v. Forms: 6 eloine, eloygn, 6–7 esloyn(e, eloyn, 7 esloign, elloigne, 7–9 eloigne, 6– eloin, 8– eloign. [a. AF., OF. esloignier (Fr. éloigner) to remove to a distance:—late L. exlongāre, ēlongāre to remove to a distance (see ELONG v.). In English law-Latin ēlongāre is used in the various senses defined below.]
I. gen. (Sometimes transf. from the legal use.)
† 1. To remove to a distance, lit. and fig. Obs.
1535. Goodly Primer. O bone Jesu wipe clean away that eloineth me from thee.
1575. Brieff Disc. Troubl. Franckford, 158. They shall be eloigned from us that would gladly succor the poore.
1624. Fisher, in F. White, Repl. Fisher, 448. Their spirit being eloyned … from the contagion of the bodie.
1636. Abp. Williams, Holy Table (1637), 205. As if the Table be so far esloigned from the people.
1653. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Voy., xxix. (1663), 115. Leastwise labour to esloign thy minde from the vanities of the Earth.
1692. Christ Exalted, § 127. 98. Thou hast eloyned, or cast me far away.
b. refl. To take oneself off, abscond; to retire to a distance, seclude oneself (from). Now rare.
1539. Act 31 Hen. VIII., c. 8. If any person … eloine … himselfe within any parte of this realme.
1575. Turberv., Bk. Venerie, 35. The harte … eloygning him self from the houndes.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 20. From worldly cares himselfe he did esloyne.
1662. Fuller, Worthies Linc., II. 162. If … you should elloigne your self by residence there from those imployments.
1818. Coleridge, Rem. (1836), I. 223. The artist must. eloign himself from nature.
1858. Hogg, Shelley, II. 402. He eloigned himself, and evaded pursuit.
II. spec. in Law.
2. trans. To convey or remove out of the jurisdiction of the court or of the sheriff.
1558. Act 1 Eliz., c. 21 § 25. If … his goods or chattels be so eloyned.
1682. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), I. 234. His lordship had eloigned the body of … Henrietta.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 129. The sheriff may return that he is eloigned.
1796. J. Anstey, Pleader’s Guide (1803), 48. Content his person to eloign.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v., If such as are within age be eloined.
3. To remove, carry off, send away (property).
1622. Callis, Stat. Sewers (1647), 151. If such best beast should be esloyned.
1714. Sir W. Scroggs, Courts Leet (ed. 3), 78. If one eloign my Goods that are not distrainable by Law.
1823. New Monthly Mag., VII. 518. Many a tale of plundered flocks … and eloigned cattle.
4. To divert (money) from its proper use.
1640. Prerog. Parl., in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 238/2. The rents, profits, and revenues of this realm … are so much … eloined.
