reverend, a. (and n.)
(ˈrɛvərənd)
[a. OF. reverend (mod.F. révérend, = Sp., Pg., and It. reverendo), or ad. L. reverend-us, gerundive of reverērī to revere.]
1. Of persons: Worthy of deep respect or reverence on account of († rank,) age, or character; † commanding respect by personal ability or great learning.
| 1449 J. Metham Amor. & Cleopes 306 Enterly me comende to my lord and mastyr eke, And to hys ryght reuerend lady. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 402 He is the riallest roy, reuerend and rike. 1598 Yong Diana 221, I, with a yoong and courteous Shepherd; he, with an old and reuerend Shepherdesse. 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 66 It is already in use by divers reverend Physitians. 1637 Milton Lycidas 103 Next Camus, reverend Sire, went footing slow. 1704 Swift T. Tub Wks. 1768 I. 142 To the Reverend the judges; to the clergy and gentry. 1717 Pope Iliad ix. 517 If heaven restore me to my realms with life, The reverend Peleus shall elect my wife. 1785 Burns Address to Deil v, I've heard my rev'rend Graunie say [etc.]. 1812 J. Wilson Isle Palms iv. 604 He takes His reverend mother on his filial breast. |
b. As a courteous or respectful form of address.
| 1486 Henry VII at York in Surtees Misc. (1890) 54 Most reverend, rightwose regent of this rigalitie. 1492 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 454/2 Right Reverend and Worshipfull Sir. 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 253 O reuerend Chaucere, rose of rethoris all. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 226 Por. I pray you let me looke vpon the bond. Iew. Heere 'tis, most reuerend Doctor, heere it is. 1634 Heywood Maidenh. well lost i. Wks. 1874 IV. 109 Yet Reuerend Madame, but forget what's past. a 1668 Davenant Poems Wks. (1673) 335 O rev'rend Death! whose looks can soon advise Even scornfull Youth. 1715 Addison Drummer v. i, Coachman [to a conjurer], ‘I have brought you, reverend Sir, the largest elbow chair in the house’. 1832 W. Irving Alhambra II. 71 ‘What mean you, most reverend owl?’ said Ahmed. |
2. a. As a respectful epithet applied to members of the clergy. Also
Very Reverend (of deans),
Right Reverend (of bishops), and
Most Reverend (of archbishops).
| 1485 Exch. Rolls Scot. IX. 645 note, A maist reverend and reverend faderis in God William Archibischop of Sanctandrois, Robert bischope of Glasgw [etc.]. 1492 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 455/1 Graunted unto him by the Right Reverend Fadre in God, maister Piers Courtenay, sometyme Bishop of Excestre. 1509 Fisher Funeral Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 294 In the handes of the reuerende fader my lorde of London. 1588 Marprel. Epist. (Arb.) 5 Take heed brethren of your reuerend and learned brother Martin Marprelate. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iv. ii. 18 The reuerend Abbot With all his Couent honourably receiu'd him. 1653 Sarum Church-w. Accts. (1896) 330 The Death of our Reverend and Godlie Minister M{supr}. John Connant. 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 464/1 How any one..should blame me, I own I am at a Loss to find out, unless it be the four Rev. Brethren and their Followers. 1780 Cowper Progr. Err. 371 And thence, with all convenient speed, to Rome, With rev'rend tutor, clad in habit lay. 1835 I. Taylor Spir. Despot. v. 218 These bishops and reverend Fathers removed only by two hundred years from the Apostolic age. 1849 James Woodman ii, In their train there is a reverend friar. |
| absol. 1727 De Foe Syst. Magic i. iii. (1840) 67 Let us recommend it to our Most Reverend and Right Reverend to put our own ecclesiastic affairs into such a good posture [etc.]. |
b. Used in addressing a member of the clergy. Also
absol., as a form of address.
| 1484 Caxton Fables of Poge v, Ryght reuerende fader, ye ought wel to knowe that [etc.]. 1552 Bk. Com. Prayer, Ordering of Deacons, Reuerende Father in God, I presente vnto you, these persones presente [etc.]. 1713 Swift To Earl of Oxford 121 Said Harley: Welcome, Rev'rend Dean. 1781 Cowper, Anti-thelyphth. 132 Forms or no forms, pluralities or pairs, Right reverend Sirs! was no concern of theirs. 1820 Scott Monast. xvi, ‘And O, reverend sir,’ said the good widow, detaining him. 1882 Guardian 18 Oct. 1461/3, I am, rev. sir, yours faithfully, ‘Clericus’. 1964 Church of Eng. Newspaper 11 Dec. 17/3 When I received the letter addressing me as ‘Dear Reverend’ I was so pleased..that I determined to subscribe to the journal. 1967 C. Armstrong in Ellery Queen's Mystery Mag. July 11/1 What you'd better do, Reverend, is go over to the motel and rest. 1974 J. Wainwright Hard Hit 8 ‘I dunno you, reverend. I think you're making some sorta...’ ‘Mistake?’ |
c. Prefixed to the name (and designation) of the person, and frequently abbreviated as ,
Revd. Pl.
