† deˈscrive, v. Obs. exc. Sc.
Forms: 3–9 descrive, 3–5 discreve, 4–5 dyscreve, 4 descryfe, 5–6 dyscryve, discryve, -ive, descryve.
[a. OF. descriv-re (13th c.), later descrire, full stem descriv- (mod.F. décrire, décriv-) = Pr. descriure, Cat. descriuer, It. descrivere:—L. dēscrībĕre. In the course of the 16th c. gradually superseded (exc. in Sc.) by the latinized form describe.
Descrive was in ME. reduced to descrie (descry v.2), and thus confused in form, and sometimes in sense with descry v.1 Hence descrive also occurs as a form of the latter.]
1. To write down, inscribe; to write out, transcribe.
| 1382 Wyclif Isa. xlix. 16 Lo! in myn hondis I haue discriued thee. 14.. Circumcision in Tundale's Vis. 90 Thys name which may not be dyscreved. c 1450 Lydg. Compl. Lovers Life xxviii, To discryve and write at the fulle The woful compleynt. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 284/1 Mathewe and Luke descryue not the generacion of Marye but of Joseph. |
b. To write down in a register, enrol; cf. Vulg. Luke ii. 1 ut describeretur universus orbis.
| 1297 [see descriving vbl. n.]. 1382 Wyclif Num. xi. 26 There dwelten forsothe in the tentis two men..for and thei weren discryued [Vulg. descripti fuerant; 1611 and they were of them that were written]. ― Luke ii. 1 That al the world schulde be discryued. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. xvi. (1714) 120 Theyr secund Emperor, comaundyd al the World to be discrivyd [v.r. (1885) 149 discribed.] |
2. = describe v. 2.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 10 Þus seint Iame descriueð religiun & ordre. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 318 Þei ben þes þat Ysay discryveþ þat þei seien good is yvel. c 1400 Rom. Rose 865, I wot not what of hir nose I shal descryve; So faire hath no womman alyve. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 45 It is expedient to descrive quha is ane heretyk. 1671 True Non-conf. 134 Which we finde descrived in the Scriptures of the New Testament. 1785 Burns To W. Simpson xvi, Let me fair Nature's face descrive. 1858 M. Porteous ‘Souter Johnny’ 15 Hamely chiels..Wha Tammy's haunts can weel descrive. |
| absol. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 120 So as these olde wise men Descrive. |
3. a. To represent pictorially or by delineation; also absol. b. To draw geometrically (figures, etc.). c. To trace out or pass over (a definite course). Cf. describe v. 3–6.
| c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. i. §17 The plate vnder thi Riet is descriued with 3 [principal] cerclis. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 214 Ho couþe kyndeliche with colour discriue, Yf alle þe worlde were whit. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. viii. xi. (1495) 317 Epiciclis is a lytyll cercle that a planete discryueth. 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Abacus..a counting table such as..Astronomers descriue their figures in. |
d. To map out, set forth the boundaries of.
(But also often including the general sense 2.)
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 7 Þat in stories meteþ and discryueþ all þe worlde wyde. 1480 Caxton Descr. Brit. 20 Kyng william conquerour made alle these..shires to be descreued and moten. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. p. xlvi, We will discrive the samin [the Ilis] in maner and forme as followis. |
¶ 4. = descry v.1 [Cf. etymol. note above.]
| c 1340 Cursor M. 6544 (Fairf.) For to discriue [v.r. to se] þaire cursed dede. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 93 Þenne mette þis man..ar heraudes of armes hadden descreued lordes. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxiii. 84 (Harl. MS.) No man cowde discryve wheþer of hem shuld be Emperour. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 50 Also flyinge he shoulde be discriued by the roundyng of his heade. |
Hence deˈscrived ppl. a.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xvii. 248 Bi the now discriued and tauȝt maner. Ibid. 408 The..bifore descryued tymes. |