publish, v.
(ˈpʌblɪʃ)
Forms: see below.
[ME. puplise, -ish, poplis, etc., and publisshe, publisce, etc., f. OF. puplier, poploiier, (later) publier, ad. L. pūblicāre to make public, publish, confiscate, f. pūblic-us public. The OF. pup-, pop- forms either represented a popular L. poplicare (cf. early L. poplicus, poblicus = publicus, and med.L. pupplicare in 15th c. eccles. documents), or were due to later influence of OF. pople, peuple, ad. L. populus people. The normal Eng. repr. of OF. publier was publy: cf. carry v. Publish may repr. an AF. *publir, *puplir (not found), but was app. due to imitation of verbs etymologically ending in -ish (-ish2): cf. astonish, distinguish, famish, vanquish. The spelling publice may have been influenced by L. publicāre.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
(α) 4–5 puplis(e, -lissh(e, -lich(e, poplis, pupplis, -lisch(e, 4–6 -lish(e, 5 puplyssch, -llise, pupples, -lys(s)h(e, 6 puplice, -lyche.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 90 Þe folk that ascaped..puplised it fulle wide. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 339 Men of þis world..wolen haten hem þat puplisshen it. Ibid. III. 247 Þus is heresye..pupplischid in londis. 1382 ― Matt. i. 19 Joseph..wolde not pupliche [1388 puplische] hir. c 1400 Cursor M. 29540 (Cott. Galba) He þat poplist it furth. c 1400 Rule St. Benet 911 Als be þe apostil es pupplist. Ibid. 1953 So þat it be..puplist. 1452 Paston Lett. I. 230 Hit is opunly puplysschid. 1484 Certificate in Surtees Misc. (1888) 41 To pupples and declare..the treuth. 1509 Sel. Cas. Crt. Star Chamber (Selden Soc.) 200 That the abbot of Salop shuld puplice & openly say. Ibid. 201 Reportes thus puplished. 1530 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 79 To be denownsyd and puplychyd. |
(β) 4–6 publice, -lis(s)he, -lis(s)ch(e, 5 -lesch, -les(e, -lisce, 5–6 -lys(s)h(e, 6 -lis, 5– publish.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 101 No þinge þat is pryue publice [C. xiii. 38 publisshe] þow it neuere. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 445 Freris wold not here þis publischt. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 147 Þat were i-publesched [v. rr. puplisched, publesed] in þe Synod Nicena. c 1400 Brut 330 Þis same Piers told & publissed þe trewþe. c 1450 Prov. in Deutsch. Neuphil. (1906) 55 Hyde and haue: publyssh & nouȝt haue. c 1460 G. Ashby Dicta Philos. 66 Publisshing to his connyng your fauour. 1480 Publish [see B. 1 b]. 1509 Fisher Fun. Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 308 To publysshe the doctryne and fayth of cryste. c 1520 Nisbet N.T. in Scots, Acts iv. 17 That it be na mare publisit in to the pepile. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.) 200 The Pandectis..was publischeit be Iustiniane. 1588 in T. Morris Provosts of Methven (1875) 72 To be red and publicit. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 38 Bot the truth of the mater is nocht publised. |
B. Signification. To make public. I. 1. a. trans. To make publicly or generally known; to declare or report openly or publicly; to announce; to tell or noise abroad; also, to propagate, disseminate (a creed or system).
| c 1330 [see A. α]. 14.. Cursor M. 24731 (Fairf. MS.) Of þe concepcioun of our lauedi puplist bi an angel on þe see. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 436 When this murder was published, all people cryed vnto God for vengeaunce. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 219 At the very moment that the Sun came to the Equator, he publish'd the new year. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia v. x, She now resolved to publish her resolution of going..to St. James's-square. 1896 ‘M. Field’ Attila iv. 106 Do not publish Your shame, for your own sake. |
b. spec. in Law. to publish one's will: see quot. 1898. to publish a libel: to communicate a libel to one or more persons.
| 1480 in Bury Wills (Camden) 59 Neuer wyllyng myne seyd mynde, wyll, and intent, so be me published, notified, and declared vpon the seyd ffeoffament, in any maner of wyse to be changyd. 1607 Cowell Interpr. s.v. Libell, A criminous report of any man cast abroad, or otherwise vnlawfully published in writing. 1649 in Bury Wills (Camden) 200, I doe publish and declare this to be my last will and testament. 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. viii. 126 The defendent, on an indictment for publishing a libel, is not allowed to allege the truth of it by way of justification. 1897 Encycl. Laws Eng. s.v. Defamation, The plaintiff..establishes a primâ facie case, as soon as he has proved that the defendant published to some third person actionable words. 1898 Ibid. s.v. Publication, Wills are said to be published when they are properly executed before witnesses. |
† c. refl. To become known, to declare itself; cf. F. se publier. Obs. rare—1.
| 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 3/2 All badde accidents publishe themselues at the full Moone, more then at other times. |
2. a. esp. To announce in a formal or official manner; to pronounce (a judicial sentence), to promulgate (a law or edict); to proclaim. † to publish war, to declare war (obs.).
