rectify, v.
(ˈrɛktɪfaɪ)
[ad. F. rectifier (14th c. in Littré), ad. late L. rectificāre (3rd c.), f. rectus right + -ficāre: see -fy.]
1. a. trans. To put or set right, to remedy (a bad or faulty condition or state of things).
| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 51 Wiþ propre eir [v.r. cure] to rectifien þe corrupcioun of þilke lyme. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 136 b, Thus we may se y{supt} payne is good, for by it god rectifyeth synne. 1615 R. Brathwait Strappado (1878) 176 For rectifying such abuse as grow, By this foule vice. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxvii. 158 He ought by meditation of the Law, to rectifie the irregularity of his Passions. 1748 Hartley Observ. Man ii. i. 17 It produces Consequences, which in the End rectify the original Disorder. 1829 Faraday Exp. Res. xliii. 255 The bottom gave way..and endeavouring to rectify this..by means of sand [etc.]. 1845 M{supc}Culloch Taxation ii. vi. (1852) 285 Though there still remain some anomalies to be rectified, this statute has effected some material improvements. |
b. To put right, correct, amend, make good (a mistake, error, omission, etc.).
| 1659 Heylin Examen Hist. i. 173, I must make a start to fol. 91 for rectifying a mistake of our Authors. 1699 Bentley Phal. 250 He discovers his own Omissions, and presently rectifies them. 1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Abbé Conti 19 May, An error of his guide, which his short stay hindered him from rectifying. 1837 Dickens Pickw. vii, The slight omission was rectified. 1858 Mill Liberty ii. (1865) 12/1 Man..is capable of rectifying his mistakes, by discussion and experience. |
c. Photogrammetry. To correct errors of perspective in (an oblique aerial photograph, or a position derived from one) in order to obtain a plan view.
| 1919 Geogr. Jrnl. LIII. 390 This method..is..not so satisfactory as our method of rectifying the print in a camera. 1928 Ibid. LXXI. 591 The photographed positions of two control points are rectified. 1944 P. G. McCurdy et al. Man. Photogrammetry x. 440 (heading) Control and computation to rectify the individual photographs. 1979 Sci. Amer. Apr. 28/3 Essentially an orthophoto is an aerial photograph which has been rectified and on which contour lines, spot heights, and other information are superimposed. |
2. † a. To restore (a diseased or disordered organ) to a sound or healthy condition.
Obs.| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 80 If þe lyuere eiþir þe splene ben I-greued,..þou muste rectifien hem. 1620 Venner Via Recta ii. 25 It notably rectifieth the stomacke. 1660 tr. Amyraldus' Treat. conc. Relig. iii. ix. 498 To reinfuse decayed strength in a moment, and rectifie cripled members after long impotence. 1694 Salmon Bate's Dispens. (1713) 580/2 It rectifies a weak and disorderly Stomach. |
b. To put or set (a person or thing) right, in various applications of the
adj.; to bring or restore to a good or normal condition;
† to establish in a proper manner.
| a 1529 Skelton Col. Cloute 1265 To rectyfye and amende Thynges that are amys. 1549 Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 31 He doth vs rectify in the libertie of the gospel, in that therefore let vs stand. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. 1, Your trauaile is your only thing that rectifies, or..makes you fit for action. 1640 Sir B. Rudyard in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1680) II. ii. 1358, I have often thought and said, that it must be some great extremity, that would recover and rectifie this State. 1678 Trans. Crt. Spain ii. 100 The question was only Then of banishing a stranger; but Now the business is to rectify Spain itself. 1796 C. Marshall Garden. xx. (1798) 376 Espaliers, garden frames, and such things, rectify. 1882 Lecky Eng. in 18th C. (1892) IV. xvi. 366 The simplest and most natural way of rectifying his position. |
| refl. 1809 Med. Jrnl. XXI. 294 In this way we may account..for the manner in which nature tends to rectify herself. |
| absol. 1830 Hood Haunted House i. xxviii, No hand or foot within the precinct came To rectify or ravage. |
† c. To restore in right condition
to something.
