exaltation
(ɛgzɔːlˈteɪʃən)
Forms: 4 exaltacioun, 4–7 exaltacion, -yon, 6 exhaltation.
[a. F. exaltation, ad. L. exaltātiōn-em, f. exaltāre: see exalt.]
The action of exalting; the fact or state of being exalted.
1. In physical sense: The action of lifting up or raising on high; the state of being lifted up, or set in a high position.
| 1616 Lane Sqr.'s Tale xi. 278 He comes: whose horse fomed the seas invndation, as th' rider felt him on owne exaltation. 1686 A. Horneck Crucif. Jesus xvi. 403 Lift me up from the earth, that I may relish the comfort of thy exaltation. 1794 G. Adams Nat. & Exp. Philos. I. x. 429 When the sun is at its greatest exaltation in summer. 1860 Tyndall Glac. ii. viii. 265 [Glacier] tables..a limit is placed to their exaltation by the following circumstance. |
b. Exaltation of the Cross: a feast observed on Sept. 14th (see
quot. 1884).
| 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 54 Y⊇ exaltacion of y⊇ holy crouche. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. v. (1520) 60 b/1 Than was the feest of the exaltacyon of the crosse made. 1700 Tyrrell Hist. Eng. II. 770 Thursday after the Exaltation of the Cross in September. 1884 Catholic Dict. s.v. Cross, The ‘Exaltation of the Cross’ was celebrated from ancient times in memory of the miraculous apparition which Constantine saw in the year 317..The day was afterwards kept with greater solemnity, when after the victory over the Persians in 627, Heraclius recovered the true cross. |
† c. concr. A fanciful name for: A flight (of larks).
Obs.| c 1430 Lydg. Hors Shepe & G. (1822) 30 A exaltacion of larkes. 1824 J. M{supc}Culloch Scotland III. 407, I have never spoken of ‘an exaltation of larks’. 1883 Standard 26 Sept. 5/1 Every one with any pretence to be gentle-folk spoke of..an exaltation of larks. |
2. In non-material sense:
a. Elevation in authority, dignity, power, station, wealth, etc.;
esp. the elevation of a sovereign to a throne.
† Also
occas. An exalted position; elevated rank.
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos vii. 33 The place where hir glorye and exaltacion ought to be..manyfested. 1539 Tonstall Serm. Palm Sund. (1823) 15 Here it is to be noted, that God gaue to Christe his exaltation, as to man, and not as to god. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 72 Ye have presumed thus to stande against the exaltation of this oure sovereigne. 1611 Bible Judith xvi. 8 The exaltation of those that were oppressed. a 1631 Donne in Selections (1840) 104 Though faith be of an infinite exaltation above understanding. 1670 G. H. Hist. Cardinals iii. ii. 268 The Exaltation of this Pope happen'd upon Ascension day. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. ii. 42 Like that of Joseph's brethren, when he..told them the story of his exaltation in Pharaoh's court. 1791 Boswell Johnson (1816) II. 188 A master..is in his highest Exaltation when he is loco parentis. 1858 Froude Hist. Eng. III. xiii. 88 The Reformation in their minds was associated with the exaltation of base blood. |
b. Elation of feeling; a state of rapturous emotion; an undue degree of pleasurable excitement. Also
Path. (see
quot. 1884).
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. ccvi. 219 In tyme of whiche exaltacion of his mynde, he..charged the water that he shulde flowe no hygher. 1707 Lond. Gaz. No. 4351/1 We want Words to express the Exaltation it has rais'd in us, to see Your Majesty's unwearied Endeavours..crown'd with such..Success. 1870 Emerson Soc. & Solit. vii. 144, I knew a man in a certain religious exaltation, who thought it an honor to wash his own face. 1874 H. Maudsley Respons. in Ment. Dis. vii. 234 There was nothing particularly noticeable in him except..a condition of exaltation in the spring. 1884 Syd. Soc. Lex., Exaltation, the immoderate increase of the action of an organ. |
c. An extolling, a laudation.
