▪ I. † anˈticipate, ppl. a. Obs.
Also 6 antecipet.
[ad. L. anticipāt-us, pa. pple. of anticipā-re, prop. antecipā-re, f. ante before + -cipāre, deriv. f. cap-ĕre (in comp. -cip-ĕre) to take.]
Anticipated.
| 1549 Compl. Scotl. v. 36 The daye of iugement sal be antecipet. |
▪ II. anticipate, v.
(ænˈtɪsɪpeɪt)
[f. prec., or on analogy of vbs. so formed. Cf. Fr. anticip-er (ad. L.) found in 14th c.]
† 1. To seize or take possession of beforehand. Obs.
| 1594 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. II. 576 To anticipate signifieth as much as to prevent and to take before. 1623 Bingham Xenophon 57 They feared the tops of the mountaines might be anticipated. 1783 Cowper Task v. 723 To soar, and to anticipate the skies. |
2. To use in advance; to spend (money) before it is at one's disposal.
| a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. I. ii. 103 To carry on that vast Expence, the Revenue of the Crown had been Anticipated. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 171 That the men might have something to buy clothes..without anticipating their wages. 1883 Daily News 8 Oct 5/5 Do not anticipate your income. |
3. To take up or deal with (a thing), or perform (an action), before another person or agent has had time to act, so as to gain an advantage; to deal with beforehand, forestall (an action).
| 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. i. 144 Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxxix, He has anticipated the vengeance of heaven. 1864 D. Mitchell 7 Stories 233 The Count anticipated their action. |
4. To be before (another) in acting, to forestall.
| a 1682 Sir T. Browne Tracts 55 The Barley, anticipating the wheat, might be in ear in February. a 1704 T. Brown Table T. Wks. 1730 I. 143 Whenever he met a creditor, never gave him leave to dun him first, but was sure to anticipate him. 1796 C. Marshall Gardening xx. (1813) 423 Anticipate winter so as to put all in order. 1877 Brockett Cross & Cresc. 67 In many points on which the greatness of his reputation rests, he was anticipated by his predecessors. |
5. To observe or practise in advance of the due date; to cause to happen earlier, accelerate.
| 1534 More On the Passion Wks. 1557, 1308/1 Christe dyd anticipate the tyme of eatynge his Paschall lambe. 1625 Meade in Ellis Orig. Lett. i. 307 III. 190 The funerall..is anticipated, and shall be on Thursday. 1751 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Anticipation, Anticipating a payment means the discharging it before it falls due. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. (1873) 17 To anticipate by half an hour the usual time of his arrival. 1819 Byron Juan ii. lii, Some leap'd overboard..As eager to anticipate their grave. |
† 6. intr. To occur earlier, to advance in time. Obs.
| 1588 A. King Canisius' Catech. G viij, This calculation..maid y⊇ æquinoxe of springe tyme to anticipat swa mony dayes. 1594 Blundevil Exerc. iii. i. xli. (ed. 7) 356 It [the year] doth anticipate in the space of foure yeeres one whole day. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 219 The Equinoxes had anticipated. |
b. trans. To occur earlier than, precede. rare.
| 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) IV. vii. vi. 172 They were eager..if their death anticipated the Last Day, to die in the Holy Land. |
7. To take into consideration before the appropriate or due time. a. trans.
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 1557, 532/1 Here haue I, wel beloued readers..to anticipate his woordes written in his other Chapiter. 1675 Baxter Cath. Theol. ii. i. 127 You shall not again tempt me to anticipate the question of effectual Grace. 1796 C. Marshall Gardening xii. (1813) 152 He is to anticipate consequences and provide for the future. 1859 Ecce Homo v. (ed. 8) 43 We have anticipated in a former chapter the means by which Christ avoided this result. |
b. absol.
| 1700 Dryden Fables Pref. (Globe) 497, I find I have anticipated already. 1794 Sullivan View Nat. I. 31 Of this, more hereafter; we must not anticipate. |
8. trans. To realize beforehand (a certain future event).
| 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. 41, I perceive I doe anticipate the vices of age. 1749 Smollett Regicide v. vi, My fears Anticipate thy words! 1853 C. Brontë Villette xxxvii. (1876) 421 Some real lives do..actually anticipate the happiness of Heaven. |
9. To look forward to, look for (an uncertain event) as certain. Const. simple obj. or subord. clause.
| 1749 Smollett Regicide iii. vii, How my fir'd soul anticipates the joy! 1751 Harris Hermes (1841) 149, I anticipate a like orderly and diversified succession..in time future. 1839 Keightley Hist. Eng. II. 38 Those, not in the secret, anticipated an acquittal. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Jrnls. II. 85 He appeared to anticipate that flying will be a future mode of locomotion. |