Obs. Forms: 4 avoutre (vowtre), 5 advouter, 6 adulter. [orig. a. OFr. avoutre-r:—aöutrer:—L. adulterā-re to debauch, to corrupt; f. adulter. Subseq. refashioned after L.]

1

  1.  intr. To commit or practise adultery.

2

c. 1400.  Apol. for Loll., 87. Þey kepe noiþer clene lif, ne wedding, but … vowtrand, or doing a vowtri.

3

c. 1550.  Cheke, Matt. xix. 9. Whosoever loouseth himself from his wijf … and marieth an oþer, he adultereth, and whosoever marieth ye looused awai, advoutereth.

4

c. 1616.  B. Jonson, Epigr., I. 26. He adulters still; his thoughts lie with a whore.

5

1755.  Johnson, ‘A word not classical.’

6

1775.  Ash (‘not much used’).

7

  2.  fig. To corrupt, debase; = ADULTERATE.

8

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Cor. ii. 17. Auoutrynge þe worde of God.

9

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas (1878), 146. With vile Drugs adultering her Face.

10

1651.  Cartwright, Cert. Relig., I. 89. Thou, O Luther, corruptest and adulterest the Scriptures.

11