[ad. L. consumptiōn-em, n. of action f. consūmĕre to CONSUME, perh. immediately from F. consumption (14th c. Oresme), early var. of consomption. To a great extent, the latter has in French been ousted by consommation, owing to the confusion in that lang. of consumer and consommer.]
1. The action or fact of consuming or destroying; destruction.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), III. 56. Christ shall sit … at the right hand of God, till the consumption of the world.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 109. In the fire they felt no consumption.
1609. Bible (Douay), Num. xvii. 13. Are we al to be destroyed unto utter consumption?
1635. Pagitt, Christianogr., I. ii. (1636), 85. The consumption of 12 millions of men.
1667. Waterhouse, Fire Lond., 6. No culinary fire being so speedy in its consumptions.
1722. J. Macky, Journ. thro’ Eng. (ed. 4), I. 182. The largest Palace in the World, till its Consumption by Fire.
† 2. The dissipation of moisture by evaporation.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 165. Boile hem to þe consumpcioun of þe .iij. part.
c. 1530. in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. ix. 224. Boyle all thiese to-guether … to the consumption of the waters.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 331. Boile them to the consumption of the one halfe.
1758. J. S., Le Dran’s Observ. Surg. (1771), Aa iij. Boil them in two Quarts of Water, to the Consumption of the Half.
3. Decay, wasting away, or wearing out; waste.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 3509. In her body resolued to naturall consumption.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., Ded. The perpetuall vexation of Spirite, and continuall consumption of body, incident to every scholler.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 390. Sometimes the Oliue-tree becommeth all withered, and falling into a consumption.
1677. Horneck, Gt. Law Consid., iv. (1704), 148. They will soon bring a consumption on their fortune.
1708. Ozell, Rabelais (1737), V. 94. A Consumption in the Pocket, or want of Money.
a. 1711. Ken, Edmund, Poet. Wks. 1721, II. 195. Sleep is an Anodyn by God design’d, To cure each Day’s Consumption of the Mind.
4. Wasting of the body by disease; a wasting disease; now applied spec. to pulmonary consumption or phthisis.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. xxxv. (1495), 249. Whan blode is made thynne … soo folowyth consumpcyon and wastyng.
1542. Boorde, Dyetary, xxxiv. (1870), 296. Swete wynes be good for them the whiche be in consumpcion.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 129. Commended for those that haue the pthisicke, or consumption of the lungs.
1651. Wittie, trans. Primrose’s Pop. Err., II. 88. They doe not distinguish the true consumption from other diseases, but call every wasting of the body, a consumption.
a. 1806. K. White, ‘Oh! thou most fatal.’ Consumption! silent cheater of the eye.
1861. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, 26. That consumption is induced by the foul air of houses … is now certain.
b. Formerly with a and pl. (Now only when qualified, as a rapid consumption.)
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 437. Which languysshid longe in a consumpcion or he dyed.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. xlix. 71. Lynseede mengled with hony … is good for such as are fallen into consumtions.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), III. 239. He died of a consumption March 11th, 1702.
1798. Malthus, Popul. (1878), 226. The consumptions which are frequent among the common people.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 257. Cure everything, from a toothache to a galloping consumption.
c. fig.
a. 1569. Kingesmyll, Man’s Est., xiii. (1580), 105. Christ was sicke of that consumption, even of zeale, to make us an holy house to his father.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 337. Freendly services … ceasing, freendshippe must needes be in daunger of a consumption.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., VIII. 30. Discontent … Incurable consumption of our peace!
5. Wasteful expenditure, waste.
1691. Hartcliffe, Virtues, xix. How oft they are allayed with the Consumption of a Man’s Estate.
1732. Law, Serious C., ii. (ed. 2), 21. The careless consumption of our time.
6. The using up of material, the use of anything as food, or for the support of any process.
a. 1535. More, De quat. Noviss., Wks. 80/2. That we daily lese by our inwarde consumpcion.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 228. The consumption of that inspiriting balsamick Nouriture.
1726. W. R. Chetwood, Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 64. The Liquor is not mine, but I’ll stand by you in the Consumption of it.
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., I. 165. The constant and immense consumption of the solar light.
1818. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. iv. 439. There was not rice in the camp for the consumption of a single day.
1863. Tyndall, Heat, i. § 15 (1870), 14. I wish now to … show you the consumption of heat in mechanical work.
7. Pol. Econ. The destructive employment or utilization of the products of industry.
1662. Petty, Taxes, 11. Good accompts of our … manufacture, consumption, and importation.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 306. The Expence of Consumption of our whole People, must amount to 49 Millions per Annum.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., I. Introd. 3. Those funds which … have supplied their annual consumption.
1832. Babbage, Econ. Manuf., xv. (ed. 3), 143. Increased price will cause a diminished consumption.
1873. Morley, Rousseau, II. 44. Those middle exchanges between production and consumption.
b. The amount of industrial products consumed.
1752. Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 365. The best taxes are such as are levied upon Consumptions, especially those of luxury.
1846. McCulloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), I. 621. Exclusive of this immense home consumption, we annually export from 13,000,000 to 14,000,000 bushels.
† c. Short for consumption duty: excise. Obs.
1694. Molesworth, Acc. Denmark (ed. 3), 93. First, The Customs … Secondly, The Excise, commonly called the Consumption; which is upon Tobacco, Wine, Salt, Grain, etc. and all Eatables and Drinkables brought into any Town.
8. Rom. Law. (= consumptio actionis). Exhaustion of a right of action.
1875. Poste, Gaius, IV. Comm. (ed. 2), 575. The novation or consumption whereby a right of action was extinguished or annihilated. Ibid., 579. Extinctive (ipso jure) consumption of a right of action vanished with the formulary system. Ibid. A plaintiff who lost his cause … by consumption of process (duration of suit for eighteen months, or termination of prætorship).
Cf. 1880. Muirhead, Gaius, 480.
9. attrib.
17[?]. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., II. xliv. 16. The consumption cough, so common in London.
