Also 45 elekte, eleckte, 56 electe. [ad. L. ēlect-us, pa. pple. of ēligĕre to pick out, choose.]
A. adj.
1. Picked out, chosen; also, chosen for excellence or by preference; select, choice. Also absol. a person or persons chosen.
a. 1400[?]. Chester Pl., I. (1843), 212. Man which is his owne eleckte.
1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., in Ashm. (1652), Introd. 3.
A Booke of secrets given by God; | |
To men Elect, a Beaten-Trod. |
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., I. (1520), 8/1. Saul was a good man and elect of God.
1558. W. Warde, trans. Alessios Secrets, I. II. 48 b. Take Iris electe, what quantitie you will.
1538. Starkey, England, II. i. § 19. To be prestys such only schold be admyttyd as haue electe wyttys.
1609. Holland, Livy, XXIV. xl. 537. Hee shipped a thousand elect and choise souldiours in gallies.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. iv. 60. You haue heere Lady the elect o th Land, who are assembled To pleade your Cause.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 214. The Race elect advance Through the wilde Desert.
1863. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 10. This country of yours the land elect of liberty.
1870. Lowell, Among My Books, Ser. II. (1873), 310. He saw that small procession of the elder poets to which only elect centuries can add another laurelled head.
1876. G. Bradford, in N. Amer. Rev., CXXIII. 4. The executive, the elect of the whole state, has no medium of communication with his constituents.
2. spec. in Theol. Chosen by God, esp. for salvation or eternal life. Opposed to reprobate. Often absol. with plural sense, The elect.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 4 b. His owne electe and chosen chyldren.
1535. Joye, Apol. Tindale, 41. The electe shal be there with their bodyes.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Rom. viii. 33. Who shal accuse against the elect of God?
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. iv. The elect Angels are without possibilitie of falling.
1630. Prynne, Anti-Armin., 122. It makes the Elect and Reprobate, all alike.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 136. In the blessed Spirits elect Sense of new joy ineffable diffusd.
1719. DUrfey, Pills (1872), V. 105. I mean the Sect of those Elect, That loath to live by Merit.
a. 1763. Byrom, Predestination, etc. (R.). While others Are mercys vessels, precious and elect.
1837. Penny Cycl., IX. 333/2. All the elect are effectually called at some point of time in life.
b. allusively. (Cf. Matt. xxiv. 24.)
1885. J. J. Manley, Brit. Almanac Comp., 29. The street was a miracle in lath and plaster, which might almost deceive the very elect.
3. Chosen to an office or dignity. Now usually, Chosen, elected, but not installed in office (in this sense almost always following the sb.). Similarly, in mod. use, bride, bridegroom elect, said of betrothed persons.
1643. Prynne, Open. Gt. Seale, 21. And that the Warden of Yarmouth so elect and sworne, shall [etc.].
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 128. Then the Bishop elect takes the Oaths of Supremacy, Canonical Obedience, and against Simony.
1742. C. Middleton, Cicero, I. V. 393. Sextius was one of the Tribun[e]s elect.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., I. s.v., A lord mayor is elect, before his predecessors mayoralty is expired.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. xi. 221. The elect bishop of Cambray was taken prisoner.
1829. Marryat, F. Mildmay, xvi. My captain elect.
B. † 1. One chosen by God, esp. one chosen for eternal salvation; one of the elect (cf. A. 2).
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 525/2. Yet are there also in thys churche of electes, manye that neuer came to the fayth.
1546. Bale, Eng. Votaries, II. (1550), 42 b. A forewarnynge to hys electes.
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., VII. ix. 141. Saule was an elect.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angels, 20. That it is probable that every elect hath his proper and peculiar Angell deputed as his keeper and companion.
† 2. One that has been chosen for an office or function; often spec. = bishop elect (see A. 3). Obs.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. xxvii. 121. Comfermyt he wes Elect of Legis Ðat Bischoprike in þe Impire is.
14901. Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl., I. 197. Item for a compositioun maid with Master Johne Guthre, elect of Ross, for the anna of the temporalite.
15706. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 149. Afterward he [the Pope] refuseth both the elects, and preferreth Stephan Langton.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. vi. 98. Parker and the other four Elects did offer to give unto her Yearly a Thousand Marks.
† 3. = ELECTO. Obs.
1783. Watson, Philip III. (1793), I. II. 139. Having chosen an elect or leader.
4. In the Royal College of Physicians: One of the eight officers (abolished in 1860) who had formerly the function of granting licences, and the right of electing the President of the College from their own number.
1523. Act 1415 Hen. VIII., c. 5 § 3. That the sixe persons beforesaid chusing to them two moe be called and cleaped Elects.
1697. View of Penal Laws, 8. Apothecaries faulty Wares, to be destroyed by the President and Elects of the Colledge of Physicians in London.
1840. Penny Cycl., XVIII. 133/2. The constituted officers then of this corporation are the eight elects.