Admit

v.; also 5–6 amit, amitte, amytte. [orig. a. OFr. amett-re:—L. admitt-ĕre to let to or into; f. ad to + mittĕre to send, let go. In 15th c. the Fr. was refashioned after L. as admettre, in the wake of which the Eng. also became admit.] To let come or go in, (1) willingly, as a person does, (2) by physical capacity as a thing. The secondary meanings are earlier in Eng. than the primary, for which native words were in use.

  I.  As the action of a voluntary agent.

  1.  To allow to enter, let in, receive (a person or thing). a. (to or into a place, real or ideal).

1530.  Palsgr., 417/2. I admyt or retain to a rome or otherwyse, Je admets.

1667.  Milton, P. L., XI. 596. The heart Of Adam, soon enclin’d to admit delight.

1713.  Swift, Cadenus, Wks. 1755, III. II. 17. Yet some of either sex … She condescended to admit.

1755.  Johnson, Dict., Pref. Obsolete words are admitted, when they are found in authours not obsolete, or when they have any force or beauty that may deserve revival.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., xxxii. 2. No other thought her mind admits.

1860.  Tyndall, Glaciers, I. § 25. 184. I had opened the little window of the cabin to admit some air.

  b.  into any office, position or relation; spec. in Law, into the possession of a copyhold estate.

1473.  Warkworth, Chron., 13. Kynge Herry was amitted to his crowne and dignite ageyne.

c. 1480.  Childe of Bristowe, 57, in Hazl., E. P. Poetry, 113. Any science that is trouthe y shal amytte me therto.

1494.  Fabyan, V. cxxviii. 110. Woldist thou not admit suche one for thy freende?

1534.  Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. of M. Aurel. (1546), L vj. They amytted hym a citizen and dweller in Rome.

1660.  Jer. Taylor, Worthy Commun., i. § 2. 38. We are admitted to pardon of our sins if we repent.

1713.  Guardian, No. 2 (1756), I. 13. I was admitted a commoner of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford.

1715.  Burnet, Hist. own Times, I. (R.). The triers of all those who were to be admitted to benefices.

1768.  Blackstone, Comm., III. 203. If the tenant … does not within a limited time apply to the court to be admitted a defendant.

1809.  Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. Copyhold,… If the lord refuses to admit he shall be compelled in Chancery.… But that Court will not grant a mandamus to admit a copyholder by descent.

1876.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xviii. 127. With what readiness they were admitted to the royal kiss.

1878.  Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 49. Begging that we would admit his prisoners to ransom.

  c.  to do anything.

1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, I. viii. (1859), 6. In euery ryghtwys court skyle is that the actour is admytted to maken his compleynt.

1538.  Starkey, England, 192. Only such … schold be admyttyd to practyse in causys.

1722.  De Foe, Hist. Plague, 55. The houses and villages refusing to admit them to lodge.

1747.  in Col. Rec. Penn., V. 113. The Ship was admitted to come up to the City.

  † d.  into the number or fellowship of. Obs.

1632.  Milton, L’Allegro, 38. Mirth, admit me of thy crew.

1713.  Guardian, No. 151 (1756), II. 265. Jack … was sent up to London, to be admitted of the Temple.

1788.  New Lond. Mag., 157. Who afterwards admitted him of his Privy-Council.

  2.  fig. To allow a matter to enter into any relation to action or thought.

  a.  To consent to the performance, doing, realization or existence of; to allow, permit, grant.

a. 1423.  James I., King’s Quair, IV. ix. Gif mercy sall admitten thy servise.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 169/1. They wold not accorde that he shold be amytted to be worshypped.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, V. xiii. 72. Amit [v.r. admit] my asking, gif so the fatis gydis.

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., I. ii. 45. She will admit no kinde of suite, No, not the Duke’s.

1682–3.  Penn. Arch., I. 55. Desiring thee to admitt, that the people may have the Nomination.

c. 1750.  Shenstone, Elegy, xvii. 1. Stern Monarch of the winds! admit my pray’r.

