[ad. L. candidāt-us adj., clothed in white, sb. a candidate (because candidates for office wore a white toga), f. candidus white: see CANDID. Cf. mod.F. candidat (16th c. in Littré).]
1. One who seeks or aspires to be elected or appointed to an office, privilege, or position of honor, or who is put forward or selected by others as an aspirant; e.g., one who seeks a seat in the House of Commons, or other representative body. Const. for; formerly sometimes of.
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Candidate, a suiter for, or one elect for a place.
1685. Lett., in Academy (1876), 21 Oct., 408/2. Yesterday the newes came of the Lord Chamberlain’s death…. There are severall candidates for the place.
1704. Nelson, Fest. & Fasts, xiii. (1739), 158. Candidates for Holy Orders.
1741. Middleton, Cicero, I. II. 150. A white Gown, the proper habit of all Candidates.
1818. in Parl. Deb., 1068. A court of law decided, that a man was not a candidate, who had not offered his services to the electors.
1844. Stanley, Arnold’s Life & Corr., I. ii. 54. The head-mastership of Rugby became vacant … [Dr. Arnold] finally resolved to offer himself as a candidate.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 14. Offering himself as candidate for North Loamshire.
in apposition. 1713. Swift, On Himself, Wks. 1755, IV. I. 12. Caress’d by candidate divines.
1845. Stocqueler, Handbk. Brit. India (1854), 153. A numerous supplementary class of candidate pupils.
b. Formerly the word had a spec. use in the Universities (cf. licentiate), but this is now merged in the general sense.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon. (R.). He published certain books against B. Jewell, being then a candidate of the Fac. of Theology.
1706. Phillips [after explaining the Ancient Roman sense, adds] the Word is still in use in the Universities.
1804. Med. Jrnl., XII. 287. His name as a Candidate for a Degree shall be entered in the minutes of Senate, and a day fixed when the Candidate shall read his Commentaries on the Aphorism and Case.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 339. The candidate for honours may seek to attain them in classical literature … or in mathematics.
2. fig. & transf. a. Sometimes simply = Aspirant, seeker for; sometimes with tacit allusion to the white dress of the Roman candidati, or the position of a Christian catechumen.
1647. Crashaw, Poems, 149. Ye holy doves!… bright Candidates of blissful light, The heirs elect of love.
1673. Cave, Prim. Chr., III. ii. 275. They laid up the body as a candidate and expectant of a joyful and happy resurrection.
1693. Dryden, Examen Poeticum, 352 (J.). While yet a young Probationer, And Candidate of Heav’n.
1750. Johnson, Rambl., No. 21, ¶ 6. A candidate for literary fame.
a. 1848. R. W. Hamilton, Rew. & Punishm., iii. (1853), 145. The Christian is a candidate for the approval of his Judge.
1873. F. Hall, Mod. English, 105. Thousands of words and uses of words, on their first appearance, or revival, as candidates for vernacularization, must have met with repugnance.
b. One who is thought likely or worthy to gain a post, a position of honor, etc.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., xxxi. If ever there was a candidate for Tyburn, this is one.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 260. Strength and majesty … marked him, in the popular opinion, as a candidate worthy of the throne.
† 3. Hist. One of the cohors candidatorum (so called from their white dress) who served as the body-guard of the Roman Emperors after the time of the Gordians, A.D. 237.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Candidats … also gallant yong Gentlemen or Knights about the Emperors person.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., It was the younger Gordian who instituted the Candidati.
