concede, v.
(kənˈsiːd)
[a. F. concéde-r (16th c. in Littré), or ad. L. concēd-ĕre to withdraw, give way, yield, grant, etc., f. con- altogether + cēdĕre to go away, give way, yield: see cede.]
1. a. trans. To admit, allow, grant (a proposition), to acknowledge the truth, justice, or propriety of (a statement, claim, etc.); sometimes in weaker sense, To allow formally for the sake of argument.
| 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. v. ix. 247 If (as Macrobius and very good Authors concede) Bacchus..be the same Deity with the Sunne. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones xv. i, If by virtue these writers mean the exercise, etc...I shall very readily concede the point. 1836 J. Gilbert Chr. Atonem. vii. (1852) 195 The law itself was not conceded to have been unjust. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. viii, Conceding, for a moment, that there is any analogy between a bee and a man. 1883 Manch. Guardian 17 Oct. 5/4 The claim of the negro to be exactly a brother..seems not yet to be finally conceded. |
b. To admit defeat in (an election); to acknowledge that an election, town, etc., has been lost to another political party or candidate. orig. U.S.
| 1824 Commentator (Frankfort, Ky.) 2 Oct. 3/1 This state is generally conceded to General Jackson. 1908 Westm. Gaz. 21 Feb. 2/2 If we ‘concede’, as the Americans say, West Worcester, our opponents, on their part, ‘concede’ West Carmarthen. 1908 Daily Chron. 3 Nov. 4/6 He hid in terror, and contrived to have a telegram dispatched to Mr. Cleveland ‘conceding’ his election. 1946 Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftain 27 June 1/7 J. B. Bridston Wednesday night conceded the North Dakota republican senatorial nomination to U.S. Senator William Langer as additional returns boosted Langer's lead. 1965 Ann. Reg. 1964 44 Sir Alec did not admit defeat; and the Conservative chairman..apparently did not see cause to concede. 1970 Times 19 June 1/1 Mr Wilson refused to concede defeat and showed no regret at having called the election. |
2. To grant, yield, or surrender (anything asked or claimed, e.g. a right, a privilege).
| 1632 Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromina 81 Concede me I pray you this small digression. Ibid. 101 Vouchsafe to concede me onely the first attribute in your esteeme, and that shall content me. 1805 Southey Madoc in W. viii, What wouldest thou That to these Hoamen I should now concede? 1841 Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life III. viii. 123 The money..was conceded. 1858 Buckle Civiliz. (1873) II. viii. 558 Free trade was conceded to the West Indian Islands. 1883 Manch. Exam. 24 Oct. 4/6 Any advance of wages at present is not warranted..and cannot be conceded. |
3. intr. or absol. To make a concession.
| 1780 Burke Sp. Bristol Wks. III. 371 When..I wished you to concede to America, at a time when she prayed concession at our feet. 1799 Beddoes Contrib. Phys. Knowl. Introd. 25 By conceding equally to opinions, of which none can have any solid title to preference. |
Hence conˈceded ppl. a., conˈcededly adv., admittedly, conˈceding vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. v. xx. 263 From conceded mistakes they authentically promoted errors. 1684 Willard Mercy magn. 10 The father's conceding act. 1757 Herald No. 16 A conceding of more than his subject..required of him. 1854 Ronalds & Richardson Chem. Technol. (ed. 2) I. 41 Conceded lands. 1882 N. York Tribune 22 Mar., The present Executive Mansion..is concededly not what it ought to be. |