v. Forms: 4–6 veryfy, 5 -fye, Sc. weryfy, 6 veryfie; 4–7 verifie (5, 7 verrifie), 6 verifye, 5– verify (4 ferify); 4–6 verefy (5 -effy, 6 Sc. vare-, warefy), verefye (6 Sc. werafye), 5–6 verefie. [ad. OF. verifier (1348; = mod.F. vérifier, Sp., Pg., Pr. verificar, It. verificare), ad. med.L. vērificāre, f. L. vērus true.]
1. trans. Law. To prove by good evidence or valid testimony; to testify or affirm formally or upon oath. Also const. that, and to with inf.
a. 1325. [see VERIFYING vbl. sb.].
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 638. [The abbess appeared, denying] þat she leuied or causid ony noiinge or turnid ony course of watur as hit was presentid afore, & þat she is a-redi to verifie.
c. 1482. in Cal. Proc. Chanc. Q. Eliz. (1830), II. Pref. 65. Alle whiche maters the seid Richard is redy to verifie and prove, as this court woll awarde.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 12, ¶ 1. To the intent to maynteyne, upholde, and veryfie suche reporte as he had made.
1561. in Maitl. Club Misc., III. 289. The saidis George and Wiliam diaconis warefyis That thai lawfullie chergit ye said Mr. Thomas Meffen … to compeyr.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, Brief Descr. iij b. Iohn Careles in his examination by Doctor Martin verifieth that to bee true, whiche … those two were burdened withall by Steuen Norish.
1632–3. Canterb. Marriage Licences (MS.). Catherine Whitfield … is expressly consenting to this intended marriage, as is verified by Thomas Hatcher.
1689. Acta Parlt. Scotl. (1875), XII. 66/1. The Heraulds who denunced the viscount of Dundee at the mercat cross … did verefie þeir executiones upon oath.
[1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 312. In any stage of the pleadings, when either side advances or affirms any new matter, he usually … avers it to be true; ‘and this he is ready to verify.’]
1786. Burke, W. Hastings, Wks. XII. 192. The said charge to be verified by the oath of the said Frazer.
1838. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 1028. He must be prepared with a cautioner … at giving in his defences, unless he instantly verify a defence excluding the action.
1884. Law Times Rep., 10 May, 320. The Court … ordered that the receiver should withdraw and verify his accounts by affidavit.
b. In general use: To testify to, to assert, to affirm or confirm, as true or certain. Now rare.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. cc. 252 b/2. The landes, seignories, lordshippes, and baronyes in Acquytayne, whiche they verifyed to pertaygne to the kynge and realme of Englande.
1586. Day, Eng. Secretary, II. (1625), 20. Him, whose approued fidelity for that it remaineth of no small record to my certaine knowledge, I will presume to verifie.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXXIX. xlix. 1054. At first the tidings seemed so incredible, that the formost messenger was held … for a vaine lyar…: but after that there came one after another, and all with one voice verefied and affirmed the same.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 19. So that it may as truly be verified of the Serpent as it was of Esau, that the hands of all men and beastes are against them.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 239. This Novice at his confession made this knowne and after verified as much to the Guardian and chiefe Friars.
1866. Meredith, Vittoria, xxxix. ‘Does Major Weisspriess know it to be true?’ The question came from Anna. Weisspriess coolly verified it, on the faith of a common servant’s communication.
c. To support or back up by testimony.
1607. Shaks., Cor., V. ii. 17. I haue euer verified my Friends … with all the size that verity would without lapsing suffer.
2. To show to be true by demonstration or evidence; to confirm the truth or authenticity of; to substantiate: a. Of persons. Now rare.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 515. As witnessen thise olde wyse; And that ful soone I wol it verifie In this Chanon.
1406. Hoccleve, La Male Regle, 35. ‘Prosperitee is blynd’:… And verifie I can wel it is so.
c. 1425. Audelay, XI Pains Hell, 211, in O. E. Misc., 217. In erþ, þe fyndis þem verefyd, [The soul] Dispisid godis laus euerechon.
c. 1500. Melusine, i. 16. Be nat you displesed yf I haue recounted vnto you this auenture, For it is for to adiouste more of feyth, & for to veryfy thistory.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), II. 250. This suith example … I verifie ma richt weill be the Britis.
