Also 5 conserne, 6–7 -cerne, 7 -cearn. [ad. med.L. concernĕre and F. concerner (15th c. in Littré), ad. L. concernĕre, f. con- + cernĕre to sift, separate, distinguish, discern, perceive, see, look at, regard, have respect to. The L. lexicons quote concernĕre only from Augustine in the sense ‘to mix, mingle together in order to sift’; but in med.L. it was evidently an intensive of cernĕre in various senses (cf. sense 1 below), esp. in that of ‘regard, have respect or reference to’ (= L. spectāre), in which it is quoted by Du Cange from the Laws of Majorca, c. 1300, and from an Eng. charter of 1406. It is found in the modern Romanic langs. in the same sense from early times: cf. It. conce·rnere, Sp. concerner in Florio and Minsheu.]
† I. 1. To distinguish, discern, perceive. Obs.
c. 1450. Lydg., Lyf of our Ladye, E iij/2 (R. suppl.). God that is eterne The trouthe of thynges clerely can conserne.
1589. Nashe, Almond for Parrot, 18 a. The true children of God can not tell how to concerne them [the wicked].
II. 2. trans. To have relation or reference to: to refer to, relate to; to be about.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxvii. 31. Teachynge those thinges which concerned the lorde Jesus.
1586. Cogan, Haven Health, i. (1636), 7. The place where exercise is to bee used doth chiefly concerne the aire.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. i. 30. Say on (my Lord of Westmorland) in peace, What doth concern your coming.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. Ep. Ded. 5/2. The principal points herein handled … concerne Prayer.
1632. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 67. I will, that shee bee yours for as much as concernes me.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Wks. I. 99. Prudence concerns the present time, persons, property, and existing forms.
† b. To belong; to appertain. Obs. rare.
1658. S. Richardson, Form. Hell, in Phenix, II. 450. I appeal to the learned in the languages, for to them concerneth the decision of the signification of words.
c. As concerus (= as it concerns): with regard to; in reference to; as respects.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 21. As concerns their demands.
1873. F. Hall, Mod. Eng., 50. As concerns a substantive, its subjective genitive, universally, and its objective genitive, very often, may be expressed prepositively.
3. To affect (things, or persons passively); to have a bearing or influence on; to involve.
[1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 237 b. Some lawes perteyneth onely to London, whiche onely byndeth the same Cite, and concerneth nothynge Yorke or Brystowe].
1586. Thynne, in Holinshed, II. 405. Such things as … concerne the honour of the Scotish nation.
1662. Evelyn, Chalcogr. (1769), 24. His [Adam’s] unhappy fall did so much concern his rare and infused habits.
[1701. W. Wotton, Hist. Rome, vi. 87. This war equally concerns us all.]
4. To be of importance to; to be the concern or business of. Often with quasi-impers. const., the subject being a phrase or clause.)
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., I. i. 78. It concernes me To looke into the bottome of my place. Ibid. (1604), Oth., I. iii. 22. Th’importancie of Cyprus to the Turke … it more concernes the Turke then Rhodes.
1667. Milton, P. L., VII. 82. Things above Earthly thought, which yet concernd Our knowing.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 290, ¶ 1. Domestick Virtues concern all the World.
1732. Pope, Hor. Sat., II. ii. 165. If the use be mine, can it concern one, Whether the name belong to Pope or Vernon?
1818. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, III VI. i. 17. Here is a picture! It concerns my countrymen to contemplate well the features of it.
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xii. 249. A quarrel which concerned neither himself nor his country.
† b. absol. or intr. To be of importance, to matter. Also with unto. Obs.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., IV. ii. 147. Trip and goe my sweete, deliuer this Paper into the hand of the King, it may concerne much. Ibid. (1591), Two Gent., II. ii. 77. Madam, it will not lye where it concerns, Vnlesse it haue a false Interpreter. Ibid., 1 Hen. VI., V. iii. 116. Why what concernes his freedome vnto mee?
1679. Sir T. Browne, Wks. (1882), III. 463. If places bee sould or given by favor only, such virtues will concerne butt contingently.
† 5. trans. To engage the attention of; to affect with consideration, care, or solicitude; to trouble. Obs. in active.
c. 1592. Marlowe, Jew Malta, I. ii. Now, then, here know that it concerneth us.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., III. ii. 87. Which to deny, concernes more than auailes.
1641. Bp. Hall, Via Media, Rem. Wks. (1660), 374. These opinions, which have no reason to concern us.
1749. R. Goadby, B. M. Carew, 174. This greatly surpriz’d and concerned Mr. Carew.
† 6. To bring into relation, cause to have a part or share in; to engage, implicate, mix up. Obs. in active.
1676. Marvell, Mr. Smirke, 18. To concern the Author in the Non-Conformists, that may have reflected any where.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. iii. 150. Those mechanick Theists … Affect to concern the Deity as little as possible in mundane affairs.
1679. Everard, Prot. Princes Europe, 11. France made its Treaty … with the House of Austria, without concerning the Grisons therein.
b. refl. To concern oneself: to interest oneself with, in, about, to do a thing; to engage, take up, or trouble oneself; to take or have any concern.
1634. trans. Balzac’s Lett., 365. One concerning itselfe in this sort.
1676. C. Hatton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 129. Hee doth of late more publickly concerne himself in state affairs.
