▪ I. doctrine, n.
(ˈdɒktrɪn)
Also 4–6 doctryn(e, 6–8 doctrin.
[a. F. doctrine (12th c.), ad. L. doctrīna teaching, learning, f. doctor teacher, doctor: cf. pistrīna bakery, f. pistor baker.]
† 1. The action of teaching or instructing; instruction; a piece of instruction, a lesson, precept. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif 2 Tim. iv. 2 Arguwe, or proue, biseche, blame in al pacience and doctryn. c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. Prol., I..have hit translated in myn englissh only for thi doctrine. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 1 Al thynges that ben reduced by wrytyng ben wryton to our doctryne. 1526–34 Tindale Mark iv. 2 He..sayde vnto them in his doctrine [so 1611; 1881 (R.V.) teaching]: Herken to. 1645 Ussher Body Div. (1647) 56 The Commandement..was a doctrine to teach Pharoah what he must have done. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 11 ¶2 Doctrines on this Occasion..are the most..empty of all the Labours of Men. |
b. Public instruction; preaching. Obs.
| 1560–78 Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot. (1621) 40 Where the people convene to the doctrine but once in the week. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 250 After doctrin, he lyikwiese ministrat the Lordis Table. 1600 J. Melvill Diary (Wodrow Soc.) 33, I saw him everie day of his doctrine go hulie and fear..to the Paroche Kirk. |
2. That which is taught. a. In the most general sense: Instruction, teaching; a body of instruction or teaching.
| 1382 Wyclif Tit. ii. 10 In alle thingis schewing good feith, that thei ourne in alle thingis the doctryn of oure sauyour God. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xii. 133 The Gospelles, in the which is gode doctryne. 1483 Caxton Cato 3 In this smal lytyl booke is conteyned a short..doctryne for all maner of peple. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xli. 7 Be rewlyt rycht and keip this doctring. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) Prol. 2 Foloweth a shorte doctryne..in y⊇ whiche shall be spoken..of fyue thynges. 1526–34 Tindale Matt. xvi. 12 He bad not them beware of the leven of breed: but of the doctrine of the Pharises. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. II. 179 They next proceeded to consider the points of doctrine and life. 1851 Robertson Serm. Ser. ii. 110 In Scripture, doctrine means broadly, teaching: anything that is taught is doctrine. |
b. esp. That which is taught or laid down as true concerning a particular subject or department of knowledge, as religion, politics, science, etc.; a belief, theoretical opinion; a dogma, tenet.
| 1382 Wyclif Matt. xv. 9 Techynge the doctrines and maundements of men. 1485 Caxton Paris & V. Prol., The book of his doctrines. 1509 Fisher Fun. Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 308 To publysshe the doctryne & fayth of cryste Ihesu. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xxv. §20. 116 The doctrine of the nature of God. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 269 ¶10 To vent among them some of his Republican Doctrines. 1725 Watts Logic iv. ii. Rule 6, The doctrine of the sacred Trinity. 1778 Burke Corr. (1844) II. 242 That doctrine of the equality of all men, which has been preached by knavery, and so greedily adopted by malice, envy, and cunning. 1860 Westcott Introd. Study Gosp. viii. (ed. 5) 405 Difficulties in applying the great doctrine of gravitation. 1893 Sir J. W. Chitty in Law Times Rep. LXVIII. 430/1 To hold that mere oral assent to the new lease operates as a surrender in law would be a most dangerous doctrine. |
c. Monroe doctrine (U.S. politics): the name applied (since about 1848) to a principle or series of principles of policy put forward in, or deduced from, the Message of President Monroe to Congress, 2 Dec. 1823.
In this it was declared that ‘we should consider any attempt’ on the part of the Allied European Powers ‘to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety’; that ‘any interposition, for the purpose of oppressing’ the recently revolted Spanish-American colonies, ‘or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European Power’ would be viewed ‘as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition towards the United States’; and that ‘the American continents should no longer be subjects for any new European colonial settlement’.
| 1848 I. E. Holmes in Congress. Globe 29 Apr. 711 The President [Polk] had taken the opportunity of reiterating a doctrine which was said to be the doctrine of Mr. Monroe. 1858 Sun (Balt.) 30 Oct. (Bartlett), If we now fall back on the Monroe doctrine, we shall see the difference between an abstraction and its application in practice. 1866 Lowell Seward-Johnson Reaction Prose Wks. 1890 V. 323 The South should put in practice at home that Monroe Doctrine of which it has always been so clamorous a supporter. 1895 Marquis of Salisbury Disp. 26 Nov. (Times 18 Dec. 7/2) The application of the Monroe doctrine to the question of the boundary dispute between Venezuela and the colony of British Guiana. 1896 Daily News 7 Mar. 4/6 It was during this contest between Spain and her insurgent colonists that President Monroe, in 1823, at the instigation of Mr. Canning, laid down in a Message to Congress the famous ‘doctrine’ which bears his name. |
3. A body or system of principles or tenets; a doctrinal or theoretical system; a theory; a science, or department of knowledge. ? Obs.
| 1594 West 2nd Pt. Symbol. §100 F, I haue..laid downe the doctrine of Instruments. 1666–7 Pepys Diary 16 Feb., [He] understands the doctrine of musique. 1667 Primatt City & C. Build. 160 Measure the same by the Doctrine of Triangles. 1709–29 V. Mandey Syst. Math., Astron. Pref. 248 Astronomy is a Doctrine or Science. 1754 Chatham Lett. Nephew 48 A..notion of..the solar system: together with the doctrine of comets. 1836–7 Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. (1877) I. viii. 130 Psychology therefore, is the discourse or doctrine treating of the human mind. |
† 4. Learning, erudition, knowledge. Obs.
| c 1400 Beryn 1245 Thow art xx wynter, and nauȝt hast of doctryne. 1483 Caxton Cato G j, The man whiche is without doctryne is like thymage of deth. 1563–7 Buchanan Reform. St. Andros Wks (1892) 12 The principal to be ane man of..sufficient doctrine to supple the regentis absens in redyng. 1601 Shakes. All's Well i. iii. 247 The Schooles Embowel'd of their doctrine. |
† 5. Discipline. Obs. rare.
| a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. 78 These officers should be marked and ordered after theyre..behavioure..or elles to be at the doctryne conveniente in the countynghouse. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) P v, The doctrine of sones and doughters was enlarged, and theyr bridell let go at libertee. |
6. attrib. and Comb.
| a 1716 South Serm. V. 31 To give those doctrine and use-men, those pulpit-engineers their due. 1879 Baring-Gould Germany II. 194 When the excitement of doctrine-smashing was over, the laity grew listless. |
▪ II. † ˈdoctrine, v. Obs.
[a. OF. doctrine-r, ad. med.L. doctrīnāre, f. doctrīna: see doctrinate.]
trans. a. To teach or instruct (a person); b. To teach, give instruction in (a science, etc.).
| 1475 Bk. Noblesse 77 Henry duke of Lancastre..had sent to hym..yong knightis, to be doctrined, lerned, and broughte up..in scole of armes. 1530 Palsgr. 523/2, He hath ben well doctryned: il a esté fort bien endoctriné. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 46 Phisic, astronomye and natural philosophie, var fyrst prettikit and doctrinet be vs. 1648 Gage West Ind. xvii. (1655) 112 They doctrined me as a novice. |
Hence ˈdoctrined ppl. a.
| 1627 W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 137 Take view of their doctrined practises, in deuotion to God, Carriage to men, to our selues. |