a. (sb.) [a. F. convertible (13th c. in Littré), ad. late L. convertibil-is, f. convertĕre to CONVERT: see -BLE.]
1. That may be ‘converted’ or transposed each into the place of the other; interchangeable. Usually of terms: Equivalent, synonymous.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Cook’s T., 31. Ffor thefte and Riot they been Conuertible.
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 57. Thou demest luste and love convertible.
1590. Swinburne, Testaments, 21. The definition is not of any speciall testament … nor is conuertible with any speciall kinde of testament, mencioned in any part of the Ciuill lawe.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angells, 109. To be carnall and to be weake are convertible termes.
1708. Swift, Sacram. Test, Wks. 1755, II. I. 133. [Those who] put prelacy and popery together as terms convertible.
1875. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., xviii. As the names of Roman and Christian had been once convertible, so long afterwards were those of Roman and Catholic.
b. Logic. That may be transposed by CONVERSION (sense 4).
1609. Bp. Hall, Passion Serm., Recoll. Treat. 626. It is a sure and convertible rule; nothing was done by Christ, which was not foretolde; nothing was ever foretolde by the Prophets of Christ, which was not done.
1785. Rolliad, 74. The position, therefore, is what logicians call convertible. Nothing can equal his falshood but his fairness; nothing his fairness but his falshood.
1864. Bowen, Logic, v. 109. But the two Terms of a Judgment are not always convertible or equivalent.
† 2. Capable of being turned, or made to take a particular direction. Also fig. Obs.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 261 b. A wyll that was conuertible to thy grace.
1620. Walton, in Reliq. Wotton. (1672), 300. It is convertible (like a Wind-Mill) to all quarters at pleasure.
1635. N. Carpenter, Geog. Del., I. iv. 77. The Axis of the Earth is supposed to haue a convertible nature.
3. Capable of being turned or applied to a particular use or purpose.
1818. B. O’Reilly, Greenland, 98. The hide is convertible to many useful purposes.
1835. I. Taylor, Spir. Despot., iii. 89. Some few universal principles convertible with due modification to other instances.
4. Capable of being converted to a religion, belief, or opinion; spec. to Christianity or to a religious life.
1805. Southey, in Ann. Rev., III. 622. The Hindoos are difficultly convertible.
1875. Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims, The Comic, Wks. (Bohn), III. 206. A rogue alive to the ludicrous is still convertible.
5. Capable of being turned into something else; capable of being changed in form, condition, or properties.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, ii. (R.). It is conuertible into bloude and flesh.
1694. Acc. of Sweden, 11. These [trees] being generally very straight and tall, are easily convertible into timber.
1799. Med. Jrnl., I. 46. The collected mass of nuisance … is convertible, by the powers of vegetation, from poison to wholesome articles of food.
1862. Huxley, Lect. Wrkg. Men, 16. The researches … have shown that heat is convertible into electricity, that electricity is convertible into magnetism, magnetism into mechanical or chemical force.
1884. Times, 30 Oct., 13/5. A Waggonette convertible to Stanhope phaeton.
† b. spec. Capable of assimilation; easily digestible. (Cf. CONVERT v. 11 d.) Obs.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 75. No manere convertyble mete.
6. Capable of being converted by exchange into property of another kind; spec. of paper money, capable of being converted into specie.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Moral, III. 92. By rendering paper money convertible into metallic money.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), I. 461. Produce, convertible into money, according to the prices at the time.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. iii. 241. A kind of paper-currency of the mind, convertible, in due time, into the gold of truth.
7. Convertible husbandry: that which consists in a rotation of crops, whereby the pasture of one year is converted into the corn-land of another, and so on. Convertible land (dial.): see quot. (Cf. Penny Cycl., II. 228.)
1810. J. T., in Risdon’s Surv. Devon, p. vi. Admirably adapted to the convertible husbandry, as it is called.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Brooke Farm, viii. 97. Convertible husbandry was quite out of the question.
1856. Olmsted, Slave States, 43. The greatest benefit he derived from guano, and … a regular plan for bringing all his more sterile upland into the system of Convertible husbandry by its aid.
1863. Morton, Cycl. Agric., Gloss., Convertible land, loamy soils.
B. sb. pl. = Convertible things or terms: see 1.
1615. J. Stephens, Satyr. Ess. (ed. 2), 365. To make truths and tales convertibles.
1634. H. R., Salerne’s Regim., Pref. 2. Those in whom Folly and Ignorance are convertibles.
1652. Sparke, Prim. Devot. (1663), 539. Publicans and most hated persons, were grown convertibles.
Hence Convertibleness = CONVERTIBILITY.
1683. H. Dodwell, Disc. One Altar, etc., x. 273. I mention nothing more to prove it at present but what has elsewhere been mentioned, the Convertibleness of Churches and Cities in the Apostles times.
1730–6. in Bailey (folio); whence in mod. Dicts.
