obeisance
(əʊˈbeɪsəns)
Forms: 4– obeis-; 4–8 obeys-; also 4 obeish-, 5 obeyssh-, obeiss-, obayss-, (obeyes-, obecy-, obbeis-, obeisi-), 5–6 obeyss-, 7 obays-; 4– -ance, 4–6 -aunce, 5–6 -ans. See also the aphetic beisance.
[a. F. obéissance (13th c. in Littré), f. obéissant, pr. pple. of obéir to obey: see -ance. Obéissance had the same relation to obéissant that L. obēdientia had to obēdient-em. With senses 2–4, cf. med.L. obēdientia in Du Cange.]
† 1. The action or fact of obeying; = obedience 1.
| c 1374 Chaucer Compl. Mars 47 He bynt him to perpetuall obeisaunce. 1382 Wyclif 1 Sam. xv. 22 Betre is obeishaunce [1388 obedience] than slayn sacrificis. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 26 Alle women..be not of the obeisaunce that a merchauntez wiff was. 1553 Lady Jane Grey in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 186 To remayne fast in your obeysaunce and duetie to the imperiall Crowne of this Realme. 1660 Sharrock Vegetables Ep. ded., A testimony of my obeysance and humble submission to your judgment. |
† 2. the obeisance (of any one), the obedience which he claims; hence, Authority, rule, command, sway: = obedience 2. Obs.
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 587 Cleopatra, To conqueryn regnys and honour Vn to the toun of rome..To han the worlde vn-to hyre obeysaunce. c 1440 Generydes 6630 Sette the lande in rewle..hole to be..vnder his obeysaunce. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) E ij, The realme of Acaye submytted his..proude heade, to the sweete obeysaunce of the empyre. 1664 Floddan F. i. 5 To bring that Land to his obeysance. |
† b. The sphere within which any one rules; a district under the rule or jurisdiction (of some one), a dominion; = obedience 2 b. Obs.
| 1419 J. De Assheton in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 73 The Abbot..has sent for safe condute for to come to ȝour obeysshans. 1467 Waterf. Arch. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 305 No manere aliennt, borne out of thobeysaunce of the Kyng of Inglande. 1493 Hen. VII in Four C. Eng. Lett. (Camden) 9 The Flemmings and other of the archduke's obeissaunce. 1569 T. Norton in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. lv. 561 The country round about within her obeisance. 1616 R. C. Times Whistle ii. 701 The Iewes, together with their Palestine, Which he by force will conquer, and confine To his obeisance. |
3. A bodily act or gesture expressive of submission or respect (almost always, A bending or prostration of the body in token of this); a respectful salutation; a bow or curtsy: = obedience 3. Often in phr. to do, make, pay obeisance, in med.L. obedientiam facere. (The chief current sense, but almost restricted to literary use, and often with an archaic tinge.)
(In F., Godefroy has one 16th c. example of obéissance = révérence, salut, but no OF. examples. The sense is not in Cotgr., Littré, or Hatz.-Darm.)
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1268 Dido, And can so wel don alle hise obeysauncis And waytyn hire at festis and at dauncis. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop ii. i, They approched to theyr kynge for to make obeyssaunce vnto hym. a 1555 Latimer Serm. & Rem. (1845) 150 A gentleman that brought the cup, in making obeisance, the cover fell to the ground. 1610 G. Fletcher Christ's Vict. ii. xvii, He lowted low With prone obeysance. 1640 in Rushw. Hist. Coll. iii. (1692) I. 124 He made a low Obeysance. c 1710 C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 69 They shewed us the wearing of ye pavement with ye obeisance of his votarys. 1765 H. Walpole Otranto iii. (1798) 49 The herald made three obeisances. c 1850 Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 448 The young merchant made his obeisance, by throwing himself with his face to the ground. 1855 Prescott Philip II, I. i. iv. 46 The Spanish prince was welcomed..by a goodly company of English lords, assembled to pay him their obeisance. |
4. In more general sense: Respectfulness of manner or bearing, deference; respect such as is or may be shown by bending the body; homage, submission. Often in phr. to do, make, pay obeisance, fig., = to ‘do homage’, submit, show reverence or respect. (In mod. use regarded as fig. from 3.)
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1375 Hypsip., Thyne feynede trouthe..With thyn obeysaunce and humble cheere. c 1450 Holland Howlat 870 Quhom thai ressaif with reuerens, And bowsome obeysance. c 1530 Crt. of Love 46 Love arted me to do myn observaunce To his astate, and doon him obeysaunce. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 167 ¶3 A Throne to which conquered Nations yielded Obeysance. a 1716 South Serm. VIII. vi. (1744) 164 The eye must do obeisance to the window, and discourse submit to sensation. 1865 Seeley Ecce Homo i. (1868) 6 He [John the Baptist] did obeisance to the royalty of inward happiness. |
† 5. Alleged term for a company of servants. Obs.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans F vj b, An obeisians of seruauntis. |