bishop

▪ I. bishop, n.
    (ˈbɪʃəp)
    Forms: 1 biscop, -sceop, -scep, 2–3 biscop, 3–6 bischop, 4–5 bisshop, 3– bishop. Also 1 biscob, 2 bish-, bisshup, 2–3 biscopp, bisscop, -kop, 2–4 (s.e.) bissop, 3 byssop, 3–7 bishoppe, 4 bisschop(e, -oppe, bi(s)shope, -opp, -up, busschop, 4–5 byschop, 4–6 bisch-, bisshopp, busshop, bysshop, bishope, -opp, 4–7 byshop, 5 bis-, byschope, -oppe, -upp, -yp, buschop(e, 5–6 bysch-, bysshopp, -ope, -oppe, 6 bischoipp, biszhop, -oppe, bushopp(e, byshe-, bys-, bysshopp(e, 6–7 bisshope, bushop, 7 biship, busschope.
    [OE. biscop (also in North. biscob), bisceop, biscep, an early adopted word (cf. OS. biskop, MDu. bisscop, Du. bisschop), OHG. biscof, piscof (MHG., mod.G. bischof), ON. biskup (Sw. biscop, Da. bisp), a. Romanic *biscopo or vulgar L. (e)biscopus:—L. episcopus, a. Gr. ἐπίσκοπος overlooker, overseer, f. ἐπί on + -σκοπος looking, σκοπός watcher; used in Greek, and to some extent also in Latin, both in the general sense, and as the title of various civil officers; with the rise of Christianity it gradually received a specific sense in the Church, with which it passed into Slavonic, Teutonic, and Celtic. With the form biscopo, biscobo, which passed into Teutonic, cf. also It. vescovo, OF. vesque, Pg. bispo, Pr. vesque, bisbe. Cf. bisp.]
    1. A spiritual superintendent or overseer in the Christian Church. a. Used in the New Testament versions to render the Gr. word ἐπίσκοπος, applied to certain officers in early Christian churches, either as a descriptive term, or as their actual title. In Wyclif, the Rhemish, and Revised Versions, the Gr. word is so rendered in every instance; but in the other versions from Tindale to 1611, it is in Acts xx. 28 (where applied to the πρεσβύτεροι or ‘elders’ of Ephesus) rendered ‘overseers.’ Also applied to Christ, as descriptive of his office. (Sometimes applied by those who do not recognize the episcopal order, to their pastor or chief elder, but only as a descriptive term, or as identifying his office with that of the New Testament ‘bishop.’)

1382 Wyclif Acts xx. 28 Al the folk in which the Hooly Gost sette ȝou bischopis. [Tindale oversears, Cranmer ouersears, Geneva Ouersears, Rhem. bishops, 1611 ouerseers, 1881 bishops (marg. or overseers).] ― 1 Peter ii. 25 Ȝe ben conuertid now to the sheperde and bischop of ȝoure soulis [1881 the Shepherd and Bishop (marg. or Overseer) of your souls]. c 1383 ― Sel. Wks. III. 310 Crist veriest bischop of alle. 1535 Coverdale Phil. i. 1 Paul & Timotheus..vnto all the sayntes..with the Biszhoppes & mynisters. 1647 Jer. Taylor Lib. Proph. vii. 130 The Holy Ghost hath made them Bishops or Over-seers.

1868 Lightfoot Philippians 93 It is a fact now generally recognized by theologians of all shades of opinion, that in the language of the New Testament the same officer in the Church is called indifferently ‘bishop’ ἐπίσκοπος and ‘elder’ or ‘presbyter’ πρεσβύτερος.

    b. spec. In the Eastern, Western, Anglican, and other churches of episcopal order: A clergyman consecrated for the spiritual government and direction of a ‘diocese,’ ranking beneath an archbishop (where these exist) and above the priests or presbyters, and deacons. (This is the sense in which the word passed with Christianity into all the Teutonic langs., and thus the earliest sense in English.)
    bishop in partibus (infidelium) in R.C. Ch., one dignified with the title of a bishopric, whose district or diocese is in the possession of infidels or heretics; originally applied to those expelled from the Holy Land by the Saracens.

