▪ I. sermon, n.
(ˈsɜːmən)
Forms: α. 3–4 sermun, 3–5 sarmun, 3–6 sarmon, sermoun, 4–5 sarmoun(e, sermown(e, 4–6 sermone, 4– sermon. β. 5–6 sermond(e, 6 serment, sarmond, 7 searmond, 8 vulgar sarmant.
[a. AF. sermun = OF. sermon (= Pr. sermo(n, It. sermone, Sp. sermon, Pg. sermão), ad. L. sermōnem, sermo talk, discourse, speech.]
† 1. Something that is said; talk, discourse. Obs.
to make sermon: to speak. to make (a) long sermon: to speak at great length.
| c 1275 Serving Christ 53 in O.E. Misc. 92 Þureh his sely sermun sorewe him wes by-þouht. a 1300 Cursor M. 13245 To þe Iues..In his louing he made sermon. Ibid. 13494 Quat sal i sai yow lang sermun? c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 9240 Arme vs swyþe, & go we doun, Wyþoute any more sarmoun! 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 1185 If hit be ueray & soth sermoun. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 40 Withoute more sermone, Thei drouhe handes, as weddynge askethe of rihte. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) II. 177 Thair wes na sermone amang thaim how thair army suld be arrayit. 1592 Greene Disput. 16 When any of you come to your confession at Tyborne, what is your last sermon that you make. 1594 2nd Rep. Faustus in Thoms Prose Rom. (1858) III. 404 Desiring Don Infeligo with very mild sermon to be friends with Medesimo again. |
† b. In particularized use: A speech, discourse;
pl. in collective sense, words, talk.
Obs.| α a 1300 Cursor M. 22219 Sant Paule þus sais in his sarmuns To þe folk of þe tessaluns. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 2025 What shuld I langer sermone off it make? c 1386 ― Man of Law's Prol. 87 He..Nolde neuere write in none of his sermons Of swyche vnkynde abomynacions. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys, Agnes 189 The prefect..made hir a sermoun ful of flatery. c 1500 Kennedy Passion of Christ 1509 Quhilk ar þe sarmonis quhilk ȝe at oþer speir? 1535 Coverdale Jer. i. 1 These are the Sermons of Ieremy the sonne of Helchia the prest. |
| β c 1400 Destr. Troy 11491 He said in his sermond, þat sothely the grekes Were of pepull & pouer plaintius mony. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxi. 246 It is not nedefull that I sholde make a longe sermonde. 1533 Bellenden Livy v. xi. (S.T.S.) II. 186 He ceissit nocht with sic playis, sermondis & exerciciouns..to draw þame. |
† c. pl. The satires (
sermones) of Horace.
| 1540 Palsgr. Acolastus ii. i. I j, As Horace witnesseth in his .ii. boke of sermons, the .iii. Satyre. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iii. i, Good Horace..I am for your odes or your sermons, or any thing indeed. 1671 H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 438 Again Horace in his Odes... Likewise in his Sermons. |
2. A discourse, usually delivered from a pulpit and based upon a text of Scripture, for the purpose of giving religious instruction or exhortation. Phr.
to preach,
† do,
† make,
† say a sermon.
| α a 1200 Vices & Virtues 35 He wisseð ðes mannes iðang..oðer ðurh haliȝe writes oðer ðurh hali sermuns. a 1225 Ancr. R. 312 Weope we, cweð þe holi mon in ‘Uitas Patrum’, þo me hefde longe iȝeied on him efter sarmun. 1340 Ayenb. 20 Ine þet þou ne hest..y-hyerd his seruise ne y-zed his benes ne yhyerd sermons. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 81, I have to day been at youre chirche at messe, And seyd a sermoun after my symple wit. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 1 Here begynnes a Sermon..þe whilke teches how scrifte es to be made. 1474 Caxton Chesse 65 He herde in a sermone that deth spareth none. c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. Introd. (Arb.) 35/1 He comyth bod[i]ly euery yere in his chirche & doth a sermon. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxi. 38 Sermons are not the onely preaching which doth saue soules. 1692 T. Watson Body Divinity 342 Which is worse, to stay from a Sermon, or sleep at a Sermon? 1712 Addison Spect. No. 269 ¶5 The Sunday before he had made a most incomparable sermon out of Dr. Barrow. 1828 Whately in Encycl. Metrop. (1845) I. 263/1 Sermons not unfrequently prove popular, which consist avowedly and almost exclusively of Exhortation. 1869 Arnold Cult. & Anarchy 29 A life of jealousy of the Establishment, disputes, tea meetings, openings of chapels, sermons. |
| β c 1500 God spede the Plough 62 Preching dayly Sermondys inough With good Examples full graciously. 1564 in Three 15th Cent. Chron. (Camden) 130 Y⊇ Byshope of London went to the pulpyt and prechyd a sermond. 1599 in W. Kelly Notices illustr. Drama (1865) 230 [He] further said the preacher was a Liar, for that, in his sermond, he said [etc.]. |
b. as an institution connected with a particular church or pulpit or particular season.
