a. [f. L. ēminēnt-em, pr. pple. of ēminē-re to project.]
I. In physical (and obvious metaphorical) senses.
1. High, towering above surrounding objects. Also fig. Now poet. or arch.
1588. Allen, Admon., 22. Nero, who intending for his recreation to set Rome on fier, deuised an eminent pillar wheron himself might stand to behold it.
1611. Bible, Ezek. xvii. 22. Vpon an high mountaine and eminent.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 587. He above the rest In shape and gesture proudly eminent Stood like a Towr.
1674. Brevint, Saul at Endor, 363. Images specially seated on the Eminentest Places of the Church.
1772–84. Cook, Voy. (1790), IV. 1446. The eminent part … is the S. E. point.
1814. Southey, Roderick, XIV. Upon a stately war-horse eminent.
fig. 1830. Tennyson, Love & Death. In the light of great eternity Life eminent creates the shade of death.
1851. Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., 87. The patriot’s oath … stands Among the oaths of perjurers, eminent.
b. In weaker sense: Projecting, prominent, protruding. Also fig.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg. A party of the orbytall, or emynent pomall.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 155. Females [elephants] carry over their Calves upon their snowts, and long eminent teeth.
1644. Bulwer, Chiron., 67. The two inferior Fingers shut in, and the other three presented in an eminent posture in the extended Hand, is a speaking Action, significant to demand silence.
1744. Akenside, Pleas. Imag., III. 407. The fairer [parts], eminent in light, advance.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 124. The face massive, grave, with ‘a very eminent nose.’
fig. 1870. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. II. (1873), 289. Some eminent verse lifts its long ridge above its tamer peers.
II. In non-material senses. (Formerly often with some notion of 1.)
2. Of persons: a. Exalted, dignified in rank or station.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., IV. iv. 25. A deflowred maid, And by an eminent body.
1691. Hartcliffe, Virtues, 141. We may not lawfully be angry … with those in eminent Place, that are to govern us.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., III. liv. 175. The king was too eminent a magistrate to be trusted with discretionary power.
1786. Burke, Art. W. Hastings, Wks. 1842, II. 140/1. A certain native person of distinction, or eminent rajah.
b. Distinguished in character or attainments, or by success in any walk of life. (The use in bad sense is now ironical.)
1611. Bible, Job xxii. 8. The honourable man [marg. eminent or accepted for countenance].
1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., III. 66. These two eminentest Prophets … resist the Captaines, Souldiers, and unjust Executioners of their Princes.
1728. Newton, Chronol. Amended, i. 60. Eminent Musicians and Poets flourished in Greece.
1805. Med. Jrnl., XIV. 407. An eminent practitioner … entertains a different opinion.
1837. Ht. Martineau, Soc. Amer., III. 5. Eminent cooks are paid 1200l. a-year.
1847. Grote, Greece, II. xlvii. (1862), IV. 157. Thucydides … was eminent as a speaker.
† 3. Of things or places: Chief, principal, important; especially valuable. Obs.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 15. Their cheife and eminent inward parts are defiled.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. v. 128. An eminent countrey in Idumea.
1676. Allen, Addr. Nonconf., 176. Prayer … is an eminent part of Gods worship.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 130. If your Shop stands in an eminent Street.
1683. Salmon, Doron Med., III. 644. It gives present ease, and is eminent against all … pains.
1748. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. ii. 218. These Muscles … drawing the Eye out on eminent Ocasions.
4. Of qualities: Remarkable in degree; † conspicuously displayed. Of actions, facts, phenomena: Signal, noteworthy (now chiefly in good sense).
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 90. The cok confesseth emynent cupide.
1454. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 38, I. 120. The emynent myscheve and ffynall destruccionne of the said Counte.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. xi. (1611), 34. After an eminent sort.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 5/2. There is an eminent place in Eusebius to prove this.
1657. G. Starkey, Helmont’s Vind., 267. An eminent fright will take away … Agues.
1677. Feltham, Resolves, I. xlv. Wks. (ed. 10), 72. His valor … is … eminent in his killing of the Bear and Lion.
1691. Ray, Creation (1714), 159. A peculiar sort of Voice, when they would call the Male; which is so eminent in Quails.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Praise Drunkenn., Poems (1730), I. 31. The god of wine … whose eminent perfection Drunkenness I intend to make the subject of … discourse.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 34, ¶ 1. Mountebanks … do their most eminent Operations in Sight of the People.
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, II. III. i. 5. His success was eminent.
1862. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., App. 453. The reputation justly acquired by his eminent services.
1869. Gladstone, Juv. Mundi, ii. 65. Their opponents … were … not Achaian in the same eminent sense.
b. Crystallography. (See quot.)
1831. Brewster, Optics, xxiii. 204. The plane of most eminent cleavage.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 1. 3. One cleavage is much more perfect, or more eminent as it is sometimes called, than the rest.
5. Law. Right of eminent domain: see quots.
1738. Hist. Crt. Excheq., vi. 111. The King who had the eminent Dominion.
1853. Wharton, Pa. Digest, 673 § 3. The right of eminent domain, or inherent sovereign power gives the Legislature the control of private property for public use.
1880. Brown, Law Dict., s.v., Eminent domain is the ownership or dominium (domain) of an independent sovereign over the territories of his sovereignty, by virtue of which no other sovereign can exercise any jurisdiction therein.
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 14 July, 5/1. The State exercising its right of eminent domain.
¶ 6. Confused with IMMINENT (so freq. eminens in med.L. for imminens). Obs.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy. (1810), III. 377. The eminent dangers which euery houre we saw before our Eyes.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1655), 156. Let first your Patient be well informed of the eminent danger of death.
1616. N. Brent, trans. Sarpi’s Counc. Trent (1676), 269. The actual and eminent departure of many Fathers.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1754), 83. Giving God most humble Thanks for my Preservation in the eminent Danger I had been in.