1582. Bentley, Mon. Matrones, III. 286. Verifie Lord the words on me, drawe me after thee.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 277. I bring you Witnesses Twice fifteene thousand hearts of Englands breed,… To verifie our title with their liues.
1627. Lisander & Cal., V. 87. [He] only desired to cleer so dangerous a suspicion, and never to speake of it but when he could verifie it.
1671. Milton, P. R., I. 133. Gabriel this day by proof thou shalt behold … how I begin To verifie that solemn message late, On which I sent thee.
1782. J. Brown, View Nat. & Rev. Relig., V. ii. 430. The covenant-form of this law is not changed; and God hath verified it in the … dreadful sufferings of his only begotten Son.
1828. Webster, s.v., The first act of the house of representatives is to verify their powers, by exhibiting their credentials to a committee of the house, or other proper authority.
b. Of things, or in passive.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. x. 53. Therfore neuer neither of tho ij. textis … serueth neither forto grounde neither forto verrifie the seid firste opinioun.
c. 1475. Mankind, 9, in Macro Plays, 1. Þat may be seyde & veryfyede: mankynde was dere bought.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 354. In to thy mowis and mokis It may be verifeit that thy wit is thin.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 150. If this myght be verefied of us in dede, it were … detestable to be heard of.
1583. Stocker, Civ. Warres Lowe C., II. 63. The prince greatly marueileth that such great learned men … would set downe and propound such matters, as neuer can nor shalbe any way verified.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvi. 142. The knowledge of the publique Registers, publique Counsels, publique Ministers, and publique Seales; by which all Lawes are sufficiently verified.
1756. Mitchell, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. IV. 376. All which has been verified by the examination of the persons in whose company he was.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. I. 629. The strongest evidence by which the fact of a death was ever verified.
1876. Mozley, Univ. Serm., iii. (1877), 55. The same scene of action which brought the rational expectation brings also the event which tests and verifies the correctness of it.
3. In passive: To be proved true or correct by the result or event, or by some confirming fact or circumstance; to be fulfilled or accomplished in this way.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 213. So þat now beeþ ferified þe vers þat Hildebertus … made.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxiv. 154. Þus es þe prophecy verified.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 10. That is ane office of ane angel, to … bring the hye new tydingis, the quhilk is verifyit be the haly writt.
1462–3. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 268. Scripture saithe heritage holdyn wrongfully Schal never cheve … As hathe be verified late ful playne.
1527. Prose Life St. Brandan (Percy), 49. Than the sayenge of Saynt Brandon was veryfyed.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 38. The old Prouerbe is herein verified: the ill weede ouercroppeth the good corne.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. § 6. 192. The like hath been verified time after time.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 182. So spake this Oracle, then verifi’d When Jesus … Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heav’n.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. vi. Wks. 1874, I. 123. This reasoning from fact is confirmed, and … verified, by other facts.
1799. Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., Frenchm. T. (ed. 2), I. 221. Of these doubts one only was verified.
1812. H. & J. Smith, Rej. Addr., x. Professions lavishly effused and parsimoniously verified are … inconsistent.
1852. Miss Yonge, Cameos, I. xxxiv. 286. The Pope’s suspicions were verified.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 226. The picture … is verified in the course of the dialogue.
b. Const. in, of, on, or upon.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. i. (Skeat), l. 71. God graunt that proposicion to be verifyed in me.
a. 1400. Apol. Loll. (Camden), 8. And þe pope is Petir’s vicar, þerfor it be howfiþ to trowe þat þis feiþ is verifiȝed of him.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 4. The prophecyes … be verifyit in ȝour maist noble and worthy princehede.
1530. Rastell, Bk. Purgat., I. vii. Everythynge in the world is verefyed upon one of them.
1577. Northbrooke, Dicing (1843), 153. And as this was spoken of the Phariseys, I feare me it may be likewise verified in vs.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxix. § 2. That which is vttered of the time, is not verified of time it selfe, but agreeth vnto those things which are in time.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 212. If he doth, I fear it will be verified in him, that a ‘fool and his money is soon parted.’
