v. Also 5 -valesshe, 6–7 Sc. -vales, -ual(l)esse. [ad. L. convalēscāre to grow strong, recover health, f. con- altogether + valēscĕre to grow strong, inceptive of valēre to be strong or well. Used by Caxton, and common in Sc. writers from 16th c.; but not in English Dicts. nor in ordinary English use till the 19th c.: cf. F. Hall, Mod. English, 287.]
1. intr. To recover from sickness, regain health, get better.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 430/3. As he … that of late convalesshed and yssued out of a greuous seeknesse.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, V. (1822), 400. Eftir that the seik man … beginnis to convalesce.
1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, I. 679. He conuallessit within ane littill space.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IX. 422. I recouered my health, and … being better conualessed, I recoursed backe in a Flemish Pink.
1676. W. Row, Contn. Blair’s Autobiog., xii. (1848), 438. News came that he was convalesced.
1818. Colebrooke, Oblig. & Contracts, I. 229. The insane person convalescing.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis (1850), II. 137. That illness when one does not convalesce at all.
1878. Ewer, Catholicity, iii. 84. The Catholic Church is … under another aspect, the human race convalescing.
† b. transf. To grow strong. Obs. Sc.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 491. Seand thair power convales … ay the moir.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 261. To ceis fra battall, quhill thair pissance war convalescit.
2. Roman Law. To become valid.
1875. Poste, Gaius, IV. (ed. 2), 601. The alienation, originally invalid, convalesces.
Hence Convalescing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 254. Mr. Andro Foster … after his convalesing, took a great trouble in his mynde.
1864. in Reader, No. 98. 603/1. Delicacies to the convalescing.
1890. Daily News, 13 Nov., 3/7. Accommodation … for the treatment of convalescing patients.
