▪ I. collation, n.
(kəˈleɪʃən)
Also 2–3 collatiun, 4 colasioun, 4–5 col(l)acioun, collacion, -yon, 5 colacion, 5–7 -tion, 6 collasion, -yon.
[a. OF. collation, -cion action of conferring, etc., ad. L. collātiōn-em, n. of action f. collāt- ppl. stem of confer-re to bring together: see confer, and -ation. This word has had many developments of meaning in med. Latin, French, and English; with us, it appears first as an ecclesiastical term, in sense 6.
(In mod.F. collation is used in senses 3, 4; 8, 9; 10, 11. According to Littré in senses 8, 9, it is pronounced with one l only, whereas in the other senses both l's are heard; consequently he treats collation the repast as a distinct word (so far as modern use is concerned) from the other senses. In English, 8 and 9 are closely articulated to other senses.)]
I. Bringing together, comparison.
† 1. A bringing together or collection, esp. of money; a contribution. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Rom. xv. 26 To make sum collacioun [Vulg. collationem], or gedrynge of moneye. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Symbolum, a shotte: a collation. 1600 Holland Livy v. xxv. 196 The collation and gathering of a small donative. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 17th c. I. v. 67 They publish'd also in Sermons the Collations, that is, the Alms which they commonly collected every Sunday for the Poor. |
b. Roman and Scotch Law. The throwing together of the possessions of several persons, in order to an equal division of the whole stock; hotch-pot; L. collatio bonorum.
| 1828 Webster, Collation 5 In Scots law, the right which an heir has of throwing the whole heritable and movable estates of the deceased into one mass, and sharing it equally with others who are of the same degree of kindred. 1886 J. Muirhead Encycl. Brit. XX. 714 The application of the principle of collation to descendants generally, so that they were bound to throw into the mass of the succession before its partition every advance they had received from their parent in anticipation of their shares. |
c. collation of seals (see quot.).
| 1708–15 Kersey Collation of Seals (in ancient Deeds), when one Seal was set on the Back of another, upon the same Ribbon, or Label. So 1721 in Bailey. 1848 in Wharton. |
2. The action of bringing together and comparing; comparison.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. iv. 125 Ellys he mot shewe þat þe colasioun of proposiciouns nis nat spedful to a necessarie conclusioun. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ii. xviii. (1495) 43 An angel..vnderstondyth and knowyth sodaynly wythout collacion of one thynge to a nother. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 98 That the truth may appeere, by collation of the divers reports. 1646 T. Philipot Poems 43 A Collation between Death and Sleep. 1669 Gale Crt. Gentiles i. i. xi. 65 The Hebrew and Egyptian Language had some things commun; from the collation whereof, some light may arise. 1790 Paley Horæ Paul. ii. §1 A close and attentive collation of the three writings. 1836–7 Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. xxxiv. (1859) II. 278 This..necessarily supposes a comparison, a collation, between existence and non-existence. 1848 Mill Pol. Econ. I. 430. |
3. esp. Textual comparison of different copies of a document; critical comparison of manuscripts or editions with a view to ascertain the correct text, or the perfect condition of a particular copy.
| 1532 W. Thynne Chaucer's Wks. Ded., The contrarietees and alteracions founde by collacion of the one [edition] with the other. 1568 in H. Campbell Love-lett. Mary Q. Scots App. 52 The originals..were duly conferred and compared..with sundry other lettres..in collation whereof no difference was found. 1717 Atterbury Let. to Pope 8 Nov., I return you your Milton, which, upon collation, I find to be revised and augmented in several places. 1768 Johnson Pref. to Shaks. Wks. IX. 292 By collation of copies, or sagacity of conjecture. 1868 Furnivall Temp. Pref. Canterb. T. (Chaucer Soc.) 5, The MS. was old and good enough to deserve collation for the next edition of Chaucer. |
b. The recorded result of such comparison; a set of corrections or various readings obtained by comparing different copies.
| 1699 Bentley Phal. Pref. Wks. 1836 I. 2 The collation, it seems, was sent defective to Oxon. 1758 Jortin Erasm. I. 392 Erasmus desires Aldrige to get him a Collation of Seneca..from a Manuscript of King's College. 1875 Scrivener Lect. Grk. Test. 54 Bentley's collation [of Codex A]..is yet in manuscript at Trinity College, Cambridge. |
c. Law. (See quot.)
