observance
(əbˈzɜːvəns)
Also 3–6 -aunce, (5 obcerv-), 5 -ans, -auns, (6 -anss).
[a. F. observance (c 1250 in Godefroy), ad. L. observāntia regard, attention, notice; respect, reverence; keeping or following of a law, custom, etc.; in late L., religious worship, f. observānt-em, pr. pple. of observāre to observe.]
I. 1. The action or practice of observing, keeping, or paying attention to (a law, command, duty, ceremony, set time, or anything prescribed or fixed); due regard to (a custom, practice, rule, method, or any principle of action). Const. of, † to.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 142 Fyf pointz, whiche he hath under⁓take To kepe and holde in observance. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xlv. 15 Thus I gife our the obseruanss Of luvis cure. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. v. 35 In streight obseruaunce of religious vow. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. iv. 16 It is a Custome More honour'd in the breach, then the obseruance. 1649 Milton Eikon. ix. 85 Under the colour of a blind and litteral observance to an oath. 1754 Richardson Grandison IV. x. 78 Your own reason..shall..direct your observances of my advice. 1785 Paley Mor. Philos. v. viii. (1827) 94/2 To comply with the religious observance of Sunday. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 70 The observance of this festival..continues three or four days. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. viii. 89 The safety of the whole company exacts the sternest observance of discipline. |
b. The keeping of a prescribed ritual; the performance of customary worship or ceremony.
| c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 432 Ȝif observaunce in lyves of fadris profytede to many men..neverþelees it wer a pur open folye to make herof a rewle for al and for ever. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 642 For to doon his obseruaunce to May. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems x. 27 Do ȝour obseruance devyne To him that is of kingis King. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. To the King §1 Dayly sacrifices, and free will offerings: the one proceeding vpon ordinarie obseruance [L. ex rituali cultu]; the other vppon a devout cheerefulnesse. 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arc. i. 175 To do the observance due to sprightly May. 1813 H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr. iii. 34 The scenes of Shakspeare and our bards of old, With due observance splendidly unfold. 1874 Green Short Hist. viii. §5. 509 The King's first acts were directed rather to points of outer observance. |
2. An act performed in accordance with prescribed usage, esp. one of religious or ceremonial character; a practice which is customarily observed, customary rite or ceremony, custom; † something which has to be observed; an ordinance, rule, or obligatory practice (obs.).
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 24 Heo voleweð her, ase in oþre obseruaunces, muchel of ure ordre. c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. ii. §4 Theise ben obseruancez of iudicial matiere & rytes of paiens. c 1400 Beryn 3982 Thurh oute all our marchis it is the observaunce. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. xxix. (1869) 191 She is bounden and bounden ayen; fretted with obseruaunces. 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. 101 They all confessed..that suche landes as they had, were seruile, as for the whiche they were bounden to certayn obseruances. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 36 There are other strict obseruances: As not to see a woman in that terme,..And one day in a weeke to touch no foode. 1729 Butler Serm. Balaam Wks. 1874 II. 90 Superstitious observances..will not..mend matters with us. 1861 Wright Ess. Archæol. II. xxi. 170 Almost all the fine arts derived their origin..from religious ceremonies and observances. |
b. An ordinance to be observed; esp. the rule, or one of the regulations, of a religious order; spec. of the Observants or stricter Franciscans.
| 1382 Wyclif 1 Chron. xxiii. 32 And kepe thei the obseruauncis [observationes] of the tabernacle. ― Ezek. xliv. 8 Ȝe han putte keepers of myn obseruaunces in my sayntuarie to ȝour self. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 401 Þese ben þe observaunces þat semeþ hard in þat [Cistercian] ordour: þei schal were no manere furres [etc.]. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1401 Þe same obseruance þar þai auysed Before at mailrose þan had þai vsed. 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) 156 There he ded make friers of y⊇ obseruancis. 1706 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 16th C. II. iv. xi. 440 The Franciscans were divided into Conventual Friars and Friars of the strict Observance. 1834 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 7) X. 221/1 Two large bodies, comprehending the whole Franciscan order, which subsist to this day; namely, the conventual brethren, and the brethren of the observance. |
c. transf. A company of religious persons observing some rule, or belonging to some order; also, their convent or place of habitation. rare.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans F vij, An obseruans of herimytes. 1876 Browning Pacchiarotto xvii. 14 Lately was coffered A corpse in its sepulchre, situate By St. John's Observance. |
II. 3. The observing of due respect or deference to a person; respectful or courteous attention, dutiful service. (Rarely const. of.) arch.
| c 1374 Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 218 Who-so truest is..That..dothe her obseruance Alwey to oon and chaungeth for no newe. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. cxxiii, Quhare Is becummyn,..The besy awayte, the hertly obseruance, That quhilum was amongis thame so ryf? a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 27 Of his bounden duetie and observaunce, which he ought to the kyng hys master. 1647 Prince Charles Lewis in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. III. 334, I will never forget the personal respect and observance I doe owe you. 1741 Middleton Cicero II. viii. 230 He attached himself very early to the observance of Cicero. 1859 Tennyson Geraint & Enid 48 He compass'd her with sweet observances And worship. |
III. † 4. Observant care, heed. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶673 The Auaricious man..dooth moore obseruance in kepynge of his tresor than..to seruice of Ihesu crist. c 1449 Pecock Repr. 226 The consideracioun and the observaunce Awaite and diligence which is to be had in such Mater. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. ii. 21 Sute the Action to the Word, the Word to the Action, with this speciall obseruance: That you ore-stop not the modestie of Nature. 1660 Sharrock Vegetables 119 This observance is absolutely necessary to Damask roses. |
5. The action of paying attention (to what is said), of observing or noticing (what is done); notice; watching: = observation 5.
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. ii. 247 Take a taste of my finding him, and rellish it with good obseruance. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. i. Wks. 1856 I. 15 Vouchsafe me, then, your hush't observances. 1634 Massinger Very Wom. v. i, I passed, And pried, in every place, without observance. 1732 Neal Hist. Purit. I. 22 The Popish party..put him upon a nice observance of her carriage. 1859 Ruskin Two Paths iv. 156 Consider how much intellect was needed in the architect, and how much observance of nature. |