[f. L. constitūt-, ppl. stem of constituĕre to set up, post, establish, appoint, ordain, f. con- intensive + statuĕre to set up, place: see STATUTE. The pa. pple. was in early times often constitut, -ute (from L. constitūtus), and this is still retained in technical phraseology in Scotland.]
† 1. trans. To set, place (in a specified state, situation, condition, etc.) Obs.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxviii. H ij b. The longe sorowe mortalle in whiche was constytuted the faire Elysse or Dydo.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), V. iv. 391. He constytuteth his ende, and blessydnesse in the thynge that he desyreth soueraynly.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 263. The fiery starre of Mars, constituted in the midst of heaven.
1728. Morgan, Algiers, II. iv. 263. The Turks … releasing … several hundreds of captive Mussulmans and constituting in the Vacancies as many of their new Slaves, returned.
1875. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, vi. 152. The Council of Trent, after having weighed long whether to say man was created in grace, finally determined to say that man was constituted in grace.
† b. To set up (in an office or position of authority). Obs. (cf. 2.)
1616. Bullokar, Constitute, to ordaine, to appoint.
1641. Disc. Prince Henry, in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793), 261. Princes and men, constituted in high places.
1658. Ussher, Ann., VI. 522. He … constituted Eumachus over the whole nation.
1722. Swift, Wonder of Wonders, Wks. 1755, II. II. 52. He hath been constituted by the higher powers in the station of receiver-general.
† 2. To set up, appoint, ordain (an officer). Obs.
1481. Caxton, Godfrey, 14. How therle of tholouse toke the cyte of albane, and therin constituted a bisshop.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 106/2. Those bishops, that you constitute.
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 31. When supreme powers … constitute any magistrate.
1692. Washington, trans. Milton’s Def. Pop., Wks. 1738, I. 522. A King of England … was not constituted to make Laws, but to see those Laws kept, which the People made.
b. To appoint to the office, function, or dignity of; to make, create. (With obj. and compl.)
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 27. That ye ordeyne and constytute the sayd noble Jason Capytayne of this Royaume.
1524. W. Malverne, Found. Abbey of Glocester, iii., in R. Glouc. (1724), 579. The said noble Osrike … Kingburge his sister did constitute Abbesse.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxii. 115. Where one Man … is constituted Representative of the whole number.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 296. We constituted him captain.
1879. R. T. Smith, St. Basil, 126. Recording how the Lord constituted Peter, after himself, shepherd of the Church.
3. To set up, ordain, establish, appoint, determine (a law, regulation, etc.). ? Obs.
1535. Starkey, Lett., in England, p. xix.
1552. Huloet, Constitute decrees or lawes, sancire leges.
1650. Jer. Taylor, Holy Living, iii. § 1. 183. We must obey all humane laws appointed and constituted by lawful Authority.
1710. Prideaux, Orig. Tithes, iv. 186. Let this be constituted … as firmly, as this Grant is constituted.
1814. Southey, Roderick, XIII. What terms Asturias … Doth constitute to be the law.
† b. with obj. clause. Obs.
1593. R. Harvey, Philad., 100. Martin of Roome constituted that his Clergy should vowe chastitie.
1678. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, III. 18. Whereby God has from al eternitie constituted with himself what he wil do.
1686. J. Sergeant, Hist. Monast. Convent., 107. Pope Leo the Tenth Instituted the Order of St. Peter; constituting those of the Order to wear … the Effigies of that Saint.
† c. absol. Obs.
1486. [see CONSTITUTE ppl. a. A].
1574. Whitgift, Def. Aunsw., ii. Wks. 1851, I. 237. The church of Christ hath authority to ordain and constitute … in those things before of me rehearsed.
1661. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 55. My Lord thought it not worth the while to constitute … in a thing so shortly to be altered and reformed.
4. To set up, establish, found (an institution, etc.).
1549. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Collect St. Michael. Whiche haste ordayned & constituted the seruices of angels and men in a wonderfull ordre.
a. 1605. Stow, Mem. Antiq. (R.). This Brutus had three sonnes, who constituted three kingdoms.
1676. I. Mather, Hist. Philip’s War (1862), 39. Six Churches have been constituted amongst the Indians.
1765. Blackstone, Comm. (1793), 108. Provincial assemblies are constituted, with the power of making local ordinances.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 90. To constitute a tribunal.
1863. D. Rowland, Laws Nat., 5. Grotius did not constitute a system … of natural law.
b. To give legal or official form or shape to (an assembly, etc.).
1638. Dk. Hamilton, in H. Papers (Camden), 62. Aduyce uhidder this assem[bly] uas not lafully constituted.
1714. G. Lockhart, Mem. Affairs Scot., 116. The first two Days being spent in Constituting the House.
1808. Jamieson, To constitute, a term generally used in S[cotland], to denote the opening of an ecclesiastical court with prayer by him who presides in it.
1839. Alison, Hist. Europe (1849), I. iv. § 53. 491. Intimation was sent to the other orders that they would proceed to constitute themselves.
1871. Sir H. Moncrieff, Pract. Free Ch. Scotl., i. 11. The minute must always bear at the outset that the [Kirk-]Session was constituted (which expression is understood to imply that it was constituted with prayer).
1886. Act 49–50 Vict., c. 50 § 3. Any lease, tack, or set, whether constituted by writing or verbally.
5. To frame, form, make (by combination of elements); esp. in pass. to have a constitution or make of a specified sort. (Very frequent in reference to the bodily or mental constitution.)
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 188. Many … whose Livers are weakely constituted.
1729. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 70. We are so constituted, that time abundantly abates our sorrows.
1772. Hutton, Bridges, p. iv. Directions for constituting and adapting to one another, the several … parts of a bridge.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 45. The houses are of wood; but when well constituted … they are warmer than those built of brick or stone.
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 163. Faculties constituted like our own.
6. To make (a person or thing) something; to establish or set up as. (With obj. and compl.) Cf. 2.
1534. [see CONSTITUTE ppl. a. A].
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 74. That which constituteth him a visible member.
1652. F. Hawkins, Youth’s Behav., i. § 33 (1663), 7. Ever constitute the defect of his morality thy precaution.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. v. 413. The will of a single man … cannot be allowed to constitute itself an irremoveable obstacle to a great national good.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, vi. 81. He had constituted himself her companion.
7. (with simple obj.) To make (a thing) what it is; to give its being to, form, determine.
1848. Mill, Pol. Econ., I. v. § 9. This theorem … that the demand for labour is constituted by the wages which precede the production.
1862. Ruskin, Munera P. (1880), 25. All wealth is intrinsic, and is not constituted by the judgment of men.
8. To make up, form, compose; to be the elements or material of which the thing spoken of consists. (Correlative to CONSIST 7.)
1552. [see CONSTITUTE ppl. a. A].
1675. Ogilby, Brit., 30. It constitutes the isle of Alney.
1683. Dryden, Life Plutarch, Wks. 1808, XVII. 33. One body of men, constituted of many individuals.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 14. The happiness of a brute can never constitute the true happiness of a man.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Life in Wilds, iv. 51. The things which constitute wealth.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxii. 156. The rocks which constitute the crest of the mountain.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., iv. 100. Poverty, as such, constitutes no title to academical funds.
1879. Lubbock, Addr. Pol. & Educ., iv. 70. Reading, writing, and arithmetic … do not in themselves constitute an education.
