Convey

v. Forms: 4–7 convei(e, -vey(e, 4–8 -vay(e, (5 conway, cunvay, cumvay, 6 cunvey), 6–8 conveigh(e, 4– convey. Also 6 (3rd sing.) convys, -vehyth. [a. OF. con-, cunveier, retained in ONF., while in Central F. it passed into convoier, now convoyer, f. L. con- + OF. veie, voie:—L. via way: cf. the cognate OF. aveier to set on the way, desveier to turn out of the way, enveier to send on one’s way, forsveier to put out of the way; also It. conviare. At a later date the usual F. form convoier, was adopted as CONVOY. The Renascence spellings conveigh, convehith, imply a mistaken notion of derivation from L. convehĕre, to which convey is not related: cf. INVEIGH.]

  † 1.  trans. To go along with (any one) on his way for the sake of company; to accompany in token of courtesy or honor, or as an escort; to set forward or bring (one) on his way: to CONVOY. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12379 (Cott.). Quen þai him had couaid [v.r. conuaeid] sua, Forth in pes he bad þam ga.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 5111. Semli puple Went wiþ him on gate wel an fiue myle, To conueye him curtesli as kindnesse it wold.

c. 1400.  Ywaine & Gaw., 2687. Sho cunvayd him forth on his way.

1526.  Tindale, 1 Cor. xvi. 11. Convaye hym forthe in peace.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 184 b. Aldermen were appointed to mete them at Barnet, and to convey them to London.

1710.  Hearne, Collect., 4 March. He was convey’d … to Westminster Hall by a prodigious Conflux of y^e Mob.

  † 2.  To go with as a guide; to lead, conduct, guide, by going with or otherwise. Obs.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 768. Godde glyddez his gate by þose grene wayez & he conueyen hym con with cast of his yȝe.

14[?].  Epiph., in Tundale’s Vis., 105. They entred in to Jerusalem … Conveyd ever with the bryght beem Of the sterre.

c. 1450.  Merlin, 538. Toke a yoman with hym to conveye hym the wey.

1530.  Palsgr., 498/1. I convaye one, or lede him on the way, je conduys.

1599.  Hakluyt, Voy., II. II. 181 (R.). They would send their shippes emptie with souldiers to conuey them, either to Siuill or Lisbon.

1663.  Flagellum or O. Cromwell (1672), 53. The King is at his earnest desire … conveighed to New-market House.

1713.  Steele, Guardian, No. 17, ¶ 7. The lackey conveyed her … to his master’s lodging.

  † b.  fig. Said of a way or gate: To lead, conduct.

1616.  R. C., Times’ Whistle, IV. 1336. Her open dores Conveigh to private lust.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 65. These brackish waters of Urine, convey to none, or few faithful Discoveries.

1662.  Gerbier, Princ., 7. A Doore to be so set as it may not convey the Wind toward the Chimney.

  † 3.  To lead, take, or carry forcibly. Obs.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 100. The duke was wrothe … and made her to be conueyed in a castel.

c. 1450.  Merlin, 656. The kynge comaunded hem to … conveye the prisoners till thei were in saf warde.

  4.  To transport, carry, take from one place to another. It formerly included the carrying of small or individual objects, where carry, take, or bring, is now used; but it is now used chiefly in reference to things in mass, or persons, forming the load of a ‘conveyance’ or vehicle.

1393.  Gower, Conf., II. 8. This letter was conveied.

1516.  Myrr. our Ladye, p. xlix. He and his suster … cunueyed the relikes & the bones of … their moder to the sayd Monastery.

1524.  Act 14–15 Hen. VIII., c. 1. Pream., Marchaunt straungers … do dayly conveigh, transporte and carie out of this realme … wollen clothes.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 27. He prively provided a Ship … to convey the prince into y^e realme of Fraunce. Ibid., 28. All men conveighyng letters from the one of us to the other.

1669.  Phil. Trans., IV. 1140. All … wonder how such a slender Glass could be safely conveighed hither.

1697.  Dampier, Voy. (1698), I. xiii. 372. While the Gunner was busie, he convey’d the Book away, to look over it at his leisure.

1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 499, ¶ 2. They could not convey away many of their effects.

