descent
(dɪˈsɛnt)
Also 5 dessente, 5–6 dissent, 5–7 discent, 6 discente.
[a. F. descente (1304 in Hatzf.), formed from descendre after attente, vente, etc. from attendre, vendre, etc., the etymological form being descence, -ense.]
1. a. The action of descending; a going or coming down; downward motion (of any kind).
| 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 28 In their discents and fall. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. ii. 175 Not the dreadfull spout..Shall dizzie with more clamour Neptunes eare In his discent. 1659 Pearson Creed (1839) 319 It is to be observed, that the descent into hell was not in the ancient creeds or rules of faith. 1698 J. Keill Exam. Th. Earth (1734) 163 The great resistance they met with in their descent through the Air. 1866 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. vii. (1878) 125, I do not think the descent to Avernus is always easy. |
b. fig. (of an immaterial agent or influence).
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 319 Lest fully the descente Of scorne fille on himself. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 159 The descent of a great storm may make the pilot helpless. |
c. Corresp. to trans. sense of the verb (descend v. 11).
| 1611 Coryat Crudities 80 The descent of the mountaine I found more wearysome..then the ascent. 1748 F. Smith Voy. Disc. N.-W. Pass. I. 95 The Sides high Marble Clifts, not difficult of Descent. Mod. A new descent of the Schroffspitze has been effected. |
† d. Old Chem. A method of distillation: see quot. 1727. Obs.
| 1655 Culpepper Riverius vi. i. 133 The Oyl is made of Box cut in smal pieces, and then Distilled by descent, in two Vessels. 1727–51 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Distillation, Distillation by descent is where the fire is applied on the top, and all around the vessel, whose orifice is at the bottom; and, consequently, the vapour not being able to rise upwards, it is forced to precipitate, and distil down to the bottom. |
e. Her. in descent: said of an animal represented as leaping or flying downwards.
| 1727–51 Chambers Cycl. 1727 Bailey vol. II. s.v., A lion in descent. |
f. Dynamics. The downward motion of a body under the influence of terrestrial gravity.
| 1700 J. Craig in Philos. Trans. Abridg. IV. 542 (title), The Curve of Quickest Descent. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Descent of heavy Bodies (in Philos.) is the tendency of them to the Center of the Earth. 1727–51 Chambers Cycl., s.v., Laws of the descent of bodies..Line of swiftest Descent, is that which a body falling by the action of gravity, describes in the shortest time; which is proved by geometricians to be the cycloid. |
g. (with cap. initial.) The descent of Christ into hell.
| 1883 B. F. Westcott Hist. Faith vi. 76 The eternal meaning of Christ's Descent, Resurrection, Ascension, Session in heaven, as set forth in our Creed. 1894 H. B. Swete Apostles' Creed v. 56 The doctrine of the Descent had found a place in three synodical declarations. Ibid. 57 Cyril..assigns great importance to the Descent, making it one of his ten primary credenda. 1967 Cath. Dict. Theol. II. 163/2 The perspective runs on from the events of Bethany to what happens at the Descent, and from there to the final judgment of the world. |
2. a. concr. A downward slope, a declivity.
| 1591 Spenser Virgil's Gnat 77 Spread themselves farre abroad through each descent. 1611 Bible Luke xix. 37 At the descent of the mount of Oliues. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. I. 10/2 If it stands upon a Descent. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid vi. 182 Massive ash-trees roll from the mountains down the descent. |
b. A means of descending; a way, passage, or flight of steps leading downwards.
descent into the ditch (Mil.): see quot. 1803.
| 1634 Massinger Very Woman iv. ii, Fitting his chamber With trapdoors and descents. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Descent into the Moat or Ditch. 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) II. iii. 144 Descents by steps to the river. 1745 Pococke Descr. East II. ii. 73 There were about fourty-three degrees of seats, and eleven descents down from the top..those descents are made by dividing each seat into two steps. 1803 James Milit. Dict. (1810) s.v., Descents into the Ditch (descentes dans le fossé), cuts and excavations made by means of saps in the counterscarp beneath the covert way [i.e. to enable the besiegers to cross the ditch]. 1887 Ruskin Præterita II. 199 The rampart walk, unbroken except by descents and ascents at the gates. |
† c. That to which one descends; the lowest part. Obs. (nonce-use.)
