† 1. The process of nourishing or rearing a child or young person, an animal. Obs.
1540. Raynalde, Byrth Mankynde, C iij. The education … of infantes at this tyme [1 year old].
1542. Boorde, Dyetary, xvi. (1870), 271. Beefe … doth make an Englysshe man stronge, the educacion of hym with it consyderyd.
1651. Wittie, trans. Primrose’s Pop. Err., 185. The people doe erre much about the education of children…. I have seen some frequently give to their children Wine, Ale, or strong Beere.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 72. They [harts] delight in woods, and places of their first education.
b. spec. [after Fr.] The rearing of silkworms; concr., a number of silkworms reared at one time.
1888. E. A. Butler, Silkworms, 56. For large ‘educations’ a room is fitted with shelves.
2. The process of ‘bringing up’ (young persons); the manner in which a person has been ‘brought up’; with reference to social station, kind of manners and habits acquired, calling or employment prepared for, etc. Obs. exc. with notion of 3.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. ii. (1883), I. 24. In the fyrste [volume] shall be comprehended the beste forme of education or bringing up of noble children.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. vi. Education and instruction are the meanes … to make our naturall faculty of reason … better.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., Induct. ii. 20. I Christopher Slie … by education a Cardmaker.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, I. 10. Their … handy crafts, and educations, are much like them in that part of Virginia we now inhabite.
1644. Milton, Educ., Wks. (1847), 99/2. A complete and generous education … fits a man to perform … all the offices … of peace and war.
fig. 1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VII. (1703), II. 206. He Begot many opinions, and motions, the Education whereof he committed to other Men.
3. The systematic instruction, schooling or training given to the young in preparation for the work of life; by extension, similar instruction or training obtained in adult age. Also, the whole course of scholastic instruction which a person has received. Often with limiting words denoting the nature or the predominant subject of the instruction or kind of life for which it prepares, as classical, legal, medical, technical, commercial, art education.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., 10. It much concerneth euery parent, to see their children to haue the best education and instruction.
1670. R. Coke, Disc. Trade, 71. Education in Geometry and Numbers.
1748. Gray, Comment Educ. & Govt., Wks. 1836, I. 152. The principal drift of education should be to make men think in the northern climates, and act in the southern.
1795. Burke, Corr. (1844), IV. 299. If you consent to put your clerical education, or any other part of your education, under their direction or control.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., I. i. 3. As early as the ninth century … hunting constituted an essential part of the education of a young nobleman.
1809. Syd. Smith, Wks. (1859), I. 183/2. Education gives fecundity of thought … quickness, vigour, fancy, words, images, and illustrations.
1812. J. J. Henry, Camp. agst. Quebec, 123. Many of our sergeants, and even of our privates, were, with good educations, substantial freeholders in our own country.
1862. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., II. ii. 73. Hours of relaxation truly [are] as necessary a part of education as hours of study.
b. The training of animals.
1538. Starkey, England, 189. Theyr haukys and theyr houndys, of whose educatyon they have grete care.
1618. Latham, 2nd Bk. Falconry (1633), 147. By which means with her naturall education together, she wil be as perfect in knowledge of the countrey, as the wilde Haggard her naturall damme that bred her.
c. fig.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ireland, iii. 52. There is another kind of education always going forwards … the education of circumstances.
1860. Temple, in Essays & Reviews, 1. The education of the world.
4. [From sense 3, influenced by sense 2 and sometimes by the quasi-etymological notion ‘drawing out.’] Culture or development of powers, formation of character, as contrasted with the imparting of mere knowledge or skill. Often with limiting word, as intellectual, moral, physical.
1860. Mill, Repr. Govt. (1865), 66/2. Among the foremost benefits of free government is that education of the intelligence and of the sentiments.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., x. (ed. 3), 116. It confounds education with the knowledge of facts, whereas it really is the possession of method.
1871. Figure Training, 37. The … training and education of the figure.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 45. The Jesuits, whose wise devotion to intellectual education.
1875. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, xiii. 377. Education is the formation of the whole man—intellect, heart, will, character, mind, and soul.
5. attrib. and Comb.
1662. Glanvill, Lux Orient. (1682), Pref. 22. These prepossest discerners presently conclude everything that is … of another stamp from their Education-receptions, false and ridiculous.
1794. Mathias, Purs. Lit. (1798), 218. The unfortunate Education Sermon, which Bishop Hurd happened to dislike.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, I. (1863), 151. The young ladies … who … had trodden the education-mill till they … had lost sense in sound, and ideas in words.
1858. J. G. Holland, Titcomb’s Lett., i. 17. The Education Society, and kindred organizations.
1872. Ruskin, Fors, II. xvii. 5. Listen to this, you cheap education-mongers.
