▪ I. corroborate, ppl. a. Obs. or arch.
(kəˈrɒbərət)
[ad. L. corrōborāt-us, pa. pple. of corrōborāre: see next.]
Strengthened, confirmed, corroborated. a. as pa. pple. arch.
| 1532 Thynne Chaucer's Wks. Ded., Maynteyned, corroborate, and defended. c 1534 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 112 That..the Ilond beinge corroberat it mighte strike a certaine terror into the adverse parte. 1607–12 Bacon Ess., Custom & Educ. (Arb.) 366 There is noe trusting to the force of Nature..except it be corroborate by Custome. 1814 Southey Roderick xvii. 239 The sense Of duty, by the pride of self-controul Corroborate. 1878 Tennyson Q. Mary ii. ii, His right came down to me, Corroborate by your Acts of Parliament. |
† b. as adj. Obs.
| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 383 A more stable and corroborate concorde. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. iii. §3 Men are more curious..what mould they lay about a young plant than about a plant corroborate. |
▪ II. corroborate, v.
(kəˈrɒbəreɪt)
[f. L. corrōborāt- ppl. stem of corrōborāre to strengthen, invigorate, f. cor- together, intensive + rōborāre to make strong: see -ate3.]
To strengthen, make strong.
† 1. trans. To strengthen materially. Obs.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. (1613) 46, I will corroborate my Crosse Giant-like, to vnder-beare the Atlas burthen of her insolences. 1691 Ray Creation ii. (1704) 336 Every part is..corroborated by Membranes. a 1762 M{supc}Ewen Grace & Truth iii. ii, These boards were corroborated with bars of the same wood. 1802 Paley Nat. Theol. xx. (1819) 321 These joints [in grasses and canes] ..corroborate the stem. |
† 2. To strengthen constitutionally, or organically; to invigorate, refresh. Obs.
| 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe (1541) 50 b, Rydynge moderately..doth corroborate the spirite and body above other exercises. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. (1877) 107 Meats (moderatly taken) corroborate the body, refresh the arteries, and reuiue the spirits. 1677 Gilpin Dæmonol. (1867) 210 The outward man is also corroborated by the inward peace of the mind. 1720 W. Gibson Diet Horses xi. (1731) 178 Nothing so much strengthens and corroborates the whole Body [as the morning air]. 1822 T. Taylor Apuleius v. xxii, Psyche, who was otherwise of an imbecile body and mind..is now corroborated. |
† b. esp. of medicinal agents or applications; also of the physician. Obs.
| 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe ii. vii, Olyves condite in salte lykoure..doth corroborate the stomacke. 1604 Bacon Apol. 56 They ..shold..intend to cure and corroborate the part. 1611 Cotgr., Comforter vne playe, to corroborate a wound by fomentations, or other (externall) applications. 1658 A. Fox tr. Wurtz' Surg. ii. iii. 53 Give him some Cordials to corroborate his stomack. 1744 Berkeley Siris §80 Nothing that I know corroborates the stomach so much as tar-water. 1797 J. Downing Dis. Horned Cattle 17 This medicine..corroborates the parts that are hurt. |
3. With non-material object: To strengthen (a quality, faculty, power, etc.); to confirm (a person) in a quality or attribute. arch.
| 1543 Necess. Doctr. O ij, Wherby they shulde be so corroborated..in the gyftes..before receiued in baptisme. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. ii. §39 Paulinus..daily plyed the Word and Sacraments, thereby to corroborate his owne People in Piety. 1704 Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 119 To corroborate their Faith. 1737 Whiston Josephus' Hist. i. ii. §1 Jonathan..corroborated his authority by..friendship with the Romans. 1838 Sir W. Hamilton Logic xxx. (1866) II. 119 The inferior faculty ..so far from nourishing and corroborating the superior..tends to reduce this faculty to a lower level. |
4. To give legal or formal confirmation to; to confirm (a law, legal act, etc.).
| 1530 [see corroborating vbl. n.]. 1548 Hall Chron. 225 b, His high Courte of Parliament..in the whiche, all lawes and ordinaunces, made by him before that daie were corroberated and confirmed. 1639 Fuller Holy War iii. xi. (1840) 133 To corroborate his election. 1655 ― Ch. Hist. ii. iv. §14 This law..corroborated by eight hundred yeares Prescription and many Confirmations. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) I. xxxvi. 275 If the yielding up that estate will do, resign it—and be mine—and I will corroborate, with all my soul, your resignation. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 218 If the fine had been levied for the purpose of corroborating the conveyance. |
5. To strengthen (an opinion, statement, argument, etc.) by concurrent or agreeing statements or evidence; to make more sure or certain; to support, confirm: said a. of a person; b. of the confirming statement.
| 1706 Pope Let. to Walsh 22 Oct., I am glad to corroborate [these observations] by some great authorities. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 153 ¶2 My narrative has no other tendency than to illustrate and corroborate your own observations. 1791 Gentl. Mag. 32/1 He appears to have taken uncommon pains to corroborate all his assertions by an appeal to original authorities. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 88 He recollected Rip at once, and corroborated his story in the most satisfactory manner. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. vii. 54 This observation corroborates those of Professor Forbes. 1878 Huxley Physiogr. 54 The simple explanation..has been corroborated by subsequent investigators. |
† 6. intr. To concur in testimony. Obs. rare.
| 1776 G. Semple Building in Water 23 These..nearly coroborate with the Soundings at R. 1772–84 Cook Voy. (1790) V. 1776 Many circumstances corroborate to prove this beyond doubt. |
Hence coˈrroborated ppl. a., coˈrroborating vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1530 Palsgr. Ep. to King 8 For the auctorysyng and corroboratyng of my said thyrde boke. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. x. (1660) 148 These [Herbs]..serve to the corroborating and comforting of the inward parts of mans body. 1684 Charnock Attrib. God (1834) II. 424 A Chirurgeon that applies corroborating plasters to a broken limb. 1713 Slare in Phil. Trans. XXVIII. 251 To have lost their Cordial or corroborating Faculty. 1822 T. Taylor Apuleius v. ix, Through long continued association, and corroborated affection. |