consideration
(kənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃən)
Also 4 -acoun, 5 -acioun, 5–6 -acion, etc.
[a. F. considération (12th c.), ad. L. consīderātiōn-em, from consīderāre to consider.]
The action of considering.
† 1. The action of looking at or surveying with the bodily or mental eyes; beholding, contemplation. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶664 Remedies against Accidie..in consideracioun of the peynes of helle and of the ioyes of heuene. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 30 [Atlas] was mech used to dwell in that hil, for most sikir consideracion of sterris. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 122 If he hath this in consideracion, he shulde not longe be wroth. 1578 Timme Caluine on Gen. 29 The consideration which God had of his worke with delectation. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. xi. 51 Curiosity..draws a man from consideration of the effect, to seek the cause. |
† b. Manner of viewing (a thing); aspect. Obs.
| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 11 Þilke. xvj. aftir sum consideracioun moun be naturel to sum man, & [to] sum man unnaturel. |
† c. An observation. Obs.
| 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 104 Tholome..made hys consideracions in the tyme of kyng Adryan, and made hys dictions vpon the consideracions at Roodes. |
2. The keeping of a subject before the mind; attentive thought, reflection, meditation.
| 1388 Wyclif Prol. 44 Turned in mynde bi diligent consideracoun. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 178 With wise consideration. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons Sig. *iv, Men..that have read diverse notable Histories, with consideration and judgement. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. i. 28 At that very moment, Consideration like an Angell came, And whipt th' offending Adam out of him. 1676 Ray Corr. (1848) 123 Upon serious consideration..I resolved not to add them. 1729 Butler Serm. Wks. 1874 II. 95 Cases..in which there is no time for consideration. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey vi. v. 334 That request will receive his most attentive consideration. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth ii, After a moment's consideration. |
b. (with pl.) A thought, a reflection.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. iii. viii. 184 For to determyne hys questyon grete consyderacyons must be had. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. iv. vi. (1675) 208 The same Subject..did..suggest very differing considerations to you and me. 1712 Swift Let. Eng. Tongue Wks. 1755 II. i. 186, I return to those considerations upon our own language, which I would humbly offer. |
c. Phr. to take into consideration, under consideration.
| 1652 Needham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 16 It remains that [the Law]..of Dominion or Ownership bee taken into consideration. 1657 Earl of Monmouth tr. Paruta's Pol. Disc. 104 In the behalf thereof, these things may be had into consideration. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. Introd. Pref. (1675) 22 Particulars that happen to fall under consideration. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 72 ¶5 The Club had it under consideration whether they should..continue their Session. 1817 Parl. Debates 17 The Chancellor of the Exchequer then moved, that their lordships' message should be taken into consideration. |
3. The action of taking into account, or fact of being taken into account; regard, account.
| 1548 Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 36 There be so manie put offes..so many respectes and considerations of worldly wisedome. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xxii. 78 He would be carried to it [a resolution] by the consideration of his own gain and interest. 1714 Lady M. W. Montague Lett. lxxxix. 145, I..speak..without any consideration, but that of your figure and reputation. 1831 Brewster Optics iv. 35 In spherical surfaces the consideration of the tangent MN is unnecessary. |
b. in consideration of: in view of, upon taking into account, in respect of, in return for. Cf. 4.
| 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 42 Wherefore, in consideration of the premisses, be it enacted, etc. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. lxxvi. 310 Who in consideration of ten duckets that we gave them, fell to diving into the sea. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. iv. ix. 286 In consideration of this benefit they should pay into the exchequer 400,000 l. every year. 1875 Jevons Money (1878) 119. |
4. The taking into account of anything as a motive or reason; a fact or circumstance taken, or to be taken, into account; a reason considered.
This sense ranges indefinitely between the process of considering and the fact or matter considered, without being quite identified with either: cf. reason. Thus ‘these considerations lead me’ = the consideration of these facts, or these facts being considered, lead me; ‘I put before you these considerations’ = facts to be considered.
| c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. xv, By wich consideracion the spirituell juges..taken but cc. ffrankes by þe yere. Ibid. xvii, Be consideracion wher off þer olde maistirs shall be bettir serued be thaym. 1480 Bury Wills (1850) 58, I..John Smyth, for diuerse causez and consyderacyonys shewyd vnto me, will, ordeyne and declare, etc. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 4 b, Onely for y{supt} consideracyon they were gyuen. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. ii. 14, I do now remember the poore Creature, Small Beere. But indeede these humble considerations make me out of loue with my Greatnesse. 1662 Bk. Com. Pr. Pref., It is but reasonable, that upon weighty and important considerations..such changes and alterations should be made. 1788 Priestley Lect. Hist. ii. xii. 95 [It] is pretty evident from a variety of considerations. 1860 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. III. 40 To have a doctor for one's host was a consideration of some weight with me. 1867 Smiles Huguenots viii. 134 Induced to adopt this course by considerations of state policy. |
