Also 9 (? Fr.) energumene. [ad. late L. energūmenus, a. Gr. ἐνεργούμεν-ος, pass. pple. of ἐνεργέειν to work in or upon, f. ἐν in + ἔργ-ον work: cf. Fr. energumène. The Lat. pl. energumeni sometimes occurs.]

1

  1.  One that is wrought upon or possessed by a devil; a demoniac.

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[1658.  trans. Bergerac’s Satyr. Char., xii. 59. If then this Energumenus, hath a thousand lengths and breadthes that are so many Crosses about her.]

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1706.  trans. Dupin’s Eccl. Hist. 17th C., I. V. 98. From Catechumens he passes to the Energumens.

4

1820.  Scott, Abbot, xxxii. If there was ever an Energumene, or possessed demoniac … there is a devil speaking with that woman’s tongue!

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1855.  Smedley, Occult Sc., 173. Such catechumens as were not at the same time energumens.

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1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola (1880), I. I. v. 69. Deluded by debasing fanatical dreams, worthy only of an energumen whose dwelling is among tombs.

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  2.  A ‘possessed’ person, an enthusiast, a fanatical devotee. Also attrib.

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1702.  C. Mather, Magn. Chr., I. iii. (1852), 63. Quakers and Seekers, and other such Energumens. Ibid., III. II. xxvi. 493. The man … of an energumen countenance.

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1818.  T. Jefferson, Writ., IV. 451. When General Washington was withdrawn, the energumeni of royalism … mounted on the car of State.

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1860.  Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt., III. civ. 12. Suppose some ‘energumene’ were to make the declaration [etc.].

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1885.  Morley, in Macm. Mag., Feb., 255/2. The seeming peril to which priceless moral elements of human character were exposed by the energumens of progress.

12

  Hence † Energumenical a. Obs., having the characteristics of a demoniac or ‘possessed’ person. Energumenist = ENERGUMEN 1.

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1684.  I. Mather, Remark. Provid. (1856), 121. Certain arguments of an energumenical person.

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1646.  Gaule, Cases Consc., 37. The meerly Passive be simply dæmoniacks, but not Energumenists.

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