[f. L. ēnumerāt- ppl. stem of ēnumerāre, f. ē out + numerāre to count, f. numerus NUMBER.]
1. trans. To count, ascertain the number of; more usually, to mention (a number of things or persons) separately, as if for the purpose of counting; to specify as in a list or catalogue.
For the primary sense ‘ascertain the number of,’ see esp. ENUMERATED ppl. a. and cf. ENUMERATION, ENUMERATOR.
1647. Jer. Taylor, Dissuas. Popery, I. i. § 11 (1668), 261 (R.). If the Priest pardons no sins but those which are enumerated.
1671. J. Webster, Metallogr., vii. 113. Again, he enumerateth eight sorts of Cachimies that were known unto him.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 244. 116. There would be no end of enumerating the like cases.
1803. G. S. Faber, Cabiri, II. 34, note. This huntress Atalanta is enumerated by Apollodorus among the Argonauts.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, I. 561. The satellites of Jupiter … are enumerated and distinguished in a regular manner.
1836. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (1837), III. xvii. 261. St. Paul … enumerates many of the Ancient Saints.
a. 1856. H. Miller, Test. Rocks, xi. (1857), 469. Adolphe Brogniart had enumerated only seventy species of plants.
† b. with clause as obj. Obs. rare.
1653. Cromwell, Lett. & Sp., 4 July. Enumerating how businesses have been transacted from that time.
2. Gram. To ‘qualify’ numerically. rare.
1876. A. Davidson, Hebr. Gram., § 48. The other numerals are nouns and disagree in gender with the words which they enumerate.
† 3. [? Cf. L. enumerare to pay in full.] ? To bestow abundantly. Obs. rare.
1717. L. Howel, Desiderius (ed. 3), 76. Prayers that he would ennumerate his spiritual Gifts to this holy Society.
Hence Enumerated ppl. a., Enumerating vbl. sb. (in quot. attrib.).
1721. Roy. Proclam., 5 Feb. in Lond. Gaz., No. 5928/4. Such enumerated Goods.
1767. T. Hutchinson, Hist. Prov. Mass., i. 4. A constant trade was carried on with foreign countries for contraband and enumerated commodities.
1871. Census Eng. & Wales, Prelim. Report, 6. The enumerated population of London … was 3,251,804.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., I. v. 253. That enumerating function of the Roman officer.
