opinion--prophetes.ai

▪ I. opinion, n.
    (əʊˈpɪnjən)
    Also 4–6 opp-, and with the usual interchange of i and y, -on, -oun, and -one; 4 openyoun, 5 opeynyon, (a-penyon, 6 Sc. apenion); Sc. 4 opunion, -yon(e, 6 -ȝoun.
    [a. F. opinion (12–13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. opīniōn-em, f. stem of opīn-ārī to be of opinion, think: cf. oblivion, religion, and see -ion¹.]
    1. a. What one thinks or how one thinks about something; judgement resting on grounds insufficient for complete demonstration; belief of something as probable, or as seeming to one's own mind to be true, though not certain or established. (Distinguished from knowledge, conviction, or certainty; but sometimes = belief.)
    in my opinion: according to my thinking; as I think, as it seems to me. a matter of opinion: a matter about which each may have his own opinion; a disputable point.

1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. i. (Skeat) l. 60 Opinion is while a thing is in non certaine, & hidde frome mens very knowleginge, and by no parfite reason fully declared. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 368 Of hem that walken up and doun Ther was diverse opinioun. 1483 Ld. Dynham in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 157 In myn openion it shuld be gretly for the wele of that toune and marches. 1538 Starkey England i. i. 11 Saying ther ys no dyfference betwyx vyce and vertue but strong opynyon. a 1628 Preston Breastpl. Faith (1630) 118 The object of opinion is something in its own nature uncertain. 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 69 Opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making. 1704 Norris Ideal World ii. ii. 130 What we call opinion, which is an imperfect assent or judgment. 1814 Jane Austen Mansf. Park I. xviii, To see such an undersized, little, mean-looking man, set up for a fine actor, is very ridiculous in my opinion. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xv. 141 Well, the position may be a matter of opinion. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 23 Opinion is based on perception, which may be correct or mistaken.

b. Qualified by common, general, public, vulgar, etc.: Such judgement or belief on the part of a number, or the majority, of persons; what is generally thought about something. Also in attrib. phrases, as public opinion investigation, opinion poll [poll n.¹ 7 d], opinion polling, opinion survey (see opinion poll, survey, sense 9 below), etc.

c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1739 From Adam to Moyses, was idolatry Thorow the world vsyd in comon opynyoun. 1689–90 Temple Ess., Popular Discontents Wks. 1731 I. 258 Nothing is so easily cheated, nor so commonly mistaken, as vulgar Opinion. 1735 Bolingbroke On Parties (ed. 2) p. xxxi, Let them stand, or fall in the publick Opinion, according to their Merit. 1751 tr. Rousseau's Discourse Arts & Sci. 36 They only hate all publick opinions. 1763 Chesterfield Duke of Newcastle in Lett. (1845) II. 463 The public opinion put him below his level: for though he had no..eminent talents, he had a most indefatigable industry, a perseverance. 1769 Burke Let. 30 July (1844) I. 181 We must strengthen the hands of the minority within doors, by the accession of the public opinion, strongly declared to the court. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. xxxi. III. 257 Even this story is some evidence of the public opinion. 1801 Jefferson in Tucker Life II. 101 The mighty wave of public opinion which has rolled over our republic. 1871 Daily News 20 Apr. 5 That is a question..in which ‘general opinion must assume the ultimate arbitrement’. 1892 Pall Mall G. 29 Nov. 5/1 When the court has pronounced its decision, then let it be freely commented upon; but until then parties must not attempt to influence public opinion. 1939 G. Gallup (title) Public opinion in a democracy. 1952 W. J. H. Sprott Social Psychol. 87 It is difficult to put into exact terms what is meant by ‘public opinion’... We might, of course, define ‘public opinion’ on any particular issue..in terms of the people who actually have an ‘opinion’ on that issue. 1961 L. van der Post Heart of Hunter i. v. 88 Tom refused to let public opinion create a sense of shame in him. 1964 Gould & Kolb Dict. Social Sci. 477/2 Public opinion is a nebulous concept; it is not the simple aggregate of the opinions of the members of a public, but depends on the society's power structure, the mass media, channels of influence, etc.