1795.  Southey, Joan of Arc, VII. 638. He … sunk senseless, by his followers from the field Convey’d with timely speed.

1839.  Murchison, Silur. Syst., I. xxxvii. 511. If the reader will convey his eye over the whole of the region coloured in the map.

1866.  Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. 663. The charge for conveying passengers is also very modest.

1875.  Jevons, Money (1878), 21. Cattle … convey themselves about.

1891.  G. W. R. Railway Time Table. Horses and carriages are not conveyed by the under-mentioned trains. Luggage conveyed by these coaches will be charged for.

  † b.  To project to a distance, to ‘carry’ (a shot, etc.). Obs.

1634.  W. Tirwhyt, trans. Balzac’s Lett., 79. The Sunne convayes its light thither, but never its heate.

1660.  Willsford, Scales Comm., II. III. 171. The gun discharged shall convey the bullet wide from the mark … A piece of great Artillary mounted at 18 or 20 degrees … shall convey a shot the farthest.

  c.  In reference to things immaterial.

1640.  Quarles, Enchirid., IV. c. Convay thy love to thy Friend.

  † 5.  To take away, to remove. Obs. (exc. with away expressed.)

1530.  Palsgr., 497/2. I convaye, I take a thyng away out of a place. Je oste … Who hath convayed my cappe away?

1570.  R. Edwards, Damon & P., in Hazl., Dodsl., IV. 94. And with a trice thy head from thy shoulders I will convey.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, I. 4. I rather think his ear was cut off, and the Pearl conveighed away.

1883.  J. Gilmour, Mongols, xxiii. 285. He had stolen the horse, and tied it up in the mountains till he should be able to convey it away secretly.

  † 6.  Often with a connotation of secrecy, mystery, or concealment; esp. to carry off clandestinely, to make away with. Obs.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 39. In the meane tyme conveyenge and hydyng the body of the deed shepe.

1566.  in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 163. One pixe and one hallywater fatte gone and conveighed awaie we know not howe.

a. 1680.  Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 224. Whose Science, like a Jugler’s Box and Balls, Conveys, and counterchanges true and false.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 745. The Mother Nightingale … Whose Nest some prying Churl had found, and thence, By Stealth, convey’d th’ unfeather’d Innocence.

  b.  Hence, a euphemism for: To steal.

1460.  Bk. Nurture, 212, in Babees Bk., 77. Take heede who takes thy spoon up For feare it be convayde.

1548.  Cranmer, Catech., 99 b. I may convey from hym an Oxe, Asse, or an Horse. For he hathe greate plentye of all these thinges, and may spare one or two of them.

1576.  Wapull, Tyde taryeth no Man. I by that meane Will convey very cleane And not be understood.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., I. iii. 31. Ni. The good humor is to steale at a minutes rest. Pist. Conuay, the wise it call: Steale? foh: a fico for the phrase.

1607.  Marston, What You Will, Wks. II. 260 (Farmer). I will convey, crossbite and cheat upon Simplicius.

1753.  Smollett, Cnt. Fathom (1813), II. 119. Teresa … was … detected in the very act of conveying a piece of plate, which was actually found concealed among her cloaths.

1883.  A. Dobson, Old-World Idylls, 237 (Farmer). If they hint … That the ballad you sing is but merely conveyed From the stock of the Arnes and the Purcells of yore.

  † 7.  refl. To take oneself away, etc., remove; often furtively, to steal or slip away, in, etc. Obs.

1535.  Coverdale, Ps. xxx. 11. They y^t se me in the strete, conveye them selues fro me.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 56 b. The citezens … would prively steele and conveigh them selves away.

1611.  Bible, John v. 13. Iesus had conueyed himselfe away, a multitude being in that place.

1641.  Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 89. Then his Spirit offers, and conveighs itself into the heart.

1697.  Potter, Antiq. Greece, II. xx. (1715), 362. One … that had surreptitiously conveyed herself in amongst the rest.

  8.  To lead or conduct as a channel or medium; to transmit, be the medium of.

  a.  To lead or conduct (running water or the like), as a channel, pipe, or other passage; also to lead or conduct by or through such a channel.

[1535.  Coverdale, 2 Chron. xxxii. 30. Ezechias … couered the hye water condyte in Gihon, and conveyed it vnder on the west syde of y^e cite of Dauid.]

