vbl. sb. [f. CHURCH v.]
1. The public appearance of a woman at church to return thanks after childbirth, esp. in accordance with the Anglican ritual.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccxxii. 500. His wife … was as than newly churched of a fayre sonne And he thought at her Churchyng to kepe a great feest at Tholouse.
1552. Bk. Com. Prayer, The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth, commonly called the Churching of Women.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Challenge Knts. Errant, Wks. (1711), 232. They are now come back to Greenwich for the churching of the queen.
1837. Thackeray, Ravenswing, vi. He attended his mother to her churching.
b. attrib. as churching pew.
1637. Vestry Bks. (Surtees), 190. For 2 yeardes of kersey for a churching cloth, 7s.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xli. 336. An uprising or Women Churching Treatment.
2. Subjection to the influence of the church.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Race, Wks. (Bohn), II. 28. A tough, acrid, animal nature which centuries of churching and civilizing have not been able to sweeten.
