condign, a.
(kənˈdaɪn)
Forms: 5 condyngne, 5–6 condygne, 5–7 condigne, 6 condynge (Sc. conding), 6– condign.
[a. F. condigne, ad. L. condign-us (med.L. also -dingnus) wholly worthy, f. con- together, altogether + dignus worthy.]
† 1. Equal in worth or dignity (to). Obs.
| c 1470 Harding Chron. lxxxiv. vii, This Kyng Arthure, to whom none was condigne Through all the world. 1490 Caxton How to Die 6 And yet be not the passyons of this world condygne ne worthy to the glorye to come. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Rom. viii. 18 The passions of this time are not condigne [Vulg. condignæ, Wyclif & 16th C. vv. worthy] to the glorie to come. 1854 S. Dobell Balder xxiii. 116 Rank after mingling rank..but each Condign, and in a personality Confest. |
† 2. Worthy, deserving. Const. of, to do a thing. a. Of persons. Obs. (or arch.)
| 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 1744 She hath great honour..As most condigne to beare the principalite. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. xxiv, There shall nat lacke here after condigne writers to registre his actes. 1585 James I Ess. Poesie (Arb.) 37 He of Laurell is conding, Who wysely can with proffit, pleasure ming. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vii. vi. 11 Her selfe of all that rule she deemed most condigne. [1833 I. Taylor Fanat. vi. 147 The persuasion that [our fellowmen] are condign objects of such treatment.] |
b. Of things. Obs.
| 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 202 This noble Citie..Condigne to be gouerned by an emperour. 1534 Whitinton Tullyes Offices i. (1540) 20 That we shall gyue after the condigne merites of the man. 1632 Lithgow Trav. v. (1682) 207 My own weak judgment..could never mount to the true acquittance of his condign merit. |
† 3. Worthily deserved, merited, fitting, appropriate; adequate. Obs. (or arch.), exc. as in b.
In 16–17th c. exceedingly common in condign laud, praise, thanks.
| 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle ii. xlii. (1859) 48 Take him vp in to thy blysse on hye in what degree that to hym is condygne. 1530 Fruyte of Redemp. (W. de W.) A iij, A frayle man..fayleth in thy condygne laude. a 1535 More On the Passion Introd. Wks. 1271/1 To tourne vnto God..& geue him condigne thankes for the same. 1555 Eden Decades 17 Euery man shall receaue condigne rewarde or punyshement. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. i. ii. 26 In thy condigne praise. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. xiv. (1821) 159 To whom wee render condigne thanks. 1683 tr. Erasmus' Moriæ Enc. 104 Heaven can never be a condign reward for their meritorious life. [1873 F. Hall Mod. Eng. 10 The eulogy bestowed on Chaucer by Spenser's well-worn metaphor has not been quite unanimously recognized as condign.] |
b. Since the end of 17th c. commonly used only of appropriate punishment: a use originating in the phraseology of Tudor Acts of Parliament.
Johnson 1755 says, ‘It is always used of something deserved by crimes’. De Quincey Templars' Dial. Wks. IV. 188 note, ‘Capriciously..the word condign is used only in connection with the word punishment..These and other words, if unlocked from their absurd imprisonment, would become extensively useful. We should say, for instance, {oqq}condign honours{cqq}, {oqq}condign reward{cqq}, {oqq}condign treatment{cqq} (treatment appropriate to the merits).’ [Cf. 1873 in 3.]
| 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. vii. 64 The godly power..Onto tha wikkyt Sawlis..Hes send conding punytioun, and just panys. 1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 4 Former statutes..for lacke of condigne punishment..be littell feared or regarded. a 1592 Greene Selimus Wks. 1881–3 XIV. 273 To punish treason with condigne reward. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. i. 130 Condigne punishment. 1614 Bp. Hall Recoll. Treat. 1124 And plague thee with a condigne death. 1642 Declar. Ho. Comm. in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1721) V. 25 That the Authors..shall be..brought to this House to receive condign Punishment. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) III. xx. 127 So shall [I] not fail of condign punishment. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 575 He had been brought to condign punishment as a traitor. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 195 To wreak condign vengeance on the common oppressor of them all. |