Obs. Also 6 elenke, -cke, 6–7 elenche. [ad. (either directly or through OF. elenche) L. elench-us, a. Gr. ἔλεγχος ELENCHUS.]
1. Logic. A syllogism in refutation of a proposition that has been syllogistically defended (see quot. 1860 in ELENCHUS 1); hence, in wider sense, a logical refutation. Ignorance of the elenche: = IGNORATIO ELENCHI (rare).
a. 1529. Skelton, Col. Cloute, 820. Nor knoweth his elenkes Nor his predicamens.
1597. Bacon, Coulers Good & Evill, 139. Their seuerall fallaxes and the elenches of them.
1610. J. Dove, Advt. Seminaries, 47. A fallacy called the ignorance of the Elenche.
1614. Jackson, Creed, III. Pref. The second … contains … an elench of those vulgar fallacies.
1631. Massinger, Emperor East, II. i. (1632), E ij b. Shee will haue her elenchs To cut off any fallacie I can hope To put vpon her.
b. Aristotle’s Elenchs: his treatise περὶ σοφιστικῶν έλέγχων ‘concerning sophistical elenchs’ or sophisms. (The title does not mean, as is implied in quot. 1837, ‘concerning the refutation of sophisms.’) Hence elench was often used for: A sophistical argument, a fallacy.
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding (1611), 5. Your Elenchs, your Fallacies, your sillie Syllogismes.
1571. Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 132. Aristotle … in his … Elenches, should be … fruitfull.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., I. vi. 36. A double Elench lurketh in this place, one of composition, an other of division.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. Oo 2 b. This part concerning ELENCHES, is excellently handled by Aristotle in Precept, but more excellently by Plato in Example.
1667. Decay Chr. Piety, ix. § 20. 270. Our common Adversary, that old Sophister … puts the most abusive Elenchs on us.
1689. Selden, Table T., 59. All your Elenchs in Logick come within the compass of Juggling.
[1837. Hallam, Hist. Lit., III. iii. § 55. A similar doubt might be suggested with respect to the elenchs, or refutations, of rhetorical sophisms.]
2. An index, analytical table of contents. [So Gr. ἔλεγχος; cf. It., Sp. elenco in same sense.]
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 195/1. Certeine notes or elenchs upon this epistle.
1715. in Kersey.
1721–1800. in Bailey.
1775. in Ash.