1601.  Holland, Pliny, I. 110. A fountaine … out of which fresh water is drawne and conueighed … through pipes made of leather.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Warres, 229. Hesdin formerly was contained in the Maes, before the waters were conveighed away by a new Channel.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 389. Thro’ reeden Pipes convey the Golden Flood. Ibid. (1700), Sigism. & Guisc., 116. A rift there was, which from the mountain’s height Conveyed a glimmering and malignant light.

1765.  A. Dickson, Treat. Agric. (ed. 2), 134. What methods are most proper for conveying away water?

1799.  G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 19. The small tube that conveys the fire from that to the other end.

  b.  To conduct or transmit (sounds and other sensuous impressions).

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, 122. Impression of the Air with Sounds, asketh a Time to be conveighed to the Sense.

1691.  Ray, Creation, II. (1704), 265. To receive and conveigh to the Soul the impressions of external Objects.

1749.  Shenstone, An Irregular Ode. Come, gentle air … Convey the jasmin’s breath divine, Convey the woodbine’s rich perfume.

1854.  Woodward, Mollusca (1856), 21. The auditory nerves convey impressions of sound.

1879.  Harlan, Eyesight, ii. 19. The optic nerve can convey no other impression than that of light.

  † 9.  To transmit, transfer, or cause to pass; sometimes to transmit or transfer secretly or furtively. Obs.

1574.  trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 6 b. The issue of the daughter maye not conveye to him the dyscente of heire male.

1581.  Lambarde, Eiren., I. iii. (1602), 14. Such as … haue the charge of the Peace conueyed vnder their other Offices.

1613.  R. Tailor, Hog lost Pearl, V. Stage Direct., Rebecca … seeming to put the keys under his bolster, conveyeth them into her pocket.

a. 1639.  W. Whately, Prototypes, II. xxiv. (1640), 8. She used deceit and fraud to conveigh the blessing to Isaac.

1683.  Robinson, in Ray’s Corr. (1848), 137. [A boring insect] conveying its eggs into the ilex, together with a venomous vehicle.

1726.  W. R. Chetwood, Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 51. The old Gentleman … got an Opportunity of conveying some of the Drops into a Glass of Wine.

  † b.  To transmit to posterity, to hand down. Obs.

1592.  trans. Junius on Rev. ix. 4. He miserably set all christendome on fire, and conveyed over unto his successors the burning brand of the same.

1665.  J. Webb, Stone-Heng (1725), 125. What Customs were used by them, for conveighing to Posterity, the Actions performed by their Ancestors.

1667.  Poole, Dial. Protest. & Papist (1735), 204. What hath been, by constant Tradition, convey’d to them from the Apostles Times.

1690.  Locke, Govt., I. xi. § 126. 162. A Divine natural Right … should be convey’d down to Posterity, without any plain Natural or Divine Rule concerning it.

1741.  Betterton, Eng. Stage, Introd. 2. To convey the Names of some of our most eminent Players, to a little longer Date, than Nature has given their Bodies.

  c.  esp. To communicate, impart (a conception, sentiment, influence, benefit, etc.)

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Clerk’s Prol., 55. He wold conveyen his matiere. Ibid. (c. 1400), Rom. Rose, 2916. Whanne thyne eyen were thus in blisse … Alloone they can not have hir joye, But to the herte they conveye Part of her blisse.

1514.  Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 8. He hadde good reason suche thynges to convaye.

1611.  Bible, Transl. Pref., 5. This Tongue was very fit to conuey the Law and the Gospel by.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxx. 177. Any influence … but such as is conveighed … from the Soveraign Authority.

1718.  Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, I. xxxi. 55. The Blessing which it was a Means of Conveighing to a great many Souls.

1766.  Fordyce, Serm. Yng. Wom. (1777), I. ii. 58. I am sure they convey a loud lesson.

1859.  C. Barker, Associative Princ., ii. 56. These … exceptions serve but to convey a deeper impression of the complete wreck.

1878.  Huxley, Physiogr., Pref. 7. The attempt to convey scientific conceptions without the appeal to observation.

  d.  To communicate (ideas) by language or its equivalent; hence, to express in words (obs.); words are also said to convey an idea or meaning.

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 443. A cunningly compiled and a learnedly conveyed history.

