a. and sb. [ad. L. convenient-em agreeing, consistent, accordant, fitting, suitable, becoming, pr. pple. of convenīre to come together, meet, unite, agree, fit, suit, etc. (There was also an OF. convenient in 15–16th c.)]
† 1. Agreeing (in opinion); in accord. Obs.
1485. Sc. Acts Jas. III. (1814), 178 (Jam.). Sa that … the princez that suld be the partj, be greable and convenient.
† 2. Accordant, congruous, consonant (to). Obs.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 45 b. Eche of these peticions be conuenyent and agreeynge to some gyfte of ye holy goost.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 3. To our office mair convenient and consonant.
1654. Burton’s Diary (1828), I. 55. It may seem not altogether so equitable and convenient to reason.
† 3. Agreeing with or consonant to the nature or character of; in accordance with; in keeping with; befitting, becoming (to or for a thing or person).
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xi. 230. It is convenyent to a god, to ete no mete.
c. 1450. Crt. of Love, 786. Her nose directed straight … With form and shape thereto convenient.
1538. Starkey, England, I. i. 8. The best kynd of lyfe and most convenyent to the nature of man.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 144. Of apparell and of demeanure nothyng comely ne conueniente for one that should bee a manne.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 250. Interred in … a place of Saint Maries Church conuenient for so worthy a person.
† b. Of befitting size or extent; commensurate, proportionate (to). Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 550. Hise proporcioneles conuenientz ffor his equacions in euery thyng.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, V. xxiv. 581. The roote is long, and of a convenient thicknesse.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 186 b. The rewarde of æternal lyf conuenient to the merit.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. i. 3. Sutable at least in a convenient degree to the worth of the Faculty.
† 4. Suitable, appropriate; a. to or for a purpose, etc. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., III. xi. 97. Nature yeueth to euery thing þat þat is conuenient to hym.
1548. Hall, Chron., 124. A place moste mete and convenient for to abide battaill.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. (1586), 184 b. Shut them [bees] up with foode convenient for them.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. i. 2. Here’s a maruailous conuenient place for our rehearsall.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxx. 8. Feede me with food conuenient for me.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 169. Pieces of Wood, of a Substance convenient to the light or heavy work they intend to Turn.
1790. Anna M. Johnson, Monmouth, I. 186. [A place] convenient to the purpose of holding our secret consultations.
† b. Suitable to the conditions or circumstances; befitting the case; appropriate, proper, due. Obs.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 4. Wher-fore me semith convenient … to make of it special declaracioun.
1450–1530. Myrr. our Ladye, 20. Sett in trew and conuenyente termes, wythout erroure or darkenes.
1547. Act 1 Edw. VI., c. 3 § 16. To punish … with chaining, beating, or otherwise, as shall seeme to them conuenient.
a. 1593. H. Smith, Term. (1866), II. 139. It was convenient Christ should visit sinners for their speedy conversion.
1653. Walton, Angler, 59. Put them into a convenient quantity of the best butter.
1670. Dk. Richmond, in Marvell’s Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 299. I thought convenient to advise you, that I intend to prosecute this businesse.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 106. When the piece Q, is set to its convenient heighth.
1741. Wesley, Wks. (1830), I. 309. Many were destitute of convenient clothing.
† c. Of time: Due, proper. Obs.
1415. in York Myst., Introd. (1885), 34. And that euery player … be redy in his pagiaunt at convenyant time.
1549. Latimer, Ploughers (Arb.), 20. So must he at all times convenient preache diligentlie.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 35. I sal gif yow rayne in tyme convenient.
† 5. Morally or ethically suitable or becoming; proper. Obs.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 149. It is not convenient a man to be Ther women gon in travalynge.
1497. Bp. Alcock, Mons Perfect., D iij b. All other of theym lyved in a conuenyent chastyte.
1511–2. Act 3 Hen. VIII., c. 23 § 5. It is not convenient nor standing with good and indifferent ordre that the said sir Robert shuld be Auditour and Juge of hymself.
1611. Bible, Eph., v. 4. Neither filthinesse, nor foolish talking, nor iesting, which are not conuenient.
1684. trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, xviii. 62. She sang and danc’d more exquisitely than was convenient for an honest woman.
1727. Swift, Gulliver, I. iv. 56. And which is the convenient end, seems … to be left to every man’s conscience.
6. Personally suitable or well-adapted to one’s easy action or performance of functions; favorable to one’s comfort, easy condition, or the saving of trouble; commodious. (The current sense.)
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 2. Take therwith gretter acqueyntaunce at som other conuenyent tyme.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. lxxiv. 2. When I maye get a convenient tyme I shall iudge accordinge vnto righte.
1548. Hall, Chron., 247. And so by conveniente jorneys came to the towne of Edenborough.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 258. Delve of convenient Depth your thrashing Floor.
1721. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., III. 120. To come with all convenient speed.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 1. A convenient house with a hundred acres of land.
1749. F. Smith, Voy. Disc. N.-W. Pass., II. 277. It would be very ill convenient to his Men, to be out all Night in the Frost, upon a cold Beach.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, vii. A very convenient arrangement for mutual support.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), II. viii. 205. It had once been convenient to forget, it was now equally convenient to remember.
7. colloq. and dial. a. Within easy reach; easily accessible; ‘handy.’
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, iii. Heretics used to be brought thither convenient for burning hard by.
b. Conveniently near; near in place or time to. (Ireland and U.S.)
1849. Polk cited in Bartlett, Dict. Amer.
1865. Dublin Even. Mail, Feb. It was convenient to five o’clock when I got home.
1880. Antrim & Down Gloss., Convenient, near. ‘His house is convenient to the church.’
1883. Daily News, 22 Jan. (Dublin Conspiracy), At the College rail, convenient to Clarendon’s Riding School.
¶ Formerly often compared by -er, -est.
1644. Nye, Gunnery (1670), 37. If you find it more convenienter to use the plumb line then the Index.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., IV. 201. Although it is the neerest way, it is not the convenientest way for Seamen.
1741. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. i. 233. He will have larger panes of glass, and convenienter casements.
B. sb. † 1. ? Agreement, accord. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., II. x. (1495), 37. The joynture and conuenyente of domes of god. Ibid., VIII. xxviii. 340. A body that is blysful and a nother that is not blysfull maye be togyders in the same stede and place wythout conuenyent.
† 2. pl. ? Proprieties; formalities. Obs.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. V., cccxlvii. A Prince is Synew-Shrunke, And Crampt, betwixt a Title, to keepe warme And Cold Convenients.
† 3. A mistress, concubine. Obs.
1676. Etheredge, Man of Mode, III. iii. Dorimant’s Convenient, Madam Loveit.
1688. Shadwell, Sqr. Alsatia, II. i. 32. Pray let’s huzza: I love huzzaing mightily: But where’s your Lady, Captain, and the Blowing, that is to be my Natural, my Convenient, my Pure.
1708. Motteux, Rabelais (1737), V. 217. Concubines, Convenients, Cracks.
