v. Forms: 5–7 ensew(e, 5 ensiewe, -yew, 5–6 insue, 6 insew(e, 6–7 inshow, 5– ensue. [ad. OF. ensiw-, ensu-, stem of ensivre, ensuivre (mod.F. ensuivre), corresp. to Pr. enseguir, It. inseguire:—late L. insequĕre, L. insequi to pursue, follow close upon, f. in (see IN-) + sequi to follow.]
† 1. trans. To follow in (a person’s steps); to follow (a leader, etc.). Obs.
a. 1500[?]. Flower Womanhede, in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 43. Whos stepes glade to ensue Ys eueri woman in their degre.
1509. Hawes, Examp. Virt., xiii. 255. And xv. ladyes her dyd ensue.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. ix. 5. Whom straight the Prince ensuing in together far’d.
a. 1626. Bp. Andrewes, Serm., 147. All that have ensued the steppes of their faith.
b. absol. and intr.
c. 1500. New Not-br. Mayd, 235. I must ensue Where fortune doth me lede.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, II. xii. [xi.] 77. Neir at our bak Crewse, my spous ensewis.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng. (1633), 56. Which pricketh forward to ensue in their Fathers steps.
† 2. fig. To follow the guidance of (a person, etc.); to imitate (an example); to follow (inclination, passion, etc.), conform to (advice, orders).
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. x. I am so dull certayne that I ne can Guido ensewe.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., I. xiv. 47. Tho philosophres ensieweth better Plato than Aristotle.
c. 1500. Doctr. Gd. Seruaunts, in Poet. Tracts (1842), 7. Seruauntes ought not to ensue Theyr owne wyll.
1530. Proper Dyaloge (1863), 23. In this they ensued Christes lawyng and his doctrine.
1541. Elyot, Image Gov., 13. All honourable women ensued the Empresses exaumple.
1599. Davies, Immort. Soul (1876), I. 99. While these receiv’d opinions I ensue.
† b. Of things: To take after, correspond to.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., I. Prol. (1495), 3. The propritees of thynges folowe and ensewe their substaunces.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 21 § 19. An ordenance … insewing muche the olde auncient customes of this realme in that behalfe.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 13 a. The recompense shall ensue the losse.
† 3. To follow with the intention of overtaking; to pursue. Obs.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 1079. This venerable prynce ensuynge this great harte approched to his cell.
1569. J. Sanford, trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 125 b. To ensue them that flee.
b. fig. To follow or seek after, strive to obtain, aim at. arch. Also † intr. with after.
1483. Caxton, Cato, 2 b. Eschewe alle vyces and ensiewe vertue.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. xxxiii. 14. Let him seke peace and ensue it.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, To Rdr. § 2. To affect and ensue the meanes of it owne safety and support.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., II. 119. For him I desire to ensue courage.
1874. Morley, Compromise (1886), 113. They have sought truth and ensued it.
† 4. To follow out (a plan, course of life, profession, etc.); to follow up (a train of thought), ‘pursue’ (a subject). Also catachr. to spend (a period of life). Obs.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXXI. xii. But that in joye you may your youth ensue.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. iv. (1883), I. 28. Semblable ordre will I ensue in the fourmynge the gentill wittes of noble mennes children.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., II. iv. (1602), 136. I will ensue that also.
1590. Spenser, Ep. Sir John Norris. And Precedent of all that armes ensue.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife (1638), 172. They are not pauled with insuing idle cogitations.
† 5. trans. Of an event, state of things, portion of time, portion of a book or discourse: To follow, succeed, be subsequent to. Also of persons: To succeed (some one) in an office, or in the performance of an action. Chiefly implying immediate sequence: To come next to. Obs.
1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 20 § 5. By the space of ij monethes next ensuyng any of the seid festis.
1542. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford, 168. The feast … next insuying the date herof.
1578. Timme, Caluine on Gen., 159. How long it was ere that the flood insued the creation of the world.
1591. Spenser, Teares Muses, 54. And let the rest in order thee ensew.
1609. Bp. W. Barlow, Answ. Nameless Cath., 16. What are these Aggreeuances … that … ensued that desperate Plot?
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxiv. 89. Him Erkenwald ensues th’East English Offa’s sonne.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng. (1739), Pref. 8. For three hundred years next ensuing the Normans.
b. intr. Of a portion of time, part of a book or discourse: To be subsequent. Of an event, a state of things: To occur or arise subsequently. Chiefly implying immediate succession. Cf. ENSUING ppl. a.
The phrase next ensuing, now somewhat pleonastic, is still in formal use with reference to dates.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 5. Thre partyes by chapytres ensyewyng declared.
1494. Fabyan, 5. The Cronycle shall ensewe, In his dewe ordre.
1528. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), V. 265. To be disposed in maner and forme that ensuyeth.
1559. in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. iii. 139. Gouernors of the sayd hospytalles for the yere now next insuynge.
1584. Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 91. The yeare insuing.
1591. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 96. The copie of wch said Letter ensueth.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 991. Now dreadful deeds Might have ensu’d.
1669. Bunyan, Holy Citie, 195. These and the words ensuing.
1709. Steele & Swift, Tatler, No. 74, ¶ 11. On Saturday the 15th of October next ensuing.
1729. T. Cooke, Tales, Proposals, etc. 36. Bleak Winds and Storms ensue, they [the Flowrs] droop, they dy.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), I. 204/1. Several skirmishes ensued in the difficult passes.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., I. xviii. 320. Conversations … ensued thereon between Baldwin and his courtiers.
† c. In pr. pple.; In succession, ‘running.’ Obs. rare.
1583. Stocker, Hist. Civ. Warres Lowe C., I. 107 b. Then they should giue two nights ensuing at midnight a signe with fire [etc.].
6. † a. trans. To follow as a result or consequence; to result from. Obs.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (1847), p. xlvi. Surfet ensuing gluttony.
1566. Drant, Horace’ Sat., I. ii. A viij. Such lyke blame That doth ensue outragiouse spence.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 701. The accidents that follow, are like to those which ensue the bitings of Vipers.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. (Wks. 1716), I. 1. By peace [may be meant] the content … ensuing such a course of actions.
a. 1754. Fielding, Conversation, Wks. 1784, IX. 364. Nor would any inconvenience ensue the admittance of such exceptions.
b. intr. To follow as a result; to result. Const. † by, from, † of, on, upon.
1483. Caxton, Cato, B iij. The grete multitude of synnes whyche ensueth and cometh therof.
1525. E. Lee, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. II. 71. I need not advertise your Grace what infection & danger may ensue hereby.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man (1631), 700. The service of God, whereof ensueth the enjoying of his heavenly kingdome.
a. 1700. Dryden, Ovid’s Met., XII. Wks. 1821, XII. 167. From the wound ensued no purple flood.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), II. 318. What devastation might not ensue were the elephant, or the rhinoceros, or the buffalo, as fierce ans as mischievous as the tiger or the rat?
1837. G. Bird, Nat. Philos., 238. Decomposition of water will, of course, ensue, and hydrogen will be evolved.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., cxvii. That out of distance might ensue Desire of nearness doubly sweet.
¶ To proceed, issue from.
1599. Marston, Sco. Villanie, II. vii. 208. Soules of men, from that great soule ensue.
7. intr. To follow as a logical conclusion. Usually impers. with virtual subject-clause. rare in mod. use.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., IV. iv. 399. It doeth of necessitie ensue, that he [etc.].
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. iii. 31. Doth it therefore ensue that you should loue his Sonne deerelie?
