Content v.

[a. F. contente-r = Pr., Sp., Pg. contentar, It. and med.L. contentare, a Com. Romanic deriv. of contento, content adj.: see CONTENT a.] For passive use see also CONTENTED.

  1.  trans. ‘To satisfy so as to stop complaint’ (J.); to be enough for; to give contentment or satisfaction to.

1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 42. That littil that I haue contenteth me.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 230. All the powers and desyres of mannes soule shall be fully contented and quyeted.

1526.  Tindale, Mark xv. 15. Pylate willinge to content the people, loused Barrabas.

1570–6.  Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 19. That large portion of our Islande (which in Cæsars time contented foure severall Kings).

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., V. ii. 126. I will content you, if what pleases you contents you.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. Ded. § 9. Except their condition and endowment be such as may content the ablest man to appropriate his whole labour and continue his whole age in that function.

1611.  Bible, Transl. Pref., 4. It did not fully content the learned.

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., lx. 246. Seeing that by this new league God had contented his desire.

1830.  D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. x. 223. The Queen said … she never could learn what would content the Puritans.

1873.  Black, Pr. Thule, viii. 127. There was something in the tone of her voice that contented him.

  absol.  1597.  Bacon, Ess., Disc. (Arb.), 16. He that questioneth much shall learne much, and content much.

1841–4.  Emerson, Ess. Manners, Wks. (Bohn), I. 213. The favourites of society … contented and contenting.

  † b.  To please, gratify; to delight. Obs.

1552.  Huloet, Content, lyke, or please, arrideo.

1591.  Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 93. A woman somtime scorns what best contents her. Ibid. (1596), Tam. Shr., IV. iii. 180. Or is the Adder better than the Eele, Because his painted skin contents the eye?

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xxiv. 90. Whereby … he should more content him then if he should give him the treasures of China.

1681.  W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen. (1693), 380. To content or give content, placere.

  2.  refl. (also to content one’s mind, etc.) To be satisfied or contented. Const. with († inf.).

1502.  Ord. Crysten. Men (W. de W., 1506), II. xviii. 138. In clymynge from stayre to stayre w^tout euer hym to contempt tyll unto y^t [he] may come unto the vysyon of god.

1530.  Palsgr., 496/2. I content me with lesse of meate or drinke … than the moste parte do.

1538.  Starkey, England, I. ii. 40. So long as he … contentyth hys mynd wyth hys present state.

1581.  Mulcaster, Positions, xiv. (1887), 67. We must content our selues with that which we haue.

1663.  Gerbier, Counsel, 8 b. Those who content themselves with guilt outsides of books.

1713.  Addison, Cato, IV. iv. Content thyself to be obscurely good.

1779–81.  Johnson, L. P., Rowe. Occasional poetry must often content itself with occasional praise.

  † b.  To please oneself, take pleasure.

c. 1600.  Chester Plays (Shaks. Soc.), I. 1. Who moste worthilye Contented hymselfe to sett out in playe, The devise of one Done Rondall.

  † c.  intr. (for refl.) To be content; to acquiesce.

c. 1530.  Debate Summer & Winter, 103, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 40. The more he hath wherwith, the lesse he contenteth.

1592.  Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 61. Forced to content, but never to obey, Panting he lies.

  3.  refl. To rest satisfied (in the sphere of action) with; to confine oneself, limit one’s action.

1538.  Starkey, England, II. i. 158. Euery man that contentyth not hymselfe wyth hys owne mystere, craft, and faculty.

1586.  Thynne, in Holinshed, Chron., II. 464/2. Therefore contenting myself with this … I commit my self … to thy favorable judgement.

1653.  H. More, Antid. Ath., II. xi. § 1. 73. I shall content my self in taking notice onely of the outward frame of some few kinds.

a. 1694.  Tillotson, Wks. (1748), I. Pref. p. vii. Great minds are merciful, and do sometimes content themselves to threaten, when they could destroy.

1757.  Johnson, Rambler, No. 178, ¶ 2. Most men, when they should labour, content themselves to complain.

1816.  Kirby & Sp., Entomol. (1843), II. 1. I see … that you will not content yourself with being a mere collector of Insects.

1870.  Max Müller, Sc. Relig. (1873), 398. [He] contents himself with reporting the results of other scholars.

  † 4.  trans. To satisfy (a person) by full payment; to compensate, remunerate. Obs.

1418.  Hen. V., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., III. 27. I. 64. We wol that ye see that thier be taaken dewe accomptes of the said John … and … that he be contented and agreed in the best wyse.

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 47 b. I haue good will … to rewarde and contente yow of the good and agreable seruices.

1530.  Palsgr., 496/2. I content, I paye or satysfye … I owe hym nothynge but I shall content hym.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., III. i. 1. Masters, play heere, I wil content your paines.

1625.  Ussher, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 134. To content the workeman for his paynes.

1822.  Scott, Nigel, iv. You shall … sign an acknowledgment for these monies, and an obligation to content and repay me.

  † b.  in making satisfaction for sin; cf. CONTENTATION 5 b.

1548.  Gest, Pr. Masse, 91. Testablishe the masse sacrifice to content God.

  † 5.  To satisfy, pay in full, make good (a claim).

1433.  E. E. Wills (1882), 94. And thet the seyd dettes be contented & payed.

1508.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), I. 134. To lene frely to one that is in nede And wyll be glad it to content agayne.

1531–2.  Act 23 Hen. VIII., c. 6 § 12. Whereof the sommes now be not paide or otherwise contented, laufully auoyded or discharged by the lawe.

1640–1.  Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 165. To content and pey to the said Johne Penrie the soumes of money above specifeit.

1814.  Scott, Wav., lxxi. A certain sum of sterling money to be presently contented and paid to him.