evangelize, v.
(ɪˈvændʒəlaɪz)
[ad. Eccl. L. ēvangeliz-āre, ad. Gr. εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, f. εὐάγγελος: see evangel2.]
† 1. intr. a. To bring or tell good tidings. b. To preach, proclaim the Gospel. Const. to. Obs.
| a. 1382 Wyclif Isa. xl. 9 Thou that euangelisist to Sion. 1609 Bible (Douay) ibid., Thou that evangelizest to Sion. |
| b. 1382–8 Wyclif Ps. Prol., [These things] Dauid..so euydentli openede, that more be he seen to euangelisen than to profecien. 1582 N.T. (Rhem.) 2 Cor. x. 16 For we are come as farre as to you in the Gospel of Christ..to evangelize. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. ii. 116 S. Peter..Euangelized abundantly with his tongue. 1666 J. Smith Old Age 256 Conversant in the Word of God; and able to evangelize. a 1808 Porteus Serm. II. xii. (R.), Thus did our heavenly instructor most exactly fulfil the predictions of the prophets..that he would evangelize to the poor. |
† 2. trans. To proclaim as glad tidings; to preach. Const.
to,
unto.
Obs.| 1382 Wyclif Luke i. 19, I am sent to thee for to speke, and to euangelise or telle [v.r. or shewe] to thee thes thingis. ― Acts v. 42 Thei ceessiden not in the temple, and aboute housis, techinge and euangelisynge Ihesu Crist. 1579 J. Knewstub Confut. Heresies 73 a, The mysterie of the heauenly trueth..becommeth nowe..euangelized and declared vnto you all. 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 457 From that time the kingdome of God was evangelized. 1649 Roberts Clavis Bibl. 278 O all the earth sing praise alway..Evangelize from day to day His glorious salvation. 1698 Christ Exalted 3, I evangelize to you great Joy, which shall be to all People. |
3. To preach the Gospel to; to win over to the Gospel or the Christian faith; rarely, in etymological sense: To announce glad tidings to.
| a 1652 J. Smith Sel. Disc. vii. 349 There were amongst the Jews some that were evangelized. 1667 Milton P.L. xii. 499 His [Messiah's] Apostles, whom he sends To evangelize the Nations. 1813 Examiner 3 May 283/1 Why go to India to ‘evangelize’ the natives? 1839 J. Yeowell Anc. Brit. Ch. xiv. (1847) 165 Aidan, by whose self-denying labours Northumbria soon became evangelized. 1845 J. H. Newman Ess. Developm. 385 Mary the Virgin, receiving faith and joy, when Gabriel the Angel evangelized her. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. v. 289 A zealous Christian, who evangelized his kingdom at the point of the sword. 1874 Daily News 14 Feb., Eight Incumbents..have asked..for..lay churchmen to evangelise their parishes on Sunday evenings. |
b. absol. or intr. To act as an evangelist.
| 1882 Century Mag. XXV. 77 Trading, manœuvering, lying, or evangelizing, as occasion required. |
4. To imbue with the spirit of the Gospel; to interpret in an evangelical sense.
| 1677 Gale Crt. Gentiles II. iv. 94 The Divine Law..evangelised and sweetned by evangelic grace. 1857 Baden Powell Chr. without Judaism 145 The spirit of allegorising and evangelising all parts of it [the Old Testament]. |
Hence
eˈvangelized ppl. a. eˈvangelizer, one who evangelizes (in various senses of the
vb.).
eˈvangelizing vbl. n. and ppl. a. (in
quot. 1382
absol. One who brings good tidings).
| 1816 Faber Orig. Pagan Idol. II. 212 He had become contemptible in the eyes of the evangelized Britons. 1819 ― Dispensations (1823) II. 150 When Christianity itself shall be added to evangelized Judaism. 1382 Wyclif Ps. lxvii[i]. 11 The Lord shal ȝiuen a word, to the euangeliseris. 1883 Jessopp Coming of Friars i. (1889) 49 The Friars were the Evangelizers of the towns of England for 300 years. 1862 Goulburn Pers. Relig. i. (1873) 8 The evangelizing of the heathen. 1382 Wyclif Nahum i. 15 Loo! on hillis the feet of euangelizinge and tellynge pees. 1631 R. H. Arraignm. Whole Creature xii. §5. 140 The Evangelizing Apostles, that in their Epistles writ as they preacht. |