Also 7–8 -ent. [a. 14th c. F. consonant (now consonnant, after sonner), ad. L. consonānt-em, pr. pple. (also used as adj.) of consonāre to sound together, be harmonious, f. con- together + sonāre to SOUND.]
A. adj.
1. In agreement, accordance, or harmony; agreeable, accordant (to); agreeing, consistent (with).
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., IV. xi. 260. Thy raysons ben consonaunte.
1550. Bale, Apol., 55 (R.). A confourme and consonant ordre.
1563. Homilies, II. Rebellion, I. (1859), 561. With one consonant heart and voice.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. x. 83. This life and death nothing at al consonant or agreeable.
b. Const. to, unto (an accepted standard).
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr., I. lxi. (W. de W., 1495), 113 a/2. The deuyll seenge that his contrycvon was not consonaunt to his wordes.
1535. Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 26 § 1. A speche nothing like ne consonant to the natural mother tonge vsed within this realme.
1628. Coke, On Litt., Pref. The opinion is consonant to law.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., Apol., 500. Divine Truth will be found every-where consonant to itself.
1709. Hearne, Collect., II. 327. The Doctrine of them is certainly consonant to our articles and Homilies.
1865. Grote, Plato, I. iv. 146. This seems more consonant to the language of Diogenes Laertius.
c. Const. with.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (1878), 236. If the marriage … were not consonant with the laws.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxvii. § 12. That wherewith the writings of all antiquity are consonant.
1678. Marvell, Growth Popery, Wks. I. 574. Like the harmony of the spheres, so consonant with themselves, although we cannot hear the musick.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones (1775), 25. She … first sounded their inclinations, with which her sentiments were always strictly consonant.
1857. Gladstone, Gleanings, VI. xli. 73. It is entirely consonant with the doctrine of St. Paul.
1861. Tulloch, Eng. Purit., iii. 377. It will be more … consonant with our aim to endeavour to characterise, etc.
d. advb. Obs.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 180/3. The chylde … gaue his cryes consonaunte unto his moder.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 251. Full of yeares … according to the Etymology of Festus, and consonant unto the History.
1744. Harris, Three Treat., III. II. (1765), 197. Hear him, consonant to this, in another Place asserting.
† 2. ? Agreeable to reason or circumstances; suitable. Obs.
1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 12 Preamb. His Highnes semeth most convenient and consonaunt to preserve the possessions of the Crown … without any severaunce.
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Consonant, agreeable, likely.
† 3. In agreement with itself, consistent. Obs.
a. 1556. Cranmer, Wks., I. 19. She sheweth herself alway uniform and consonant.
a. 1600. Hooker, Answ. to Travers, Wks. II. 693. The true consonant meaning of sentences not understood is brought to light.
1655. Digges, Compl. Ambass., 392. It might have pleased her Majestie to have kept a consonant course there.
1744. Harris, Three Treat., Wks. (1841), 81. To live agreeably to some one single and consonant scheme or purpose.
4. Of sounds or music: Harmonious.
1515. Barclay, Egloges (1570), C iv/2. It … is to one pleasaunt To heare good reason and ballade consonant.
c. 1800. K. White, Rem. (1837), 386. An euphonious melody and consonent cadence.
1871. Swinburne, Songs bef. Sunrise, To W. Whitman, 19. With consonant ardors of chords That pierce men’s souls as with swords.
b. Mus. Concordant; constituting a concord or consonance.
1609. Dowland, Ornith. Microl., 78. Out of the mean inequalitie … doe proceed consonant Sounds.
1760. Stiles, Anc. Grk. Music, in Phil. Trans., LI. 705. A consonant system … whose extreme or comprehending sounds were consonant.
1860. J. Goss, Harmony, iv. 9. A Chord … is named a Concord when all the notes form consonant intervals to each other. Ibid. The consonant intervals, or Consonances, are the major and minor 3d, perfect 4th and 5th, major and minor 6th, perfect 8ve, and unison.
1884. Bosanquet, in Encycl. Brit., XVII. 106/1 (Music), Other consonant intervals.
5. Of words, etc.: Agreeing or alike in sound.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 60. Our bards … hold agnominations, and enforcing of consonant words or syllables one upon the other, to be the greatest elegance.
1882. Palgrave, in Spenser’s Wks. (ed. Grosart), IV. p. lvii. Spenser manages the four consonant rhymes required in each stanza with wonderful ease.
† 6. Of the nature of a consonant. Obs. rare.
1751. Harris, Hermes, Wks. (1841), 210. The articulations so produced are called consonant, because they sound not of themselves … but at all times in company with some auxiliary vowel.
