▪ I. exorcize, -ise, v.
(ˈɛksəsaɪz, ˈɛksɔː-, ɛgˈzɔːsaɪz)
Also 6 exorsize.
[(? ad. Fr. exorcise-r,) ad. late L. exorcizāre, ad. Gr. ἐξορκίζειν, f. ἐξ out + ὅρκος oath.
‘Owing perh. to association with exercise, the spelling -ise is now almost universal; the better form exorcize is marked in most Dicts. as obsolete’ (N.E.D., 1894).]
1. trans. To drive away (an evil spirit) by the invocation or use of some holy name; to call forth, expel. Const. from, out of.
| 1546 Bale Eng. Votaries 35 All vayne & craftye scyences,..exorcysynge, incautynge & coniuryngge. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 141 ¶6 Something..in this Comedy..wants to be exorcised more than the Witches. 1850 A. Jameson Leg. Monast. Ord. (1863) 21 Touched him on the shoulder with his staff and exorcised the demon. 1870 Gladstone Glean. IV. vi. 202 The spirit which devised it, is not exorcised, either from the priesthood or the rural population. |
2. To clear (a person or place) of evil spirits; to purify or set free from malignant influences.
| 1645 Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 178 They were..exorcised at their entering the church with abundance of ceremonies. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 110 ¶5 The Knight..ordered all the Apartments to be flung open, and exorcised by his Chaplain. 1742 Young Nt. Th. ix. 1362 Exorcise his heart So long possest. 1826 W. Jay Christian Contemplated ix. 292 This joy exorcises a man, of carnal affection. 1848 Lytton Harold xi. ix. 291 Muttering hymns, monks huddled together..as if to exorcise the land of a demon. |
3. To call upon (an evil spirit) with a solemn asseveration; to adjure. Also, to conjure up. Now rare.
| 1584 R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. xv. xii. 412, I doo conjure and I doo exorcise you, by the father, by the sonne, and by the Holy-ghost..that..you doo come unto me. 1649 R. Hodges Plain. Direct. 8 His daily exercise is to exorcise or adjure. 1732 Neal Hist. Purit. (1822) I. 44 The devil was exorcised to go out, and enter no more into him. 1848 A. Jameson Sacr. & Leg. Art (1850) 406 Having exorcised the dragon in the name of Him who was born of a virgin. |
| transf. 18.. De Quincey Wks. (1871) XVI. 16 Secrets of ages remote from each other have been exorcized from the accumulated shadows of centuries. |
Hence exorcized ppl. a. exorcizement, the action of exorcizing; exorcizing influence. exorcizer (also 6–7 exorcisor), one who exorcizes. exorcizing vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. xviii, The derivation or distribution of these Exorcized Elements into several Superstitious uses. 1679 T. Puller Moder. Ch. Eng. (1843) 205 Never..aneling any with exorcised oil..till, etc. 1782 Fashionable Follies I. 102 He..was become sensible to the exorcisement of holy water. 1873 L. Wallace Fair God vii. ii. 452, I am not an evil spirit, to fly the exorcisement of thy bell. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) i. ii. 12 But for the good understanding the which is exorciser that is to be noted. a 1806 Horsley Serm. (1810) I. x. 230 Things that they had seen done..by professed exorcisers. 1610 Bp. Hall Apol. Brownists §45 Their anoylings, their exorcizings. 1664 More Myst. Iniq. xviii, Of the Enchanting or Exorcizing of Water [etc.]. 1817 T. L. Peacock Melincourt i, The invariable exorcising apparatus of a large venison pasty. |
▪ II. exorcize, n. rare.
[f. prec. vb.]
The action of the vb. exorcize.
| 1863 Thornbury True as Steel II. 107 Let us drink to the exorcise of the evil spirit of treachery. |