† aˈret, aˈrett(e, v. Obs.
4–7; also 5–7 arret(te, 5 arect, 5–6 arrect.
[a. OF. arete-r, aretter, f. à to + reter (Pr. and OSp. reptar):—L. reputā-re to count, reckon: see repute. After 1400 erroneously latinized (in England) as arrectāre, as if connected with rectum, whence the common 15–16th c. spelling arect, arrect.]
1. trans. To reckon, count; also with compl.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 726, I praie you..That ye ne arette [v.r. ret(te] it not my vilanie. 1388 Wyclif Luke xxii. 37 He is arettid [1382 demyd] with wickid men. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 26 We arettid Him as smitun of God & lafte. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas ii. Prol., They arect it fortunes variaunce. 1470–85 Malory Arthur (1634) Prol., In hym..myght wel be aretted grete folye. |
2. trans. To reckon to the credit or debit of a person; a. in a good or neutral sense: To impute, ascribe, attribute to.
| c 1340 Hampole Prose Tr. 31 Arett all thi gude dedis sothefastely to Hyme. c 1380 Wyclif Pater Noster Sel. Wks. III. 107 It was aretted to him into riȝtwysnesse. c 1430 Life St. Kath. (1884) 47 Godhed ys not to be aretted to suche thynges þat are sette vnder þe disposicion of God. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) i. xxi. 57/1 All the goodnesse sholde be arected to the fader & to the moder, & not to god. 1549 Chaloner Erasm. Moriæ Enc. F ij b, It is arrected for a great praise and charitable kyndnesse unto theim. |
b. chiefly, in a bad sense: To lay to the charge of, impute as a fault to, charge upon.
| 1388 Wyclif 1 Chron. xxi. 3 This thing, that schal be arettid in to synne to Israel. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶506 He that aretteth vpon god, or blameth god, of thyng of which he is hym self gilty. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. vi, Lest men thy death arected unto me. 1477 Caxton Dictes 147 Yf they fynde ony faulte tarette it to Socrates and not to me. 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 122 b, No follye maye bee areted to him beeynge within age. 1602 Speght Chaucer's Wks. 3, I rather aret it to the negligence and rape of Adam Scriuener, that I may speake as Chaucer doth. |
3. To charge, accuse, or indict a person (of). [So commonly in OF.]
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 20 Schir dauid the brechyne Wes of this deid arettit syne. 1641 Termes de la Ley 27 Arretted is hee that is convented before any Judge, and charged with a Crime. [So in Blount Law Dict. 1691.] |
b. intr. To allege. (pseudo-archaic.)
| a 1643 W. Cartwright Ordinary in Dodsley O.P. (1780) X. 236, I do arret thou shalt acquainted bin With nymphs and fauns and hamadryades. |
¶ To commit a charge to, entrust, deliver. (A false use of Spenser's, due to misunderstanding the obs. arrett to the charge of in 2 b; imitated by others.)
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. ii. viii. 8 The charge, which God doth unto me arrett, Of his deare safety I to thee commend. 1625 A. Gill Sacr. Philos. ii. 133 When God had created man, and arretted the charge of him and his posteritie to the Angels. |