| 1650 T. Hubbert Pill Formality 190 Your praises, and exaltations of free grace. |
d. The raising to a lofty point of excellence; exalted degree; an exalted manifestation.
| 1656 Cowley Pindar. Odes, Brutus ii, Th' Heroick Exaltations of Good, Are so far from Understood, We count them Vice. 1667 Rust Fun. Serm. Bp. Taylor (1672) 67 Those Heavenly Bodies..are fit..instruments for the Soul, in its highest Exaltations. a 1694 Tillotson Serm. i. Wks. (1714) 4 In God all Perfections in their highest degree and exaltation meet together. 1837 H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 1 The degree of civilisation of any people corresponds with the exaltation of the idea which is the most prevalent among that people. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 12 That chivalrous spirit..was found in the highest exaltation among the Norman nobles. 1883 Christian Commw. 6 Dec. 174/1 Is this exaltation of the ideal of life an evil? |
e. Augmentation in degree or intensity.
| 1732 Law Serious C. v. (ed. 2) 75 The refinement and exaltation of our best faculties. 1842 W. Grove Corr. Phys. Forces 80 We obtain an indefinite exaltation of chemical power. 1855 Bain Senses & Int. ii. ii. §i. (1864) 177 The skin is therefore marked by a great exaltation of the common sensibility of the body. |
f. Of prices: A rise.
rare.
| 1866 Rogers Agric. & Prices I. xxi. 536 The last two years being affected by the exaltation in the price. 1884 ― Work & Wages 22 Quite as great is the exaltation in the price of millstones. |
3. Astrol. The place of a planet in the zodiac in which it was considered to exert its greatest influence. Also
fig.| c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 41 Phebus the sonne..was neigh his exaltacioun. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. viii. ix. (1495) 307 The sonne hath his vertue and exaltacion in the eyghteenth gree of Aries. a 1625 Fletcher Rollo iv. ii, Mars his gaudium rising in the ascendant That joint with Libra too, the house of Venus And Imum Cœli, Mars his exaltation [printed exultation] Ith' seaventh house. 1632 Massinger City Madam ii. ii, She in her exaltation, and he in his triplicite trine and face, assure a fortunate combination to Hymen. 1751 Chambers Cycl. s.v., The 15th degree of Cancer, is the exaltation of Jupiter, according to Albumazar. 1819 J. Wilson Dict. Astrol. s.v., The original meaning of the planets' exaltations seems to have been unknown in the time of Ptolemy. 1839 Bailey Festus (1854) 121 Your exaltations and triplicities, Fiery, airy and the rest. |
| fig. 1607–12 Bacon Ess., Custom & Educ. (Arb.) 372 In such places the force of Custome is in his exaltacion. |
† 4. In the older chemistry and physiology: The action or process of refining or subliming; the bringing a substance to a higher degree of potency or purity; an instance of the same.
Obs.| 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. x. in Ashm. (1652) 178 Exaltacion, Full lyttyl yt ys dyfferent from Sublymacyon. 1576 Baker Jewell of Health 176 a, Let the exhaltation of the vineger be after done on a soft fyre. 1605 Timme Quersit. iii. 184 Exaltation is euaporation of the impure humour. 1666 J. Smith Old Age 107 The Chyle it self..receiving yet farther exaltations. 1686 W. Harris tr. Lemery's Chem. ii. v. (ed. 3) 486 Tincture of Cinnamon..is an exaltation of the more oily parts of Cinnamon in Spirit of Wine. 1718 Quincy Compl. Disp. 8 Salts, most capable of Exaltation, wrapped up in a small Portion of Phlegm. 1751 Chambers Cycl. s.v., It is this exaltation of the sulphurous part in strawberries, that gives them their agreeable, vinous taste. |
† b. concr. A substance in a highly refined condition.
Obs.| 1686 W. Harris tr. Lemery's Chem. i. xx. (ed. 3) 437 Flower of Sulphur..is an exaltation of Sulphur. |