v. Forms: α. 4–7 enhaunce, 4–8 enhaunse, enhanse, (4 enhawse, enhawnse, 5 henhawnes, 7 enhaunch), 5– enhance. β. 5–6 inhaunse, 6–8 inhaunce, inhanse, inhance. [a. AF. enhaunce-r, prob. a mere corruption of OF. enhaucer = It. innalzare:—late L. *inaltiāre, f. in- (see IN-) + alt-us high. Cf. ENHAULSE.
Formally, the AF. enhauncer might correspond to Pr. enansar to advance, enhance, repr. late L. type *inantiāre, f. phrase in ante before (cf. ADVANCE v.); but this word is not known to have existed in OF.]
† 1. trans. To lift, raise, set up; also, to raise the level of (ground). Obs.
By lawyers of 17th c. used spec. in the sense ‘to raise (a weir in a river) to an (excessive) height,’ after AF. enhancer in certain statutes. See ENHANCER, ENHANCING vbl. sb.
1388. Wyclif, Ps. lxxiv. 5. Nyle ȝe enhaunce the horn.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 26. Wher as the pol is enhawsed vp on the orisonte.
c. 1400. Maundev., viii. (1839), 95. Thei [the Walles] han ben so filled agen, & the ground enhaunced.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5068. I, Alexander þe athill … þine pilars en-haunsid.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, I. xv. 31. Cruelly he gan enhaunce his honde With his sweorde to yeue her a wounde.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 206. It was a stone … the whyche was enhaunced vpryght.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John xvi. 100 b. The cause why … was to enhaunce you to heauen.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 78. But father Anchises his palms from strond plat inhauncing.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 17. Who, nought agast, his mightie hand enhaunst.
16[?]. trans. Act 1 Hen. IV., xii. Them [Weares] that they finde too much enhanced or straited [orig. trop enhancez ou estretiez] to correct, pull downe, and amend.
b. Her. To put (a bend, etc.) in a higher position in the field.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xxi. 359. Three bendlets enhanced arg.
† c. transf. To ‘lift up’ (the voice, a prayer).
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 33/2. Thirdly it [the church] is halowed by cause that the orysons be enhaunsed there. Ibid., 441/2. The preest enhauncyng hys voys sayth [etc.].
¶ d. ? Misused for: To surpass in height.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., V. 191. Their circle-spred tops, do kisse or enhance the lower clouds.
† 2. In various fig. or immaterial senses, with personal obj.: a. To exalt in dignity, rank, estimation or wealth. b. To elevate spiritually or morally. c. To lift up with pride; refl. to exalt oneself, assume superiority. d. To praise, extol.
a. c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., IV. iii. Oonly bounte and prowesse may enhawnse euery man ouer oþer men.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XII. 58. So is pruyde en-hansed In religion and al þe reame, among ryche and poure.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (1835), 112. To wurshyp I wyl enhaunsen the.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., IV. xv. 276. Fortune enhaunceth men att her owne plaisire.
1595. Spenser, Col. Clout, 359. The Shepheard of the Ocean Unto that Goddesse grace me first enhanced.
1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., 29. He enhaunsed men of low birth to great honours.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Wks., 40. To inhaunce with favours this thy reign.
b. c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 42. Þis haþ maad ȝou pore in þingis & enhaunsed ȝou in vertues.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 7. Praiers to God makithe man and woman to be enhaunsed.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. 12. This gyfte … enhaunceth or lyfteth vp the mynde of man to goostlynes and heuenly meditacyons.
c. c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 396. Freris falsely enhansen homself abofe Crist and his apostils.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pers. T., ¶ 540. Flaterie makith a man to enhaunsen his hert and his countenaunce.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. xii. 63. That noon of ȝou … enhaunce ȝou silf aboue alle othere Cristen.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. v. 47. There also was king Crœsus, that enhaunst His hart too high.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 170. So content to enlarge Grace, that therewith shee will enhaunse her selfe.
d. a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2498. Þe mare I spek him dispite … Þe hiȝere I here him enhansed.