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. (Globe), 387. It is true, they … made Fences; but Solomon’s Words were never better verified than in them.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ., Dwarf, I. 191. I … content myself with the truth only of the remark, which is verified in every lane and by-lane of Paris.
c. Used actively of the circumstances, person, etc., serving as proof or confirmation.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg., 127. For soth then y sobbed Veryfyyng thys wordys.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 152. The fyrst [cause] ys, forto verefy þe fayþ of his resurreccyon.
1530. Palsgr., 765/2. He hath nowe verifyed my sayenges.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man, II. (1603), 72. The Temple fell downe and verified the answere of the oracle.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, I. § 25. 37. The issue verifieth thus much.
1659. Milton, Touching Hirelings, 9. A voice [was] heard from heaven … crying aloud, This day is poison pourd into the church. Which the event soon after verifi’d. Ibid. (1671), P. R., III. 177. So shall thou best fullfil, best verifie The Prophets old, who sung thy endless raign.
1785. Trusler, Mod. Times (ed. 3), II. 221, note. The case of Wheble the bookseller verifies this assertion.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. xv. 308. The measurements of Agassiz … completely verify the anticipations of Rendu.
1870. J. Bruce, Life Gideon, xiii. 229. The people themselves did verify this pregnant saying of the Lord by their own immediate conduct.
† d. refl. To demonstrate or prove (oneself) to be of a certain character. Obs.
c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. LXXVI. v. And so him self [the Lord] most terrible doth verify, in terrifying kings.
1596. Drayton, Leg., Dk. Normandie, cxxxiv. Fortune … Turned her selfe, as shee away would flie…. As what she was, her selfe to verifie.
4. To ascertain or test the accuracy or correctness of (something), esp. by examination or by comparison with known data, an original, or some standard; to check or correct in this way.
1527. R. Thorne, in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 254. For this cause can be no certaine situation of that coast and Islands, till this difference betwixt them be verified.
1559. W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, 162. When you will verifie your nedle … you shall use the healpe of the Sunne.
1774. M. Mackenzie, Maritime Surv., II. i. 67. To verify these protracted Distances, go to any of the Objects, as D, take the Bearing of X and Y, to find if they agree with the Protraction.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 18. Let us now proceed to verify the elongation of the Poles.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T., Forester, A Clerk. Hours … spent in casting up and verifying accounts.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Demerara, iii. 43. I have seen a calculation and I mean to verify it.
1848. H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, III. 237. Capt. Dillon was … sent back … to verify the reported existence of some of the survivors of the wreck.
1875. Chambers’s Jrnl., No. 133. 7. A set of instruments which have been properly verified at Kew Observatory.
b. To establish by investigation.
1801. Med. Jrnl., V. 386. A medical committee was appointed to verify the phænomena which precede, accompany, and follow the Vaccine Inoculation.
1854. Badham, Halieut., 537. In reading over various poetic bills of fare preserved by Athenæus, we have verified twenty-six species in one Attic supper.
1880. Barwell, Aneurism, 52. If … the disease [be] verified as seated on the second or third part of the subclavian vessel.
5. To give the appearance of truth to; to cause to appear true or authentic. rare.
1581. [see VERIFYING vbl. sb.].
1768. H. Walpole, Hist. Doubts, 99. All Henry’s art and power could never verify the cheat of Perkin.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xl. He assumed the name and profession of his friend Dudley, having command enough of the pencil to verify his pretended character to his host of Allonby.
Hence Verifying ppl. a.
1634. Wood, New Eng. Prosp. (1865), 61. A false asseveration usually winneth more beleefe than two verifying negatives can resettle.
1870. J. Bruce, Life Gideon, xxiii. 412. An appendix … of verifying deeds and documents.
1884. R. Burn, in Athenæum, 15 Nov., 630/3. Its [i.e., archæology’s] verifying and corrective spirit in historical investigations.
