[ad. L. ēmŏlŭ-, ēmŏlĭmentum profit, advantage; in most Lat. Dicts. said to be f. ēmōlī-rī to bring out by effort.
On this view, however, the quantity ought to be ēmōlīmentum; the quantity evidenced in L. poetry points to derivation from emŏlĕre to grind out. Possibly two distinct L. words of the same spelling may have been confused.]
1. Profit or gain arising from station, office or employment; dues; reward, remuneration, salary.
1480. Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 127. Certeyn offeringes … and emoluments unto the said benefice due.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 31. His former rents and emoluments.
1743. J. Morris, Serm., viii. 216. Believers … deny themselves all the … emoluments … they might have injoyed here.
1803. F. Jeffrey, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 423. The concern has now become to be of some emolument.
1881. P. Brooks, Candle of Lord, 69. Men who want to be scholars for the emoluments … scholarship will bring.
† 2. Advantage, benefit, comfort. Obs.
1633. Massinger, New Way, etc. IV. ii. Thou never hadst in thy house … A piece of … cheese … For their [men’s] emolument.
1704. Swift, T. Tub (1768), I. 119. That wind still continues of great emolument in certain mysteries.
1756. Chesterf., Lett., IV. cccxvi. 80. I brought it [an emetic] all up again to my great satisfaction and emolument.
