Also 6 comente. [In branch I, ad. med.L. commentāre, to devise, excogitate (usually in a bad sense, of fraud or mischief), by-form of L. commentāri, freq. of comminis-ci, comment-us, to devise, invent, contrive: see prec. In branch II, app. immediately f. COMMENT sb.: cf. F. commenter to expound (Cotgr.), It. commentare to expound largely (Florio). With the exception of that from Spenser (sense 1), all the verse quots. accent the first syllable; but some orthoepists recognize comme·nt, which is usual in Scotland;
cf. 1824. L. Murray, Eng. Gram. (ed. 5), I. 349. Trisyllables formed by adding a termination … retain the accent of the radical word: as … comménting, comménding, assúrance.]
I. repr. med.L. commentāre.
† 1. trans. To devise, contrive, invent (especially something false or bad). Obs. (The quots. 1554 and 1596 appear to connect this with branch II.)
c. 1450. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 129. Machomete the false prophete … commentenge [L. commentavit, v.r. adinvenit] the wickede secte of Saracenys.
1554. Philpot, Exam. & Writ. (Parker Soc.), 376. Whether it may be seen rightful to comment any thing or to abate as concerning the matter in defining holy scriptures.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VII. vii. 53. Where were ye borne? Some say in Crete by name, Others in Thebes, and others other-where; But, wheresoever they comment the same, They all consent that ye begotten were And borne here in this world.
II. f. COMMENT, sb.
2. trans. To furnish with comments; to make a comment or comments on; to annotate. arch.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1865), 75. Leysure to reprinte, correcte, and comente the same.
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., V. (1851), 119. Anselme … commenting the Epistles to Titus and the Philippians.
1695. Humfrey, Mediocria, 29. I comment therefore these words thus.
1700. Prior, Carmen Sec., 158. To trace each Toil, and comment ev’ry War.
1768. Johnson, Pref. to Shaks., Wks. IX. 285. The chief desire of him that comments an author.
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., I. I. iii. 149. The treatise was commented, abridged … and even turned into verse.
† b. with extension, into, away.
1642. Fuller, Holy State, 33 (T.). She studiously avoids all suspicious expressions, which wanton apprehensions may colourably comment into obscenity.
1726. Amherst, Terræ Filius, No. 40. 217. This oath, like other oaths, is commented away, and interpreted so loosly.
3. intr. To write explanatory or critical notes († to) on, or upon a text.
1611. Cotgr., Commenté, expounded, commented on.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., III. 230. Hee … Commenting to that text of Scripture … writes, etc.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 757. To be copied, printed, commented on, translated.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 73. The same Manuscript which I am translating, and upon which I am commenting.
4. To make comments or remarks (on, upon). (Often implying unfavorable remarks.)
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., II. i. 42. Not an eye that sees you, but is a Physician to comment on your Malady.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., Ep. Ded. Little expecting the Curiosity of future Ages should comment upon their Ashes.
1871. R. F. Weymouth, Euphuism, 11. I have been commenting pretty freely on the errors of two critics.
1872. Freeman, Hist. Ess. (ed. 2), 12. William of Malmesbury’s tale, on which he himself thus comments.
b. with the remark as an obj. clause or sentence.
1643. Milton, Divorce, II. xv. (1851), 99. Commenting that divorce was permitted only for the help of wives.
1883. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 170. ‘Two opposite schools at once, you see,’ commented Gervase.
† 5. To remark mentally; to meditate, ponder.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., IV. iii. 51. Come, I haue learn’d that fearfull commenting Is leaden seruitor to dull delay.
1602. Return fr. Parnass., III. v. (Arb.), 46. He doubles griefe that comments on a wo.
Hence Commenting vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1594. [see 5].
1643. Milton, Divorce, Introd. (1851), 10. The shallow commenting of Scholasticks and Canonists.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Queries of State, Wks. 177. Matters not set down in it, or ambiguously … understood, and by appendixes and commenting supposed.
1710. Shaftesb., Charac., (1737), III. 269. The criticizing or commenting Practice.
1857. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sc., I. 237. A commenting literature, and a second-hand philosophy.
