1. The action of substituting one thing for another, or of giving and receiving reciprocally; exchange.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 1532. Many men se ofte chaungyng Of sere maners of gys of clethyng.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 71. Chawngynge or yeuynge oone thinge for a-nothere, cambium.
1513–75. Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 18. For confirmatioun of peace and changeing of seillis.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Paraph., 76 b. A choppyng and chaungeyng of benefites one for an other.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 137. Change your Fauours too … But in this changing, What is your intent?
1611. Bible, Pref., 9. Neither was there this chopping and changing in the more ancient times onely.
† b. concr. A thing given in exchange. Obs. rare.
138[?]. Wyclif, Serm., lx. Wks. I. 184. What chaunginge shal a man ȝyve for his soule.
2. The action of making a thing other than it was; alteration.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 6. Þeos riwle … is euer on, & schal beon, wiðute monglunge & wiðute chaungunge.
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 182. For chawngynge of Cristis ordynaunce.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 271. Notable alteracyon or chaungynge of the partes.
1714. Mandeville, Fab. Bees (1725), I. 133. So many various shiftings and changings of modes.
1866. Sharpe, New Test., Pref. The Translator … has made no change for changing’s sake.
† b. Mus. Variation; modulation; = CHANGE sb. 4 c. Obs.
1633. P. Fletcher, Pisc. Ecl., VII. xix. Change when you sing, muses delight in changing.
1669. Penn, No Cross, xix. § 31 (1682), 387. That Musick they used was simple, without Art or Changings.
3. The action of becoming other than it was; change, alteration, variation.
c. 1330. Kyng of Tars, 871, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., II. 192. Bi chaungynge of his hewe.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XII. x. Þe rauen haþ foure and sixty chaungynges of voyse.
1414. Brampton, Penit. Ps. ci. 38. There is no changyng foundyn in the.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. iii. 9. The chaunginge of their countenaunce bewrayeth them.
1659. C. Noble, Moderate Answ. Immod. Queries, 6. A person given to vacillations and changings.
† b. Of the moon; = CHANGE sb. 5. Obs.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, C vj. Take hony at the chaungyng of the moon.
1611. Bible, Ecclus. xliii. 8. The moneth is called after her name, encreasing wonderfully in her changing.
4. attrib. in various senses; see the vb.
1879. Grove, Dict. Mus., I. 75/1. In the latter case it [the appoggiatura] is … sometimes called ‘transient’ or ‘changing’ note.
1883. J. Parker, Tyne Chylde, 200. The grave is not a goal, it is but a changing-place.
1884. Health Exhib. Catal., 130/1. Plan … of Dry or Changing House where miners change their clothes.