attrib. 1936 L. Denning Coming Amer. Fascism 299 A score of great corporations can raise ten million dollars for anti⁓social purposes of price-fixing or public-opinion manipulation. 1937 Sociometry I. i. ii. 155 (title) Public opinion polls. 1939 G. Gallup Public Opinion in Democracy 3 The development during the last few years of the public-opinion survey or unofficial poll has raised..a host of new and far-reaching questions. 1940 Graves & Hodge Long Weekend xxiii. 401 From the United States came public opinion investigation. Ibid., Public opinion investigation was first started on a large and permanent scale by the American Dr. Gallup. 1941 J. S. Huxley Uniqueness of Man xi. 231 The modern scientific public opinion poll, indeed, is developing such uncanny accuracy that it is infringing upon practical politics. 1944 G. Gallup Guide to Public Opinion Polls lxix. 91 The chief function of public opinion polls, and their chief value, is to report the trend of opinion. 1958 Listener 20 Nov. 813/1 Public-opinion polls... Public-opinion surveys. 1963 Rep. Comm. Inquiry Decimal Currency 5, in Parl. Papers 1962–3 (Cmnd. 2145) XI. 195 We considered going to further than this by commissioning a public opinion survey. 1964 Ann. Reg. 1963 5 His dominance of the parliamentary party was soon apparent in the major debates of the next five months, assisted, no doubt, by Labour's soaring lead in the public opinion polls. 1967 M. Argyle Psychol. Interpersonal Behaviour ix. 153 Public opinion polls are more closed questions, research surveys make more use of open-ended ones. 1972 Jrnl. Social Psychol. LXXXVII. 136 The sealing methodology employed was discussed and suggested as a possibly new public opinion polling device.

c. Also, in same sense, without qualification.

1603 Florio tr. Montaigne (1634) 133 Opinion is a powerfull, bould, and unmeasurable party. 1638 R. Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. II) 96 It is not now onely that opinion governs the world. 1753 Hanway Trav. (1762) II. i. i. 4 Those..who offer incense to this..stupid idol, opinion. 1837 H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 7 The worship of Opinion is, at this day, the established religion of the United States. 1841 D'Israeli Amen. Lit. Pref. (1867) 3 Authors are the creators or the creatures of opinion.

2. a. (With an and pl.) What one thinks about a particular thing, subject, or point; a judgement formed or a conclusion reached; a belief, view, notion.
(Sometimes distinguished from a conviction; but in other cases denoting a systematic or definitely-held belief—e.g. an item of one's (religious, political, etc.) creed, or sometimes (in earlier use) the whole distinctive belief of a sect, etc.—and then practically identical with conviction.)

a 1300 Cursor M. 8843 Þus sais sum opinion. 1340 Ayenb. 69 Ofte hi ualleþ ine errour, and ine ualse opinions, and ine eresye. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 287 Alle þes newe sectis..have newe opynyouns. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 622 Ffor shortly this was his opinion That in that groue he wolde hym hyde al day. c 1485 Digby Myst. iii. 1463 Iesu! Iesu! qwat deylle is him? þat? I defye þe and þyn a-penyon! 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 37 b, What time he was yet in Spaine, he hearde muche of Luthers false opinions. 1579 E. K. Gloss. Spenser's Sheph. Kal. June 25 The opinion of Faeries and elfes is very old, and yet sticketh very religiously in the myndes of some. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. v. 90 Nay, but aske my opinion to of that? 1611 Bible 1 Kings xviii. 21 How long halt ye between two opinions? 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. iv. xi. (1848) 233 As for my Opinions, whether of Persons, or things, I cannot in most cases command them my self, but must suffer them to be such as the Nature of the things I judge of requires. 1705 Stanhope Paraphr. III. 312 No Opinion truly good can promote any Moral Evil. 1789 Belsham Ess. II. xli. 526 It is not to controul opinions, but actions, that Government is instituted. 1844 Disraeli Coningsby viii. iii, As for your opinions, you have no business to have any other than those I uphold. You are too young to form opinions. 1876 Gladstone Glean. II. 361 Dr. Macleod had always the courage of his opinions. 1877 Morley Crit. Misc. Ser. ii. 89 Our opinions are less important than the spirit and temper with which they possess us.

b. pious opinion (R.C. Ch.): a belief commonly accepted, but not enjoined as a dogma or matter of faith. Hence transf. (in general use): A belief cherished in the mind, but not insisted on or carried out in practice.

1865 Pusey Truth Eng. Ch. 127 The Bishop..‘could not dare’..to decide that there was evidence enough to erect the ‘pious opinion’ into a matter of faith, or that then was the best time to define it.