c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. (Hatton MS.) 1 ælfred kyning hateð gretan Wærferð biscep. 1121 O.E. Chron. 984 (Laud MS.) Her forðferde se halᵹa biscop Aðelwold. c 1175 Cott. Hom. 237 Archebiscopes . and biscopes. 1297 R. Glouc. 376 He huld..Byssopes & abbotes to hys wylle echon. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. 417 Bischops..shulden not amersy pore men. 1473 J. Warkworth Chron. 3 The Kyng put oute of the Chauncelerschepp the Bysshope of Excetre. 1548 Patten Exped. Scotl. Arb. Garner III. 68 That venemous aspis..the Bishop of Rome. c 1600 Norden Spec. Brit. (1728) 32 Former times afforded Cornwall a peculiar Bushop. 1641 Smectymnuus Vind. Answ. §16. 208 King James of blessed memory said, no Bishop, no King: it was not he, but others that added, No Ceremony, no Bishop. 1738 Bolingbroke On Parties 170 Another Man wears..Lawn Sleeves, and sits in a purple Elbow-Chair, to denote that he is a Bishop. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Bishop, By the canon law, a bishop in partibus is qualified hereby to be a coadjutor of another bishop. 1844 Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) I. iv. 133 These ministers [of religion] were at first confined to the three orders of bishops, priests, and deacons. 1882 Farrar Early Chr. I. 529 James lived to furnish the nearest approach to a bishop to be found in the Apostolic age.

    † 2. transf. Formerly applied to: A chief priest of any religion; e.g. a chief priest or High Priest of the Jews, a Roman pontiff (‘high’ or ‘principal bishop’ = pontifex maximus), Muslim Caliph, etc. Obs.

c 893 K. ælfred Oros. v. iv. §1 Lucinius Crassus..wæs eac Romana ieldesta biscep. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark xv. 11 Ða biscobas ðonne ᵹeegedon ðone ðreat. c 1200 Ormin 1022 Te biscopp sellf Wiþþ blod..þær shollde cumenn. 1382 Wyclif Mark xv. 11 Forsothe the bischopis stireden the cumpenye of peple, that more he schulde leeue to hem Barabas. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys 49 At that tyme byschop was isakar In the temple. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 57 Now am I set to kepe..Byschope Jettyr shepe. 1541 Paynell Catiline xvii. 24 b, P. Scipio, the hyghe bysshope..slewe Tiberius Gracchus. 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. 597 The caliphaes of the Sarasins were chiefe bishops in their religion. 1600 Holland Livy xxii. ix. 437 e, The Colledge of the Bishops or Prelates [pontificum]. 1615 Bedwell Arab. Trudg. Sultan, The Byshop of Egypt is called the Souldan. 1647 R. Stapylton Juvenal 101 Suppositious children, bishops pull'd From the foule lake.

    † 3. As a literalism of translation: a. Overlooker, inspector, watchman.

1592 Andrewes 96 Serm. v. (1843) 516 No pinnacle so high but the devil is a bishop over it, to visit and overlook it.

    b. for L. episcopus in its most common civil sense of: Superintendent or overseer of the public victualling. [Cf. Charisius in Roman Digest, ‘Episcopi qui præsunt pani et ceteris venalibus rebus quæ civitatum populis ad quotidianum victum usui sunt.’]

1808 Month. Mag. XXVI. 109 They gave away corn, not cash; and Cicero was made bishop, or overseer, of this public victualling.

    4. Applied ludicrously to the chief of the company in the ‘Festival of Fools.’ Cf. the Boy Bishop of St. Nicholas Day: Brande Pop. Antiq. I. 232.

1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iv. iii. 303.

    5. One of the pieces in the game of chess, having its upper part carved into the shape of a mitre; formerly called archer, and in still earlier times alfin or aufyn.

1562 Rowbotham in Archaeol. XXIV. 203 The Bishoppes some name Alphins, some fooles, and some name them Princes; other some call them Archers. 1581 Sidney Def. Poesie (1622) 520 Giuing a peece of wood the reuerend title of a Bishop. 1656 F. Beale Chesse-play 2 A Bishop or Archer, who is commonly figured with his head cloven. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iv. ii. 275 The alfin was also denominated..with us an archer, and at last a bishop.

    6. a. ‘The little spotted beetle commonly called the Lady-cow or Lady-bird.’ Ray S. & E. Country Wds. 1674.

1875 Parish Sussex Dial. s.v., ‘Bishop, Bishop-Barnabee, Tell me when my wedding shall be; If it be to-morrow day, Ope your wings and fly away.

    b. = bishop-bird.

1934 in Webster. 1953 D. A. Bannerman Birds W. & Equat. Afr. II. 1415 When not breeding the Fire-crowned Bishops go about in small flocks.

    † 7. (See quot.) Obs.

1611 Florio, Fungo..that firy round in a burning candle called the Bishop.

    8. A sweet drink variously compounded, the chief ingredients being wine, oranges or lemons, and sugar; mulled and spiced port.

1738 Swift Wom. who cry Oranges Wks. 1755 IV. i. 278 Well roasted, with sugar and wine in a cup, They'll make a sweet bishop. 1790 Boswell Johnson (1831) I. 235 A bowl of that liquor called bishop, which Johnson had always liked. 1801 Coleridge Poems II. 169 Spicy bishop, drink divine. 1834 Campbell Mrs. Siddons II. viii. 191 Unacquainted with the language of taverns, Miss Burney made her King exclaim, in an early scene, ‘Bring in the Bishop!’ and the summons filled the audience with as much hilarity as if they had drank of the exhilarating liquor.

