Forms: 3 citacion, 4 -cioun, 5 -tioun, cytacyon, -ion, (6 scitation, cytacon), 6– citation. [a. F. citation, ad. L. citātiōn-em n. of action f. citāre to cite.]
1. Law. A citing or summoning to a court of justice, a summons; ‘applied particularly to process in the spiritual court’ (Tomlins, Law Dict.).
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9718. Þe eiȝteþe was, þat in þe londe citacion non nere Þoru bulle of þe pope of rome.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 283. For þe citacioun of Cesar wente he to Rome.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., IV. (1520), 27 b/2. He wente unto Rome for the cytacyon of the emperoure.
1532. Act 23 Hen. VIII., c. 9 § 6. No Archbishop nor Bishop … shall aske demand take or receiue of any of the Kings subiects any Sum or Sums of money for the seale of any Citation.
1666. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 217. All summons, citations, and other proces Ecclesiastical.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., II. xi. 569. Ecclesiastical causes commence by citation of the defendant.
b. The written form of summons, or the document containing it.
1530. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford, 73. John Cottysford … sent a cytacon to … Flemyng.
1593. Nashe, Four Lett. Confut., 17. I sawe him make an Apparriter … eate his Citation, waxe and all.
1601. F. Godwin, Bps. of Eng., 90. This citation they fixed vpon the high crosse at Canterbury.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxxiii. [They] left citations for father and daughter to appear before the Court of Commission.
c. gen. A summons.
1622. Fletcher, Sp. Curate, V. ii. Do you hear that passing-bell? Lop. A strong citation! bless me!
† 2. Enumeration, recital, mention. Obs. rare–1.
1666. G. Harvey, Morb. Angl., xxviii. (1672), 82. There remains a citation of such others as indifferently may produce that malady in any other Countrey.
3. The action of citing or quoting any words or written passage, quotation; in Law, a reference to decided cases or books of authority.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 248. A vain citation of a passage out of my Book of Rest.
1663. Charleton, Chorea Gigant., 22. Omitting the citation of the particular Chapter.
1782. Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., I. Pref. p. xiii. The citation of authorities.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, I. xii. Impudent falsities of citation.
4. concr. A passage cited, a quotation.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. i. 19. These two citations here ensuyng.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., ii. 41. Philosophers did frequently adorn and confirm their discourses by citations out of poets.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 119. Virtue … cannot be taught by rhetorical discourses or citations from the poets.
1883. Gladstone, in Times, 9 June. The noble lord has given us citations of what purported to be telegrams.