3. Phrase. to be of opinion: to hold the belief or view; to think (in a specified way) about something; to opine. (Often with defining clause: I am of opinion that.. = I think that..)

1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 103 Thyery and the other were of thoppynyon of Rolland. a 1548 Hall Chron., Rich. III 50 Noble men..whiche amongest theim selfes were not of one opinion. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. xviii. (Arb.) 52 Some be of opinion..that the pastorall Poesie..should be the first of any other. 1623 Bingham Xenophon 49 All, that are of the same opinion, let them hold vp their hands. 1702 J. Purcell Cholick (1714) 93, I am of Opinion..that the hitherto unknown use of the Spleen, is to interrupt the Fermentation of the Blood. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 455 He was clearly of opinion they were both liable. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Manners Wks. (Bohn) II. 46 They require you to dare to be of your own opinion.

4. The formal statement by a member of an advisory body, an expert, or professional man, or the like, of what he thinks, judges, or advises upon a question or matter submitted to and considered by him; considered advice; as a legal opinion or medical opinion, to get an opinion of counsel, etc. Phr. a second (or another) opinion, the opinion of a second medical adviser; also in transf. and extended uses.

c 1470 Henry Wallace iii. 332, ‘I gif consell, or this gud knycht be slayne, Tak pes a quhill, suppos it do ws payne’. So said Adam the ayr of Rycardtoune; And Kneland als grantyt to thar opynyoun. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xlix. 164 Whan Iuoryn vnderstode his lordes, he sayd, ‘Syrs, I parseyue well your opynyon is good’. Ibid. lxxxii. 254, I desyre you all..to shew me your opynyons. 1598 Let. to Stowe (Ashm. MSS.), Your oppinioun in wrytinge or otherwise is expected. The question is, Of the antiquitie..of parishes in Englande. 1696 Phillips (ed. 5), Opinion, the Thought of him who gives his Advice upon any thing that is debated or consulted upon. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. v. 496 The Supreme Council..came to an opinion..that [etc.]. 1861 Maine Anc. Law ii. (ed. 6) 33 Collections of opinions interpretative of the Twelve Tables. 1885 C. M. Yonge Nuttie's Father II. xvii. 201 Dr. Brownlow became very grave over the injury. He said it was a surgical case, and he should like to have another opinion. 1888 Chambers's Encycl. s.v. Barrister, Barristers in England advise on the law by giving an opinion on a case stated. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 9 Nov. 1/2 The three clergymen..who have refused obedience to the Archbishops' ‘Opinion’ on the legality of incense and processional lights. 1924 J. Buchan Three Hostages xvi. 237 There's no cause to worry about Peter John... But if you want another opinion, why not get it? Ibid. 238, I think a second opinion would please Dr. Greenslade, for he too looked rather anxious. 1954 M. Sharp Gipsy in Parlour xxiv. 228 So my father and Miss Jones agreed... I didn't think my father would be quite so pleased to know of this second opinion, so to speak. 1966 J. B. Priestley Salt is Leaving xvi. 213, I have quite a competent doctor... He's never suggested a second opinion. 1970 P. Lovesey Wobble to Death v. 52 Herriot sought for words to influence the doctor... ‘Perhaps—another opinion. Your colleague..may see the possibility of a faster recovery.’ 1971 A. Price Alamut Ambush x. 124 So he..wanted a second opinion on what he had seen—that made sense. 1972 J. Wainwright Night is Time to Die 121 You're not here as a solicitor... Therefore, you're entitled to call some other solicitor... You might need advice—a second opinion.

5. a. What one thinks of a person or thing; estimation, or an estimate, of character, quality, or value.

c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xx. (Blasius) 9 Sume men gud opunyone Has..Quhat man he was. c 1510 More Picus Wks. 14/2 Ye haue not knowen the opinion, y⊇ philosophers haue of them self. 1605 Shakes. Macb. i. vii. 33, I haue bought Golden Opinions from all sorts of people. 1638 R. Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. II) 203 It is impossible for mee to expresse the high opinion I conceive of you. 1771 Junius Lett. xlviii. 253 Their constituents would have a better opinion of their candour, and..not a worse opinion of their integrity. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 12 The Coast..formed an even higher opinion of my folly than it had formed on our first acquaintance, which is saying a good deal.

b. spec. Good, high, or favourable estimate; esteem. (Now only with negative, or such adjs. as great.)