    9. Articles of attire: a. A bustle (U.S.). b. A smock or all-round pinafore worn by children (north. dial.).

a 1860 The Bustle (Bartlett), I sing the bishop, alias the bustle. a 1860 Saxe Progress (Bartlett) If, by her bishop, or her ‘grace’ alone, A genuine lady or a church is known. 1874 E. Waugh in Lanc. Gloss. (E.D.S.) Here; tak him, an wesh him; an' put him a clen bishop on.

    10. a. Comb., as bishop-coadjutor, bishop-commissioner, bishop-seat, bishop-see; bishop-bird, any of various African weaver-birds the males of which have scarlet, orange or black plumage during the breeding-season; Bishops' Bible, the version of the Bible published in 1568 under the direction of Abp. Parker; bishop's court, an ecclesiastical court held in the cathedral of a diocese; bishop-designate (see quot.); bishop-elect, a bishop elected, but not yet consecrated; bishop's length (Painting), a certain size of canvas; bishop('s) sleeve, a sleeve in a woman's dress made full and gathered in at the wrist like the lawn sleeves of an Anglican bishop.

1835 Penny Cycl. IV. 375/1 The instructions..were, that they should adhere to the *Bishops' Bible.

1884 Layard & Sharpe Birds S. Afr. 462 Pyromelana Oryx (Linn.). Red *Bishop Bird. Ibid. 463 We have not thought it necessary to separate these two Bishop Birds specifically. Ibid., Pyromelana Capensis, Linn. Black and Yellow Bishop Bird. 1931 R. C. Bolster Land & Sea Birds S.W. Cape 133 The Bishop Birds are also known as ‘Kaffir Finks’.

1883 Manch. Guardian 18 Oct. 4/6 The representative clergy and laity..assembled in conference..under the presidency of *Bishop-coadjutor Ryan.

1751 Chambers Cycl. Supp., *Bishop-designed (designatus) denoted a coadjutor of a bishop, who in virtue of his office is to succeed at the incumbent's death.

1883 Freeman in Longm. Mag. II. 488 The *Bishop Designate is one who has simply received a letter from the Prime Minister, which as yet makes no difference whatever in his actual legal or ecclesiastical position.

1844 Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) I. ii. 86 The two *bishops-elect gave satisfaction.

c 1870 Winsor & Newton's Advt., *Bishop's ½ length, 4 ft. 8 in. by 3 ft. 8 in.; whole length, 7 ft. 10 in. by 4 ft. 10 in.

1330 R. Brunne Chron. 248 Þe olde chartres & titles..Of ilk a *bisshopse & ilk a priourie.

1650 R. Stapylton Strada's Low-C. Warres i. 18 He appointed fourteen Cities..for Bishops-sees.

1829 Mirror of Lit. 26 Sept. 205/2 The mistress..conceived the idea of *bishops' sleeves, an article of dress which precludes all hope..of imitation in the kitchen. 1846 D. Corcoran Pickings from ‘Picayune’ 56 Instead of making the sleeves tight they are the old fashioned bishop sleeves. 1861 Englishwoman's Dom. Mag. III. 69/1. 1. A bishop sleeve, with a narrow wristband. 2. A bishop sleeve, the fulness gathered in to a band the length of the arm, this band being shown on the upper part of the sleeve. 1958 Vogue Sept. 109 The bishop sleeves are a widely-seen revival.

    b. Plant-names: bishop's-cap, the genus Mitella or Mitre-wort; bishop's elder = bishop-weed; bishop's-hat, Epimedium alpinum; bishop's-leaves, Water Figwort (Scrophularia aquatica); bishop's weed, bishop-weed, a name for the genus ammi; also ægopodium; bishop('s wort, Wood Betony, Stachys betonica; also Devil-in-a-bush, Nigella damascena.

1839 Longfellow Voices of Nt. Prel. viii, When..*Bishops-caps have golden rings.

1597 Gerard Herbal ii. ccxliv. 715 Called in English Water Betonie, in Yorkeshire *Bishops leaves.

1614 Markham Cheap. Husb. i. Table, Ameos, Comin royal, is a Herb of some called Bulwort, *Bishops-weed, or Herb-william.

1861 Miss Pratt Flower. Pl. III. 26 Order Umbelliferæ..(Common Gout-weed, or *Bishop's-weed.)

c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 2 Betonica þæt is *biscopwyrt.

c 1450 Roy. MS. 18 A. vi. f. 68 in Promp. Parv. 34 note, [Betony] also clepyd *byschuppyswort.

