[ad. L. convenientia meeting together, agreement, accord, harmony, conformity, suitableness, fitness, n. of quality from convenient-em CONVENIENT: see -ENCE. (The word also occurs in Fr. in 15–16th c.: but the actual Fr. equivalent is convenance.)]
† 1. Agreement, accordance; congruity of form, quality, or nature. Obs.
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, IV. xxvi. (1483), 71. Ther is a maner of conuenyence bytwene the thynge that is sene in the myrroure, and that other that is sene withouten. Ibid. (c. 1430), Bochas, II. xvi. (1554), 55 b. Atwene the Cedre of trees of royal And a sharpe thistle is no conuenience.
1554. T. Sampson, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. App. xviii. 52. There is no convenience between Christ and Belial.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 789. Divination … made from the similitude and convenience betwixt them [inferior creatures] and the stars.
† b. An agreement, a correspondence. Obs.
1534. More, On the Passion, Wks. 1274/1. Thys kynde of man created God of a merueylous conuenience also, with al other maner of creatures.
1604. Shaks., Oth., II. i. 234. For want of these requir’d conueniences.
† c. Of convenience: in accordance (with the premisses or facts); as a matter of congruity, accordingly. Obs.
1530. Rastell, Bk. Purgat., II. v. Of convenyence it followeth that the soule of man must nedys be immortall.
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding (1611), 352. Thus it followeth of conuenience … that the Flesh is not the same in qualities.
† 2. An agreement, a covenant. Obs. rare.
1551. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. xxix. 243. For the conclusion of such conveniences as were drawn and articulated between the D. of Somerset and the said company.
† 3. Accordance of nature; fitness, aptitude. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Hornys Away, 60, in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 47. In whom alle verteu is, by iust conuenience, Made stable in god by gostly confidence.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 772. The convenience of both their ages and estates.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, III. ii. 75. The Duke will lay vpon him all the honor That good conuenience claimes.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xix. 95. Convenience, or Aptitude to produce the Peace.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 348. As its use is very easie, so its convenience is very great.
1756. Burke, Subl. & B., Wks. 1842, I. 48. Proportion relates almost wholly to convenience, as every idea of order seems to do.
† 4. Moral or ethical fitness; propriety. Obs.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. III. Pref. O! how much did they vainly glorie in this Congruitie and Convenience of their actions.
5. The quality of being convenient, generally: i.e., of being suitable or well-adapted to the performance of some action or to the satisfying of requirements: suitability, commodiousness.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. iii. 253. Ile beate him … if I can meete him with any conuenience.
1653. H. More, Antid. Ath., II. iv. (1712), 50. The great convenience and pleasure of Navigation.
1726. W. R. Chetwood, Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 260. Vera Cruz … where I should have Convenience of imbarking for Spain.
1728. T. Sheridan, Persius, Prol. (1739), 3. The Ancients, at the erecting of Villages, had a regard to the Convenience of Water.
1821. J. Q. Adams, in C. Davies, Metr. Syst., III. 130. The convenience and the facility of decimal arithmetic for ‘calculation.’
6. The quality of being personally convenient; ease or absence of trouble in use or action; material advantage or absence of disadvantage; commodity, personal comfort; saving of trouble. Hence at one’s convenience, to suit or await one’s convenience, marriage of convenience, etc.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 148. The best forming of all Members in a Building for the … Convenience of the intended Inhabitant.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 164, ¶ 3. His intended Son-in-Law, who had all along regarded this Alliance rather as a Marriage of Convenience than of Love.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, II. 125. A building for the convenience of the drinkers.
a. 1745. Swift, Wks. (1841), II. 4. It is merely for convenience or ease that you are content to take them.
1835. Ure, Philos. Manuf., 55. Articles of necessity, convenience, or luxury.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 14. The convenience of borrowing and lending in one generally recognized commodity.
1888. M. Morris, Claverhouse, vii. 127. Like Pilate again, he preferred his own convenience, and the prisoner was put to death.
1890. Eng. Illustr. Mag., Christm. No. 276. He awaited my convenience in the drawing-room.
7. (with a and pl.) a. A convenient state or condition of matters; an advantage.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. iii. 7. I haue abandon’d Troy … expos’d my selfe, From certaine and possest conueniences, To doubtfull fortunes.
1647–8. Cotterell, Davila’s Hist. Fr. (1678), 17. He would obtain riches … with divers other conveniences.
1759. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, III. 198. Men who want a present convenience must not be oversolicitous about future contingencies.
1846. Mill, Logic, I. v. § 6. There is sometimes a convenience in extending the boundaries of a class.
† b. An opportune occasion, an opportunity.
1679. Jesuites Ghostly Ways, 7. Having let slip so fair an opportunity and convenience, for him to perform his bloody … design.
1712. Hearne, Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), III. 430. That he buy Books the next convenience.
c. pl. Material arrangements or appliances conducive to personal comfort, ease of action, or saving of trouble. (Rarely in sing.)
1672. Cave, Prim. Chr., I. v. (1673), 100. These Dæmons have no administration of the conveniences of man’s life.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 351, ¶ 4. They were eating their Flesh upon cakes of Bread for want of other Conveniences.
1716. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. vii. 20. Having in them all the conveniences of a palace.
1762. Hume, Hist. Eng. (1806), IV. lvi. 330. Unfit, from their habitual sloth and ignorance, to raise any convenience of human life.
1830. Brewster, Edin. Encycl., VII. I. 220/1. Almost every gentleman, as well as substantial farmer in the county [of Cork] has regular labourers, whom he pays with what are called conveniences; these consist in a house, ground for potatoes, grass for sheep and cows, &c.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. xxii. 569. Necessary conveniences for the homestead.
d. A particular appliance; a utensil; formerly applied commonly to a conveyance; now often used euphemistically.
1671. Sir C. Lyttelton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 65. Before they can order theyr convenience to London by land.
1700. Gov. Nicholson, in W. S. Perry, Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch., I. 120. To find a convenience and provide necessaries for his voyage hither.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand. (1812), I. 250. A convenience to spit in appeared on one side of her chair.
1772. R. Graves, Spir. Quixote, XII. xi. (D.). A man packed up in this leathern convenience with a wife and children.
1883. Manch. Exam., 30 Oct., 8/4. A post-office car, which contains that great convenience a letter box.
1883. Stevenson, in Longm. Mag., II. 296. An American railroad-car … with a stove and a convenience, one at either end.
e. transf. of a person.
1865. Bushnell, Vicar. Sacr., III. v. 292. A God, who without maintaining any good of principle, consents to be only the convenience of all.
Mod. They wanted to make a convenience of me.
† 8. Means of living conveniently, competence.
1662. J. Bargrave, Pope Alex. VII. (1867), 44. The best part of his convenience he acknowledgeth to receive from the family of Lancelloti.
