[a. obs. F. colligation, ad. L. colligātiōn-em, n. of action, f. colligāre to COLLIGATE.]
† 1. Material binding together, connection. Obs.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), V. ii. 365. Of the ponderosyte and collygacyon from the one membre unto the other.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg. The nature of euery membre, their settynge and colligacion that they haue in all the body.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., V. v. 239. Occasioned by the colligation of vessells.
2. fig. Conjunction, alliance, union.
1651. Wotton, in Reliq. W. (1672), 143. The more blessed Colligation of the Kingdomes, then that of the Roses.
1685. H. More, Illustr., 96. The ineffableness, and unutterableness of the admirable Union, or Colligation of the Soul of the Messias, with the eternal Logos.
1861. F. Hall, in Jrnl. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 329. All grammar is set at defiance, in this line, in the colligation of the names of places.
b. concr. A bond of union. rare.
1850. Neale, Med. Hymns, 116. Himself their colligation Binds two peoples into one.
3. Inductive Logic. The binding together or connection of a number of isolated facts by a suitable general conception or hypothesis. concr. A group (of facts) as colligated.
1837. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857), I. 64. The Colligation of Facts. Ibid., II. v. 212. The conceptions of our own minds, and the Colligation of observed facts by the aid of such Conceptions.
1846. Morell, Hist. Mod. Phil., II. 293. Empirical facts must be gained by observation, by diligent colligation, and by the testimony of others.
1861. Maine, Anc. Law (1874), 118. The colligation of social phenomena.