| 1727–51 Chambers Cycl., Collation, in common law, is the comparison, or presentation of a copy to its original, to see whether or no it be conformable: or the report, or act of the officer who made the comparison. A collated act is equivalent to an original; provided all the parties concerned were present at the collation. |
4. Printing and Bookbinding. a. The action of collating the sheets or quires of a book or MS.
b. A description of a book or manuscript by its signatures or the number of its quires, and a statement of the sheets or leaves in each quire; also, a list of the various contents of a book and of the pages or parts of pages occupied by them.
| 1834 Lowndes Bibliogr. Manual Pref., He gives neither the collation nor prices of books. 1882 Blades Caxton 131 In Caxton's books the collation of the sheets preceded the folding. Ibid. 133 These indications..enable us to decide, even where printed signatures are wanting, the true collation of a book. Ibid. 173 The Game and Play of the Chess moralised..Collation.—Eight 4ns and one 5n = 74 leaves. |
II. Conference, discourse, refection, light repast.
† 5. A personal conferring together; consultation, conference, esp. of a private or informal sort.
| 1382 Wyclif 2 Macc. xii. 43 Collacioun [Vulg. collatione], or spekinge to gidre. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 269 Yit wol I..That in my chambre, I and thou and sche Have a collacioun. 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. v. G vj b, They ought not there to argue and dispute one agaynst another; but they ought to make good and symple colacion to geder. 1538 Songs Costume (Percy Soc.) 77 Quhen thay wald mak collatioun, With any lustie companyeoun. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. ii. §90 Baronius and Binnius will in no case allow this for a council, only they call it a collation. 1666 Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 176 Collation with our officers. |
† b. A discourse, sermon, or homily; a treatise, exposition. Obs.
| 1417 J. Forester in Rymer Fœdera (1710) IX. 434 Cardenal Comeracence..had purposit..to have y maad the ferste Collation to for the Kynge. 1494 Fabyan vii. 306 He made vnto them colacions or exortacions, & toke for his anteteme, Haurietis aquas. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. ci. [xcvii.] 295 The archebysshope of Canterbury sang the masse; and after masse y⊇ bissoppe made a collacyon. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 43 We shall fyrst declare by ordre thre thynges, and so procede in this poore collacyon or treatyse. 1555 Fardle Facions ii. xii. 273 The collacion..made in the pulpite on Sondaies and haly daies. 1631 Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 65 If any Priest came..into the village, the inhabitants thereof would gather about him, and desire to haue some good lesson or collation made vnto them. 1655 Fuller Hist. Camb. 101 Bilney..for the present gave them a Collation. |
6. The title of the celebrated work of John Cassian, a.d. 410–420 Collationes Patrum in Scetica Eremo Commorantium, i.e. Conferences of (and with) the Egyptian Hermits.
| [c 540 Regula S. Benedicti lxxiii, Nec non et Collationes Patrum et Instituta et Uita eorum, sed et Regula sancti patris nostri Basilii.] c 1200 Winteney Rule St. Benet ibid., Oððe þa collatiuns, þæt Iohannes Cassianus awrat, & þere haliȝere manna lif þe on Uitas Patrum is ȝeredd, & þe regol ures haliȝes fader Basilies. 1340 Ayenb. 155 Ase zayþ þe boc of collacions of holy uaderes. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence 18 As it is preued in vitas patrum, þat is to seye, in lyues & colaciouns of fadris. a 1500 Orol. Sap. in Anglia X. 357 Þe boke of lyfe of fadres & her collacyons. 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 516/2 Cassianus in the .xi. collacion the .xii. chapter. 1699 Burnet 39 Art. xvii. (T.), No book was more read in the following ages than Cassian's Collations. 1885 Catholic Dict. s.v. Fast 341 St. Benedict..requires his religious to assemble after supper and before compline and listen to ‘collations’—i.e. conferences (of Cassian), the lives of the fathers or other edifying books. |
† b. In OE., collationes, as above, was rendered þurhtoᵹenes raca, þa þurhtoᵹenessa, also simply race, recednesse, c 1200 þa raca, i.e. relations, narratives, discourses, and in ME. collation had the sense: Relation, account. Obs.
| [c 540 Regula S. Benedicti xlii, Mox ut surrexerint a cena, sedeant omnes in unum, et legat unus collationes, vel vitas patrum, aut certe aliquid quod edificet audientes..Accedant ad lectionem Collationum. a 1000 O.E. Rule St. Benet (Schröer) xlii, Ræde him mon þa raca oðþe lif þæra heahfædera. Ibid. (Logemann) And ræde an þurhtoᵹenes race oððe on ealdfædera lifa..Hi gan to rædinge race oððe recednesse. c 1200 Winteney Rule St. Benet, ibid., And ræde an þa raca oððe lif þære heahfadera.] |
| c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iii. xxxii. (1869) 153 It is wel..myn entencioun þat þou make me þer of collacioun. |
7. ‘The reading from the Collationes or lives of the Fathers, which St. Benedict (Regula xlii, see 6 b.) instituted in his monasteries before compline’ (Dict. Chr. Antiq.).
