▪ I. presage, n.
(ˈprɛsədʒ, ˈpriː-, formerly prɪˈseɪdʒ)
Also 7 præ-.
[a. F. présage (15–16th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. præsāgium a foreboding, prognostic, f. præsāgīre to forebode, f. præsāg-us foreboding, f. præ, pre- A. 3 + sāg-us predicting, divining. (In Gower perh. direct from Latin.)]
1. Something that portends, foreshows, or gives warning of that which is about to happen; an indication of a future event; an omen, sign, portent.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 219 And seide how that was a presage..Of that fortune him scholde adverse. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1595) 1112 A very euil signe and presage for him, to enter into Rome with such bloudshed. 1595 Shakes. John iii. iv. 158 They will..call them Meteors, prodigies, and signes, Abortiues, presages, and tongues of heauen. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. iii. 686 Do not the Hist'ries of all Ages Relate miraculous presages Of strange turns in the World's affairs? 1669 Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 313 The coming of the Swallow is a true presage of the Spring. 1704 Dennis Faction Display'd xvii, When Health and Vigour with a kind presage, Promis'd the hoary happiness of Age. 1725 Pope Odyss. ii. 188 [He] drew A sure presage from ev'ry wing that flew. 1774 Pennant Tour Scot. in 1772, 312 The dread of Mariners who draw a certain presage of a Storm from their appearance. 1866 J. H. Newman Gerontius iii. 25 A presage falls upon thee, as a ray Straight from the Judge, expressive of thy lot. |
b. Without pl. Indication of the future; chiefly in phr. of evil (etc.) presage, of (evil) omen, that presages (evil).
| 1671 Milton Samson 1387 If there be aught of presage in the mind, This day will be remarkable in my life By some great act, or of my days the last. 1691 Evelyn Let to Bp. of Lincoln 15 Oct., Those furious ravages..I looke on..as..of evil præsage. 1698 Congreve Semele i. i, This dreadful Conflict is of dire Presage. 1797 Burke Regic. Peace iii. Wks. VIII. 395 These birds of evil presage, at all times, have grated our ears with their melancholy song. 1871 B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. i. 32 Filled with mystic presage chimed the church bell slowly. |
2. An utterance foretelling something future; a prediction, prognostication. Now rare.
| 1595 Markham Sir R. Grinvile cxxxix, Misfortune hearing this presage of life. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. iii. (1628) 67 Presages or fore-tellings of their good or euill fortune. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. ii. §103 He might reasonably have expected as ill a presage for himself from those Fortune tellers. 1681 Glanvill Sadducismus i. (1726) 68 An ingenious Presage, but not true. 1871 Rossetti Dante at Verona vi, Shall not his birth's baptismal Town One last high presage yet fulfil? |
3. A presentiment, a foreboding; a feeling of what is going to happen; an intuition of the future.
| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. ii. 142 Farewell, if hearts presages be not vaine, We three here part, that neu'r shall meete againe. 1631 Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 9 The presage or forefeeling of immortalitie, implanted in all men naturally. 1736 Butler Anal. i. iii. 64 The natural presages of Conscience. 1812 J. Hodgson in J. Raine Mem. (1857) I. 115 He had a strong presage upon his mind that he had only a very short time to live. 1847 Tennyson Princess iv. 427. 1852 Ld. Cockburn Jeffrey I. 61, I have very often deep presages that the law will not hold me. |
4. Comb. presage-woman, a fortune-teller.
| a 1693 Urquhart's Rabelais iii. xvi. 135 The customary style of my Language alloweth them the Denomination of Presage Women. |
▪ II. presage, v.
(ˈprɛsədʒ, prɪˈseɪdʒ)
Also 7 præ-.
[a. F. présager (16th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), f. présage presage n. The form presagier, ad. L. præsāgīre was common in 16th c. French (Hatz.-Darm.).]
1. trans. To signify beforehand (supernaturally); to portend, foreshadow.
| 1562 W. Bullein Bulwark, Sicke Men 54 Thei dooe presage, deuine, or shewe before, what thynges doe folowe. c 1595 Capt. Wyatt R. Dudley's Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.) 56 If but one fyre is sene, it presageth a most cruell, daingerous and tempestuous storme. 1672 Sir T. Browne Let. Friend §16 Hippocrates wisely considered Dreams as they presaged Alterations in the Body. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 1 ¶2, I am not so vain as to think it [a dream] presaged any Dignity that I should arrive at. a 1816 Joyce Sci. Dial. xv. (1846) 105 Have not eclipses been esteemed as omens presaging some direful calamity? |
b. transf. To point to or indicate beforehand; to give warning of (by natural means).
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. i. 191 This iarring discord of Nobilitie,..doth presage some ill euent. 1596 Edw. III, i. ii, Whose habit rude, and manners blunt and plain, Presageth nought. 1671 Salmon Syn. Med. ii. li. 326 If the Feaver continue to the third Crisis, it presages Bleeding at the Nose. 1748 Gray Alliance 33 Th' Event presages, and explores the Cause. 1822 J. Imison Sc. & Art. (ed. Webster) I. 150 The rising of the mercury presages, in general, fair weather. 1871 B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. 399 note, The confusion of Margaret's thoughts, presaging her later insanity. |
2. Of a person: To augur, predict, forecast. † By Spenser used for To point out, make known.
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens vi. lxviii. 746 If they finde..a Spider, they presage pestilence. 1590 Greene Orl. Fur. (1599) 12 Seest thou not all men presage I shall be King? 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. x. 61 Then seek this path that I to thee presage, Which after all to heaven shall thee send. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) I. 174 Like Prophecy, that can presage Successes of the latest Age. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 209 Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage. 1865 Merivale Rom. Emp. VIII. lxiv. 95 note, The author presaged from this vision that he should write no more than the emperor had read. |
b. intr. To form or utter a presage or prediction.
| 1592 Doctor Faustus in Thoms E.E. Prose Rom. (1858) III. 199 Which learned him to presage of matters to come. 1665 J. Spencer Vulg. Proph. 5 Men..are apt to believe as they affect, and then to presage as they believe. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 483 By certain Signs we may presage Of Heats and Rains, and Wind's impetuous rage. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus lxviii. 87 Which not long should abide, so presag'd surely the Parcae. 1876 Mozley Univ. Serm. iv. 73 Prophecy would fain presage auspiciously. |
3. trans. To have a presentiment or prevision of.
| 1594 1st Pt. Contention (1843) 27 My mind presageth I shall live To see the noble Duke of Yorke to be a King. 1598 Tofte Alba G v, My misgiving minde presaging to me ill. 1675 tr. Camden's Hist. Eliz. ii. (1688) 145 William Herbert Earl of Pembroke,..presaging some Disaster to himself, departed this life in his Climacterical year. 1797 A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl (1813) V. 146 God forgive me if I don't presage some mischief to poor Miss Rosy. 1879 Tourgee Fool's Err. xxv. 154 That great experiment, from the preliminaries of which he was only able to presage danger and disaster. |
b. intr. To have a presentiment.
| 1586 Warner Alb. Eng. i. vi. (1612) 22 Where, like as did his minde presage, he found it very so. 1670 G. H. tr. Hist. of Cardinals ii. iii. 181 It succeeded as they presag'd. |