‖ benedicite, int. and n.
(bɛnɪˈdaɪsɪtiː)
Also 4–5 bendicite, benste.
[L.; 2nd pl. imper. of benedīcĕre ‘to praise, commend,’ later ‘to bless, wish well to,’ f. bene well + dīcĕre to speak, say. In early use shortened to bendicite, benste.]
A. int.
1. as expressing a wish: Bless you!
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 397 He bygan benedicite with a bolke. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 48 Benedicite, My sone..Thou shalt be shrive of bothe two. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. iii. 39 Grace goe with you, Benedicite. |
2. as expressing astonishment or remonstrance: Bless us! Good gracious!
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 780 What? liveth not thy lady, benedicite? c 1386 ― Friar's T. 156 A! quod the sompnour, benedicite! what ye say. c 1420 Sir Amadace 647 Sir Amadas seyd Benedicite! Sir, leyt such wordes bee. |
B. n.
1. Invocation of a blessing on oneself or others.
| 1610 G. Fletcher Christ's Vict. in Farr S.P. (1848) 55 And all the way he went he ever blest With benedicities. 1808 Scott Marm. ii. ii, One eyed the..swelling sail, With many a benedicite. 1823 ― Quentin D. ii, The friar answered his reverend greeting with a paternal benedicite. |
2. esp. The blessing asked at table. (The earliest sense in English.)
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 44 Bitweone mete, hwo se drinken wule, sigge benedicite: potum nostrum filius Dei benedicat. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. I. v. 208 The first [prayer] at the Beginning of the Repast..what we call Benedicite. 1842 Mrs. Gore Fascin. 109 We may repent having laughed at the benedicite last night at supper! |
† 3. A blessing, deliverance from evil. Obs.
| a 1300 Dame Siriz 193 Bendicite be herinne! c 1314 Guy Warw. 206 Gaf him swiche bendicite That he brak his nek ato. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 85 Benste, benste, be us emang. |
4. The canticle in the Book of Common Prayer, known also as ‘The Song of the Three Children.’
| c 1661 Papers on Alter. Prayer-bk. 3 You will not allow the omission of the Benedicite. |