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 290 Þei maken þe iuge erre and pupplische a sentence contrarie to trewþe. 1485 Coventry Leet Bk. 524 That ye doo publisshe this our Commaundement vnto all thinhabitantes of our said Citie. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 49 b, Such Ecclesiastical lawes as.., when they be ons published, shalbe obserued. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. vii. Wks. 1813 I. 521 Meanwhile, she commanded the sentence against Mary to be published. 1874 Green Short Hist. iii. §3. 125 The Charter was published throughout the whole country. |
b. To ask (the banns of marriage); also, to announce or put up the names of (persons intending marriage) (obs. exc. U.S. dial.).
| 1488 in Prymer (E.E.T.S.) Introd. 171 The Banys were asked & publisshed the xiij daye of Janyuer. 1572 tr. Buchanan's Detectioun F iij b, Theire sche taried with Bothwell, quhile the banes weir publishing. 1651 Essex Antiquarian (Mass.) VII. 45 Mr. Phillips of Rowley, having been published, writes to the General Court saying that there is no one [clergyman] to marry him. 1662 Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, Saying after the accustomed manner: I publish the Banns of Marriage between M of ―, and N of ―. 1678 Providence Rec. (1894) V. 325 John Whipple junr., and Rebecah Scott widdoe..were published in way of Marriage by a writting fixed upon a publick place in the sayd Towne. 1742 Fielding Jos. Andrews iv. ii, It is my orders..that you publish these banns no more. 1841 Lytton Nt. & Morn. i. i, The Banns on her side will be published with equal privacy in a church near the Tower. 1886 P. Stapleton Major's Christmas 124 Then say you will marry me, and we will be published to-day. 1975 Budget (Sugarcreek, Ohio) 20 Mar. 8/3 Published today in above district were Sam, son of Joe J. Yoders and Mary, daughter of Eli H. Weavers. Their wedding to be Saturday, April 5. |
3. † a. To proclaim (a person) publicly as something, or in some capacity or connexion; also, (without compl.) to denounce, to ‘show up’. Obs.
| 1382 [see A. α]. 1470 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 233/2 They have deserved to be puplysshed as fals Traytours. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 6 Our Saviour..is published by an oath, Christ and Priest. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. ii. i. 98 How will this grieue you,..that You thus haue publish'd me? 1676 Ray Corr. (1848) 124 Mr. Oldenburgh hath published him as a considerable author. 1733 Pope Hor. Sat. ii. i. 59 In this impartial glass, my Muse intends..to..Publish the present age. |
† b. To bring under public observation or notice; to give public notice of. Obs.
| 1529 More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 211/2 It were peraduenture a thinge not conuenient, after those witnesses published, to bring proues a freshe vpon the principall mater. 1647 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. li. (1739) 89 Goods found shall be published by the Finder to the Neighbourhood. 1658 Whole Duty Man xiv. §11 While cursed Cham publisht and disclosed the nakedness of their father. 1709–10 Steele Tatler No. 142 ¶7 [A diamond box] to be published on Monday which will cost Fourscore Guinea's. |
c. To expose to public view. rare.
| a 1860 Alb. Smith Lond. Med. Stud. (1861) 73 Having arrived at the Hall, put your rings and chains in your pocket, and, if practicable, publish a pair of spectacles. 1885 W. W. Story Poems, Eng. Husb. to It. Wife vii, I cannot, like Sarto, publish your face In every Madonna, Sibyl, and Saint. |
4. a. spec. To issue or cause to be issued for sale to the public (copies of a book, writing, engraving, piece of music, or the like); said of an author, editor, or spec. of a professional publisher. Also absol. and by metonymy, with author, etc., as obj.
