▪ I. atone, v.
(əˈtəʊn)
Also 6–8 attone.
[f. the prec. advb. phr. in its combined form as repr. a simple idea, and 16th c. pronunciation. Short for the phrase ‘set or make at one’; cf. to back, to forward, to right, etc., and the compounds at-one-maker, at-one making, under prec. Assisted by the prior existence of the vb. to one = make one, put at one, unite, L. unīre, F. unir; whence onement was used already by Wyclif. From the frequent phrases ‘set at one’ or ‘at onement,’ the combined atonement began to take the place of onement early in 16th c., and atone to supplant one vb. about 1550. Atone was not admitted into the Bible in 1611, though atonement had been in since Tindale.]
I. Of unity of disposition.
1. trans. To set at one, bring into concord, reconcile, unite in harmony: a. contending persons. (Obs. exc. as revived by etymological writers.)
| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, i. i. 202 Since we cannot attone you, you shall see Iustice designe the Victors Chiualrie. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. vii. 65 The new Pope..sends a Cardinall Deacon to attone the two mightie Kings of France and England. 1643 Milton Soveraigne Salve 9 The king and parliament will soon be attoned. 1675 Dryden Aureng-zebe iii. 1136 The King and haughty Empress..If not atton'd, yet seemingly at Peace. 1845–6 Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. i. ii. 30 Him in whom God and man were perfectly atoned. |
† b. differences, quarrels. To compose, appease.
| 1555 Fardle Facions i. vi. 92 Those battayles are attoned by the women..For when they be ones comen into the middle..the battaile sodenly ceaseth. 1565 J. Heywood in Casquet Lit. IV. 232/2 The constable is called to atone the broil. 1624 Heywood Gunaik. iv. 167 She presently..attonde the discord. 1702 Rowe Tamerlane iii. i. 1096 Could I attone The fatal Breach 'twixt thee and Tamerlane. |
† 2. intr. To unite, come into unity or concord.
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iv. 116 Then is there mirth in heauen When earthly things made eauen Attone together. 1607 ― Cor. iv. vi. 72 He and Auffidius can no more attone Then violent'st Contrariety. |
3. trans. To reconcile or restore to friendly relations: a. one who is alienated by a sense of wrong or offence received: To conciliate, propitiate, appease. arch.
| a 1617 Bayne On Eph. (1658) 11 Now he [God] is atoned and reconciled by Christ. 1698 Dryden æneid iii. 45 With pray'rs and vows the Driads I attone. 1718 Pope Iliad i. 89 So heaven, atoned, shall dying Greece restore. 1809 Let. in Dk. Buckhm. Crt. Geo. III (1855) IV. 391/3 To atone Lord Wellesley for the mortification he must have experienced. |
† b. the offender: To restore by forgiveness to favour or friendly relations, to make at peace with.
| 1642 J. Jackson Bk. Consc. 54 There can be no sound peace of Conscience, till we be atoned and reconciled to God. |
4. Whence, absol. To make reconcilement or propitiation: a. for the offender.
| 1682 Dryden Relig. Laici 89 If sheep and oxen could atone for men. a 1700 ― Dram. Wks. (1761) III. 18 The Oracle of Appius, and the Witchcraft of Erictho will somewhat attone for him [Lucan]. |
b. for the offence. (Here the idea of reconciliation or reunion is practically lost sight of, under that of legal satisfaction or amends.)
| 1665 Glanvill Sceps. Sci. Addr. 28 Need to plead it to attone for the imperfection of this Address. 1710 Palmer Proverbs xi, Fine language will never attone for want of manners. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 20 ¶7 Nothing can atone for the Want of Modesty. 1771 Junius Lett. liv. 288 He..has a multitude of political offences to atone for. 1873 Black Pr. Thule xix. 315 She would..give him a chance of atoning for the past. |
5. trans. (by omission of for) To expiate, make amends for (a fault or loss).
| 1665 Glanvill Sceps. Sci. 76 [This] I hope will attone the Digression. a 1677 Barrow Serm. (1687) I. xxxi. 430 Other sacrifices..did in their way propitiate God and atone sin. 1799 Sheridan Pizarro v. iv, I will endeavour to atone the..errors. 1837 Lytton Athens II. 223 They endeavoured to atone the loss by the pursuit of Artabazus. |
† b. To make expiation for (the offender). Obs.
| 1650 W. Brough Sacr. Princ. (1659) 29 For thy dear Sons sake..By whom the world is attoned, O let me be reconciled to Thee. 1717 L. Welsted Wks. (1787) 105 No victim can atone the impious age. |
II. Of physical, expressional, or artistic unity.
† 6. trans. To join in one, unite together. Obs.
| 1609 Heywood Bryt. Troy iv. xx, Their long diuided bodies they attone, And enter amorous parley. 1615 Chapman Odyss. ix. 266 High built with pines, that heaven and earth attone. 1672 Davenant Mistress (1673) 322 Your Eies and Hair atone the day and Night. |
b. fig. To bring into artistic or logical harmony; to harmonize.
| 1691 E. Taylor tr. Behmen's Theos. Phil. 203 The contrary properties in him are..so attoned and in harmony. 1827 Hare Guesses I. 233 To atone our ideas with our perceptions. |
c. absol. To produce a harmony of significance.
| 1862 Trench Mirac. Introd. 76 That attempt to reconcile and atone between revelation and science, which, etc. |
7. intr. † a. To come together, unite. Obs.
| 1611 Heywood Gold. Age ii. i, You neuer shall with hated men attone. |
b. To harmonize in character or appearance.
| 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Rich. II, 122 The Glorious flowers w{supc}{suph} best attone Within a Chaplett. 1844 Ld. Houghton Mem. Many Sc. 106 Welcome such thoughts! They well atone With this more serious mood. |
▪ II. atone, n.
(əˈtəʊn)
[f. prec. vb.]
† 1. Agreement, reconciliation. Obs.
| 1595 Spenser Col. Clout 843 For how should else things so far from attone..Be ever drawne together into one. 1638 Heywood Rape Lucr. (1874) 185 Tullia..hath not yet by reconcilement made Attone with Phœbus. |
2. Reparation, expiation. (Archaism with mod. sense.)
| 1868 Buchanan Wallace i. iii, Oh injured Wallace! Would Heaven but lend me one day's life to do Atone to thee. |