| 1479 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 426 The Maire and Shiref of Bristowe shall..kepe theire Aduent sermondes. 1550 Wriothsley Chron. (1877) II. 40 Allso this yeare the sermons at Whitsontyde was kept at Pawles Crosse. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 57 Thys yere on sent Martyns day begane the sarmond at the crosse agayne. 1646 Prynne Canterb. Doome 378 Concerning the Sermon weekly on Wednesday in Saint James Chappell in Brackley. 1765 Foote Commiss. i. i, Never misses the sarmant on Sundays. |
c. as a written or published work.
| 1422 Yonge Secreta Secret. xxxii. 183, I fynde In a Sermonde writte, that an extorcionere is wors than the deuyll. 1547 (title) Certain Sermons, or Homilies, appoynted by the Kynges Maiestie, to be declared and redde, by all Persones. 1657 Crooke's Div. Char. To Rdr. A 2 b, Certain select Sermons..licensed by the Vice-chancellor of Oxford, to be printed there. a 1721 Prior Turtle & Sparrow 193 And Sermons are less read than Tales. 1862 J. F. Stephen Def. Rowland Williams 150 In Bishop Horsley's Sermons. |
d. without article.
at sermon,
after sermon = at, after church.
| a 1470 Gregory Chron. in Hist. Coll. Cit. London (Camden) 239 Whyle men were at sarmonys the Sonday aftyr noon. 1582–8 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 106 Imediatlie he past to the kirk, and..maid sermon as thogh he had done na sic thing. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxii. 49 Those places which euery day for the most part are at sermons as the flowing Sea. 1666 Evelyn Diary 4 July, After sermon I waited on my Lord Abp. of Canterbury. 1773 A. Grant Lett. Mountains (1809) I. vii. 53 Kilmore, where we heard sermon, is four miles off. 1815 Scott Guy M. xi, The young Laird of Hazlewood rides hame half the road wi' her after sermon. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. I. iv. iv, To march in procession to Notre-Dame, and hear sermon. |
e. Applied to the discourses of our Lord and the Apostles.
Sermon on the Mount, the discourse recorded in
Matt. v-vii and introduced by the words ‘he went up into a mountain..and taught them, saying’.
| c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 31 He hedde i-yne þo newe laghe in one montayne and hedde i-maked þet formeste sarmun þet euerte made in erþe. 1340 Ayenb. 138 Oure lord ate biginnynge of his uayre sermon zayþ þet yblyssed byeþ þe poure. c 1520 Nisbet N.T. in Scots I. 13 The serment of Petir befor the congregratioun at Jerusalem. 1533 Gau Richt Vay 82 Quhen he prechit the sueit sermond to thaym apone the montane. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Matt. v. margin, The sermon of Christ vpon the Mount. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxii. 45 Hearers of the Apostles Sermons. 1645 Hammond Of Conscience 26 Christs improvements of the Law in the Sermon on the Mount. 1875 Manning Mission Holy Ghost xii. 339 The Sermon on the Mount is the law of perfection given to the Christian people of the world. 1897 Ch. Times 20 Aug. 186/4 In spite of the Sermon on the Mount, men expect a deanery or a comfortable competency to be the sequel to a life of work for God. |
3. transf. and
fig. a. A discourse (spoken or written) on a serious subject, containing instruction or exhortation. Also
contemptuously, a long or tedious discourse or harangue.
| 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. i. 186 Making a sermon of continencie to her. 1786 Burns Ep. Yng. Friend i, Perhaps it may turn out a Sang; Perhaps, turn out a Sermon. 1816 [see lay a. (and n.9) 2]. 1841 Thackeray Gt. Hoggarty Diam. xii, And now let's go to business, gentlemen, and excuse this sermon. 1870 Dickens E. Drood vii, I will not repay your confidence with a sermon. 1872 Calverley Fly Leaves (1903) 62 They do not make their woes the text Of sermons in the Times. |
b. Something that affords instruction or example.
