Also 4 ede-, edifien, 4–7 edifie, 4–6 ede-, edy(f)fy, edifye, 6 ædefie, 6–7 ædify. [a. F. édifie-r, ad. L. ædificā-re, f. ædes, ædis dwelling + -ficāre to make; see -FY.]
1. trans. To build; to construct (a dwelling, edifice) of the usual building materials. rare in mod. use.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter l. 19. Þat edified be þe waghes of ierusalem.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 42. To for-don hit on a day, and in þre dayes after Edefien hit efte newe.
1462. J. Paston, in Lett., 461, II. 113. A plase late be the seid Sir John edified at Caster.
c. 1534. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (1846), I. x. 46. He did … ædefie a gate on the bancke of the river Thames.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 117. To take timber to edifie the house againe.
1704. Hearne, Duct. Hist. (ed. 3), I. 187. Babylon … was so largely edified by the Assyrian Monarchs.
1851. Longf., Gold. Leg., II. 118. The names of all who had died in the convent since it was edified.
† b. absol.
c. 1400. Test. Love, I. (1560), 276 b/2. Lo this man began to edifie, but for his foundement is bad, to the ende may he it nat bring.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 364. The see gravel is lattest for to drie, And lattest may thou therwith edifie.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. viii. A man, whiche intendeth to edifie.
1655. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I., 124. To edifie at pleasure upon the Convent Garden.
† c. To furnish with buildings.
c. 1432–50. trans. Higden (1865), I. 199. Apulia is a coste of the see of Ytaly … byldede and edifiede firste by Grekes.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., III. i. 14. Through countries waste, and eke well edifyde.
† 2. To construct, set up, irrespective of the object, or kind of materials. Obs. or arch.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 21. The puple edified ymages to her liknes.
1546. Langley, Pol. Verg. De Invent., III. v. 70. Some beganne to edify cotages of boughes of trees.
1591. Spenser, Virg. Gnat, 661. And thereupon did raise full busily A little mount, of greene turffs edifide.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med. (1682), 51. She was edified out of the Rib of Adam.
1850. Neale, Med. Hymns, 155. The brazen sea That Solomon had edified.
† b. To work up or fashion (materials) into a building or structure. Cf. BUILD 5. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. ii. 22. And the Lord God edified the rib, the whiche he toke of Adam, into a woman.
† c. fig. To build up, establish, organize (a system, institution, or law, a moral quality, etc.), to establish or strengthen (a person).
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xxvii[i]. 7[5]. Þou sall distroy þaim & noght edifye þaim.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., IV. vi. 140. Þere þat uertues han edified þe bodie of þe holy man.
1425. Ord. Whittington’s Alms-house, in Entick, London (1766), IV. 354. Inforcing himself to edifie and nourish charity … among his felawes.
1461–83. Ord. R. Househ., 61. The Clerkys of Greneclothe … to helpe kepe in course the Statutes … edyfyed before-tyme.
1534. Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, I. (1540), 34. Solon fyrste edifyed the schole called Areopagus in Athenes.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, i. (1710), 28. To edify a name and reputation.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. xlix. 95. He secretly edified the throne of his successors.
† d. To frame a notion; ‘make out,’ imagine.
1645. Milton, Tetrach., Wks. 1738, I. 238. I cannot edify how, or by what rule of proportion that man’s virtue calculates.
† e. intr. To take form, grow; also fig. to prosper, achieve success. Cf. 4. Obs.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 252. Mannys sowle in blys now xal edyfy.
1622. Bacon, Hen. VII., 160, Perkins Proclamation did little edifie with the people of England.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., III. xvii. 147. It [the seed] then beginneth to edifie in chiefe.
a. 1662. Heylin, Laud, I. (1671), 142. But all this did not edifie with the House of Commons.
3. trans. In religious use: To build up (the church, the soul) in faith and holiness; to benefit spiritually; to strengthen, support. Also absol.
In early use sometimes with distinct allusion to sense 1; rarely in bad sense as in quot. 1440.
1340. Ayenb., 197. Þe uelaȝrede of poure men, þet byeþ poure uor God … hise moȝe wel edefie be uorbisnes.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 354. Petre and Poul … token power of Crist … but for to edifie þe Chirche.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xvi. 58 (Add. MS.). All that is done agayn conscience edefieth to helle.
1521. More, Heresyes, I. Wks. (1557), 108/2. In whose deuout sermons the people were greatly edified.
1542. Brinklow, Compl., xxiv. (1874), 62. Thei were edifyed to walke in the amendment of lyfe.
1604. Drayton, Owle, 908, F 1 b. To edifie the conscience that is weake.
1719. Swift, To Young Clergyman, Wks. 1755, II. II. 9. A plain convincing reason … will edify a thousand times more than the art of wetting the handkerchiefs of a whole congregation.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxi. The complaints and mutual accusations which assailed the throne of Constantine … were ill adapted to edify an imperfect proselyte.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. App. 751. He was much edified by the king’s prayers and almsdeeds.
b. To inform, instruct; to improve in a moral sense; sometimes ironical.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), G v b. His saiynges thus ended, the Senate was greatly edified therwith.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., V. i. 298. Looke then to be well edified when the Foole deliuers the Madman. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., V. iii. 112. My loue with words and errors still she feedes But edifies another with her deedes.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., I. 3. I shall endeavour to edifie my Reader in the Virtues proper to these Purposes.
1845. B’ness Bunsen, in Hare, Life (1879), II. iii. 84. I have been much edified by seeing how your father and sister take the privation.
† 4. intr. To profit in a spiritual sense. Obs.
1636. W. Sampson, Vow-Breaker, I ij. Is there any man here desires to edyfie? I am in the humour of converting.
1657. J. Goodwin, Triers Tried, 6. A Minister, whom they can cordially … affect, or by whom they can edifie.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, I. (1693), 188. And few will captivate their Understanding to edifie by a Sacrilegious Reformer.
† b. To gain instruction generally. Obs.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., III. i. (1612), F 4. I haue not ædified more, truely, by man; Not, since the beautifull light, first shone on mee.
1675. Wycherley, Country Wife, V. (1735), 104. I edify so much by example, I will never be one [a husband].
a. 1726. Vanbr. & Cib., Prov. Husb., I. i. This is like to be a warm Debate! I shall edify.
1800. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), IV. 311. The great mass of our nation will edify and thank you.