Whether the name actually originated in the Collationes Patrum read on these occasions does not appear certain. Already in Isidore, a 640, the name is simply collatio (Regula S. Isidori c. viii, ‘ad audiendum in Collatione Patrem..ad collectam conveniant..Sedentes autem omnes in Collatione tacebunt nisi,’ etc. Du Cange). By Smaragdus a 850, and Honorius of Autun (c 1300), the collatio is explained as being itself a conference of the monks upon the passage read, ‘aliis conferentibus interrogationes, conferunt alii congruas responsiones’. (See Du Cange.)
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 121 After þe nyȝt collacioun sche wook anon to þe day. Ibid. VII. 373 He wolde be at þe colacioun of monkes, and made þe general confessioun wiþ oþere. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 165 Before Complyn ye haue a collacion, where ys redde some spyrytuall matter of gostly edyfycacion. 1482 Monk of Evesham vi. (Arb.) 26 The mene while..hit range to the collacyon and the bretheren..went thense. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 65 Redynge in y⊇ refectory, or in the chapyter hous at collacyon. 1536 R. Beerley in Four C. Eng. Lett. 35 Monckes drynk an bowll after collacyon tell ten or xii. of the clock. |
8. Extended to the light repast or refection taken by the members of a monastery at close of day, after the reading or conference mentioned in 7. (Many quotations combine senses 7 and 8.) Hence, in modern R.C. usage, A light repast made in lieu of supper on fasting days.
| c 1305 Land Cokayne 145 [The monks] Wendith meklich hom to drinke And geth to har collacione. 1582 Munday Eng. Rom. Life in Harl. Misc. II. 179 The time of studye expired, the bell calleth them from theyr chambers, downe into the Refectorium: Where euery one taketh a glasse of wine, and a quarter of a manchet, and so he maketh his collatione. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 17th c. I. v. 84 This is that which is call'd Collation..after the Conference they took Water or Wine, and a mouthful of Bread to support their Necessities. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xi, The lady-abbess, gave a collation to the padre abbate and such of the priests as had assisted at Vesper-service. 1885 Catholic Dict. s.v. Fast 342 The quantity permissible at collation has been gradually enlarged. St. Charles..only allows a glass of wine with an ounce and a half of bread to be taken as a collation on the evening of fasting days. |
9. Hence, in gen. use, A light meal or repast: one consisting of light viands or delicacies (e.g. fruit, sweets, and wine), or that has needed little preparation (often ‘a cold collation’). ‘A repast; a treat less than a feast’ (J.).
Originally applied to a repast between ordinary meals, and still retaining much of that character.
| 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xci. [lxxxvii.] 272 Than wyne and spyces were brought in, and so made collasyon. 1533 Udall Flowers 75 (R.) Such bankettes are called collacions, a collatum, tu, that is of laiyng together every one his porcion. 1611 Cotgr., Collation..also, a collation, rere⁓supper, or repast after supper. 1630 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. 183 Very few which (besides their ordinary of dinner and supper) doe not Gouster, as they call it, and make collations, three or foure times the day. 1664 Pepys Diary (1879) III. 4 Come to the Hope about one and there..had a collacion of anchovies, gammon, etc. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. I. vii. 536 A collation of wine and sweetmeats was prepared. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. (1815) 111 Supping in different lodges on cold collations. 1775 Johnson Western Isl., Buller of Buchan, Ladies come hither sometimes in the summer with collations [i.e. to picnic]. 1882 Shorthouse J. Inglesant II. 205 A plentiful and delicate collation was spread..with abundance of fruit and wine. |
| fig. 1652 A. Ross Hist. World Pref. 13 Here they may have a short Collation after a long Feast. a 1661 Fuller Worthies iii. 96 May he be pleased to behold this my brief Description of Surrey, as a Running Collation to stay his Stomack, no set meal to satisfie his hunger. 1791 D'Israeli Cur. Lit., Lit. Journ., The public..now murmured at the want of that salt and acidity by which they had relished the fugitive collation. |
III. Conferring, preferment to office, etc.
† 10. Conferring or bestowal (esp. of a dignity, prize, benefit, honorary degree). Obs. exc. as in 11.
