Also 4 conferm-, 4–6 confyrm-. [a. OF. confirmation (13th c. in Godef.), ad. L. confirmātiōn-em, n. of action from confirmāre to CONFIRM. (The inherited form of the L. word in OF. was confermaison.)]
1. The action of making firm or sure; strengthening, settling, establishing (of institutions, opinions, etc.).
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., IV. (1520), 28/1. For the confyrmacyon of his kyngdome.
1549. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, 100. For the more confyrmacion of the fayth.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 87. For the confirmation of our weak faith.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, III. 343. Confirmation of your … belief.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxii. 24. Yet it would seem that even ecclesiastical bodies often found it safer, for the better confirmation of their title, to obtain writs from the reigning King.
† b. Physical strengthening. Obs. rare.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. iii. 73. [The loadstone] may … afford a confirmation unto parts relaxed.
2. The action of confirming or ratifying by some additional legal form.
Confirmation of a charter: see CONFIRM v. 2. Confirmation of the Charters (Confirmatio Chartarum) applied in Eng. Hist. spec. to the confirmation of Magna Charta and the Charter of the Forests by Edward I. in 1297.
1382. Wyclif, Heb. vi. 16. The ende of al her controuersye, or debate, is an ooth to confermacioun.
1473–4. in Acc. Ld. Treas. Scotl., I. 2 (Jam. Supp.). Ane confirmacione of ane charter to Johne Lord Semple of the landis of Montgrenane.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. iii. 56. A second time receyue The confirmation of my promis’d guift Which but attends thy naming.
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., IV. ix. (1854), 313. That confirmation of all the precedent articles shall be procured from the parliament.
1792. A. Young, Trav. France, 119. They then immediately passed a confirmation of their preceding arrets.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist. Eng. (1877), II. 147. The supplementary acts by which the Confirmation of the Charters was affirmed and recognised … especially as the close of the long dispute about the limits and jurisdictions of the Forests.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxiv. 365. But the will of a prince who was wise enough to see that his own interests and the interests of his people were the same, seldom failed to become law by the formal confirmation of his people.
b. The confirming of a person in a dignity, etc., or of a possession, etc., to a person.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 143. Richard his pallion bi messengere did com, & his confirmacion fro þe courte of Rome.
1557. Order of Hospitalls, B vj. After the confirmation of the said election by the Lord Maior.
1632. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 89. Obtained of the king the office of Admirall … and got the confirmation thereof.
1886. York Herald, 7 Aug., 5/5. Confirmation of the Speaker.
c. spec. in Eccl. The formal ratification of the election or other appointment of a bishop.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 209. Þe pape þer of was paied, mad þe Confirmacion. Maister Steuen of Langtone Ersebisshop salle be.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VII. v. 132. Ðe Byschope Robert … Of þe archebyschape of Yhork had Confirmatyowne.
1826. Chitty, Blackstone, I. 378. Without which confirmation and investiture the elected bishop could neither be consecrated nor receive any secular profits.
1882. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., II. 37. Confirmation is performed under the authority of the Metropolitan, acting for the whole Province or Church.
3. The action of confirming, corroborating, or verifying; verification, proof: see CONFIRM 7.
1419. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. I. 72. To haffe on off ther captaynes into Engelond, ffor to make confirmation of thys matier.
1587. Thynne, in Holinshed, III. 1272. For the confirmation whereof … thou shalt find an ample discourse in my booke.
1747. Col. Rec. Penn., V. 150. In confirmation of what we say we give you this string of Wampum.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 170. I should think, to use the newspaper phrase, the thing merited confirmation.
1769. Junius Lett., xxix. 131. It hardly wants the Confirmation of Experience.
1831. Fonblanque, Eng. under 7 Administr. (1837), II. 99. The achievements of St. George want confirmation in the particular of the Dragon.
b. A confirmatory statement or circumstance; in Rhet. the confirmatory part of an argument.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 4 b. The confirmacion is a declaracion of our awne reasons, with assured and constaunt profes.
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 323. Trifles light as air Are to the jealous confirmation strong As proofs of holy writ.
1648. H. G., trans. Balzac’s Prince, 102. [To observe] the parts of Eloquence, and to separate the Exordium from the Narration, and the Confirmation from the Epilogue.
1709. Steele & Addison, Tatler, No. 136, ¶ 8. This Day came in a Mail from Holland, with a Confirmation of our late Advices.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. II. xi. 293. He … adroitly converts apparent objections into confirmations of his argument.
4. Law. See quots. Also as in 2.
1495. Act 11 Hen VII., c. 44 § 2. All patentes, confirmacions and grauntes made to any persone … of the same Castelles.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 106 a. A dede of confirmacion is good and vailable, where in the same case a dede of release is not good nor vailable.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 295 b. A Confirmation is a conueyance of an estate or right in esse, whereby a voidable estate is made sure and vnauoidable, or whereby a particular estate is encreased.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 325.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), IV. 87. All leases made by tenants for life become absolutely void by their death; so that no … act, by the persons entitled to the remainder or reversion, will operate as a confirmation of them. Ibid., V. 251. A fine may also operate as a confirmation of a former estate, which was before defeasible.
5. Eccl. A rite administered to baptized persons in various Christian Churches; formerly called ‘bishoping.’
In the Roman and Greek Churches, always reckoned one of the seven sacraments, and in these and in the Church of England held to convey or be the vehicle of special grace which ‘confirms’ or strengthens the recipient for the practice of the Christian faith.
Down to the 13th c. confirmation was administered immediately or soon after baptism (as still in the Greek Church); since that time, it has been usually deferred in the Western Churches till the ‘years of discretion.’ In the Church of England and some other Reformed Churches, candidates are required publicly and personally to renew, ratify, and ‘confirm’ their baptismal vows (see CONFIRM v. 2, quot. 1552), and are then admitted to the full privileges of the Church.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 9790. Þe secunde sacrament … Ys grauntede of þe bysshop honde, Men kalle hyt confyrmacyoun.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 159. Þo his propre name was i-chaunged, as it happeþ in confirmacioun of children.
a. 1400. Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867), 27. Confirmacione … confermys þe Haly Gaste one man þat es cristenede.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., IV. (1520), IV. 33/1. Ordeyned that a chylde sholde have a godfather and a godmother at the tyme of baptysynge, and also one at the confyrmacyon.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Confirmation, Pref. To the end that Confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it [etc.].
1555. Fardle Facions, II. xii. 278. Bishopping, whiche the Latines calle Confirmacion, a confirming … or allowyng of that went before: is the seconde Sacramente.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 120. The old order of Confirmation by Bishops, which was to be done upon Profession of the Faith.
1803. W. Godwin, Life Chaucer, I. 54. The rite of confirmation, according to the Roman Catholic discipline, is always subsequent … to the first communion.
1836. J. H. Stewart, Mem. W. C. Stewart, iv. (ed. 3), 72. The Bishop … had directed them not to present themselves for Confirmation till they were fifteen.
b. Name of confirmation: see quots.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 3 a. If a man be baptized by the name of Thomas, and after at his confirmation by the bishop he is named John, he may purchase by the name of his confirmation. Ibid. Whose name of baptism was Thomas, and his name of confirmation Francis.
1885. Arnold, Cath. Dict., s.v., It is usual to take another Christian name at confirmation, which however is not used afterwards in signing the name.
¶ Formerly confused with CONFORMATION, q.v.
