also 4 accordend, 5–6 cording. [f. ACCORD v. + -ING2.]
A. adj.
† 1. Agreeing, corresponding to; matching. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R. (1495), XVII. ii. 595. Some trees haue humour proporcyonall and acordynge eyther to other, so that the humour of that one be acordynge to nourysshe and to fede that other.
c. 1460. Household Stat., in Babees Book (1868), 329. Not oolde robis and not cordyng to the lyuerey.
1480. Robert the Devyll, 2. I se well yt ys youre wyll that I shoulde be maryed, But yet woulde I have one to myne estate Accordynge.
a. 1520. Myrroure of Our Ladye, 7. For there ys many wordes in Latyn that we haue no propre englyssh accordynge therto.
1532. Thynne, Dedic. Chaucer, in Animadv. (1865), 24. Frutefulnesse in wordes wel accordynge to the matter and purpose.
2. absol. Agreeing in nature or action; consentient, harmonious.
c. 1450. Merlin, 52. He is but a fole, that hath tolde these two dethes, whiche may not be acordinge.
1626. W. Sandys, Ovid’s Metamorph., II. 216. An other hurles a stone; this, as it flew, His voice and harps according tunes subdue.
1780. Burke, Sp. at Bristol, Wks. 1842, III. 395. This according voice of national wisdom ought to be listened to with reverence.
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 453. Harder the times were and the hands of power Were bloodier, and the according hearts of men Seemed harder too.
† 3. Agreeing with what is right or due; becoming, proper, appropriate, fitting. Obs.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., III. viii. 324. It is not semeli … conuenient and according.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 399/3. A clerke … sayd it was not honest ne accordyng, to mysentrete the holy body by vyolente hondes.
1526. Tindale, Rom. i. 27. And receaved in them selves the rewarde of their errour as it was accordynge [1611 meete].
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1190/1. The whole armie should be readie armed with their weapon and furniture according by midnight.
1674. Playford, Skill of Mus., II. 101. A bass-viol for divisions must be of a less size, and the strings according.
B. adv.
† 1. absol. In a manner logically agreeing with the premisses; = ACCORDINGLY 4. Obs.
1495[?]. Plumpton Corr., 110. Send me word by wrytting how he wilbe demeaned, & therafter I shall entreat him according.
1523. Fitzherbert, Bk. Surueying, 2. Wherfore the acres are to be praysed [= appraised] accordynge.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., V. i. 487. Sirha, thou art said to haue a stubborne soule That apprehends no further then this world, And squar’st thy life according—Thou’rt condemn’d.
† 2. According after, according at: In accordance or agreement with. Obs.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. cccxxix 515. The kynge of Nauer [was] to pay them their wages … acordyng after the same rate that the kynge of Englande was wonte to paye his men of warre. Ibid., ccccvi. 705. Acordyng at the kynges desyre [he] dyde beare him ouer all the great wodes and trees.
3. According as: Consistently as, exactly or just as, in a manner corresponding to the way in which…. (Now confined to an accordance with one of two or more alternatives.)
1509. Hawes, Pastime of Pleas. (1845), 48. Wyth humble voyce and also moderate Accordynge as by hym is audyence.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. iii. 12. Madame, according as your Ladyship desir’d, By message crau’d, so is Lord Talbot come.
1678. Butler, Hudibras, III. i. 912. Like Musick, that proves bad or good According as ’tis understood.
1785. Reid, Ess., I. iv. 82 (1803). Analogical reasoning … may afford a greater or less degree of probability, according as the things compared are more or less similar in their nature.
1855. Bain, Senses & Intell., II. ii. § 1 (1864), 233. According as bodies become transparent they cease to be visible.
4. According to. a. In a manner agreeing with, consistent with, or answering to; agreeably to.
a. 1450. Chester Plays, I. 3 (1843). Of the drapers you the wealthy companye The creation of the worlde, Adam and Eve, Accordinge to your wealth, set out wealthilye.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. ciii. 10. He hath not dealt with vs after oure synnes, ner rewarded vs acordinge to oure wickednesses.
1579. Lyly, Euphues, 430 (1868). Cut thy coat according to thy cloth.
1593. T. Watson, Poems (1870), 208. To paint thy glories cording their desart.
1602. Shaks., Haml., II. i. 47. Good sir, or fo, or friend, or Gentleman, According to the Phrase.
1780. Burke, Sp. Econ. Ref., Wks. III. 295. According to the present course of the office, and according to the present mode of accounting there, this bank must necessarily exist somewhere.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. vii. 153. This, according to our ideas, seems the worst action of his life.
† b. Suitably to, with respect or reference to. Obs.
1549. Latimer, 7 Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (1869), 133. Calling to remembraunce … that I must preach, and preach afore ye kyngs maiesti I thought it mete to frame my preching according to a king.
1611. Bible, Rom. i. 3. His Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh.
1647. J. Saltmarsh, Sparkles of Glory, 21 (1847). I must decrease, but he must increase, which surely was spoken not according to the persons of John and Christ, but according to their ministration.