1817.  Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. v. 534. Tippoo, in the mean time, had admitted no delay.

  b.  To allow or receive as valid or lawful; to acknowledge.

1538.  Starkey, England, iv. 125. Seyng you graunte the Pope … to be hede … you must need admit also apellatyon thereto.

1595.  Shaks., John, II. i. 200. Let vs heare them speake, Whose title they admit, Arthurs or Iohns.

1805.  Wellesley, Desp., 451. We did not admit his claim to tribute.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 208. His power to dispense with Acts of Parliament had been admitted.

  c.  To accept as true, or as a fact, to concede.

1532.  More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 1557, 668/1. That the scripture is not true, but because y^e churche saith so and admyt it.

1677.  Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., II. iv. 159. Though an Eternal Succession of Men were admitted.

1777.  Priestley, Matt. & Spir., xx. (1782), I. 257. Descartes’ … principle was admitting nothing but what his own consciousness obliged him to admit.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 155. Admitting the virtues of the late king.

1876.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. v. 330. The outline of the story may, I think, be admitted.

  d.  With subord. cl. To allow, concede, grant (either from conviction, or for the sake of argument).

1538.  Starkey, England, 107. Hyt ys to be admyttyd … that then a nother ys to be chosen.

1603.  Knolles, Hist. Turks (1638), 197. But admit he were able to bring an hundred thousand.

1697.  Potter, Antiq. Greece, I. xxvi. (1715), I. 173. All Genuine Citizens … shall have permission of leaving their Estates to whom they will, admit they have no Male-children alive.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 159. The moderate Episcopalians would admit that a bishop might lawfully be assisted by a council.

  ¶  In these senses admit is sometimes followed by of.

1649.  Selden, Laws of Eng., I. lix. (1739), 110. Had she been as willing to have admitted of the Laws.

1699.  Bentley, Phalaris, 62. We admit of the present Calculation.

1774.  Chesterfield, Lett., I. xiii. 43. Luxury and ease were not admitted of at Sparta.

1828.  Scott, F. M. Perth, I. 4. With our equals in age only, for in dignity we admit of none.

  II.  As the action of an involuntary agent.

  3.  trans. To be the channel or means of admission to; to afford entrance, let in. Also absol.

1703.  Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), App. 7. Compassed with good Walls and five Gates, which admitted into it.

Mod.  This order admits the whole party. The ticket admits to the meeting, but not to the conference. A key which admits to the garden.

  4.  To have the capacity to allow to enter, to have room for.

1661.  Dryden, Coron. Chas. II., 66. Not that our wishes do increase your store, Full of yourself, you can admit no more.

1781.  J. Moore, View of Soc., xli. (1790), I. 451. A staircase sufficiently wide to admit a man to ascend.

1789–96.  J. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 24. [A] commodious harbour, which admits only one ship to enter it at a time.

Mod.  The passage admits two abreast.

  5.  To allow of the co-existence or presence of; to lie open to, be capable of, or compatible with.

  a.  trans. Obs. or arch.

1538.  Starkey, England, ii. 45. Me semyth felycyte ys the most perfayt state, wych admyttyth no degre.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., IV. iv. 9. My loue admits no qualifying crosse.

1699.  Bentley, Phalaris, 407. Προτρέπω in the sense of Exhortation admits a Dative Case after it.

1803.  Wellesley, Desp., 228. This movement admits the uninterrupted march of the combined forces.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., cvii. 5. The time admits not flowers or leaves To deck the banquet.

  b.  with of.

1718.  Free-thinker, No. 65, 67. This is a character in Life, the sublimity of which admits not of Mediocrity.

1802.  Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1866), 216. Her son’s conduct admitted … of no apology.

1873.  Max Müller, Science of Rel., 284. So firmly established as hardly to admit of the possibility of a doubt.