re-edify, v.
(riːˈɛdɪfaɪ)
Forms: see edify. Also β. 5–6 redifye, 6 redyfy, 6–7 redefy.
[ad. OF. reedifier (and redifier) = Sp., Pg. reedificar, It. riedificare:—late L. reædificāre to rebuild, f. re- re- + ædificāre to edify.]
1. trans. To rebuild (a house, or other building, a wall, city, street, etc.).
| 1420–22 Lydg. Thebes ii. (Laud MS.) lf. 26 Þis olde Neemie Gat hym licence to reedifie The walles newe of Ierusalem. 1485 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 313/2 Your Besecher..myght not be suffred to reedifie and make ageyn the said two Forges. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 641 This noble duchesse..Reedified Chestre and fortified it full ryght. 1594 West 2nd Pt. Symbol., Chancerie §85 They yet doe deny and refuse..to repaire and reedify the said tenements and premisses. 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 267 The Langleys..did either found or reedifie this Church. 1688 Evelyn Diary 23 Aug., Northampton, having ben lately burnt and re-edified. 1722 De Foe Plague (1756) 109 To beautify the City, and re-edify the Buildings. 1775 Chandler Trav. Asia M. (1825) I. 241 Hadrian is said to have reedified and named it Hadrianopolis. 1818 Mills Hist. Crusades (1822) I. i. 4 The impious and vain attempt of the Emperor Julian to re-edify the walls of the holy city. 1894 Baring-Gould Deserts S. France II. 103 Men began everywhere to erect churches, and re-edify those that were ruinous. |
| absol. 1608 Topsell Serpents (1658) 706 If it happen at any time that a house be burned,..when the people come to re-edifie, they can very hardly displant their number. |
| β 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) III. 173 This Cambises wolde not suffre the temple to be redifiede in his tyme. c 1475 Partenay 3700 Which church he shall welle redyfy. 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. vi. L v, For y⊇ walls of Jerusalem & temple to be redified. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 755 Edmond Shaw..of his awne costs redefied Cripplegate. |
† b. To rebuild (a ship).
Obs. rare—1.
| 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 315 All these ships Queen Elizabeth hath either wholy built upon the stockes, or newly reedified upon the olde moaldes. |
2. fig. To rebuild, restore, re-establish.
| 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. 43 This publike weale, which beyng subuerted,..I haue reedified. 1592 Daniel Compl. Rosamond Wks. (1717) 62 Thy favourable Lines Re-edified the Wreck of my Decays. 1603 Drayton Bar. Wars i. xxiii, Re-edify'd king Arthur's ancient Boord. a 1652 Brome New Acad. iv. ii. Wks. 1873 II. 79 The least syllable of your fair testimony, is able to re-edifie the ruines of a decayed commendation. 1822 Hazlitt Table-t. Ser. ii. xiv. (1869) 289 My public and private hopes have been left a ruin,..I would wish them to be re-edified. |
3. transf. To build up again physically.
| 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. III. 479 As the gastralgia subsides the patient must be re-edified in the usual way. |
Hence
re-ˈedified ppl. a.| 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa iii. 197 The inhabitants of this reedified towne are Moores. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, O.T. 562 There shall be holy service performed to my name, in the re-edified Temple. |