[a. F. cession, ad. L. cessiōnem, f. cessus, pa. pple. of cēdĕre to yield.]
† 1. The action of giving way or yielding: a. to physical force or pressure. Obs.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 354. They both [Flame and Air] have quickness of Motion, and facility of Cession, much alike.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys.-Mech., i. 36. It is the equal pressure of the Air on all sides upon the Bodies that are in it, which causes the easie Cession of its parts.
1693. Tyrrell, Law of Nat., 52. That Cession or giving place to each other, which is so necessary for the performance of their motions.
† b. to moral force, persuasion or temptation.
1607. Schol. Disc. agst. Antichr., II. vi. 50. Certaine cessions of the godly, who yelded even to the very doing of certaine things imposed on them.
1612. Bacon, Vain-glory, Ess. (Arb.), 464. Excusations, cessions, modesty it selfe well gouerned, are but arts of ostentation.
† 2. The vacating of an office either by retirement or death; a ceasing to hold office. Obs.
1608. Bp. J. King, Serm. S. Mary’s Oxf., 5. There are two persons, Dauid and Salomon, and accordingly two partes, first the cession or decease of the one, secondly the succession and supply of the other.
1683. Brit. Spec., 65. By the Cession of many little Princes, these Petty Kingdoms were united, and greater Monarchies erected.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, I. ix. 31. The Fellowship … vacant by the Cession of Mr. John Radcliffe.
1738. Warburton, Div. Legat. (1741), II. 408. The cession was in consequence of his [God’s] own declaration to Samuel.
b. Eccl. Law. ‘One manner of vacating or voiding an ecclesiastical benefice’; see quots.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 50. When an Ecclesiasticall person is created Bishop, or when a Parson of a Parsonage taketh another Benefice without dispensation or otherwise not qualified, &c. In both cases their first Benefices are … said to become void by cession.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., Cession, in the case of bishops does not take place till consecration.
3. The action of ceding, or surrendering to another, rights, property or anything to which one has a title or claim; also giving up anything in compliance with a demand; concession.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 67. Cessyone, cessio.
c. 1600. Swinburne, Spousals (1686), 179. Who … hath no direct action … without Cession, or grant first made by the Proctor.
1775. Johnson, in Boswell (1831), III. 106. Not that you had personally made any cession of the rights of your house.
1788. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 458. They will make great cessions to the people, rather than small ones to the parliament.
1848. Arnould, Mar. Insur., III. vi. (1866), II. 858. If notice of abandonment have been duly given, a deed of cession, or formal transfer, is unnecessary.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. iv. 238. Notwithstanding his former cession of his rights.
b. Civil Law. The voluntary surrender by a debtor of all his effects to his creditors. (L. cessio bonorum.)
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 429. The manner of Cedere bonis, or to make cession of goods, is verie hainous, and of wonderfull disgrace.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The Cession originally carried with it a mark of infamy, and obliged the person to wear a green cap or bonnet.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 473. I mean the law of cession, introduced by the christian emperors; whereby if a debtor ceded, or yielded up, all his fortune to his creditors, he was secured from being dragged to a gaol.
c. The ceding, giving up, or ‘handing over’ of a portion of territory to another ruler or state. Sometimes concr. a portion of territory surrendered.
1678. Temple, Let. Ld. Treasurer, Sept. (R.). To write … about the … cession of Maestricht.
1772. Pennant, Tours Scotl. (1774), 207. Content to make a cession of the islands to Alexander III.
1803. Wellington, Lett., in Gurw., Disp., I. 624. The troops which are hereafter to occupy the Marhatta cessions to the southward.
1862. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., App. iii. 432. All treaties for any cession or exchange of territory must be ratified by the Legislature.
1879. Lubbock, Addr. Pol. & Educ., i. 9. We reluctantly consented to accept the cession of the Fiji Islands.
¶ Misused for CESSATION.
c. 1800. K. White, Rem. (1837), 407. A golden age and its cession.