1597 Morley Introd. Mus. 115 Those who stande so much in opinion of their owne sufficiencie. 1672 Petty Pol. Anat. (1691) 94 They have a great Opinion of Holy-Wells, Rocks, and Caves, which have been the reputed Cells and Receptacles of..Saints. 17.. Law (J.), If a woman had no opinion of her own person and dress. 1796 Jane Austen Pride & Prej. ii, She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.

† c. Favourable estimate of oneself or one's own abilities; either in bad sense (self-conceit, arrogance, dogmatism), or in good sense (self-confidence). Obs.

1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. i. 6 Your reasons haue beene..witty without affection, audacious without impudency, learned without opinion, and strange without heresie. 1596 ― 1 Hen. IV, iii. i. 185 Pride, Haughtinesse, Opinion, and Disdaine. 1606 ― Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 353 What heart from hence receyues the conqu'ring part To steele a strong opinion to themselues.

† 6. What is thought of one by others; the estimation (esp. good estimation) in which one stands; standing; reputation, repute, character, credit (of being so and so, or of possessing some quality). Obs.

1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. ii. vi. (1895) 196 Which for the opinion of nobilitie reioyse muche in their owne conceite. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, v. iv. 48 Thou hast redeemed thy lost opinion. 1605 Camden Rem. 121 The change of names, hath most commonly proceeded from a desire to avoyd the opinion of basenes. 1637 Shirley Gamester (Dodsley O. Pl. IX. 16, N.) I mean you have the opinion of a valiant gentleman. 1685 Cotton tr. Montaigne I. 222 These fellows to make parade and to get opinion..are perpetually perplexing and entangling themselves in their own nonsense. 1705 Stanhope Paraphr. II. 65 Every Counterfeit supposes something, not only of Reality but of Excellence too, which it hopes to gain the Opinion of, by such artful Dissimulation.

† 7. The thought of what is likely to happen; expectation; apprehension. Obs.

a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI 108 b, [He] thought now, that al thynges succeeded, accordyng to opinion and good hope. 1568 G. Skeyne The Pest (1860) 27 Quhay..most remoue the opinione of dethe, but not the dredour of God. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 197 The warre continuing beyonde opinion, the State was inforced to procure pay for the armie. 1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriot. Ep. Ded., Having no old experience of the Duration of their Relics, [Men] held no opinion of such After-considerations.

† 8. Report, rumour. [A Latinism of transl.]

c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 23 And opynyoun of Crist wente þourȝ al þe lond of Siry. [Vulg. Matt. iv. 24 Et abiit opinio eius in totam Syriam.] 1382 ― Matt. xxiv. 6 Ȝe ben to heere bateyls, and opynyouns [Vulg. opiniones] of bateyls.

9. attrib. and Comb., as opinion-former, opinion leader, opinion maker, etc.; opinion-forming, opinion-making (also vbl. n.), opinion-tapping ppl. adjs.; opinion poll, the assessment of the opinion of all, or of a section of, the general public by questioning a random or representative sample; hence opinion polling, opinion pollster; (see also sense 1 b above); opinion survey = opinion poll.

1875 W. Cory in Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 375 Morbid combination of piety with opinion-breeding.

1906 G. W. E. Russell Social Silhouettes xiii. 90 A Journalist of this type once said to me, with all imaginable gravity, ‘I should, I confess, resent any change which interfered with my position as chief opinion-former in the neighbourhood of’—Leeds or Plymouth, or whatever was the name of his town. 1962 Times Lit. Suppl. 24 Aug. 633/4 To hear well over half the electors of Britain talk, or read or listen to their favourite opinion-formers, one would conclude that it would be best..if no profits were made by any business. 1967 Economist 22 Apr. 338/1 The opinion-formers have begun their debunking. 1977 Private Eye 13 May 14/2 He has a fine independence of outlook and a contemptuous disregard for whatever is smart or fashionable among opinion-formers.

1959 Encounter Nov. 66 Literary parties..the opinion-forming fringe of the United States. 1969 Guardian 28 Aug. 11/6 One section of Oxfam has argued that the organisation should abandon direct aid and devote itself wholly to an opinion-forming rôle. 1974 Broadcast 9 Dec. 17/1 The advertising industry has few friends in the educational and opinion-forming strata.

c 1449 Pecock Repr. 87 Summe..ben clepid Doctour-Mongers and summe ben clepid Opinioun-holders.

