[f. as prec. + -MENT.]
1. Sealing or dedicating with a sign.
1563. Man, Musculus’ Commonpl., 282 a. We shall define baptisme … to bee the Sacrament of regeneration … sanctification, consignment and incorporation into Christ our Saviour.
† 2. Law. Hypothecation. Obs.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 457. In acts of Pawnes and Consignements by one onely fault duely proued.
3. Delivering over; delivery, committal, allotment.
a. 1668. Davenant, Philos. Disq., Wks. (1673), 332. And seemes to come, Not by consignement to us, but by chance.
1878. Lecky, Eng. in 18th C., I. i. 127. The kidnapping … of negroes, and their consignment to the most miserable slavery.
4. The consigning of goods or a cargo, esp. to an agent for sale or disposal; = CONSIGNATION 6.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 31, ¶ 7. Ask all the Merchants who act upon Consignments.
1755. Magens, Insurances, I. 373. Hemp laden on board the Matthew, to the Consignment of Messrs. Gampert and Whatley.
1800. Hull Pilotage Act, 14. The charge, agency, or consignment of any ship.
1885. Law Times, LXXIX. 194/1. The goods by the fact of consignment became the property of the consignee.
b. ‘The writing by which any thing is consigned.’
1755. in Johnson: whence in later Dicts.
5. concr. A quantity of goods consigned to an agent or factor.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 328. To see what prodigious consignments they had from their correspondents in Old Spain.
1877. Lady Brassey, Voy. Sunbeam, xiv. (1878), 245. A large consignment of pearls entrusted to the captain.
ǁ 6. Confinement within bounds by way of discipline or punishment; ‘gating.’ [F. consigne; cf. CONSIGNÉ.]
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. V. iii. Behold them, long files of them, their consignment broken, arrive, headed by their Sergeants … at the Palais Royal!
