† casuˈality Obs.
[a. F. casualité:—med.L. cāsuālitas, f. cāsuālis; see casual. The form now used is casualty.]
1. Chance; the state of being ‘casual’; a chance or casual occurrence, contingency; esp. an unfortunate occurrence, accident, casualty.
| 1540 T. Raynalde Birth Man. i. ii. (1634) 19 By cutting or apostumation, or by other casuality. 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 16 Nothing happeneth by casualitie. a 1618 Raleigh Royal Navy 19 More subject to casualitie and danger. 1679 Hobbes Behemoth Wks. (1840) VI. 246 Mere contingency, casuality, and fortune. 1792 W. Roberts Looker-on No. 7 (1794) I. 86 Superior to common casualities. |
2. A casual or incidental charge or source of income; = casualty 4.
| c 1568 Murray in Love-lett. Mary Q. Scots App. (1824) 211 The intromissioun or disponyng upoun hir propertie, casualities, or quhatsumever thing pertening, or that ony wayis might pertene, to hir. 1607 Davies 1st Let. Earl Salisbury (1787) 242 An allowance out of the fines and casualities of that county. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Hist. Jas. V Wks. (1711) 96 His partner and fellow-governour in distribution of casualities and ruling the country. |