1949 Lazarsfeld & Stanton Communications Res. ii. vii. 217 The opinion-leaders are not identical with the socially prominent people in the community. 1968 Internat. Encycl. Soc. Sci. III. 51 The hard-core noncommissioned officers constituted a cadre of ‘opinion leaders’ who supported the control structure. 1975 Times 25 Feb. 14/1 His audience of nearly 200 were predominantly..people whom the Wessex area office staff would describe only as opinion leaders.

1952 Time 27 Oct. 20/1 To intellectuals and other ‘opinion makers’, Eisenhower was infinitely preferable to the other two. 1957 Economist 28 Sept. 1005/1 The reactions of..professional opinion makers were more precise, but just as personal. 1975 S. Ranganathan in H. M. Patel et al. Say not the Struggle Nought Availeth 297 There are limits to growth as world opinion-makers are trying to explain.

1909 Westm. Gaz. 16 June 1/3 The Conference at the Foreign Office..exceeded expectations. The question that out-shadowed all others at this council of ‘opinion-making power’ was..Imperial Defence. 1956 C. W. Hills Power Elite xiii. 310 The means of opinion-making..have paralleled in range and efficiency the other institutions of greater scale.

1867 Whittier Tent on Beach 85 One..Who..Had left the Muses' haunts to turn The crank of an opinion-mill, Making his rustic reed of song A weapon in the war with wrong.

1937 Opinion poll [implied in public opinion poll, sense 1 b above]. 1946 Vogue Aug. 2/2 Try a little opinion-poll for yourself. Ask a representative sample of Englishmen the following question: [etc.]. 1951 M. McLuhan Mech. Bride (1967) 46/2 Opinion polls function as educational rather than fact-finding agencies. 1965 New Statesman 30 Apr. 670/3 The substantial pro-Labour swing indicated by the opinion polls. 1971 Guardian 10 July 11/8 Mr Heath..interprets every unfavourable opinion poll as a clear signal that the public is one hundred per cent behind him. 1976 Times 27 Feb. 14/4 It is clear from opinion polls that the very large majority of people in Scotland wish to remain part of Britain.

1963 Economist 7 Dec. 1094/1 Opinion-polling is still a young..art in Spain. 1970 Times 2 June 1/2 The increase has no statistical significance when allowance is made for the tolerance limits of opinion polling. 1977 Times 18 Oct. 16/4 One of the weaknesses of much opinion-polling is that..it must exclude..extended questioning.

1951 M. McLuhan Mech. Bride (1967) 47/1 The cabdriver tends to be the opinion-pollster hero. 1970 Times 19 June 1/6 (heading) Opinion pollsters admit to wide margin of error. 1977 News of World 17 Apr. 1/1 Its existence is unknown to two out of every three women in the country, according to opinion pollsters.

1939 G. Gallup Public Opinion in Democracy 12 If elections themselves do not impose clôture on debate, is it likely that opinion surveys will? 1958 New Statesman 23 Aug. 213/3 The first would entail many interviews with people by the well-tried opinion-survey methods.

1948 J. Towster Political Power in U.S.S.R. vii. 153 The Party conference..is primarily..an opinion-tapping and effort-mobilizing agency.

1808 Bentham Sc. Reform 23 On the part of the non-lawyer, conscious ignorance, thence consultation and advice (opinion-trade).

▪ II. † oˈpinion, v. Obs.
[f. opinion n., prob. after obs. F. opinionner (in Froissart). There may have been a med.L. opīniōnārī, -āre.]
trans. To hold the opinion, or hold as an opinion; to think, suppose, opine. (With obj. clause, or equivalent obj.)

1555 in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. App. xliii. 121 Whosoever they be..[they] may opinion with themselves that they be none of God's children. 1609 Heywood Brit. Troy To Twofold Rdrs., These indeed know no other meanes to have themselves opinioned in the ranke of understanders. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §50 Philosophers that opinioned the worlds destruction by fire. 1646 ― Pseud. Ep. i. xi. 46 If any other opinion there are no antipodes. 1661 Glanvill Van. Dogm. 191 We opinion a more certain efficiency. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Opinion, to opine... ‘I opinion so’, is, ‘I am of that opinion’. 1839 Marryat Diary Amer. Ser. i. II. 224, I opinion quite the contrary.