a. Also 6 elygyble, 8 elegible. [a. Fr. éligible, as if ad. L. *ēligibilis f. ēligĕre to choose.]
1. Fit or proper to be chosen (for an office or position). Const. for, † of, to (an office), into (a corporation).
1561. in W. H. Turner, Select Rec. Oxford, 283. The Mayre shold be elygyble.
1604. Edmonds, Observ. Cæsar’s Comm., 2. These foureteene were such as had serued fiue yeares in the warres, whereby they became eligible of that dignitie.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., III. 116. Four Essentials are requisite in the Persons Eligible into this Order.
1712. Prideaux, Direct. Ch.-wardens (ed. 4), 44. All others are Elegible.
1789. Constit. U.S., ii. § 1. No Person except a natural born Citizen … shall be eligible to the Office of President.
1832. trans. Sismondi’s Ital. Rep., vi. 135. They ordained that a general list of all the eligible citizens … should be formed.
1853. Bright, Sp. India, 3 June. The natives of India were declared to be eligible to any office.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. viii. 124. A member of Parliament cannot, without vacation of his seat, be eligible for any other place.
2. † a. Subject to appointment by election. (obs.) b. (nonce-use). That can be elected (in a certain manner).
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 108. King Henry the First being requested by the Bishop of Rome to make them [the Bishops] eligible.
1739. Selden’s Laws Eng., II. iv. 24, note. Both the Chancellor and other Great Officers of State were originally eligible by the Parliament.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 267. Elected and eligible by bribery.
3. Fit or deserving to be chosen or adopted.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1067. And what greater contrariety can there be, as touching things eligible or refusable, than to say that [etc.].
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 192/1. That he conceiveth the Vertues to be eligible in theselves, is manifest.
1748. Anson, Voy., I. ix. (ed. 4), 120. The most eligible manner of doubling Cape Horn.
1851. Carlyle, Sterling, I. xi. It was fixed upon as the eligiblest course.
1856. Stanley, Sinai & Pal., ii. (1858), 133. In this equality of mountains, all were alike eligible.
b. That is a matter of choice or preference.
1769. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 181. I never looked upon this method of petition to the Crown as a thing eligible, but as a matter of urgent and disagreeable necessity.
1856. Ferrier, Inst. Metaph., Introd. 71. Our selection of a new question, as our starting point, is not simply convenient, it is constraining: it is not eligible, but inevitable.
4. (A weakening of sense 3:) That one would choose or like: Desirable, acceptable, suitable.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., II. xxiii. 75. The condition of the commons was nowise eligible.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Mor. T. (1816), I. x. 82. He resolved … to seek some other more eligible situation.
1854. Thackeray, Newcomes, 222. Not a very eligible admirer for darling Rosey.
1863. Fawcett, Pol. Econ., II. x. 282. It [a cooperative store] provides them [the working classes] with the most eligible investment for their savings.
1871. Napheys, Prev. & Cure Dis., I. v. 164. Eligible property.
5. quasi-sb. in pl. Eligible persons or things.
1844. Calcutta Rev., I. 10. There is no scarcity of brides; and merchants’ clerks and Ensigns are eligibles.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., I. xv. 224. She had, of course, all the eligibles and non-eligibles of the other sex sighing at her feet.
1881. Athenæum, 23 July, 107/3. A choice or preference of eligibles.
Hence Eligibly adv., in an eligible manner.
1815. Jane Austen, Emma, II. ii. 138. Eligibly and happily settled.