| 1605 Shakes. Lear v. iii. 137 From th' extremest vpward of thy head, To the discent and dust below thy foote. |
3. A sudden hostile invasion or attack, esp. from the sea, or from high ground: cf. descend v. 3.
| 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 194 Some small peeces of artillery, to hinder their descent. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 710 He hears, but hears from far, Of Tumults, and Descents, and distant War. 1698 Froger Voy. 26 It was determin'd to make a Descent upon the Country, to take the King Prisoner. 1816 Scott Old Mort. Introd., Argyle was threatening a descent upon Scotland. 1874 Green Short Hist. vii. §8. 430 A daring descent of the English forces upon Cadiz. |
4. fig. a. A coming down to a lower state or condition; fall, decline, sinking; progress downwards to that which is lower or subordinate.
| 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 163 Oh, foul descent! that I, who erst contended With gods to sit the highest, am now constraind Into a Beast, and mixt with bestial slime. a 1704 Locke (J.), Observing such gradual and gentle descents downwards, in those parts of the creation that are beneath men. 1889 Spectator 26 Oct. 540 Since the descent to household suffrage. |
b. A stage or step downward in any scale; a degree below. ? Obs.
| 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 42 Her birth was by manie degrees greater than mine, and my woorth by manie discents lesse than hers. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 410 Infinite descents Beneath what other Creatures are to thee. 1728 Young Love Fame i. (1757) 84 With what a decent pride he throws his eyes Above the man by three descents less wise? |
5. With reference to physical qualities: A fall, lowering (of the pitch of sound, temperature, etc.).
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions x. (1887) 58 Their perorations, and closinges, with a discent, and fall of the voice. 1836 Macgillivray tr. Humboldt's Trav. i. 24 The proximity of a sand-bank is indicated by a rapid descent of the temperature of the sea at its surface. Mod. A sudden descent of an octave in the melody. |
6. † a. The action of proceeding in sequence, discourse, or argument, to what is subsequent; subsequent part or course; succession. Obs. b. The action of descending from generals to particulars. c. Logic. An inference from a proposition containing a higher to one containing a lower term.
| 1642 Jer. Taylor Episc. (1647) 35 What also the faith of Christendome was concerning the Minister of confirmation..I shall make evident in the descent of this discourse. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 73/2 These five, Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Archelaus, by continul Descent succeeding one another, compleat the Ionick Sect. |
7. a. The fact of ‘descending’ or being descended from an ancestor or ancestral stock; lineage. Also attrib.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 249 Þis ilk þre barons, þorgh descent of blode, Haf right & resons to þe coroune. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 230 Which rightfull heire was by descent. c 1430 Lydg. Hors, Shepe, & G. 9 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 15 Cryste whiche lynally doune came Be dissent conveyed the pedegrewe Frome the patryarke Abrahame. 1530 Palsgr. 213/1 Descent of lynage, descente. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Fall R. Tresilian v, By discent a gentleman. 1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. Balzac's Lett. 123, I would draw his descent from Hector, or Achilles. 1728 Young Love Fame iii. (1757) 104 A Welch descent, which well-paid heralds damn; Or, longer still, a Dutchman's epigram. 1839 J. Yeowell Anc. Brit. Ch. xiii. (1847) 141 A chieftain of imperial descent. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. ii. 107 The descent in the female line was not formally denied. 1950 Amer. Anthropologist LII. i. 2 We may differentiate unilineal descent groups from a kinship system proper. 1951 R. Firth Elem. Soc. Org. i. 8 In such a small community less importance is attached to preserving a male descent-name than to marking the establishment of a new social unit. 1957 P. Worsley Trumpet shall Sound i. 18 The framework of Fijian social organisation was a system of agnatic descent-groups. 1958 G. Lienhardt in Middleton & Tait Tribes without Rulers 105 Every tribe contains descent groups from many clans of both categories. |
b. transf. of animals and plants; in Biol. extended to origination of species (= evolution 6 c).
