▪ I. demission1
(dɪˈmɪʃən)
[ad. L. dēmissiōn-em, n. of action from dēmittĕre: see demiss, demit1.]
1. Abasement, lowering, degradation. Now rare.
| a 1638 Mede Disc. Matt. xi. 29 Wks. (1672) i. 158 Adored with the lowest demission of mind. 1691–8 Norris Pract. Disc. 171 This Demission of the Soul. [1883 American VI. 214 Their omission or their demission to a lower rank.] |
† 2. Dejection, depression, lowering of spirits or vitality. Obs.
| 1656 Blount Glossogr., Demission, an abasement, faintness, abating. 1678 Norris Coll. Misc. (1699) 141 Heaviness and demission of Spirit. 1719 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 451 Temptations to demission. |
† 3. lit. Lowering, putting or bending down.
| 1708 Brit. Apollo No. 73. 2/1 A..Demission of his Leg. 1741 ‘Betterton’ Eng. Stage v. 65 The Demission or hanging down of the Head. |
▪ II. deˈmission2
[a. F. démission, in OF. desmission, ‘a demission, deposition, resignation, dismission, forgoing’ (Cotgr.), n. of action from OF. desmetre, answering to late L. *dismissio, for dīmissio, whence the equivalents dimission, dismission. From the identity of the prefix with L. de-, there is a tendency in English to take the literal sense as ‘laying down’ (de- 1).]
1. The action of putting away or letting go from oneself, giving up, or laying down (esp. a dignity or office); resignation, relinquishment, abdication.
| 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. II. 391/1 Concerning the queenes demission of hir crowne, and resignation thereof made to hir sonne king James the sixt. Ibid. III. 504/2, I shall neuer repugne to this resignation, demission or yeelding vp. 16.. R. L'Estrange (J.), Inexorable rigour is worse than a lasche demission of sovereign authority. 1736 Carte Ormonde II. 539 Apply to his Majesty for a demission of his charge. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) VI. xi. vi. 466 That the Cardinals were at liberty to receive that voluntary demission of the popedom. |
† b. fig. Relinquishment of life; death. Obs.
| 1735 Thomson Liberty iii. 458 And on the bed of peace his ashes laid; A grace which I to his demission gave. |
† 2. lit. Letting down. Obs.
| a 1664 F. Hicks in Jasper Mayne tr. Lucan ii. 305 Being King of the Gods, and able, by the demission of a coard, to draw up earth and sea. |
3. Sending away, dismission. rare.
| 1811 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 428 No particular period is fixed for a demission. 1824 Lady Granville Letters (1894) I. 296 Chateaubriand's demission was..sudden and unexpected. |
† 4. ? Order for release. Obs.
| 1554 Churchw. Acc. Yatton (Somerset Rec. Soc.) 166 The demyssyons of y⊇ corte for y⊇ men that where putt in there. |