| 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. i. ii. §11 Beholding their Temples..solemnly continued to a pious end, and rectified to the Service of the true God. |
3. Chem. To purify or refine (any substance) by a renewed or repeated distillation, or by some chemical process; to raise
to a required strength in this way; also, to flavour (a liquor) with some substance during rectification. Also
absol.| c 1450 Lydg. Secrees 565 Ffirst departyng of the foure Ellementys, And afftirward..Euerych of hem for to Recteffye. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence 13 Brynge aȝen euerych [element] into 5 beynge [= quintessence]..as tofore, or ellis rectifie. 1594 Plat Jewell-ho., Chem. Concl. 5 When you have divided the oyles from the waters, then you may rectifie or purify them in this manner. 1662 R. Mathew Unl. Alch. 155 Its clearness must not come with gentle fire, but with oft rectifying. 1681 tr. Belon's Myst. Physick Introd. 35 Pour over it of the best Spirit of Wine, rectified with Pot-ashes. 1731 P. Shaw Ess. Artif. Philos. 126 These..refuse parts of Sugar are fermented with Water..; then distill'd into a Spirit, and rectified per se to vulgar proof. 1800 tr. Lagrange's Chem. II. 248 If you rectify the product found in the receiver, you will obtain prussic acid. 1883 Hardwich's Photogr. Chem. (ed. Taylor) 268 To rectify the solution, pour it into the glass bath..and..thoroughly stir up with it four drops of dilute Nitric acid. |
| transf. 1603 Drayton Bar. Wars i. xxii, The temper of that nobler mouing part, With such rare purenesse rectifie'd his blood. 1620 Venner Via Recta Introd. 5 The Sunne, which rectifieth the aire. a 1677 Hale Prim. Orig. Man. i. ii. 45 The assimilation thereof in Animals rectifies this alimental juice into Chyle, and then into Blood. 1727 Pope & Gay Further Acc. E. Curll, An Affluence of Animal Spirits rectified and refined to a degree of Purity. |
4. a. To correct or reform (a person, one's nature, mind, etc.) from vice or moral defect.
| a 1450 Mankind (Brandl) 13 O souerence, I be-seche you, yowur condycyons to rectyfye. c 1460 G. Ashby Dicta Philos. 792 Rectifie a noþer if that ye may,..And rectifie youre selfe first euery day. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John xx. 113 b, Let them therfore put awaye earthly affeccions and rectifie theyr myndes, applying the same to spirituall and heauenly thynges. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §42 But age doth not rectifie, but incurvate our natures, turning bad dispositions into worse habits. 1667 J. Flavel Saint Indeed Wks. 1716 II. 5/2 Grace hath in great measure rectifyed the Soul, and given it an..heavenly temper. 1714 Addison Spect. No. 571 ¶9 As a Soul within the Soul, to..rectifie its Will, purifie its Passions [etc.]. 1781 Crabbe Library 141 Whatever good ye boast, that good impart, Inform the head, and rectify the heart. 1859 Geo. Eliot A. Bede ii. xvii, You can neither straighten their noses, nor brighten their wit, nor rectify their dispositions. |
† b. To correct (one who is mistaken or in error); to set right.
Obs.| 1586 Exam. Henry Barrowe A iij b, Barrowe. Yow shal not touch one haire of my head, without the wil of my heauenly father. Arch. Nay I will doe this to rectifie yow. 1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass ii. i, He do's not know me indeed. I thank you, Ingine, For rectifying him. 1688 S. Penton Guard. Instr. (1897) 1 Pray, Sir, rectifie me if I am mistaken. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 93 ¶4 A Man has frequent Opportunities of..rectifying the Prejudiced. |
| absol. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. ii. §4 In all these it [learning] doth rectify more effectually than it can pervert. |
5. a. To correct by removal of errors or mistakes; to amend or improve in this way.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. 2, I wyll presume..To ioyne suche a werke or it to rectyfye. 1610 Shakes. Temp. v. i. 245 Some Oracle Must rectifie our knowledge. 1674 Marvell Corr. Wks. 1872–5 II. 422 In order to the retracting or rectifying..the reasons formerly given by your House. a 1727 Newton Chronol. Amended i. (1728) 57 That Chronology is to be rectified, by shortening the times which precede the death of Cyrus. 1777 Watson Philip II (1839) 219 He found means, however,..in some measure to rectify their opinion of his conduct. 1830 Seton Forms Decrees in Equity 396 It was prayed that the said minutes may be rectified. 1864 Bowen Logic i. 12 And of subsequently rectifying and enlarging our Concepts. |
b. To correct or emend (a text).
rare.
| 1730 Hist. Litteraria I. 450 In order therefore to rectify the Text, he collated anew the several Editions. 1778 R. Lowth Transl. Isaiah Prelim. Diss. (ed. 12) 46 Useful in rectifying as in explaining the Hebrew text. |
† c. To make (an action) morally right.
