Forms: 5–6 valew, 6–7 valewe, 7 vallew; 7 Sc. walow, wallow; 6–7 vallue, 6– value. [f. the sb. Cf. Sp. valuar, It. valutare.]
I. 1. trans. To estimate or appraise as being worth a specified sum or amount. Const. at, † to, or with inf.
1482. Caxton, Trevisa’s Higden, VIII. i. They hadde as moche good and Jewellys, as was valewyd to fyve honderde thousand motons of Golde.
1535. Coverdale, Lev. xxvii. 16. It shalbe valued at fiftye Sycles of syluer.
1548. Elyot, s.v. Aestimo, He valewed it at iii. pence.
1627. Rep. Parishes Scotl. (Bann. Cl.), 2. We wallow it to be worth sex bollis off wictuall. Ibid., 3. Quilkis we walow at sex bollis.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VIII. 355. Their Rings … were valued to a hundred Chickens of Malta.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 339. I valued it at Ten Pounds.
1734. R. Seymour, Compl. Gamester, I. 27. [In the game of Codille] a Fish is generally valued at Ten Counters.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), I. 151. The appraisers … valued the same to four pounds.
1835. Tomlins’ Law Dict. (ed. 4), s.v. Insurance, After stating that the goods should be valued at so much.
† b. To equate in value with something. Obs.
1560. Bible (Geneva), Job xxviii. 16. Wisdome … shal not be valued with the wedge of golde of Ophir, nor with the precious onix. Ibid., 19.
2. To estimate the value of (goods, property, etc.); to appraise in respect of value.
1509–10. Act 1 Hen. VIII., c. 20 § 1. Merchaundisez … to be valued after that they coste at the firste byeng or achate.
1523. Fitzherb., Bk. Survey., j b. To value what the grasse of the gardens … be worth by the yere.
1535. Coverdale, Lev. xxvii. 12. Ye prest shal value it, whether it be good or bad, & it shal stonde at the prestes valuynge.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 19. The Presents had not yet been valu’d, among which was the Cabinet…, which could not be valu’d but by them.
1755. Magens, Insurances, I. 197. For Labour and Wood … which has not been valued, but put at least at 25 Rixdollars.
1780. Burke, Œcon. Reform., Wks. III. 272. I propose to have those rights of the crown valued as manerial rights are valued on an inclosure.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 206. Voltaire got his bill back, and the jewels were to be duly valued.
absol. 1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 571. Weigh with her thy self; Then value.
† b. To rate for purposes of taxation. Obs.–1
1526. Tindale, Luke ii. 1. All the woorlde shulde be valued.
c. With immaterial object. † Also absol. with of.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, Wks. (Grosart), XI. 228. The country swaines cannot value of my worth.
1623. Heming & Condell, Ded. Shaks. Folio. When we valew the places your H. H. sustaine, we cannot but know their dignity greater, then to descend to the reading of these trifles.
1676. Hale, Contempl., I. 513. The Lord, who can best try, And value what is best, did pass it by.
3. To estimate or regard as having a certain value or worth: † a. With various constructions. Obs.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng., VI. xxix. 129. And all their Styles together Are lesser valewed than to liue beloued of my Tuder.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, III. i. 53. And her wit Values it selfe so highly, that to her All matter else seemes weake.
1634[?]. Earl Stirling, Anacrisis, ¶ 2. I value Language as a Conduit…: I compare a Poem to a Garden.
1661. Glanvill, Van. Dogm., xxiv. Apol. Philos. 247. The Swine may see the Pearl, which yet he values but with the ordinary muck.
a. 1667. Jer. Taylor, Serm. (1673), 124. He must by it regulate his life, and value it above secular regards.
1726. Leoni, trans. Alberti’s Archit., I. 26/1. In India the Cypress is valu’d almost equal with the Spice Trees.
† b. With complementary predicate. Obs.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. iii. 14. The Queene is valued thirtie thousand strong.
1619. in Eng. & Germ. (Camden), 107. His Master is here valued to be but a silly Jesuited soule.
1638. R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. II.), 138. He valewes himself to be worthy of an informer, and of commissioners.
1737. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, II. 286. Caligula valued himself a notable dancer.
c. Const. at or † of (a specified amount). Also without prep. Usually in negative clauses.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. i. § 1. To value at little the power of the Macedonians.
1667. Dryden, Sir Martin Mar-all, I. i. I will not value any man’s fortune at a rush, except he have wit.
1751. Lavington, Enthus. Meth. & Papists, III. (1754), 42. They don’t value Ignatius of a Hair.
1754. Richardson, Corr. (1804), III. 218. If I am angry, you can’t help it (as much as to say you value it not a farthing).
1848. J. Grant, Aide-de-C., xxiv. He would not value his ducats … a rush.
1892. R. N. Bain, trans. Jókai’s Pretty Michal, iv. (1897), 50. He cares not a fig for muskets, and does not value his life at a boot-lace.
II. 4. To consider of worth or importance; to rate high; to esteem; to set store by.
1549. J. Cheke, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 8. Your sight is ful of gai things abrode, which I desire not, as things sufficientli known and valewd.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, Wks. (Grosart), XI. 227. Though I am disdained of a few ouerweening fooles, I am valued as well as thy selfe with the wise.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. iii. 73. I was too yong that time to value her, But now I know her.