1589.  Warner, Alb. Eng., V. xxiv. (R.). One hearte of two, two soules to one By wedlock is conuaid.

1592.  Greene, Art Conny Catch., II. 5. There is no act, statute, nor law, so strickt conueid, but there be straight found starting-holes to auoid it.

1692.  South, Serm. (1697), I. 530. Means, or Signs, whereby they would Express, or Convey their Thoughts one to another.

1794.  Sullivan, View Nat., II. 242. Something more is meant than what the words literally convey.

1866.  G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xi. (1878), 213. What I say may fail utterly to convey what I mean.

1883.  G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 93. A tone which conveyed at once surprise and intensest satisfaction.

1884.  Manch. Exam., 17 May, 4/7. Such words … suggest, if they do not convey, the impression that the efforts … spring from motives which are open to censure.

1888.  Times (Weekly ed.), 21 Dec., 13/2. Do you mean to convey it that it was known that you…?

  † e.  refl. To express oneself. Obs.

1641.  W. Hakewil, Lib. Subject, 4. That I may the better convey my selfe through my Argument, and be the better conceived of you.

  10.  To transfer or make over (as property) to another; now only in Law, to transfer or make over by deed or legal process. absol. To make conveyance.

1495.  Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 60 § 1. The seid Hugh [shall] also be enhabled … the same londes … to convey as heire to the seid John Mayne.

a. 1600.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., VII. xxiv. § 1. To deprive them of their goods, and to convey the same unto men of secular calling.

a. 1626.  Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law (1635), 50. Lands may be conveyed sixe maner of wayes 1 By feofment. 2 By fine. 3 By recovery. 4 By use. 5 By couenant. 6 By will.

1651.  Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., ii. § 4. 21. He is said to part with his right, who either absolutely renounceth it, or conveys it to another.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), I. 103. If a tenant in tail agrees to convey, he is bound by that agreement.

1863.  Fawcett, Pol. Econ., II. vi. 209. The cost of conveying a small estate is … in proportion to its value, much greater than the cost of conveying a large one.

1881.  J. Russell, Haigs, ii. 30. By this charter, De Morville conveys to the blessed Mary and St. Leonard … that land where the Hospital is situated.

  † 11.  To bring down by succession, to derive. Obs.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Hors, Shepe & G., 9. Be dissent conveyed the pedegrewe Frome the patryarke Abrahame.

1447.  Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 44. Hyr nobyl and royal Kynrede Conveyde from david down lyneally.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 387. The same also did convey theyr Succession from the priesthood of Aaron.

1599.  Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 74. [Hugh Capet] conuey’d himselfe as th’ Heire to th’ Lady Lingare.

1606.  G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 56 a. The house of Æacus, from whence by auncient descent … she was lineally conueied.

  12.  To conduct (an affair); to carry on, manage; to conduct or carry out to a conclusion. b. To manage with secrecy, privacy or craft. Obs.

1530.  Palsgr., 498/1. He convayeth his maters as wisely as any man that I knowe.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, xlii. 138. She saw well that her dede shold the surelyer be conuayed.

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph. (1564), 11. That we maie gouerne & conueigh, aswel our own priuate matters, as also the publique affaires of the common weale.

1543.  Grafton, Contn. Harding, Pref. iii. When and betwene whom warres haue befall … Howe the same haue been conueighed & wrought.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, I. ii. 109. I will … conuey the businesse as I shall find meanes.

a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies (1841), III. 404. He had a secret contrivance wherein he conveyed his exceeding above his monastical pittance.

  † c.  refl. To conduct oneself; to behave (F. se porter). Obs.

1530.  Palsgr., 498/1. He hath convayed him selfe in his office as wysely as any man I sawe these seven yeres.

  † 13.  = CARRY (Branch II): To bear, support, sustain; refl. to support oneself, keep or maintain oneself. Obs.

1514.  in Strype, Eccl. Mem., I. App. iv. 7. What time they have paid al their duty, many a one have not a peny left to convey himself for the three months to come … What time any of the said garrison hath not mony to convey themselves and their households.

1587.  Golding, De Mornay, xi. 156. The pleasant dwillings which they [the Mountains] conuey in them.

1697.  Potter, Antiq. Greece, II. xiii. (1715), 307. When Sleep conveighs our Dreams.