a. and sb. Forms: 4 eternale, -eel, (5 eternaile Sc.), 5–7 eternall(e, 6 æternall, 4– eternal. [a. OF. eternal, -el (mod.F. éternel) = Pr. and Sp. eternal, It. eternale, ad. late L. æternālis, f. ætern-us: see ETERNE and -AL.
In philosophical and theological uses the word is the representative of Gr. αἰώνιος, f. αἰών age, ÆON.]
A. adj.
1. Infinite in past and future duration; without beginning or end; that always has existed and always will exist; esp. of the Divine Being.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 180. Eternaile God, quhy suld I thus wayis de.
1524. Abbot Malvern, in R. Glouc. (1724), 584. The Eternall King … shall reward everychone, Which … this wretched world doth despise.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 2 b. We shall se the father of heuen and … his eternall sone our lord Jesu chryst.
1611. Bible, Deut. xxxiii. 27. The eternall God is thy refuge, and vnderneath are the euerlasting armes.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 25. That to the highth of this great Argument I may assert th’ Eternal Providence.
1705. S. Clarke, Being & Attrib. of God, 83 (R.). The Eternal, Supreme Cause,… must … have … a perfect … Comprehension of all things.
a. 1800. H. Blair, Serm., III. xix. 392 (R.). They [the ancient philosophers] maintained the eternal existence of matter.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Goethe, Wks. (Bohn), I. 392. The old Eternal Genius who built the world.
b. By those who hold that time, i.e., the relation of succession, pertains merely to things as viewed by finite intelligence, and not to absolute reality, the word as used of God or His actions is interpreted in the sense: Not conditioned by time; not subject to time relations.
Phrases in which the word has properly this sense are, however, often used in religious language without any definite recognition of the metaphysical theory which they imply, being taken as figurative expressions of the divine omniscience.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., I. v. 20–1. Names that signifie nothing … as … eternal—Now, and the like canting of Schoolemen.
1793. T. Taylor, Sallust, xiii. 64, note. ‘The eternal,’ [τὸ αἰώνιον] says Olympiodorus, ‘is a total now exempt from the past and future circulations of time, and totally subsisting in a present abiding now: but the perpetual [τὸ ἀίδιον] subsists indeed always, but is beheld in the three parts of time, past, present, and future.’
1809–10. Coleridge, Friend (1837), 172, note. This eternal, (that is, timeless) act [the sacrifice of Christ] he manifested in time.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 620. The past and future are created species of time, which we unconsciously but wrongly transfer to the eternal essence; for we say indeed that he was, he is, he will be, but the truth is that ‘he is’ alone truly expresses him.
2. Infinite in past duration; that has always existed.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., IV. x. § 10. 315. If we suppose bare Matter, without Motion, eternal, Motion can never begin to be.
1707. Curios. in Husb. & Gard., 245–6. Asserting the World to be Eternal, in Contradiction to the express Texts of the Holy Scripture.
3. Infinite in future duration; that always will exist; everlasting, endless.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sec. Nun’s T., 34. Thy maydens deeth, that wan thurgh hire merite The eterneel lyf.
1526. Tindale, 2 Cor. iv. 18. For thinges which are sene, are temporall: but thynges whiche are not sene, are eternall.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 3. All levand in ane hoip of the eternal glore.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Dec., 90. The power of herbs … which be wont to work eternall sleep.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Worthy Commun., I. iv. 74. Christ was … admitted to the celestial and eternall Priesthood in heaven.
1752. Hume, Pol. Disc., x. 155. There is very little ground … to conclude the universe eternal or incorruptible.
1827. Pollok, Course T., X. To the evil … Eternal recompense of shame and woe.
1834. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (1839), I. ii. 18. Judgment upon the eternal soul.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., II. xl. 267. An eternal, inexorable lapse of moments is ever hurrying the day of the evil to an eternal night, and the night of the just to an eternal day.
¶ The New Testament expressions eternal life, death, punishment, etc., are here referred to sense 3, this being the sense in which the adj. in such contexts is ordinarily taken. Other meanings have, however, been assigned to it: (a.) Some theologians interpret it in the etymological sense, which is also that of Gr. αἰώνιος, ‘lasting for an age or ages’; (b.) others regard the adj. as expressive of a notion of quality in the conditions that it designates, either in addition to, or instead of, the notion of endless duration (cf. 1 b).
1853. Maurice, Theol. Essays (ed. 2), 451. Knowledge constitutes Eternal Life, and … the loss of it is Eternal Death.
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., II. 366. The word eternal, far from being a mere equivalent for ‘everlasting,’ never means ‘everlasting’ at all, except by reflexion from the substantives to which it is joined.
1885. T. C. Finlayson, Biol. Relig., 87. A human soul might be immortal … and yet might never have what is distinctively called ‘eternal life’—the true spiritual life of fellowship with God.
b. transf. Pertaining to eternal things; having eternal consequences.
1605. Shaks., Macb., I. v. 21. This eternall blason must not be To eares of flesh and bloud.
1729. Law, Serious C., iii. 44. He has liv’d, without any reflection, without any rules, in things of such eternal moment, as no heart can sufficiently conceive them!
