Also 4–5 voydaunce, 5 -ans, 5, 7 -ance, 5 voidaunce, -ans. [a. AF. voidaunce, vuedance, OF. vuidance, voydance, etc., f. voider VOID v., or aphetic f. AVOIDANCE.] The action of voiding or making void.
1. The action or process of emptying out the contents of something; AVOIDANCE 1. a. The discharge or evacuation of something through a natural vent, esp. from the human body by excretion; = EVACUATION 1 b. Now rare.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xlvi. (Bodl. MS.). Þis wombe is ofte igreued by greete fulnes and replecion and þat is nought þanne iholpe but by voidans þat is contrary to replecion.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 511/2. Voydaunce (or voydynge), vacacio, evacuacio.
c. 1460. Vrbanitatis, 20, in Babees Bk. (1868), 13. Fro spettyng & snetyng kepe þe also; Be priuy of voydance, & lette hit go.
1528. More, Dyaloge, I. Wks. 137/1. By the longing for mete with voidance of yt she had eten … she was perceiued for no saint.
1654. Gataker, Disc. Apol., 58. This voidance of blood doth at times stil surprize me, tho not with such vehemency.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., I. vi. 14. The Second Action follows upon the former, viz. the voidance of Excrements.
1671. Grew, Anat. Plants, vi. § 2. In the lark the same thing is effected by … a meer voydance of the Sap.
1829. Landor, Imag. Conv., Ser. II. 1. 491. The reception, concoction, and voidance, of nutriment.
b. The emptying out, carrying off or away, of water, etc., esp. by drainage. Now rare.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIV. lvii. (Tollem. MS.). For parties of þe erþe ben digged and holowid … with crepynge wormes and bestes … or with voydaunce and oute castynge.
1442. Rolls of Parlt., V. 44/1. Aswell for passage of all maner Shippes comyng therto, and voidaunce of water under the seid Brigg, as for passage of Man.
1861. Smiles, Engineers, II. 160. To provide for the drainage of the Fen districts … by means of proper cuts and conduits for the voidance of the Fen waters.
† 2. The action or fact of removing, clearing away, or getting rid of something; removal. Obs.
c. 1400. Sowdone Bab., 1106. The Barons made hem at one with grete prayer and instaunce,… Of the more myschiefe to make voydaunce.
1530. Palsgr., 285/2. Voydaunce, uidance, deslogement.
1610. Bp. Hall, Apol. Brownists, liii. 123. Succeeding times found these Canaanites to be prickes and thornes, and therefore both by mulctes and banishments sought eyther their yeeldance or voydance.
1631. J. Burges, Answ. Rejoined, Lawfuln. Kneeling, 70. Before the Transubstantiation, or voydance of the substance of bread was resolued of.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1686, III. 213. What pains … they require, in the voidance of fond conceits, in the suppression … of froward humours.
3. Eccl. The fact of a benefice, etc., becoming or being void or vacant; = AVOIDANCE 4.
1422. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 194/1. That tyme of the voidaunce of the same Prebend.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 28. Alle þo, þat vsurpyn of newe tyme þe kepyng or þe amonicyoun of ony cherch in tyme of voydaunce, & ocupye þe godys.
1449. Rolls of Parlt., V. 158/1. Of the sayd Wardes, mariages, Relevis, voydaunces abovesayd.
1531. Dial. on Laws Eng., II. xxxvii. N iij b. If the patron presented not within the halfe yere after suche voydance:… That than the kynge shold haue also the presentement.
1570. Foxe, A. & M. (ed. 2), I. 347/1. That prouision should be made for iij hundred Romanes in the chiefest and best benefices in al Englande, at ye next voydance.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Voydance, is a want of an Incumbent vpon a benefice: and this voydance is double: either in law, as when a man hath more benefices incompetible: or indeed, as when the Incumbent is dead, or actually depriued.
a. 1645. Featly, Abbot, in Fuller’s Abel Rediv. (1867), II. 282. One of his hearers, having a benefice of great value in his gift,… took a resolution upon the next voidance of it to confer it upon him.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. ii. 73. This voidance of so many bishopricks happened well for the furthering of the reformation of religion.
1766. Entick, London, IV. 126. The parishioners present twice and the king once in three voidances.
1899. J. Vincent, 1st Bp. Bath & Wells, 10. How could the occasion arise, except by the voidance of the See?
1909. Westm. Gaz., 10 March, 5/1. By an Order in Council the lectureship attached to the parish church of Dedham … will be merged in the benefice at the next voidance.
4. Annulment; = AVOIDANCE 2.
1488. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 419/1. This Acte of Adnullacion or Voidans of Lettres Patentes.
1691–8. Norris, Pract. Disc. (1711), III. 105. I have argued against the Voidance, and for the Establishment of the Law upon Rational Principles.
1736. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., IV. 177. The first part of those Proposals … directly infers a Voidance of the Agreement.
1756. Monitor, No. 30. I. 276. There are men who blush not to promote a voidance of that part of the same act.
1884. Law Times, 19 Jan., 205/1. It was held that the purchaser was not entitled in equity to obtain a voidance of the contract.
† 5. A verbal evasion or subterfuge; an evasive answer or argument. Obs.–1
1621. Bacon, Lett. (1734), 137. Therefore I am resolved, when I come to my answer, not to trick my innocency … by cavillations, or voydances, but to speak to them the language that my heart speaketh to me.
† 6. concr. Matter voided or cleared away; the clearings of a table. Obs.–1
1740. Propos. Prov. Poor, 6. Bones and other Voidance of the Table, Dish-water.
