commixtion Obs. except in senses 5, 6.
(kəˈmɪkstɪən, -tʃən)
Also β. 5 commyxcion, -yxyon, 5–6 -yccyon, -yctyon, 5–7 commixion.
[ad. L. commixtiōn-em (n. of action f. commixt- ppl. stem of commiscēre to commix), or a. its Fr. repr. commixtion (15th c. in Littré). The early variant commixcion (with the ordinary -cion for -tion) led to the forms commiccion, commiction, commixion, of which the latter was in established use in 16–17th c. commistion represents another variety of the L.]
† 1. The action of mixing or blending together, commingling. Obs.
| 1387 Trevisa Descr. Brit. (Caxton) 34 By commixtion [ed. 1527 commixion] and medlyng.. the contre langage is appaired. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence ii. 21 Wiþ commixtioun of þe 5 essence of gold and peerle. 1543 Traheron Vigo's Chirurg. i. i. 2 Commixtion of humours. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Wks. 1683 II. xxiii. 338 United..without any confusion, or commixtion. 1760 Parsons in Phil. Trans. LI. 675 The commixtion of snow with aquafortis. |
† b. Blending (of wines or the like), garbling.
| 1608 Pennyless Parl. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) III. 72 It shall be lawful for muscadines, in vintners cellars, to indict their masters of commixtion. |
† c. of persons.
Obs.| 1636 E. Dacres tr. Machiavel's Disc. Livy II. 274 A commixtion of new inhabitants. 1667 Disc. Relig. Eng. 34 The true Ancient Primitive Episcopacy..was ballanced or managed by a due commixtion of Presbyters therewith. |
| β 1393 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ii. xx. (1495) 47 Couenable and temperate commyccions of elementis. 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. v. xi. in Ashm. (1652) 150 Of kyndly Commyxyon. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 437/2 The preest maketh commyxcyon of wyne and water. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xl. 124 By reason of commyctyon of this maryage. 1627–77 Feltham Resolves I. lxix. 105 The height of friendship, when two similary Souls shall blend in their commixions. 1669 W. Rowland tr. Schroder's Chym. Disp. 62 Destillation, Infusion, Decoction, or Commixion. 1689 C. Packe tr. Glauber's Wks. i. 143 A spiritual Commixion. |
† 2. Sexual union, copulation.
Obs.| c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 1066 Marie bare vs a son without mans commixtionne. 14.. Prose Legends in Anglia VIII. 136 Fulynge..oute of wedloke with vnleueful commixtions. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 202 b, Without the commixtyon of sex. 1673 Gillespie Eng. Pop. Cerem. iii. ix. 199 The commixtion of Male and Female, the procreation of Children. |
| β 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 373/1 Cleane from anye late commixcion and carnal knowledge of their wiues. 1543 Necess. Doctr. N j b, Unlawful commixion of a marryed man with anye other woman, than with his owne wife. |
† 3. Commixed condition or state, commixture.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 3 Makinge a commixtion of a thynge profitable with a sweetnesse mellifluous. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. 20 Pepill..alliat under ane commixtioun of blude. 1660 Boyle New Exp. Phys. Mech. i. (1682) 4 Stopples..of common Plaister..which would by reason of the exquisite commixtion of its small parts deny all access to the external air. |
| β 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iv. v. 124 Were thy commixion, Greeke and Troian so, That thou could'st say, this hand is Grecian all, And this is Troian. |
† 4. concr. A mixture, compound.
Obs.| 1514 Barclay Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.) 26 He couthe make playsters, and newe commyxcyons. 1604 T. Wright Passions v. 171 So many thousand sauces, and commixtions of spices. |
5. Rom. and
Sc. Law. (See
quots.)
| 1628 Coke On Litt. 177 a, Hotchpot..a commixion of divers things together. 1754 Erskine Princ. Sc. Law (1870) 117 Though the new species could be produced from the commixtion or confusion of different substances belonging to different proprietors, the same rule holds. 1823 Crabb Technol. Dict., Commixtion, a method of acquiring property in the Scotch law, by mixing or blending substances belonging to different proprietors. 1832 Austin Jurispr. (1879) II. lvii. 932 So in the case of commixtion, specification, etc. |
6. The putting of a small piece of the host into the chalice, typifying the reunion of body and soul at the resurrection.
| 1872 W. E. Scudamore Notitia Euchar. 585 The Roman custom of putting a small piece broken off the Host into the Chalice..called the Commixtion, or Commixture. [Commixture is the word used in the following pages of the book.] |