4. rhetorically. Said of things to which endless continuance is ascribed hyperbolically or in relative sense. Eternal city (L. urbs æterna): a designation of Rome, occurring in Ovid and Tibullus, and frequent in the official documents of the Empire.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 84. Their Renowne wol be eternal.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 49. An eternal testimonie of absolute glory.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXII. ix. 202. A certain region or quarter of that eternall citie [urbis æternæ] Rome.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., X. 71/47. To … climb the frozen Alps, and tread th’ eternal Snow.
1789. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Subjects for Painters, Song to Delia. O nymph, th’ eternal tear shall flow; The sigh unceasing breathe of thee.
1792. Burke, Pres. State Affairs, Wks. 1815, VII. 106. They [accounts] tend to make an eternal rupture between the powers.
1793. Trial T. Muir at Edinb. for Sedit., 32–3. The Lord Advocate … declared, that his imprisonment would be eternal.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. xiii. (1865), 106. Delightful eternal commonplaces, which ‘having been will always be.’
1844. Mem. Babylonian P’cess, II. 301. Hours … passed in the bosom of the eternal mountains.
1850. Alison, Hist. Europe, IX. lvii. 5. Stupendous mountains, whose summits … wrapped in eternal snow, almost overhang the lake.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxiv. 390. At no moment … has the Parliament … ever given up its eternal right to regulate the royal succession at its will.
1887. Stevenson, Underwoods, I. xxxv. 69. Eternal granite hewn from the living isle.
b. Familiarly, implying weariness or disgust: That seems to be going on for ever; perpetual, incessant, always recurring.
1787. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 164. My answers to the eternal applications I receive.
1825. W. Cobbett, Rur. Rides (1885), I. 374. Respecting whose proceedings we read eternal columns in the broad-sheet.
1837. Thackeray, Ravenswing, i. Mrs. C. was sipping her eternal tea.
1884. Dunckley, in Manch. Exam., 26 May, 6/2. Perhaps more serious reading would then dethrone the eternal novel.
c. nonce-use. Having an ‘eternal’ resolve.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., V. ii. 166. Never did young man fancy With so eternal and so fix’d a soul.
5. Of truths, principles, divine or natural laws, etc.: Valid through all eternity, immutable, unalterable.
[1604. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. § 2. The law wherby he [God] worketh is eternall, and therfore can have no shew or colour of mutabilitie.]
a. 1688. Cudworth (title), A Treatise concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality.
1685. Dryden, Sylvæ, Pref. a 1 (J.). Hobbs, who cou’d not … at least doubt of some eternal Truths which he has oppos’d.
1791. Burke, Lett. to Memb. Nat. Assembly, Wks. VI. 64. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men [etc.].
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Napoleon, Wks. (Bohn), I. 381. It was the nature of things, the eternal law of man … which baulked and ruined him.
1855. Brimley, Ess., Tennyson, 82. To exhibit some of the eternal elements of tragedy still in operation among us.
6. Eternal Flower, a name for the Xeranthemum; also called ‘everlasting.’
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xxvi. 388. Xeranthemum, or Eternal Flower, has an imbricate calyx, with the inner scales membranaceous.
7. ‘Used to express extreme abhorrence’ (Schmidt). Now vulgar or dial.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. ii. 160. There was a Brutus once, that would haue brook’d Th’eternall Diuell to keepe his State in Rome. Ibid. (1604), Oth., IV. ii. 130. I will be hang’d, if some eternall Villaine … Haue not deuis’d this Slander.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Eternal, infernal, damned … ‘Oh, he is an eternal rogue’!
8. quasi-adv.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., I. i. 64. We were (faire Queene) Two Lads, that thought there was no more behind, But such a day to morrow, as to day, And to be Boy eternall.
1614. Rowlands, Fooles Bolt, 36. Such sable colours should be worne, for them that do eternall mourne.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 391. What kingdom, Real or allegoric, I discern not; Nor when: eternal sure—as without end, Without beginning.
B. quasi-sb. and sb.
1. The Eternal: God, the Deity. Cf. Fr. L’Eternel (transf. Heb. [Hebrew] JEHOVAH).
1582. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Princes, 189. The eternall [ed. 1557 eternal creator] created this world in short space.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., V. iv. 81. By Penitence th’ Eternalls wrath’s appeas’d.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. i. (1611), 3. The lawe whereby the Eternall himselfe doth worke.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 46. His trust was with th’ Eternal to be deem’d Equal in strength.
1724. T. Richers, Hist. Royal Geneal. Spain, 200. Having been summon’d to appear before the Tribunal of the Eternal.
† 2. = ETERNITY. Chiefly in phrase from eternal = L. ab æterno. Obs.
1622. S. Ward, Life of Faith in Death (1627), 29. I was from eternall a sheepe destined to the slaughter.
1633. W. Struther, True Happines, 65. Albeit we be in God from eternall.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., III. 34. Eternal is at Hand, To swallow Time’s Ambitions.
3. pl. Eternal things.
1649. Roberts, Clavis Bibl., 391. These temporals, spirituals, and eternals … must be prudently distinguished.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 154. Angells … administring not only in temporalls, and in spiritualls, but likewise to eternalls.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., II. 340. All God-like Passion for Eternals quench’d; All Relish of Realities expir’d.
1840. De Quincey, Essenes, Wks. X. 265. A body of men so truly spiritual in the eternals of their creed, whatever might be the temporals of their practice.
1885. J. Martineau, Ethical Th., I. 6. A certain stock of eternals transmigrates through various forms.
