[a. OFr. ambassée (ambaxée, embascée, enbasée), cogn. w. Pr. ambaissada, OSp. ambaxada, It. ambasciata:—L. *ambactiāta: see AMBASSADE. In Fr. the native ambasséc was afterwards superseded by ambaxade (15th c.), ambassade, ad. Sp. (see -ADE), whence also our ambassade. (Ambassée, ambassy, is not:—L. ambactia, ambaxia, which gave OFr. ambasse, not adopted in Eng.) Commonly written EMBASSY; Johnson considered the spelling ambassy quite obs.; see note under AMBASSADOR.]
1. The mission, function or office of an ambassador.
1600. Holland, Livy, VII. xxx. 269/1. The people of Capua hath sent us in ambassie [legatos] unto you.
1664. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1875, II. 148. Having destinated him for this Ambassy.
c. 1690. Temple, Pop. Discont., Wks. 1731, I. 264. During my Ambassies abroad.
1732. Berkeley, Min. Philos., II. 38. The Son of God, upon an ambassy from Heaven.
2. The message brought by an ambassador.
1606. Warner, Alb. Eng., XIV. lxxxii. 342. None better aunswerd Ambasies in whatsoeuer tongue.
1738. Glover, Leonidas, VII. 128. Here, Persian, tell thy ambassy.
3. A body of men sent as ambassadors; an ambassador and his suite or surroundings.
1732. Lediard, Sethos, II. vii. 25. He even thought of sending an ambassy to him.
1851. Helps, Friends in C., I. 32. An Eastern man, one of the people attached to their ambassies.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1876), I. viii. 116. In the case of Sovereigns and their ambassies.
β. [See more fully under EMBASSY.]
1588. Shaks., L. L. L. (1623), I. i. 135. Here comes in Embassie the French king’s daughter.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., II. 199. Sent On his important embassy to man.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 447. A joint embassy was then sent to the King of Navarre to demand his neutrality.