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. i. 17 Bookes in the running brookes, Sermons in stones. 1700 Dryden Char. Gd. Parson 78 His preaching much, but more his practice wrought; (A living sermon of the truths he taught). |
4. attrib. and
Comb., as
sermon book,
sermon-head,
sermon note,
sermon-pamphlet,
sermon-style,
sermon-time,
† sermon while; objective, as
sermon-actor,
sermon-borrower,
sermon-hunter,
sermon-hunting,
sermon-maker,
sermon-monger,
sermon-slighter,
sermon-taster,
sermon-writer; adverbial, as
sermon-goer,
sermon-proof adj.,
sermon-shaken † sermon-trodden pa. pples.,
sermon-wise adv.;
sermon-bell, a bell rung to give notice of a sermon;
sermon case, a cover for the protection of a sermon in manuscript;
sermon class, a class for instruction in preaching sermons;
sermon paper, writing paper of foolscap 4to size;
† sermon-prayer, a prayer said by the preacher before his sermon;
† sermon-sick, temporarily ‘upset’ by the hearing of a sermon; so
sermon-sickness;
sermon-week Sc., the week passed in preparation for receiving the Sacrament.
| 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. 46 The finicall goosery of your neat *Sermon-actor. |
| 1646 Trapp Comm. John i. 41 Do the office of the *sermon-bell at least, we know not what God may there do for them. 1687 Churchw. Acc. Pittington, etc. (Surtees) 255 They shall..ring the great bell for the Searmond bell. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 569 Of them not one Shall court our view on the sepulchral stone;..Or keep the sexton from the sermon-bell. |
| 1772 Nugent Hist. Fr. Gerund II. 9 He might meet in any *sermon-book, with abundant field to forage in. |
| 1653 Walton Angler iv. 106 Which the *Sermon Borrower complained of to the Lender of it. |
| 1853 Hodson's Booksellers' Directory Advt., *Sermon Cases, Black Roan, 2s. |
| 1847 Carus Life C. Simeon iv. 62 He would..encourage the least hopeful of his *sermon-class by telling them, that with his example before them none need despair. |
| 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus iii. 578 Hypocrites, dissemblers, holy brethren, *sermon-goers, Puritans. |
| 1647 Trapp Comm. Mark i. 15 These were foure of our Saviours *Sermon-heads. |
| 1886 H. F. Lester Under two Fig Trees 186 The fashionable *Sermon-hunters. |
| 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 208 Psalm-singing, *sermon-hunting, ejaculating. |
| 1552 Huloet, *Sermon maker, concionator. 1850 Thomson Owen's Wks. I. Life p. cvi, No one..will refuse to him the praise of a great sermon-maker. |
| 1673 Hickeringill Greg., Fr. Greybeard 231 These modern orthodox-juglers and *sermon-mongers. 1705 ― Priest-cr. ii. ii. 22, I have found more Honesty [amongst the naked Indians in America]..in one Day, than amongst those Sermon-mongers in a Year. |
| 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 269 He..had..taken *Sermon notes by his most dextrous and incomparable faculty in short-writing. |
| 1716 M. Davies Athen. Brit. II. 69 Latin *Sermon-Pamphlets. |
| 1855 Hodson's Booksellers' Directory Advt., Ralph's *Sermon Paper. |
| 1637 C. Dow Answ. to Burton 161 If *Sermon-prayers shall bee used as libels. |
| 1624 Donne Serm. xlvi. (1640) 466 It is a fearfull obduration to be *Sermon-proofe. 1769 Wesley Wks. (1872) III. 367, I am afraid many of them are sermon-proof. |
| a 1656 Vines Lord's Supper (1657) 364 Sometimes a man is *Sermon-shaken, and his heart begins to tremble. |
| 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 216 Many may be said to be *sermon-sicke, as there are some said to be sea-sick. |
