▪ I. applaud, v.
(əˈplɔːd)
[ad. L. applaud-ĕre, f. ap-, = ad- to + plaud-ĕre to clap, esp. the hands. Cf. Fr. applaudir, earlier aplaudir (14th c. in Litt.), app. not the immed. source of the Eng., though the early Sc. instance, in sense 2 b, may be an adoption from Fr., in which aplaudir à was an early const.]
1. intr. (and phr. applaud it, obs.) To clap the hands in expression of approbation; hence, to express approval in any loud or lively manner.
| 1598 Florio, Applaudere..to applaude or clap hands for ioy. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iv. v. 107 Caps, hands, and tongues, applaud it to the clouds. 1605 [see 3]. 1774 Goldsm. Retal. 114 If dunces applauded, he paid them in kind. 1859 Tennyson Enid 1806 There he kept the justice of the King So vigorously yet mildly, that all hearts Applauded. 1883 H. Irving in Daily News 31 Oct. 5/6, I was surprised to hear the audience applaud loudly. |
† 2. To applaud to: a. To give approbation to.
| 1595 Spenser Epithal. 144 The people standing all about..doe thereto applaud. 1685 tr. Gracian's Court. Manual 101 Men applaud to themselves in those [qualities] they have, how vulgar and ordinary soever they be. |
† b. To express agreement with, assent to a thing as worthy of praise. (The earliest sense found.) Obs.
| 1536 Bellendene Cron. Scotl. I. 11 Of thir Pichtis writis mony auld and recent authoris, to whom applaudis Cornelius Tacitus. 1635 D. Person Varieties i. x. 40 Unto that..Horace applaudeth, while he saith fortes creantur fortibus. |
3. trans. To express approval of, in any audible manner.
| 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. iii. 302 Till fields, and blowes, and groues applaud our sport. 1605 ― Macb. v. iii. 54, I would applaud thee to the very Eccho, That should applaud again. 1769 Robertson Chas. V, III. viii. 121 With one voice all applauded, or feigned to applaud the undertaking. 1883 Daily Tel. 15 May 2/7 (Cricket) Peate was applauded on joining Wild. |
4. To express approval of in any way; to approve of, praise.
| 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. i. iii. 48 O that our Fathers would applaud our loues. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxv. 135 Those that have applauded the contrary opinion. 1769 Burke Pres. State Nat. Wks. II. 15 Having highly applauded their conduct. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. 226, I applaud him for standing forward in defence of his friend. |
b. refl.
| 1631 Preston Breastpl. Love 186 Men are ready to applaud themselves in their knowledge. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 256 ¶2 They..applaud themselves for the Singularity of their Judgment. 1805 Foster Ess. iv. vi. 207 The heart applauds itself for feeling an irresistible captivation. |
▪ II. † aˈpplaud, n. Obs.
[f. prec. vb.]
Applauding; applause, plaudit.
| 1598 Florio, Applauso, applaude, applause. 1607 Rowlands Famous Hist. 3 To which all men yield a general applaud. 1636 T. Sanford in Ann. Dubrensia (1877) 50 Why strive I to amplifie your pride With these Applauds? |