[a. F. consort, fem. consorte mate, fellow, partner, wife (= It., Sp. consorte), ad. L. consors, -ortem sharing property in common, sharer, partner, colleague, comrade, f. con- together + sors, sortem lot. (Orig. conso·rt.)]
† 1. A partner, companion, mate; a colleague in office or authority. Obs.
1419. J. Alcetre, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 21. I. 70. The Maire and his consortes havyth y rendyd yowre size.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.). II. 219. To seeke good consorts and companions.
c. 1592. Marlowe, Jew of Malta, V. Wks. (Rtldg.), 197. Now, as for Calymath and his consorts, Here have I made a dainty gallery.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. i. I scorne it, I … to be a consort for euery hum-drum.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, III. xii. 94. Adam and Francis his two consorts were fled.
1629. Massinger, Picture, V. iii. Take the advice of your learn’d consort.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 963. With him Enthron’d Sat Sable-vested Night, eldest of things, The consort of his Reign.
a. 1734. North, Lives, I. 99. Consorts and coadjutors, as well as adversaries in business.
1755. Magens, Insurances, I. 295. The said Capt. Charles Alden and Lazaro Damiani and other Consorts in this Cause.
† b. transf. and fig. Obs. (exc. as fig. to 3).
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 48. This wit is ever a consort with judgement.
1658. Slingsby, Diary (1836), 214. Make devout books your discreet Consorts.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 526. What will they then But force the Spirit of Grace it self, and binde His consort Libertie.
1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., i. 5. That love which is to be the consort of knowledge.
2. A ship sailing in company with another.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., XI. lxii. (1612), 272. Then Chancelor, his onely ship remayning of that fleete … sailes with his consorts to meete.
1628. Digby, Voy. Medit. (1868), 26. I carried out three lightes fore and aft, that if I passed by my consortes they might see them.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. v. 179. At the beginning of this chace the Centurion ran her two consorts out of sight.
1820. Scoresby, Arctic Regions, I. 78. The North Star of 10 tons burden, one of the vessels sent to the eastward of Greenland, parted from her consort in a storm on the 3d of September, and was never afterwards heard of.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xx. (1856), 155. Our consort, the Rescue … had shared in this discovery.
3. A partner in wedded or parental relations; a husband or wife, a spouse. Used in conjunction with some titles, as queen-consort, the wife of a king; so king-consort, prince-consort (the latter the title of Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria).
1634. W. Wood, New Eng. Prosp., Ded. Note. Your selfe, and your vertuous Consort.
1640–4. Chas. I., in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1692), III. I. 521. His dearest Consort the Queen, and his dear daughter the Princess Mary.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. (1684), 220. The Queen-Consort also doth the like to divers poor Women.
1705. Lond. Gaz., No. 4126/2. The Envoy was … introduced to the Empress Consort.
1732. Lediard, Sethos, II. x. 406. Her Consort still persuaded her to enjoy the diversions of the court.
1788. Wesley, Wks. (1872), VI. 299. Unless we should place our consorts and our children on an equal footing with them [our parents].
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), I. 400. A queen consort could not be seised to a use.
1845. Stephen, Laws Eng., II. 262. The Queen, whether regnant or consort.
1861. Court Circular, 13 Dec. Windsor Castle, Dec. 13 … His Royal Highness the Prince Consort passed a restless night.
b. Used of animals.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 142. In June the males return to shore, and by August are joined by their consorts.
1834. Medwin, Angler in Wales, I. 132. At the very first cast, I hooked the consort of the fish I had taken the day before.
