▪ I. beholding, vbl. n.
(bɪˈhəʊldɪŋ)
Also 3 bihaldung, biholdung, 4 by-, behaldyng.
[f. behold v. + -ing1.]
1. The action of looking at; contemplation, sight.
| a 1225 St. Marher. 14 Wið luueliche lates, wið steape bihaldunge eiðer on oðer. 1382 Wyclif 2 Chron. xxv. 21 Thei ȝeuen to hem silf beholdingis either to other. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour D v, The fourthe foly of Eue was the foolyssh beholdynge. 1605 Shakes. Lear iii. vii. 10 The reuenges..are not fit for your beholding. 1702 Rowe Tamerl i. i. 321 My Eyes first own'd thee..the Joy of their Beholding. |
† 2. Mental contemplation; consideration. Obs.
| a 1520 Myrr. Our Ladye 310 The beholdynge of the causes. 1540 Coverdale Pref. Fruitful Less. Wks. 1844 I. 206 Sweet contemplation and beholding of God's almightiness. |
† 3. Regard, reference. Obs.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. iii. 17 Thouȝ no biholding therto were maad into Holi Scripture. |
4. The thing beheld: † a. An image, a spectre. Obs. b. A vision. arch.
| c 1440 Gesta Rom. 240 She shalle loke in the glas, & hir owne beholdyng shalle bowe & passe to hir ayene. 1824 Coleridge Aids Refl. (1848) I. 322 Shadows and imperfect beholdings and vivid fragments of things distinctly seen. 1826 E. Irving Babylon I. iii. 161 Twice..doth the Prophet mention this part of his beholding. |
¶ The sense ‘Obligation,’ the only one recognized by Dr. Johnson, assigned by him on the strength of a quotation from Carew, is a mere blunder, mechanically perpetuated by subsequent dictionaries: Carew's word is beholdingnes, q.v.
▪ II. beˈholding, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2. Sense 1 evidently originated in an error for beholden, either through confusion of the endings (cf. esp. the 15th c. spelling -yne for -en), or, more probably, after beholden was shortened to beholde, behold, and its grammatical character obscured; the general acceptance of ‘beholding’ may have been due to a notion that it meant ‘looking (e.g. with respect, or dependence),’ or to association with the idea of ‘holding of’ or ‘from’ a feudal superior. (It was exceedingly common in the 17th c., for which no fewer than 97 instances have been sent in by our readers.)]
† 1. Under obligation, obliged, indebted, beholden; in late use often: Dependent. Obs.
| [a 1450 Knt. de la Tour viii. 11 Doughter, ye are moche beholde to serue God.] 1483 Caxton ibid. C viij b, Dame ye ben moche beholdynge to god. 1551–6 Robinson tr. More's Utop. 36, I was muche bounde and beholdynge to the righte reuerende father. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. i. i. 283 A Iustice of peace sometime may be beholding to his friend, for a Man. 1662 H. More Antid. Ath. i. vi. (1712) 19 We have some Ideas that we are not beholding to our Senses for. a 1704 T. Brown Eng. Sat. Wks. 1730 I. 25 Posterity has been very little beholding to the ancient Greeks for satire. 1719 D'Urfey Pills (1872) I. 67 And he for their..bread, Beholding to his wife. |
† 2. ? That holds fast the eyes; engaging, attractive. Obs. rare—1.
| 1580 Sidney Arcadia (1598) i. 50 When he saw me..my beautie was no more beholding to him then my harmony. |
3. Looking on, gazing.
| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1590 Which when her sad-beholding husband saw, Amazedly in her sad face he stares. |