1485. Caxton, Paris & V., 71. That the name of our lord Ihesu cryst were more sayntefyed and enhaunced.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 289. Erthe mote blesse the lorde … and enhaunce hym on wythouten ende.
1627. Drayton, Nymphidia. Those [poets] more ancient do inhance Alcides in his fury.
3. To raise in degree, heighten, intensify (qualities, states, powers, etc.).
1559. Mirr. Mag., Dk. Suffolk, v. 7. My lucky spede mine honor did enhaunce.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut., xxxv. 209/2. Such a shamefull thanklesnesse, as inhaunceth their rebelliousnes a hundredfold more.
1691. Ray, Creation, ii. 450. That which enhanses this Injury, is that it is irreparable.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. xxxi. 201. These delights were enhanced by the memory of past hardships.
1853. C. Brontë, Villette, xxi. (1876), 223. This dusky wrapper … enhancing by contrast the fairness of her skin.
1872. Yeats, Techn. Hist. Comm., 94. Strawberries, bilberries, and currants, enhance their flavour in this zone to an excellence unknown in England.
1873. Burton, Hist. Scot., VI. lxxi. 245. They had what greatly enhanced their efective force—four brass field pieces.
b. To magnify subjectively, make to appear greater; to heighten, exaggerate.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7248. And where is more wode folye Than to enhaunce chyvalrie.
1529. More, Suppl. Soulys, 315/1. Enhauncyng the merite and goodnes of Christs passion.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. Introd. * 3 b. How much will their Divine Majestie … be enhanced hereby?
1738. Glover, Leonidas, II. 275. Beyond the reach of fiction to inhance.
1788. Burke, Sp. agst. W. Hastings, Wks. 1842, II. 211/2. He did, in the libel aforesaid, enhance his services.
1832. G. Downes, Lett. Cont. Countries, I. 438. The satirist wished to enhance the infirmity of Philip.
4. To raise (prices, value); to increase (charges, etc.).
1542–3. Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII., c. 7. To mittigate, and enhaunce the price of wynes … as … occasion shall require.
1587. Harrison, England, II. v. (1877), I. 135. Their freends are brought unto pouertie by their rents inhanced.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whis., I. 694. Enhaunce The faire revennewes of the English crowne.
1632. Quarles, Div. Fancies, I. lviii. 25. Why could not hungery Esau strive t’ enhaunce His price a little?
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Irene, Wks. 173. Taxes and customs daily enhansed.
1697. Evelyn, Numism., i. 6. The Value of the Denarius was inhaunc’d from its original Value of ten Asses to that of Sixteen.
1712. Hearne, Collect., III. 430. The Price should be rather inhanc’d than lessen’d.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. xx. 511. The price was considerably enhanced by the charge of conveyance.
† b. intr. Of prices: To rise. Obs.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 463. Corne the yere folowynge was scant, whereof the pryce this yere began to enhaunce.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 235. Upon complaint of enhancing.
5. a. To raise or increase in price, value, importance, attractiveness, etc. † b. Formerly used simply, = ‘to increase in price or value’; esp. to raise the intrinsic value of (coin). Also (rarely) = ‘to increase in attractiveness,’ to beautify, improve.
1526. Wriothesley, Chron. (ed. 1875), I. 15. This yeare, in November, the Kinge enhaunsed his coyne.
1542. Brinklow, Compl., ii. A vij. They neuer inhaunsed theyr landes, nor toke so cruell fynes.
1598. Stow, Surv., vii. (1603), 57. The Angell was enhaunced to vii s. vi.d.
1647. Ward, Simp. Cobler (ed. 3), 77. I honour them … more, that study wisely and soberly to inhance their native language.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxiv. 130. Base Mony, may easily be enhansed, or abased.
1699. Wafer, Voyage (1729), 263. Thereby … to enhaunce a part of the mines.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XII. 376. Our feasts enhanced with music’s sprightly sound.
1836. Hor. Smith, Tin Trump. (1875), 250. When the poet enhances, By beautiful fancies, The strain.
1862. Burton, Bk.-Hunter, 44. The book has been … greatly enhanced in value by the profuse edging of manuscript notes.
