ensue, v.
(ɛnˈsjuː)
Forms: 5–7 ensew(e, 5 ensiewe, -yew, 5–6 insue, 6 insew(e, 6–7 inshow, 5– ensue.
[ad. OF. ensiw-, ensu-, stem of ensivre, ensuivre (mod.F. ensuivre), corresp. to Pr. enseguir, It. inseguire:—late L. insequĕre, L. insequi to pursue, follow close upon, f. in (see in-) + sequi to follow.]
† 1. trans. To follow in (a person's steps); to follow (a leader, etc.). Obs.
| ? a 1500 Flower Womanhede in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems 43 Whos stepes glade to ensue Ys eueri woman in their degre. 1509 Hawes Examp. Virt. xiii. 255 And xv. ladyes her dyd ensue. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. ix. 5 Whom straight the Prince ensuing in together far'd. a 1626 Bp. Andrewes Serm. 147 All that have ensued the steppes of their faith. |
b. absol. and intr.
| c 1500 New Not-br. Mayd 235, I must ensue Where fortune doth me lede. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. xii. [xi.] 77 Neir at our bak Crewse, my spous ensewis. a 1577 Sir T. Smith Commw. Eng. (1633) 56 Which pricketh forward to ensue in their fathers steps. |
† 2. fig. To follow the guidance of (a person, etc.); to imitate (an example); to follow (inclination, passion, etc.), conform to (advice, orders).
| 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. x, I am so dull certayne that I ne can Guido ensewe. 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. xiv. 47 Tho philosophres ensieweth better Plato than Aristotle. c 1500 Doctr. Gd. Servaunts in Poet. Tracts (1842) 7 Seruauntes ought not to ensue Theyr owne wyll. 1530 Proper Dyaloge (1863) 23 In this they ensued Christes lawyng and his doctrine. 1541 Elyot Image Gov. 13 All honourable women ensued the Empresses exaumple. 1599 Davies Immort. Soul (1876) I. 99 While these receiv'd opinions I ensue. |
† b. Of things: To take after, correspond to.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth De P.R. i. Prol. (1495) 3 The propritees of thynges folowe and ensewe their substaunces. 1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 21 §19 An ordenance..insewing muche the olde auncient customes of this realme in that behalfe. 1628 Coke On Litt. 13 a, The recompense shall ensue the loss. |
† 3. To follow with the intention of overtaking; to pursue. Obs.
| 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 1079 This venerable prynce ensuynge this great harte approched to his cell. 1569 J. Sandford tr. Agrippa's Van. Artes 125 b, To ensue them that flee. |
b. fig. To follow or seek after, strive to obtain, aim at. arch. Also † intr. with after.
| 1483 Caxton Cato 2 b, Eschewe alle vyces and ensiewe vertue. 1535 Coverdale Ps. xxxiii. 14 Let him seke peace and ensue it. 1642 Rogers Naaman To Rdr. §2 To affect and ensue the meanes of it owne safety. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. II. 119 For him I desire to ensue courage. 1874 Morley Compromise (1886) 113 They have sought truth and ensued it. |
† 4. To follow out (a plan, course of life, profession, etc.); to follow up (a train of thought), ‘pursue’ (a subject). Also catachr. to spend (a period of life). Obs.
| 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxxi. xii, But that in joye you may your youth ensue. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. iv. (1883) I. 28 Semblable ordre will I ensue in the fourmynge the gentill wittes of noble mennes children. 1581 Lambarde Eiren. ii. iv. (1602) 136, I will ensue that also. 1590 Spenser Ep. Sir John Norris, And Precedent of all that armes ensue. a 1613 Overbury A Wife (1638) 172 They are not pauled with insuing idle cogitations. |
5. † a. trans. Of an event, state of things, portion of time, portion of a book or discourse: To follow, succeed, be subsequent to. Also of persons: To succeed (some one) in an office, or in the performance of an action. Chiefly implying immediate sequence: To come next to. Obs.