Reverends. In early and some recent use without
the.
| 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. 293 That wofull and unhappy discord betwixt him and reverend Bishop Hooper. a 1656 Bp. Hall Rev. Unrevealed §1 Reverend Calvin..is willing to construe this of the last desolation of the Jews. 1657 Trapp Comm. Job ix. 9 But I had rather (saith Reverend Mr. Beza) retain still the Hebrew words. 1711 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 218 The Reverend D{supr} Atterbury was made Dean of X{supt} Church on this day sennight. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xxi, Let me name myself as the Reverend Josiah Cargill, minister of St. Ronan's. 1884 Catholic Dict. (1897) 590/1 The Very Reverend Father Colin died..at the age of eighty-five. 1939 R. E. Wolseley in Ken 9 Mar. 62/3 Ten devices..invented by southern journalists to avoid using ‘Mr.’, ‘Mrs.’, and ‘Miss’, in front of the names of Negroes are: Mademoiselle Madame Professor Doctor Reverend [etc.]. 1961 R. B. Long Sentence & its Parts x. 230 There is a feeling that these [honorific modifiers] should be preceded by the article the and followed by given names and family names together, as in the Reverend George Brewster; but there is also a marked tendency to treat reverend exactly as the noun honorifics are treated, as in Reverend Brewster will preach at the eleven-o'clock service. 1973 Publishers' Weekly 7 May 61/2 (Advt.), The Reverends Rudolf Harvey and Lawrence Burke. |
d. n. A clergyman; a cleric or divine. Also
Right Reverend, a bishop.
colloq.| 1608 Sylvester Du Bartas Wks. (Grosart) I. 254 Much more Then the Right-Reverend whom they taxt before. 1737 Common Sense I. 247 A Right Reverend or two us'd to draw their Pens in his Defence. 1776 Hume My own Life, Answers by Reverends, and Right Reverends, came out two or three in a year. 1804 E. de Acton Tale without Title II. 132 That is the object of solicitude among our Right Reverends. 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xvi, Those who had not attained to military honours were either doctors, professors, or reverends. 1859 O. L. Jackson Colonel's Diary (1922) ii. 8, I..heard a very good sermon—from a Reverend from Pittsburgh. 1894 Blackmore Perlycross 18 We are not so meddlesome as you reverends are. 1943 G. Greene Ministry of Fear iii. ii. 191 That [car], sir—that's the reverend's... We thought it only right to let the vicar know. 1971 Language XLVII. 30 Whether or not the notorious Reverend or his students sat up nights inventing such errors, attested errors reveal the same kind of metathesis. 1976 J. McNeish Glass Zoo vii. 71 Funny, that cloak of yours. I know a Reverend in Leeds got about like that. |
3. a. Of things, places, etc.: Worthy of, or inspiring, reverence; deserving to be revered.
| 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary (1595) 18 The reuerend maiestie of Emperours, Kinges and Princes. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. viii 32 His reverend heares and holy gravitee The knight much honord. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage iii. viii. (1614) 282 He conquered Nice, the name whereof is reuerend for the first generall Councell of Christendome. 1643 Milton Divorce i. Wks. 1851 IV. 47 Yet next to that what can be..a greater violence to the reverend secret of nature. a 1718 Penn Tracts Wks. 1726 I. 673 So much more Reverend is Suffering, than making Men suffer for Religion. 1753 Richardson Grandison (1781) I. xxxvii. 264 The big tears..straying down his reverend cheeks. 1820 Irving Sketch Bk., Widow & Son §2 Its dark oaken pannelling, all reverend with the gloom of departed years. 1846 Keble Lyra Innoc. (1873) 70 Write in young hearts thy reverend lore. 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country 226 No day but pilgrim..flings crutch away, Or else appends it to the reverend heap Beneath you. |
† b. Sacred, hallowed, holy.
Obs.| 1563 Homilies ii. (1859) 445 When thou goest up to the reverend Communion to be satisfied with spiritual meats. 1631 Howes Stow's Annales 999/1 Diuers Church-yards new layd apart, dedicated for reuerend places to bury the dead. 1693 Creech in Dryden Juvenal xiii. (1697) 332 Bold Sacriledge..destroys a Shrine, The Reverend Goblets, and the ancient Plate. |
4. Connected with, characteristic of, belonging to, the clergy.
| 1645 Milton Tetrach. Wks. 1851 IV. 229 As there is nothing more violent and boistrous then a reverend ignorance in fear to be convicted. 1742 (title) Ecclesiastical Transactions; or a Collection of Reverend Jokes. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. lxii, This was a man in years, who wore a reverend periwig. 1842 Mrs. Browning Grk. Chr. Poets Poems (1904) 603/1 So that reverend brows grew dark to hear women with musical voices sing them softly. |
5. = reverent a. 2. Now somewhat
rare. (In common use
c 1590–1660.)
| 15.. in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 328 Inclyne befoir the Cristin Conquerour,..With reverend feir doun on ȝour facis ly. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 65 The reverende and thanckefull antiquite was accustomed to esteme those men as goddes. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 116 There is in him singular honestie,..passing liberalitie towardes straungers, and plentie of reuerend behauiour. 1615 W. Hull Mirr. Maiestie 33 The minde beholdeth God with..ioy of heart, and reuerend admiration. 1686 Parr Life Ussher 85 From whence you may observe the reverend esteem he had for our Liturgy. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) III. 364 To see multitudes of well-appearing people all joining in one reverend act. 1796 R. Bage Hermsprong xlv, Pray, good sir, said Miss Fluart, with a reverend curtsey [etc.]. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxii, ‘Ay, ay, we'se ha' reverend care on thee..’, answered the man of constituted authority. 1855 Froude in Oxford Ess. 54 When nature shall be studied in a more reverend spirit. 1874 Pusey Lenten Serm. 90 That reverend awe, amid which by God's grace we are..to work out our own salvation. |
Hence
ˈreverendize v. (
nonce-wd.)
| 1841 Emerson in Corr. Carlyle & Emerson I. lvi. 320 You see the bookseller reverendizes me notwithstanding your laudable perseverance to adorn me with profane titles. |