| [c 1450 Pecock MS. in Quaritch's Catal. (1887) I. No. 54 That no person cristen..after sufficient pupplishing of this book to hem schulde have eny excusacioun for this that thei knowe not the lawe..of her lord god.] 1529 More Dyaloge i. Pref., Wks. 106/1, I am now driuen..to this thirde busynes of publishynge and puttynge my boke in printe my selfe. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. 10 He could no sooner write any thing, but presently it was caught from him, and published, and he could not haue leaue to mend it. 1709–10 Steele Tatler No. 115 ¶6, I shall here publish a short Letter which I have received from a Well-wisher. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 33/1 Literary productions..when they are circulated abroad and published with the author's consent they become common property. 1908 Oxford Univ. Gaz. No. 1255 (Imprint.) Printed by Horace Hart, M.A., Controller of the University Press, at his Office in the Press, in the Parish of St. Thomas; and published by him at the Depository, 116 High Street,..in the City of Oxford. 1918 C. S. Lewis Let. 27 Oct. (1966) 45 He [sc. Heinemann] told me that John Galsworthy (who publishes with them) had seen my MS. 1937 J. Squire Honeysuckle & Bee 203 Lane..seemed to publish almost all the exciting new authors. 1941 Sphere 6 Dec. 361/1 If a publisher chooses to publish you, your reward is almost certain. 1952 Sackville-West & Shawe-Taylor Record Year 213 It looks like a re-issue of the recording published by Decca during the war and since deleted. 1961 H. M. Silver in Webster s.v., Pressure put on faculty members..to publish as a condition of appointment or promotion. 1970 J. Earl Tuners & Amplifiers vi. 140 Test records are available for channel identification or recognition. Such a record is the excellent HFS69 published by the Haymarket Publishing Group. 1971 Black Scholar Dec. 23/2 Dr. Ladner is frequently published in professional journals. |
b. To make generally accessible or available for acceptance or use; to place before or offer to the public, now spec. by the medium of a book, journal, or the like; to make generally available a description or illustration of (an archæological find, a work of art, etc.).
| 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 186 The old Artificers..would not have their workes smoothered up in some private corners, so were they very careful in publishing them. 1771 Luckombe Hist. Print. 5 Two Jewish Rabbins..were the first who published the Hebrew character in separate types. 1803 Med. Jrnl. IX. 287 Mr. W. assures us that he will publish his medicine as soon as its efficacy is established. 1824 in N. & Q. 7th Ser. VI. 207/1 [A small bust of the Duke of York... On the back are engraved the words] ‘Published by T. Hamlet, Aug. 16, 1824’. 1842 Grove Corr. Phys. Forces (1874) 63 The celebrated Leonard Euler had published a somewhat similar theory. 1931 Oxf. Mag. 18 June 888/2 H. R. Hall publishes an Egyptian axe in the British Museum. 1968 Listener 31 Oct. 580/2 (caption) Are you from the BBC? If so it is your duty to ‘publish’ an open-ended political statement I intend to deliver. 1973 Oxf. Univ. Gaz. CIII. Suppl. v. 8 We are grateful to Professor Ashmole, who will publish the head, for kindly consenting to its illustration in this report. 1975 Times Lit. Suppl. 10 Oct. 1196/3 The great bronze doors of medieval Europe..are on the whole well known and fully published... Walter Cahn has now published, in The Romanesque Wooden Doors of Auvergne, a series of five sets of wooden doors, still extant though considerably damaged. 1976 Nature 1 Apr. 415/2 Unfortunately, we cannot know the VP/Vs ratios in the decreasing stage, because of the scarcity of the data published by the Japan Meteorological Agency before 1950. 1978 SLR Camera Sept. 53/3, I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with the films I shot on the way round but if I wanted to get any published I knew I had to get them back home while the race was still in progress. 1978 Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Dec. 1392/3 There are papyri in Greek and Latin (the Egyptian papyri are somewhere else entirely), ostraca (about 4,000 inscribed potsherds, of which only 300 have been published). |
c. intr. in passive sense. To come into public circulation; to be published.
| 1928 Public Opinion 6 Apr. 325/1 The newspapers do not publish on Good Friday. 1972 Evening Telegram (St. John's, Newfoundland) 24 June 1/1 The Evening Telegram will publish Monday, June 26 which is being observed as Discovery Day in Newfoundland. |
† 5. a. trans. To people, populate (a country, etc.). b. refl. To propagate itself; to multiply, breed. Obs. (Cf. peoplish v.)
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 6485 (Petyt MS.) Forto puplise þe lond & tile. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. xi. 77 (Camb. MS.) How gret is the diligence of nature, ffor alle thinges renouelen and pupllisen hem with seed I-multiplyed. c 1450 Lovelich Grail xxxviii. 301 Forto pubplysche that Contre [Fr. pour peupler la terre]. 1577 Hellowes Gueuara's Chron. 193 This temple [of Peace] in authoritie was most auncient,..with priests most published, and in deuotion most esteemed. |
II. † 6. trans. To make public property, to confiscate (rendering L. pūblicāre). Obs.
| 1533 Bellenden Livy iii. x. (S.T.S.) I. 287 Than was ane law made þat mont aventyne sall be publist and dividit amang þe pepill. Ibid. iii. xix. II. 27 Baith þe gudis of appius claudius and Spu. Oppius war confiscate and publist be þe tribunis. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 457 His goodes also ought by the ciuile Magistrate to be published. |