v. Forms: 6 enscance, 7 ensconse, 6–7 inskonce, -se, 6–8 insconce, -se, 6– ensconce. [f. EN-1 + SCONCE sb., small fortification, earthwork, prob. ad. OF. esconse hiding-place, place of shelter, whence esconser to hide, shelter, which may be the source of some of the uses of this verb. Cf. SCONCE v.
The form enscance in Barret suggests derivation from Du. skans = SCONCE.]
† 1. trans. To furnish with ‘sconces’ or earthworks; to fortify. Also absol. Obs.
1590. Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 12 b, marg. A vaine opinion of insconsing of Sconces in the drie grounds of England.
1611. Florio, Bastionare, to ensconce, to blocke.
1752. Carte, Hist. Eng., III. 674. To insconce the bridges, to stop the fords.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Ensconce, To. To intrench; to protect by a slight fortification.
absol. 1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, II. i. 16. He is to enscance and fortifie as commodity and the place will permit.
† 2. To shelter within or behind a fortification; also transf. and fig. Obs.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. ii. 38. I must get a sconce for my head, and Insconce it to. Ibid. (1593), Lucr., 1515. He entertain’d a show, so seeming iust, And therein so ensconc’t his secret euill, That [etc.].
a. 1628. Denison, Heav. Banq. (1631), 80. The Israelites were insconsed with strong bulwarkes.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. III. 127.
| A sort of Error, to ensconce | |
| Absurdity and Ignorance. |
1686. W. de Britaine, Hum. Prud. Convers., 21. ’Tis my Complacency that Vest to have, T’ insconce my Person from Frigidity.
a. 1734. North, Exam., III. viii. ¶ 79 (1740), 644. His Person … is insconsed.
† b. refl. Also fig. Obs.
1590. Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 13. Wet grounds, where they may ensconce themselues with small cost within little Ilands.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, I. 6. Inskonsing my selfe euery two dayes, where I would leaue Garrisons for my retreat.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. I. 1115/64. He … Insconc’d himself as formidable, As could be, underneath a Table.
fig. c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., xlix. Against that time do I insconce me here Within the knowledge of mine owne desart.
1627. Speed, England, etc., Wales, xiv. § 3. The Country hath not naturall prouision to ensconce her selfe against the extremitie of winds and weather.
† c. intr. for refl.
1600. Capt. Smith, in Hakluyt, Voy., III. 257. I would haue holden this course of insconsing euery two dayes march.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. III. 416. The fort where he ensconc’d.
1721. D’Urfey, New Opera’s, etc. 250. E’er I could Ensconce, comes up this Devil agen.
3. trans. To establish in a place or position for the purpose a. of concealment; b. of security, comfort, ‘snugness,’ etc. Chiefly refl.
a. 1598. Shaks., Merry W., III. iii. 97. I will ensconce mee behinde the Arras.
1826. Scott, Woodst., viii. He must discover where this Stewart hath ensconced himself.
1841. Catlin, N. Amer. Ind. (1844), I. xxi. 155. I have been closely ensconced in an earth-covered wigwam.
1856. Miss Mulock, J. Halifax, III. iii. 74. I … ensconced myself behind the sheltering Bank blinds.
1877. Clery, Min. Tact., xii. 147. Bodies of French skirmishers ensconced themselves in the undulations of the ground.
b. 1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 126. The parson, who was deeply ensconced in a high-backed oaken chair.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xviii. Ensconcing themselves, in the warm chimney-corner.
1847. Ld. Lindsay, Chr. Art, I. 121. A vine, emblematical of the church … the four doctors of the Latin church ensconced among its branches.
1862. Lytton, Str. Story, II. 73. His guest had ensconced himself in Forman’s old study.
Hence Ensconcing vbl. sb.
1590. Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 13. Their ensconcings in the drie grounds vpon the Hauens of England, are to small purpose to hold out a puissant Enemie.
a. 1652. Brome, Mad Couple well match’d, II. i. (1654), C 8. I need no more insconsing now in Ram-alley.
