appurtenance
(əˈpɜːtɪnəns)
Forms: 4–5 apurtena(u)nce, -tynaunce, aportenance, -anse, 6 apertinaunce; 4–6 appur-, apper-, 5 appar-, apportenaunce, -tenanse, 6 appertaynens, appar-, 6–9 apper-, 7–9 appurtenance. Aphet. 4–5 portin-, porten-, purtenaunce.
[a. AF. apurtenance (12th c. in Littré), OF. aper- and, regularly, apartenance (cf. Pr. apartenensa, It. appartenenza):—late L. appertinēntia, f. appertinēre: see appertain and -ance. The second vowel has varied, as a, e, o, u, but the last is now the accepted spelling. For instances assimilated to appertain, see appertainance. Formerly often used unchanged in the plural.]
1. Law and gen. A thing that belongs to another, a ‘belonging’; a minor property, right, or privilege, belonging to another more important, and passing in possession with it; an appendage.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. ii. 103 To haue and to holde · and here eyres after, A dwellyng with þe deuel..Wiþ al þe purtenaunces [1393 portinaunce] of purgatorie. 1418 E.E. Wills (1882) 28, I bequethe to..my wyf my Maner of Staverton with the appurtenaunces. 1490 Caxton Eneydos lxv. 165 The cyte of Lawrence wyth the appartenaunces. 1557 K. Arthur vi. xi, I wolde that he receyued it as his ryght and appertenaunce. 1691 Blount L.D., Appertinances are things both Corporeal, belonging to another thing, as to the more principal; as Hamlets to a chief Mannor..and Incorporeal, as Liberties, and Services of Tenants. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. II. xiv. 94 The county of Chester, with valuable appurtenances, was transferred to Simon. |
2. A thing which naturally and fitly forms a subordinate part of, or belongs to, a whole system; a contributory adjunct, an accessory.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 184 Pryde with al þe appurtenaunce [v.r. appurtenaunces, purtenaunce; 1393 portinaunce]. 1570 Dee Math. Præf. 36 This, with all other Cases..and appertenances, this Arte demonstrateth. 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 388 The appurtenance of Welcome is Fashion and Ceremony. 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. ix. 192 The soul would not appear to them as a faculty of the body, or kind of appurtenance to it. 1835 Willis Pencillings I. i. 10 A personification of the cholera, with skeleton armour and bloodshot eyes, and other horrible appurtenances of a walking pestilence. |
3. esp. in pl. The mechanical accessories employed in any function or complex scheme; apparatus, gear. Also fig.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶719 Now cometh hasardrie with his appertenaunce [v.r. apurtenaunces, -tynaunces, -tenance, -ortenancis, appurtenaunce] as tables and rafles. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres v. i. 125 The Counterfortes, and the other appertenances of the Bulwarke. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. §10 (1873) 80 Astrolabes..provided as appurtenances to astronomy. 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 66 The Pope, with his appertinences the Prelats. 1764 Reid Inquiry vi. §1 The structure of the eye, and of all its appurtenances. 1840 J. M. Wilson T. of Borders (1851) XIX. 253 The wine, the plate, the servants in livery, and all the appurtenances of a great establishment. |
4. The fact or state of appertaining.
| 1846 Landor Exam. Shaks. Wks. II. 276 (archaic) Swans and herons have something in their very names announcing them of knightly appertenance. 1875 Whitney Life Lang. v. 94 The word is a token of the most indefinite appurtenance. |