Cambridge (Mass.) Proprietors' Rec. (1896) 211 The Inhabitants..are Assessed to pay the Ministers Salary, and put the Same into the contribution Box. 1753 Scots Mag. Aug. 421/2 Three horses run for a contribution-purse of 10 guineas. 1835 J. H. Ingraham South-West I. 215 The contribution-box or bag makes its begging tour among the pews. 1875 Emerson Lett. & Soc. Aims iv. 119 Milder remedies sometimes serve to disperse a mob. Try sending round the contribution-box. |