[a. Fr. acceptation (14th c. in Littré) ad. late L. acceptātiōn-em, n. of action f. acceptāre; see ACCEPT.]
† 1. gen. The action of taking, or receiving, what is offered, whether by way of favor, satisfaction, or duty; reception; = ACCEPTANCE 1. Obs.
1426. Past. Lett., 7, I. 25. By this acceptacion of this bysshopricke, he hath pryved hym self of the title that he claymed.
1528. Gardiner, in Pocock’s Rec. Ref., I. li. 133. Temper it so as might further the acceptation of this Commission.
1635. J. Hayward, Banish’d Virg., 219. Upon acceptation of this last courteous proffer, they mount up.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., ix. 326. Without his Satisfaction there is no Remission of Sins nor Acceptation of Repentance.
2. esp. Favorable reception; = ACCEPTANCE 2, which is now in this sense the usual word.
† a. Of persons. Obs.
1567. Trial of Treasure (1850), 5. Though the style be barbarous … our author desireth your gentle acceptation.
1658. Wh. Duty of Man, III. xii. 31. You cannot deceive God, nor gain acceptation from him by anything which is not perfectly hearty and unfeigned.
b. Of things: Favorable reception, approval; hence, assent, acquiescence, belief.
1611. Bible, 1 Tim. i. 15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptation.
1651. Hobbes, Leviathan, I. xiv. 69. Without mutuall acceptation, there is no Covenant.
1803. Mar. Edgeworth, Manufact. (1831), i. 73. Their cards of acceptation were shewn in triumph.
1855. H. Reed, Lect. Eng. Lit. (1878), x. 318. What else can explain the large acceptation, which a poem like ‘Gray’s Elegy’ found at once?
1881. J. A. Brown, in Nature, XXIII. 559. That hypothesis will have a better claim to acceptation.
† c. Acceptation of persons: = ACCEPTION 2. Obs.
1565. Jewel, Repl. to Harding (1611), 387. God … hath no acceptation, or choice of persons.
3. The state of being accepted or acceptable; acceptableness, regard. arch. = ACCEPTANCE 3.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., II. (T.). Some things … are notwithstanding of so great dignity and acceptation with God.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 110. Elbow roome in the world, acceptation with our betters.
c. 1800. Kirke White, Lett. (1837), 248. Not only to secure your own acceptation.
4. The sense in which a word or sentence is accepted or received; the received meaning.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. 243. Which Nationall Law, according to divers acceptations … may be sometime taken for a Species of the Naturall, sometime of the Humane.
1690. Locke, Hum. Underst. (1695), IV. i. 302. It is necessary first, to consider the different acceptations of the word Knowledge.
a. 1754. Fielding, Remedy of Affl., Wks. 1775, IX. 254. In its common and vulgar acceptation it [Philosophy] signifies, the search after Wisdom.
1830. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), I. 286. War, in the acceptation of modern publicists, is self-defence against reform.
† 5. Acceptation of a bill of exchange = ACCEPTANCE 6. Obs.
1622. G. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 400. [He] doth come to him vpon whom the said Bill was directed, and desireth his promise of acceptation.