1863 Prior Plant-n. 23 *Bishop's-wort..is now..applied to the Devil-in-a-Bush.

    Hence ˈbishopful a. (cf. worshipful, masterful). † ˈbishopist, an adherent of episcopacy. bishopless a., without bishops. bishoplet, -ling, a little or petty bishop. bishopship, the office or dignity of a bishop. † bishopwick = bishopric.

1866 Neale Seq. & Hymns 116 O ye, His chosen servants, in bishopful array. 1590 J. Davidson Repl. Bancroft in Wodr. Soc. Misc. 516 This sort of the generation of Bishopists. 1662 Fuller Worthies II. 560 (D.) Landaff..lay Bishopless for three years. 1838 Fraser's Mag. XVIII. 546 The doctor was totally ignorant of this custom, ours being a bishopless land. 1878 All Y. Round 9 Nov. 449 What a bishoplet it must have been that presided there. 1570 Levins Manip. 141 Byshopship, episcopatus. 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. iii Wks. (1851) 110 The superiority of Bishopship. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. (1857) I. ii. i. vii. 258 The abolition of Most-Christian Kingship and Most-Talleyrand Bishopship. 1570 Levins Manip. 121 Bishopwick, diocesis.

▪ II. ˈbishop, v.¹ arch.
    [OE. bisceopian to exercise the office of a bishop, f. bisceop bishop.]
    1. To administer the rite of confirmation to (a person); to confirm. arch. or Obs.

c 1000 Thorpe's Laws II. 348 (Bosw.) Se bisceop biþ ᵹesett..to bisceopᵹenne cild. c 1315 Shoreham 5 Wanne the bisschop, bisschopeth the, Tokene of marke he set on the. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xviii. 268 [Christ] baptisede, and busshoppede · with þe blode of hus herte. 1622 W. Yonge Diary (1848) 50 The Marquis of Buckingham and his wife were both bishopped, or confirmed by the Bishop of London. 1786 J. Roberts Life 29 How many of them have been bishop'd?

    b. jocularly. To confirm.

1602 Warner Alb. Eng. x. liv. (1612) 241 Why sent they it by Felton to be bishoped at Paules? 1648 Herrick Hesper. I. 87 'Tis good confirm'd, for you have bishop't it. 1700 Dryden Cymon & Iph. 243 He..chose to bear The name of fool confirm'd and bishop'd by the fair.

    2. To appoint to the office of bishop.

1549 Latimer Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 138 marg., Thys hathe bene often tymes..sene in prechers, before they were byshoppyd. 1641 Milton Prel. Episc. 6 This tradition of Bishoping Timothy over Ephesus was but taken for granted. 1861 Sat. Rev. 23 Nov. 537 There may be other..matters to occupy the thoughts of one about to be bishopped.

    3. To supply with bishops.

1865 Daily Tel. 6 Dec. 5/3 Italy would be well bishoped if her episcopacy..did not exceed fifty-nine.

    4. to bishop it: to act as bishop.

1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. ii. §12 marg., Harding and Saunders bishop it in England. Ibid. xi. ii. §7 He bishoped it over all the Romish Catholiques.

    5. To let (milk, etc.) burn while cooking. In allusion to the proverb ‘The bishop has put his foot into it.’ north. dial.

[a 1536 Tindale Wks. 166 (T.) If the porage be burned to, or the meate ouer rosted, we say the bishop hath put his foote in the potte or the bishop hath played the cooke, because the bishops burn who they lust and whosoever displeaseth them. 1641 Milton Animadv. §1 (D.) It will be as the bishop's foot in the broth. 1738 Swift Polite Conv. i. (D.) This Cream is burned too—why Madam, the bishop has set his foot in it.] 1863 Mrs. Gaskell Sylvia's L. (ed. 2) I. 64 She canna stomach it if it's bishopped e'er so little. 1875 in Lanc. Gloss. 40 Th' milk's bishopped again!

▪ III. ˈbishop, v.²
    [f. the name of persons who initiated the several practices.]
    1. trans. To file and tamper with the teeth of (a horse) so as to make him look young; to improve his appearance by deceptive arts.

1727 [see bishoping]. 1840 E. Napier Scenes & Sp. For. Lands I. v. 138, I found his teeth had been filed down and bishoped with the greatest neatness and perfection. 1884 Illust. Lond. News 23 Aug. 171/2 To bishop..a term..signifying the use of deceptive arts to make an old horse appear like a young one.

    2. To murder by drowning. [From one Bishop who, with a confederate, drowned a boy in Bethnal Green in 1831, in order to sell his body for dissection.] ? Obs.

1840 Barham Ingol. Leg. 201, I Burked the papa, now I'll Bishop the son. 1864 Athenæum 559/1 We have ‘to Burke’ and ‘to Bishop.’

Oxford English Dictionary