| a 1665 J. Goodwin Filled with Spirit (1670) 38 That which some call a *Sermon-sickness, when the Conscience of a man is only troubled..with the dreadful concernment of the things he hears. |
| 1646 J. Saltmarsh Groans for Liberty 29 That the Parliament are *Sermon sleighters. |
| a 1704 T. Brown Wks. (1711) IV. 191 Let 'em by N―'s *Sermon-Stile refine Their English Prose. |
| 1709 Female Tatler No. 7/3 A Sett o' Gentlemen..that are call'd *Sermon-Tasters, they peep in at twenty different Churches in a Service. |
| 1534 Chron. in Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.) 163, & þer stod on a skaffold, all þe *sermond tyme, þe holy maid of Kent. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones viii. xii, A set of wicked wretches, who were at play during Sermon-time. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair ix, He always took his nap during sermon-time. |
| 1647 Trapp Comm. Matt. xiii. 19 People are now so *Sermon-trodden..that their hearts..grow hard by the Word. |
| 1794 Scott Let. in Lockhart (1837) I. 223 This being *sermon week..we are looking very religious and very sour at home. |
| 1583 T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. iv. 546 On which date in the *Sermon while. |
| 1646 Prynne Canterb. Doome 378 That it was a Catechizing *Sermon-wise, and as bad as preaching. 1796 C. Smith Marchmont IV. 423 The first head of his argument, which he divided sermon-wise. |
| 1788 V. Knox Winter Even. (1790) I. xxxviii. 329 The quaintness of the old *sermon writers. |
▪ II. sermon, v. rare in
mod. use.
(
ˈsɜːmən)
Also 3
sarmoni,
sermonye, 4–5
sar-,
sermone,
-oun,
-un, 5
sermowne.
[a. AF. sarmuner = OF. sermouner (mod.F. sermonner), f. sermon (see prec.). In mod. use a new formation on sermon n.] 1. trans. To preach to (a person).
lit. and
fig.| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 81 Þis monne me mei sermonen mid godes worde. Ibid., Þes ilke Mon is strong to sermonen. 1607 Shakes. Timon ii. ii. 181 Come sermon me no further. |
| 1863 R. F. Burton W. Africa II. 185 He once..gathered energy to sermon me upon the subject of over-curiosity. |
2. intr. † a. To preach (
of a thing).
| c 1275 Sinners Beware 161 in O.E. Misc. 77 Þeos prude leuedies..Nulleþ here sermonye Of none gode þinge. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 466/158 Crist hire hauede a-boute i-sent to sarmoni and to preche. a 1300 Cursor M. 19320 ‘Þe men þat yee did in prisun’, He said, ‘in temple þai sermon’. [a 1300–1657: see sermoning vbl. n.] |
b. To preach (
at a person).
| 1819 Keats King Stephen i. iv. 16, I would be..Spoken to in clear, plain, and open terms, Not side-ways sermon'd at. |
† 3. intr. To speak (
of a thing).
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 18666 Wit þam he lenged fourti dais, And sermond..Of heuen blis. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6955 Seynt Ihon to Troyle bygan to sermun with ensamples of gode resun. c 1386 Chaucer Pard. T. 551 What nedeth it to sermone of it more? c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. xciii. (1869) 109 Whan þe olde hadde þus spoken, and sermowned of hire craft. c 1440 York Myst. xxx. 302 And Þerfore sermones you no more. 1586 J. Hooker Descr. Irel. 28 in Holinshed, You sermon to vs of a dungeon appointed for offendors and miscredents. 1606 S. Gardiner Bk. Angling 25 And when Saul came himselfe, hee sermoned in such sort. |
† 4. trans. To speak, utter, declare.
Obs.| 1382 Wyclif Wisdom viii. 12 And me sermounende manye thingis [orig. me sermocinante]. 1590 Spenser F.Q., Let. to Raleigh, Good discipline deliuered plainly in way of precepts, or sermoned at large. |