Obs.| 1700 S. Sewall Mem. in Diary (1879) II. 19 note, The extraordinary and comprehensive Benefit accruing to the Church of God, and to Joseph personally, did not rectify his brethrens Sale of him. |
6. a. To put right by calculation or adjustment.
| 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 166 This [figure] semeth to haue a singuler vse in rectifying the longitudes of places. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. i. ii. 6 This is too hard for Practitioners at first to know how to use this Instrument, to rectifie the variation of the Compass. 1679 Moxon Math. Dict., To Rectify a Nativity, is to bring the Estimate and supposed time to the true and real time of a persons Birth. 1704 J. Harris Lex. Techn. I. s.v., Its Use is to find the Variation of the Compass, to Rectifie the Course at Sea. 1707–12 Mortimer Husb. (1721) II. 253 If the Stock be all knotty or crooked..rectifie it with the fittest posture of the Graft you can. 1877 Owen Mrq. Wellesley's Desp. Introd. 32 He rectified frontiers, in a military sense, with minute care, so as to make both us and our staunch dependents as defensible as possible. |
b. To set right, adjust (an instrument or apparatus). Also in
fig. context.
| 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. ii. vi. 67 A most necessary Instrument to rectifie the Compass. 1669 Worlidge Syst. Agric. 48 Observe whether it will hold out or super-abound at the end of one or two Furrows, and accordingly proceed and rectifie the Feeder [of the sowing-drill]. a 1708 Beveridge Priv. Th. i. (1730) 108 Having rectified the Balance of my Judgment according to the Scripture. 1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lugger i. iv. 45 She..employed herself next in rectifying the time-piece by her own watch. |
c. spec. To adjust (a globe) for the solution of a problem. Also
absol.| a 1646 J. Gregory Terrestrial Globe in Postuma (1650) 286 Lift up the North-Pole aboue the Horizon so manie Degrees as will answer to the Latitude of the Place unto which you mean to rectifie. 1674 Moxon Tutor Astron. ii. (ed. 3) 84 Rectifie the Globe, Quadrant, Hour-Index, and Horizon. 1704 J. Harris Lex. Techn. I, To Rectifie the Globe... Bring the Sun's Place..to the Meridian, and the Hour-Index to 12 at Noon. 1868 Lockyer Elem. Astron. 158 When the globe has been rectified, as it is called, in this manner, we have the constellations which are rising on the eastern horizon, just appearing above the eastern part of the wooden horizon. |
7. † a. To make straight, straighten out (anything crooked, etc.); to bring into line.
Obs.| 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 39/2 Havinge therfor now rectified this finger by this meanes. 1600 [see rank v.1 1 b]. 1628 Wither Brit. Rememb. Premonit. 2 Rectifying a crooked staffe. a 1711 Ken Christophil Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 497 O Conscience,..Check me, and rectify my devious Lines. 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §252 The masons proceeded to rectify the face of the work, where it was in any degree wanting thereof. |
b. Geom. To equate (a curve) with a straight line. (
Cf. rectification 3.)
| 1673 Visc. Brouncker in Phil. Trans. VIII. 6150 It was easie..to infer, That, if we can Rectifie the one, we may square the other. 1685 Wallis Algebra 293 The same Curve, which Mr. Neil (and so many after him,) had Rectified before. 1721–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Rectification, To rectify the circle, therefore, is to square it. Ibid., To rectify the parabola. 1866 Brande & Cox Dict. Sci., etc. II. 799/1. |
c. To permit (an electric current) to flow preferentially in one direction;
esp. in
Electr., to convert (an alternating current) into a direct current.
| 1892 S. P. Thompson Dynamo-Electric Machinery (ed. 4) xxiii. 652 A commutator, which rectified the alternations. 1893 Sloane Stand. Electr. Dict. 164. 1895 Electrician 9 Aug. 488/1 The town supply of current at a pressure of 3,000 volts is transformed down to 65 volts and rectified. 1901 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 9 Mar. 573/2 The current to be ‘rectified’ is taken direct from alternator to commutator. 1922 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 1024/2 It [sc. the valve] can..be used to separate out the two constituents of a high frequency alternating current and ‘rectify’ them into a direct current. 1962 Jrnl. Physiol. CLXIII. 111 The 2–3 membrane was assumed to be permeable only to potassium and to rectify anomalously: the extent of this rectification is illustrated. 1962 A. Lytel Industr. Electronics ii. 38 These rectifiers are two-element tubes and are used in power supplies to rectify or convert alternating current to direct current. 1964 B. V. Rollin Introd. Electronics v. 65 To rectify a signal by mixing it with a reference voltage of the same frequency and observing the resulting d.c. output. |
† 8. To guide or direct aright.
Obs. rare.
| 1603 Daniel Panegyric to King lxiii, Thy iudgement now must only rectifie This frame of pow're thy glory stands vpon. 1618 Bp. Hall Right. Mammon Wks. (1625) 693 There is nothing more necessarie..for a Christian heart, then to be rectified in the menaging of a prosperous estate. |
† 9. To declare right, approve of (a thing).
Obs.| 1567 Drant Horace, De Arte Poet. A viij, What Tom, and Tib do rectefie What lykes the carter clowne, The wyse men take not in good parte. |
† 10. intr. To become straight.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 39/2 If the finger groweth croocked, we must then cause the finger to rectifye and growe straight. |