1682. Dryden, Rel. Laici, Pref. I ought not to have concerned myself with [such] speculations.
1712. Hearne, Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), III. 485. I will not concern myself in this Affair.
a. 1716. South, Serm. (J.). Providence … concerns itself to own and assert the interests of religion.
1791. Cowper, Comm. Milton, Wks. 1837, XV. 336. There is nothing about which the heart of man concerns itself so little.
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. III. 270. Celsus … was a man … unlikely to concern himself with vice and folly.
7. In the imperative = ‘Confound!’ cf. CONCERNED 3. dial.
1877. N. W. Lincolnsh. Gloss., Consarn you, an objurgation equivalent to ‘confound you.’ Also in Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Gloss. of Leicester, Cheshire, etc.
III. Passive, To be concerned.
This occurs in some senses which are non-existent or obsolete in the active; in other senses it is much more used than the active.
† 8. To be under the responsibility or obligation; to have it as one’s business. Obs. (Cf. 4.)
1652. Needham, Selden’s Mare Cl., 125. Princes are concerned to bee warie and careful, that they admit no such strangers … where … the Common-weal may receiv any damage thereby.
1659. Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 457. That gentleman will be concerned to name them in a fitter season.
1735. J. Price, Stone Br. Thames, 16. I shall think myself concern’d to pursue my Thoughts upon this Subject.
9. To feel interested, to be solicitous, to care. (Cf. 5.)
1664–5. Ld. Windsor, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 46. Without letting Sir Charles Lytleton know I am att all concearned for it.
1671. Sir C. Lyttelton, Ibid., 63. I had a letter … from one a little concerned to have it so.
a. 1687. Petty, Pol. Arith., iv. (1691), 77. The said Ten being not concerned to increase their Territory.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1756), 151. We are concern’d to tell you of it.
1734. Berkeley, Analyst, § 20. I am not concerned about the truth of your theorems.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., I. 263. I am not concerned to tell of the food that was eaten in that green refectory.
10. To be troubled or distressed either with anxiety, or sorrow for misfortune. (Cf. 5.)
a. 1674. Clarendon, Surv. Leviath. (1676), 249. He is not concern’d, if the King forbids him to believe in Christ.
1693. Col. Rec. Penn., I. 414. I … am Concerned to see the time goe away and nothing done.
1712. Hearne, Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), III. 479. I am concern’d at this Proceeding, and indeed take it very unkindly.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, Wks. (1775), III. 106. I never was more concerned at any thing in my life.
1805. Wellington, in Owen, Disp., 518. The Governor-General is concerned to state that neither of the other attacks succeeded.
1858. J. Martineau, Studies Chr., 73. We are concerned that any Christian divine can so torture and desecrate the names of virtue.
† b. Used of physical distress. Obs.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., 5, foot-note. In one … Compressing Engine I closely shut up a sparrow, without forcing any Air in; and in less than an Hour the Bird began to pant, and be concerned.
11. To be in a relation of practical connection with; to have to do with; to have a part or share in; to be engaged in, with († against). (Cf. 6.)
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 34. Those, that are concerned in one another’s Love … are never quiet, but always catterwalling.
1699. Bentley, Phal., Pref. 15. Any Body, that has ever been concern’d in a Patent.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 1, ¶ 9. Those Gentlemen who are concerned with me in this Work.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XII. x. An attorney may feel all the miseries and distresses of his fellow creatures, provided he happens not to be concerned against them.
1836. Prichard, Phys. Hist. Man. (ed. 3), I. 275. The inquiry with which I am now concerned.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 224. Music is concerned with harmony and rhythm.
1884. Gladstone, in Standard, 29 Feb., 2/4. Persons prominently concerned in conducting the affairs of the country.
b. esp. To be implicated, or involved in, to have to do with (anything culpable).
1686. Col. Rec. Penn., I. 176. Under suspition of being Carnally Concerned with a Woman Servt.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 260, ¶ 1. Intrigues which no one will believe I ever was concerned in.
1717. Col. Rec. Penn., III. 21. Some of their men were concern’d in the killing of the sd. Catamba Indians.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. xv. 122. Accused of being concerned in a riot.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 663. Among the persons concerned in the Rye House plot.
12. Of things: To be involved or engaged in any action.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 125. All delays were dangerous, in a case where winds and tides were concerned.
1831. Brewster, Optics, iv. 34. The small part of any curved surface … which is concerned in refracting it, may be regarded as a plane.
1846. Mill, Logic, Introd. § 7. There are other more elementary processes, concerned in all thinking.
b. To be involved in a risk; to be at stake.
1700. Dryden, Pref. Fables, Wks. (Globe), 501. The honour of their order is concerned in every member of it.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XVIII. vii. A secret in which her honour, and consequently her life, was concerned.
1862. W. Collins, No Name, iv. 5. My honour is concerned in bowling out Mrs. Lecount.
13. To be under relations of any kind; to be affected, or liable to be affected. (Cf. 2, 3.)
1794. Burke, Rep. Lords’ Jrnls., Wks. 1842, II. 627. In such a cause the state itself is highly concerned in the event.
1810. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., V. 542. What has passed in Parliament respecting me, has not given me one moment’s concern as far as I am personally concerned.
1862. Ruskin, Munera P. (1880), 32. As far as he is himself concerned the capitalist takes … a more interesting aspect.
1882. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., II. 253. A matter in which religious duty and public policy were concerned.
