apert, a. and adv. arch.
(əˈpɜːt)
Also 4–6 appert, and aphet. pert.
[a. OFr. apert:—L. apert-um open, pa. pple. of aperī-re to open: see aperient. In OFr. the word was to some extent confused with aspert = espert:—L. expertus, ‘expert,’ which seems to have affected some of the senses.]
A. adj.
1. Open, manifest, public, plain, unconcealed. (Opposed to privy.) arch. since c 1700.
| 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 29 Gaf Saynt Cutbert Londes & liþes, with chartir aperte. 1395 Purvey Remonstr. (1851) 8 Glotonie, lecherie, and othere synnis prevy or apert. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6153 Religiouse folk ben fulle covert; Seculer folk ben more appert. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour D ij b, Appert or knowen myracles. 1600 Holland Livy xxiv. xxv, In vaine he had attempted to be king by apert and open force [palam atque aperte]. 1681 Glanvill Saducismus i. (ed. 2) 99 The apert confession of the Nullibists. 1849 S. R. Maitland Ess. 392 Gardiner got many ‘nips,’ both ‘privy’ and apert, for his share in the book. 1879 Ward Chaucer i. 41 Our national life in this period..in its ‘apert,’ if not in its ‘privy’ sides..lacks the seriousness belonging to men and to generations. |
† b. ‘Open’ in sound. Obs.
| 1668 Wilkins Real Char. iii. xi. (R.) They [vowels] are therefore stiled apert or open letters. |
† 2. Manifest to the understanding, plain, evident.
| 1340 Ayenb. 203 Yef þe wordes byeþ uoule..þet is apert tokne þet þe uoulhede..byeþ ine þe herte. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie 238 Which had bene the directer speech and more apert. 1674 Hickman Hist. Quinquart. 7 There are in Zuinglius..most apert sentences from which it is gathered that God is the Author of sin. |
† 3. Straightforward, direct; brisk, bold. (With batayle aperte cf. ‘open battle.’). Obs.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 2450 Ther ros batayle aperte; Ten hundrid weoren to dethe y-dight. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 73 Thai..full manfully Grete and apert defens can ma. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxxiii. 113 Wyth þe Wachis sturdily Made ane apert and stout mellé. |
† 4. Distinguished, clever, ready, expert. Obs.
| a 1330 Sire Degarre 95 Ther nas non in al the Kynges londe, More apert man than was he. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 276/2 Sharp in assoyllyng questyons, ryght appert in confundyng heretykes. |
† 5. Outspoken, forward in manner, bold, insolent. (Survives in the aphetized pert.) Obs.
| 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 289 Modred a fole aperte was slayn [for] licherie. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 541 Wiþ proude wordes apert þat passeth his rule. a 1400 Sir Perc. 681 Come I to the, appert fole, I salle caste the in the pole. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour B ij, She was aperte, for she praid me two or thre tymes that I shold not leue. 1688 Vox Cleri pro Rege 3 Another stroak of his Rhetorick..to the same purpose, but only with a more apert and forward explanation. |
† 6. in apert (OFr. en apert): openly, in public. into apert: to public view. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 217 Mony a knycht and ek lady Mak in apert richt euill cher. 1382 Wyclif Mark iv. 22 Nether ony thing is preuy, the whiche shal not come in to apert [1388 opyn]. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 182 Alle tho, that hadden be Or in appert or in prive Of counseil to the mariage. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) i. lxii. 105/1 Two maner of dedes . oone pryuely and an other in aperte or openly. |
† B. adv. Openly, manifestly, plainly, publicly.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6355 Þis meracle sagh þai all aperte. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 78 Oueral goþ symonie priualy or apert. c 1450 Myrc 1448 Tell hyt owte now a-pert. 1556 Abp. Parker Ps. cxix. 131 Rayse up my mouth I did apert. |