▪ I. † recomfort, n. Obs.
Also 5 recoum-.
[ad. F. reconfort (13th c.): see re- and comfort n.]
Comfort, support, consolation.
| c 1420 Lydg. Hist. Thebes ii. 580 He shall be relessed of his peine, Through recomfort of some high mariage. 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. ii. (1860) F j, And wyth this ought the maronners..to be of good recomforte. c 1555 Abp. Parker Ps. xlii. 121 When this..came soone to hart, I yet therein recomfort felt. 1588 N. Yonge Mus. Transalp. xxxi. D iv, He..so great a fire had framed, As were enough to burne mee, Without recomfort. 1605 Camden Rem. (1637) 403, I will..for his [the reader's] recomfort end this part with a few..laughing Epitaphes. |
▪ II. recomfort, v. Obs. exc. arch.
(riːˈkʌmfət)
Forms: see comfort v.
[ad. F. reconforter (11th c.): see re- and comfort v.]
1. trans. † a. To strengthen or inspire with fresh courage; to put heart or spirit in again. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce ix. 97 He..To perellis him abawndonys ay For to reconfort his menȝe. 1442 T. Beckington Corr. (Rolls) II. 188 By our commyng and arriveng al your cite was gretly recomforted. c 1477 Caxton Jason 17 Whan the noble Jason felte hym self so aduironned on alle sydes by hys enemyes he was more reconforted than tofore. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xlv. 152 There myght well haue ben sene good ordre of batayle, and people well recomforted. 1533 More Apol. 3 b, Agaynste all thys feare this one thynge recomforted me, that [etc.]. 1600 Fairfax Tasso vi. i, But better hopes had them recomforted That lay besieged in the sacred towne. Ibid. ix. xciv, At last they went and to recomfort thought, And stay their troopes from flight. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 918 As one from sad dismay Re⁓comforted. |
b. To soothe, console, or relieve in distress or trouble. Const. from, † of. Now rare (common c 1375–1650).
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1623 (1672) Hym with al hire wit to reconfort, As sche best coude, sche gan him disport. c 1402 Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. ii, Hertys hevy for to re⁓comforte From dreriheed of hevy nightes sorowe. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxxiv, Syr Gareth recomforted his moder in suche wyse that she recouerd and made good chere. c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 297 In especyall Florence was ryght sorowful, for there was none y{supt} could recomfort her. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxv. §3 Others,..bringing their Ancestors vnto the graue with weeping eyes, haue notwithstanding meanes wherewith to be recomforted. 1626 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. i. 7 The King of Gods re-comforts their despaire. 1647 H. More Song of Soul ii. i. iii. iii, I grew sick of the worlds vanity Ne ought recomfort could my sunken spright. 1822 De Quincey Confess. (1853) 67 Recomforted by this promise.., I returned in a Windsor coach to London. 1890 S. Evans Graal I. 150 This doth recomfort me, that the Best Knight gat blame in like manner as I. |
† c. refl. and absol. To take courage or heart again; to recover one's spirits. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1994 Ful wisely to enhorte The peple that they sholde hem reconforte. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 64 The Romayns..recomforting hem foughten so vigorouslie ayenst theire adversaries that they hadde the victorie. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. 499 Therwith they reconforted & toke corage. 1625 K. Long tr. Barclay's Argenis v. x. 362 At these words Hyanisbe recomforted herselfe, insomuch as shee could hardly conceale her joy. 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iv. vi–vii. 204 He recomforted himselfe, calling to mind that the artifice was all his friends, unto which he had scarce concurr'd. |
2. (Usu. of things): To strengthen or invigorate physically; to refresh. Also absol. Now rare.
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 15 The pome-cedre corageos to recomfort. c 1470 Henry Wallace ii. 275 The womannys mylk recomford him full swyth. 1481 Caxton Myrr. ii. vii. 79 The Emerawde..reconforteth alle the sight of hym that beholdeth it. 1575 Turberv. Venerie 21 That oyntment..recomfortes the skynne and the synewes of dogges. 1596 P. Barrough Meth. Physick iii. xxx. (1639) 152 You must be much diligent..to give him a diet that recomforteth and refresheth strength. 1626 Bacon Sylva §403 It is usuall to help the Ground with Muck; And like⁓wise to Recomfort it sometimes with Muck put to the Roots. 1814 Cary Dante, Inf. i. 27 My weary frame After short pause recomforted, again I journey'd. |
† b. refl. of persons (and animals): To refresh or recreate (oneself). Obs.
| 1511 Sir R. Guylforde Pilgr. (Camden) 61 We rested vs and refresshed vs..and so recomforted our self after the greate scarsnesse that we hadde susteyned. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 1061 This harte sore strayned ranne..To a well, with water..Hym to reconforte and the more fressher be. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 758 With Loves, and Ladies gentle sports, The ioy of youth, himselfe he recomforts. |
Hence † reˈcomfortable a., comfortable, consoling; † recomforˈtation, consolation; † reˈcomforted ppl. a. (also absol.). Obs.
| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 392 A certayn never interrupted course of recomfortable refreshyng in Christ. 1585 Hatton in Ld. Campbell Chancellors (1857) II. xlv. 273, I most humbly thank your sacred Majesty for your two late recomfortations. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia iii. Wks. 1724 II. 623 The now fully recomforted Dorus. 1607 Shakes. Cor. v. iv. 51 Ne're through an Arch so hurried the blowne Tide, As the recomforted through th'gates. |