| 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 192 Many Camells abound here..The Dromodarie and it are of one descent, but varie according to the Countrie. 1859 Darwin Orig. Spec. (1871) 317 On the theory of descent with modification. 1871 ― (title), The Descent of Man and Selection in relation to Sex. 1882 Vines Sachs' Bot. 776 Descent determines the specific character of the growth. 1884 J. Fiske Evolutionist xiv. 366 The researches..into the palæontology of the horse have established beyond question the descent of the genus equus from a five-toed mammal not larger than a pig, and somewhat resembling a tapir. |
| attrib. 1871 Darwin Desc. Man xi. 388 In accordance with the descent-theory, we may infer that [etc.]. |
c. fig. Derivation or origination from a particular source.
| c 1530 Remedie of Loue (R.), Ransake yet we would..Of this worde the true orthographie, The verie discent of ethimologie. 1707 Curios. in Husb. & Gard. Pref. 4 Whenever I cannot fully discover the Rise and Descent of any Effect. 1803 Med. Jrnl. IX. 108 Its visitation..in the present year, is deducible from a similar descent. |
† 8. a. A line of descent, lineage, race, stock.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 206 Elizabeth þe gent, fair lady was sche, Tuo sons of þer descent, tuo douhters ladies fre. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. iii. (1628) 63 Of whose descents are since issued the greatest Princes at this present in Germanie. 1618 Chapman Hesiod i. 228 Then form'd our Father Jove a Third Descent, Whose Age was Brazen. |
† b. A descendant (lit. and fig.); also, descendants collectively, offspring, issue. Obs.
| 1475 Bk. Noblesse (1860) 23 The noble actys of the seyd erles of Angew wyth her lynealle dessentys. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 67 Augusta of the Taurines, an ancient descent from the Ligurians. 1615 Chapman Odyss. vi. 22 She went Up to the chamber, where the fair descent Of great Alcinous slept. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 979 Our descent..Which must be born to certain woe, devourd By Death at last. |
9. A stage in the line of descent; a generation.
| 1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 809 Which house..enjoyed the same [crown] three discentes. 1593 Bilson Govt. Christ's Ch. 7 Euen twelue descents after the flood. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. 308 Such as can prove their Gentility for three or four Descents. 1765–9 Blackstone Comm. (1793) 252 After a breach of the succession that continued for three descents. 1818 Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) II. 67 A lineal succession of four descents without the least opposition. |
10. Law. a. The passing of property (in England only of real property) to the heir or heirs without disposition by will; transmission by inheritance.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 243 To haf þe scheld þorgh heritage descent. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. ix, The grete lordis of þe londe, by reason off nev Dissentes ffallyng vnto ham, by reason also off mariages, Purchasses, and oþer titles, schal often tymes growe to be gretter than thay be now. 1523 Fitzherb. Surv. Prol., Than if the owner make a true pee degre or conueyaunce by discente or by purchace vnto the said landes. 1628 Coke On Litt. 13 b, Discent signifieth when lands do by right of blood fall unto any after the death of his ancestors. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) I. 303 That fines should be paid upon admittance, as well upon alienation as descent. 1858 Ld. St. Leonards Handy-bk. Prop. Law xxiii. 177 No real property..can pass otherwise than by grant by deed..or by descent or devise, whereas mere personal property will pass by delivery from hand to hand. |
† b. descent cast: transmission by inheritance actually effected (with special reference to its bearing on an outstanding adverse claim); cf. cast v. 36. Obs.
| [a 1626 Bacon Max. & Uses Com. Law i. (1636) 3 If I make a feoffment in fee, upon condition that the feoffee shall in⁓feoffe over, and the feoffee be disseised, and a discent [be] cast.] a 1845 Stephens Comment. Laws Engl. (1868) III. 518 An Act was passed in the year 1833 (3 & 4 Will. IV. c. 27) containing..the provisions..that no descent cast or discontinuance happening after 31st Dec. 1833, should toll or defeat any right of entry or action for the recovery of land. |
c. transf. and fig. Transmission of a title, dignity, personal quality, etc. to heirs or to offspring.
| 1413 Pilgr. Sowle iv. vii. (Caxton 1483) 61 The synne of Adam hath atteyned to men by..descent of kyndely herytage. c 1611 Chapman Iliad ii. 156 His incorrupted sceptre..his sceptre of descent. a 1704 Locke (J.), If the agreement and consent of men first gave a sceptre into any one's hand, that also must direct its descent and conveyance. |