1656. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 50. I hope … that you will pries that which is most to be valewd, which is virtue.
1703. De Foe, in 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. IV. 62. I value the esteem of one wise man above abundance of blessings.
1771. Junius’ Lett., liv. (1778), 293. Perhaps the example might have taught him not to value his own understanding so highly.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xii. Stir not your tongue,… as you value having an entire tooth in your head.
1844. Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858), II. 195. Instead of despising, he will approve and value their exertions.
1880. L. Stephen, Pope, iv. 94. He valued money, as a man values it who has been poor.
† b. To commend or praise (to another); to vaunt. Obs.
1670. R. Montagu, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 473. That your Lordship may value it to their Ministers in England, if you find them complaining. Ibid. (1672), 513. I have not omitted to value to them the business of the Banquiers.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 23 April 1646. In this room stands the glorious inscription of Cavaliero Galeazzo Arconati, valueing his gift to the librarie of severall drawings by Da Vinci.
† 5. With negatives: To take account of; to heed or regard; to be concerned about; to care. Obs.
Freq. c. 1630–1730 with various constructions.
1591. Greene, Maidens Dr., xix. But like to Scauola, for countries good, He did not value for to spend his blood.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Travels, 10. The foolish quality of which Bird [the booby] is to sit still, not valuing danger.
1661. in Extr. St. Papers Friends, Ser. II. (1911), 125. My opinion is thay will not vallew their Oath.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1754), 84. People infected … valued not who they injur’d.
1726. Shelvocke, Voy. round World (1757), 423. You are in a condition of not valuing whether the coasts are alarm’d or not.
1765. Earl Haddington, Forest Trees, 19. They do not value what soil they are set in.
6. refl. a. To pride or plume (oneself) on or upon a thing. † Also to a person.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 27 May. He … values himself upon having of things do well under his hand.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 332. Mr. B. was not ashamed to write it, nay to value himself upon ’t.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), I. 20. Pierpont valued himself to me upon this service he did his country.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. x. 413. The calm and patient turn of the Chinese, on which they so much value themselves.
1838. Lytton, Alice, II. ii. A sensible and frequent … speaker,… valuing himself on not being a party man.
1855. Motley, Dutch Rep., II. v. (1866), 224. Moreover…, the learned Doctor valued himself upon his logic.
b. To think highly of (oneself) for something.
1687. T. Brown, Saints in Uproar, Wks. 1730, I. 75. What sort of an animal was the dragon, which thou valuest thyself so much for slaying?
1725. Portland Papers (Hist. MSS. Comm.), VI. 118. They value themselves here for making very fine kid gloves for ladies.
1743. J. Morris, Serm., ii. 53. Those extraordinary gifts, for which the Corinthians so highly valued themselves.
1837. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm., I. xvii. 251. Every one is in danger of valuing himself for what he does.
† 7. To give greater value to; to raise the estimation of. Obs. rare.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. iii. § 1. 421. Hanno … and his Partisans, being neither able to taxe the vertue of their enemies,… nor to performe the like seruices vnto the Common-weale, had nothing left, whereby to value themselues, excepting the generall reprehension of Warre.
a. 1635. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (Arb.), 16. It valued her the more,… and it took best with the people.
1673. Temple, United Prov., Wks. 1720, I. 54. The same Qualities and Dispositions do not value a private Man and a State.
III. † 8. To equal in value; to be equivalent to. Obs.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, I. (1577), G j. Seeming unto them no golde nor siluer was inough to value them.
1624. Middleton, Game at Chess, III. i. This goodness Whose worth no transitory piece can value.
a. 1642. Rowley, Birth Merlin, IV. ii. What articles or what conditions Can you expect to valve half your wrong?
† b. esp. To have the value of (so much money).
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1663), 12. In the Greek he writeth δραχμας, valuing six half pence a piece, the hundredth part of an Attick pound.
1611. Bible, Mark xii. 15. A penny [marg.] Valewing of our money seuen pence halfe penie.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 41. An English shilling values twentie two Pice.
1658. Phillips, Julio, a kind of Italian coin,… valuing about six pence.
† c. To be worth (nothing, more, etc.). Obs.
1544. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 57. The parte of that one valueth much more than the part of the other.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., IV. i. Whose reeling censure, if I valew not, It valewes naught.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. iii. 52. What wer’t worth to know The secret of your conference? Anne.… Not your demand; it values not your asking.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., III. 113. Gold … values more in purest prise, Then drosse.
1799. Southey, Lett. (1856), I. 69. The ‘Maid of the Inn’ you selected for censure, and in my own mind it values little.
Hence Valuing vbl. sb.
1535. [see VALUE v. 2].
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Aestimatio, the prisyng or valuing of a thing.
1593. Q. Eliz., Boeth., I. pr. iv. 12. The valuing of most, regardes more fortunes event, than causes merit.
1621. Stationers’ Reg., 16 Nov. (Arb.), IV. 23. A Booke for the true valewing of anie commoditie.