5. Something given in payment; a reward, remuneration; a compensation, equivalent.
| 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. 57 The heyre payeth this reliefe, as a consideration and recompence..unto the Lord. 1611 Coryat Crudities 69 They hoped that I would giue them some consideration to be carryed in a chaire to the toppe. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia (1629) 73 We..gave them copper..in consideration. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 88 ¶12 It was his Profession to teach it, and [he] could not communicate his Knowledge without a Consideration. 1827 O. W. Roberts Voy. Centr. Amer. 36 Hogs, fowls..and fruits, were..sold to us at a very trifling consideration. 1868 M. Pattison Academ. Org. §4. 93 The income of this fellowship forms no part of the consideration paid for tuitional services. 1884 Graphic 23 Aug. 187/2 To take third-class tickets and induce the guard (of course, for a consideration) to place them in a superior class carriage. |
6. Law. Anything regarded as recompense or equivalent for what one does or undertakes for another's benefit; especially, in the law of contracts, ‘the thing given or done by the promisee in exchange for the promise’ (Langdell 1880 §45). It may itself be a promise. No promise is enforceable without consideration, unless made by deed.
At its first appearance (see quot. 1530) it is hardly a technical term, or distinguishable from motive; it gradually acquired its precise technical meaning in the course of the 17–18th c. Natural affection was formerly called good consideration, as contrasted with valuable c., or that which is deemed to have value in a pecuniary sense: the distinction is now only of historical interest.
| 1530 Doctor & Student ii. xxiv, If his promise be so naked that there is no manner of consideration why it should be made, then I think him not bound to perform it. 1592 A. Day Eng. Secretarie i. (1625) 108 Extorted from him his bond..(upon some conclusion, though no good consideration at all) of the summe of an hundred pound. 1641 Termes de la Ley 77 Consideration is the materiall cause of a contract, without the which no contract can binde the partie: this consideration is either expressed..or is implyed. 1677 A. Yarranton Eng. Improv. i. 36 He comes and ejects him that bought for valuable Consideration. 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. 162 When one has had and received money of another's, without any valuable consideration given on the receiver's part: the law construes this to be money had and received for the use of the owner only. 1849 Freese Comm. Class-bk. 29 If the consideration given be money, it must be expressed thus: ‘Value received of the same.’.. If the order or payee have not to pay for it, but only to pass its amount to the credit of the drawer in account, then the consideration must be expressed thus: ‘Value in account’. 1826 Kent's Comm. II. xxxix. 465 A valuable consideration is one that is either a benefit to the party promising or some trouble or prejudice to the party to whom the promise is made. |
7. Regard for the circumstances, feelings, comfort, etc. of another; thoughtfulness for another; thoughtful kindness.
| 1415 Earl of Cambridge in Ellis Orig. Lett. ii. 17. I. 48 My fulle trust is yat ȝee wylle have consyderacyoun..yat ȝow lyke to accept ȝys myn symple reqwest. 1491 Act 7 Hen. VII, c. 19 To have specyall tendirness and consideracion therunto. 1529 Wolsey in Four C. Eng. Lett. 11 But his highnes wold have consyderacyon and compassyon. 1700 Dryden Fables Ded. (Globe) 492 One action, which preferred the relief of others to the consideration of your self. 1814 Jane Austen Mansf. Park (1851) 61 Your attentiveness and consideration make me more sensible of my own neglect. 1815 Scribbleomania 201 She has claims on the consideration of the country. |
8. Estimation; regard among men, esteem; importance, consequence.
| 1598 Barret Theor. Warres ii. i. 25 Men of bad consideration and worse conscience. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World iii. 55 The Peloponnessians hearing thus much, began to enter into better consideration of the Athenians. 1709 Steele & Add. Tatler No. 136 ¶1 Mr. Ballance is a Merchant of good Consideration. 1710 Lond. Gaz. No. 4716/1 A Man of Consideration..with the Character of Nuncio. 1839 Keightley Hist. Eng. I. 83 The clergy enjoyed a high degree of public consideration. 1852 C. M. Yonge Cameos (1877) I. viii. 50 Persons of consideration in their own neighbourhood. a 1859 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxiii. (1889) II. 670 A man of the first consideration. |
b. Of things: Importance, consequence.
| 1634 W. Tirwhyt Balzac's Lett. 381, I could spie nothing of slender consideration, either in his words, or aspect. 1680 H. More Apocal. Apoc. 62 The artifice..is admirable, and of grand consideration. 1689–92 Locke Toleration i. Wks. 1727 II. 249 There is nothing in this World that is of any Consideration in comparison with Eternity. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. vii. 49 A place even then of far less consideration than Coventry. |