| 1491 Act 7 Hen. VII, c. 20 §5 By the space of ij monethes next ensuyng any of the seid festis. 1542 in W. H. Turner Sel. Rec. Oxford 168 The feast..next insuying the date herof. 1578 Timme Caluine on Gen. 159 How long it was ere that the flood insued the creation of the world. 1591 Spenser Teares Muses 54 And let the rest in order thee ensew. 1609 Bp. Barlow Answ. Nameless Catholic 16 What are these Aggreeuances..that..ensued that desperate Plot? 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xxiv. (1748) 360 Him Erkenwald ensues th' East-English Offa's son. 1649 Selden Laws Eng. (1739) Pref. 8 For three hundred years next ensuing the Normans. |
b. intr. Of a portion of time, part of a book or discourse: To be subsequent. Of an event, a state of things: To occur or arise subsequently. Chiefly implying immediate succession. Cf. ensuing ppl. a.
The phrase next ensuing, now somewhat pleonastic, is still in formal use with reference to dates.
| 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 5 Thre partyes by chapytres ensyewyng declared. 1494 Fabyan 5 The Cronycle shall ensewe, In his dewe ordre. 1528 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) V. 265 To be disposed in maner and forme that ensuyeth. 1559 in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. iii. 139 Gouernors of the sayd hospytalles for the yere now next insuynge. 1584 D. Powel Lloyd's Cambria 91 The yeare insuing. 1591 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 96 The copie of w{supc}{suph} said Letter ensueth. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 991 Now dreadful deeds Might have ensu'd. 1669 Bunyan Holy Citie 195 These and the words ensuing. 1709 Steele & Swift Tatler No. 74 ¶11 On Saturday the 15th of October next ensuing. 1729 T. Cooke Tales, Proposals, etc. 36 Bleak Winds and Storms ensue, they [the Flowrs] droop, they dy. 1770 Langhorne Plutarch (1879) I. 204/1 Several skirmishes ensued in the difficult passes. 1866 Kingsley Herew. xvii. 216 Conversations ensued thereon between Baldwin and his courtiers. |
† c. In pres. pple.: In succession, ‘running’. Obs. rare.
| 1583 T. Stocker Hist. Civ. Warres Lowe C. i. 107 b, Then they should giue two nights ensuing at midnight a signe with fire, etc. |
6. † a. trans. To follow as a result or consequence; to result from. Obs.
| 1514 Barclay Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (1847) p. xlvi, Surfet ensuing gluttony. 1566 Drant Horace' Sat. ii. A viij, Such lyke blame That doth ensue outragiouse spence. 1607 Topsell Serpents (1653) 701 The accidents that follow, are like to those which ensue the bitings of Vipers. a 1677 Barrow Serm. (Wks. 1716) I. 1 By peace [may be meant] the content..ensuing such a course of actions. a 1754 Fielding Conversation Wks. 1784 IX. 364 Nor would any inconvenience ensue the admittance of such exceptions. |
b. intr. To follow as a result; to result. Const. † by, from, † of, on, upon.
| 1483 Caxton Cato B iij, The grete multitude of synnes whyche ensueth and cometh thereof. 1525 E. Lee in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. II. 71, I need not advertise your Grace what infection & danger may ensue hereby. 1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man (1631), The service of God, whereof ensueth the enjoying of his heavenly kingdome. a 1700 Dryden Ovid's Met. xii. Wks. 1821 XII. 167 From the wound ensued no purple flood. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) II. 318 What devastation might not ensue were the elephant..as fierce..as the tiger. 1837 G. Bird Nat. Philos. 238 Decomposition of water will, of course, ensue, and hydrogen will be evolved. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. cxvii, That out of distance might ensue Desire of nearness doubly sweet. |
¶ To proceed, issue from.
| 1599 Marston Sco. Villanie ii. vii. 208 Soules of men, from that great soule ensue. |
7. intr. To follow as a logical conclusion. Usually impers. with virtual subject-clause. rare in mod. use.
| 1581 Lambarde Eiren. iv. iv. 399 It doeth of necessitie ensue, that he, etc. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. iii. 31 Doth it therefore ensue that you should loue his Sonne deerelie? |