| 1579 Fenton Guicciard. ii. (1599) 90 Honoring in him by the collation of that dignitie, the vertue he shewed in the battell. 1642 Jer. Taylor Episc. (1647) 47 In the collation of holy Orders. 1647 Lilly Chr. Astrol. xxxvii. 217 Mutuall reception or translation, or collation of light and nature betwixt them. 1660 Bond Scut. Reg. 88 The donation or collation of the power is from the Community. a 1677 Barrow Serm. I. viii. 95 In the collation, 'tis not in the gold or the silver..in which the benefit consists, but the will and benevolent intention of him who bestows them. 1691 Ray Creation ii. (1704) 436 Neither are we to give Thanks alone for the first Collation of these Benefits. 1761 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 128/1 The collation of the prize has been deferred. 1775 Johnson Western Isl. Wks. X. 332 The indiscriminate collation of degrees has justly taken away that respect which they originally claimed. |
11. Eccl. a. The bestowal of a benefice or other preferment upon a clergyman. b. (more usually) The appointment of a clergyman to a benefice; now, techn. Institution by the ordinary to a living which is in his own gift.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 305 It haþ fallen ofte tymes..þat two men have grace at oo tyme of oo collacioun. 1421 Hen. V in Ellis Orig. Lett. iii. 30 I. 71 Hit is wel oure entent whanne any sucche benefice voydeth of oure yifte yat ye make collacion to him y{supr} of. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xiii. §88 They had enacted against all Collations of Bishoprickes and dignities by the Pope. 1625 Bacon Ess. Empire (Arb.) 307 Where the Churchmen come in, and are elected, not by the Collation of the King, or particular Patrons, but by the People. 1641 Termes de la Ley 64 Collation is properly the bestowing of a Benefice by the Bishop, that hath it in his owne gift or patronage. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 391 When the ordinary is also the patron, and confers the living, the presentation and institution are one and the same act, and are called a collation to a benefice. 1876 Grant Burgh Sch. Scotl. i. i. 22 The earliest record of an actual collation by the chancellor of a master to a grammar school. |
c. Right of institution.
| 1480 Bury Wills (1850) 58 That..the priour of the Monasterie of Bury..shuld have the gyfte and collacion of the same. 1536 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 42 §6 in Oxf. & Camb. Enactm. 18 Any Parsonnage, Vicarage, Chauntrie or any other promocion spirituall..being..of the collacion or patronage of the said College. 1661 Bramhall Just Vind. iv. 79 And the Statute of provisors..the King and his heirs shall have and enjoy for the time the collations to the Archbishopricks and other dignities elective. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 17th c. I. ii. iii. 46 Pope Clement IV reserv'd to himself the Collation of all the vacant Benefices. |
† d. ? A certificate of recommendation to a benefice. Obs. [F. la provision du collateur.]
| 1646 Bp. Maxwell Burd. Issach. in Phenix (1708) II. 293 Before their Right could be compleated or perfected, they were to return to the King from the Superintendent a Collation or Certificate, That he was of that Ability to do good Service to the King and Church. |
▪ II. † coˈllation, v. Obs.
[f. prec. n. Cf. F. collationner and med.L. collātionāre in the same senses.]
1. trans. To make a collation of; to compare (different copies, etc.); to collate.
| 1568 Duke of Norfolk Jrnl. in H. Campbell Love-lett. Mary Q. Scots App. 37 The said Erle of Murray..did thereupon deliver the copies, being collationed. 1676 W. Row Contn. Blair's Autobiog. xi. (1848) 358 They supplicate for a double of their petition; which being refused, they collationed their memories and wrote down their petition. 1693 Burnet Let. in Brit. Mag. XXXV. 376 As for the dates..I might haue writ them wrong, or collationed them too negligently. 1715 M. Davies Athen. Brit. i. 346 If those..were by proper hands collection'd, collation'd, and edition'd. |
b. Printing and Bookbinding. = collate v. 4.
| 1656 Blount Glossogr. s.v., To collation a Book; that is, to look diligently by the letters or figures at the bottom of every page, to see that nothing be wanting or defective. 1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc. II. 350 Before he Folds the Books he will Colation them. |
2. intr. To partake of a collation; to lunch.
| 1611 Cotgr., Collationner..also, to collation it, or make a rere-supper. 1658 Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 345, I went to see a coach-race in Hyde-Park, and collationed in Spring Garden. 1742 Jarvis Quix. (1842) II. 246 They..all three..collationed and supped at one and the same time. |
b. trans. To entertain with a collation.
| 1662 Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 389 They were likewise collationed with us, and were very merry. 1684 Dineley 1st Dk. Beaufort's Progr. Wales 66 His grace was collationed according to his quality. |