[ad. L. ēvictiōn-em, n. of action f. ēvincĕre: see EVICT, EVINCE.] The action of evicting or † of evincing.
I. Law.
1. The action of recovering or taking possession of lands or property by legal process. Cf. EVICT v. 1.
1583. Stocker, Warres Lowe C., II. 5 b. That reasonable satisfaction bee made … to the buyers and sellers of the Possessions and Rentes aforesaied, in respect of their euiction.
a. 1610. Healey, Theophrast. (1616), To Rdr. He is lyable to make good the euiction, who selleth for another as he who [etc.].
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., III. ix. § 23. The Title of the Foundation thereof, with the land thereunto belonging, were … subject to eviction.
1753. Scots Mag., March, 127–8. The eviction or destruction of a thing mortgaged, don’t extinguish the debt.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., Eviction, A recovery of lands, &c. by form of law.
1848. in Wharton, Law Lex.
2. The action of evicting or dispossessing a person of property, etc. In recent use, esp. the evicting a tenant from lands, houses, etc. Also attrib.
1625. Bacon, Consid. War w. Spain (1629), 7 (J.). The Pretorian Court will set backe all things in statu quo prius, no respect had to such euiction or dispossession.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), III. 322. A rent service is discharged by the eviction of the tenant out of the whole land.
1863. Fawcett, Pol. Econ., II. vii. 237. Neither could the landlord gain much by resorting to eviction.
1884. Pae, Eustace, 69. I will get your father to order their eviction from the cottage.
1889. Daily News, 8 May, 5/7. An exciting eviction scene occurred to-day on the property of Lord Inchiquin.
fig. 1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., App. 159. But on the contrary the people have a right of perpetuall eviction.
1691. Bp. Lloyd, God’s Disposing of Kingd., I. 67. An Eviction by the just Sentence of God; who thus put’s him out of a Trust, that he abus’d.
II. gen.
† 3. The action of conquering (a country, etc.), or of obtaining by conquest. Obs.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., Epit. (1612), 366. After the Euiction from the Scots of those Countries.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xx. § 31. King Henry … was not vnwilling, because … Britaine seemed clearely past possibilitie of euiction.
† 4. a. The action or process of vanquishing (a person) in argument, or of confuting (an opinion); an instance or a means of confutation; the condition of being confuted. b. Conviction (of an accused person). Obs.
1614. Bp. Hall, Epist., IV. v. 502. He hath … counsels for all doubts, euictions for all errours.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 62. All euictions there, as elsewhere, depend vpon witnesses.
1627. Bp. Hall, Gt. Impostor, 509. Wise men … whose wisdome is frequently imployed in the triall, euiction, dooming, of malefactors. Ibid. (1649), Cases Consc., III. v. Meere error makes not an heretick … eviction and contumacy must improve his error to be heretical.
1651. Gataker, in Fuller’s Abel Rediv., Whitaker, 405. He grapled with … Rainolds … who had bin nibling onely at the Preface to his eviction of Sanders his Demonstration.
1703. T. N., City & C. Purchaser, Pref. 22. Upon Eviction I shall freely yield.
† 5. The action or process of eliciting or establishing by argument; demonstration, proof. Also an instance or means of proving; an evidence, proof. Obs. Cf. EVICT v. 6, EVINCE v. 4.
1621. W. Sclater, Tythes (1623), Intro. A. Difficultie of euiction ariseth hence: first, that [etc.].
1625. A. Gil, Disc. Trinity, 214. Faith is said to bee … an eviction or proofe of things hoped for, though they be not seene.
1653. H. More, Conject. Cabbal. (1713), 82. For further eviction, we may yet add, that [etc.].
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 875. That these two Circles should continue thus … is a farther Eviction of a Providence also.
1692. L’Estrange, Fables, 114. A Plurality of Voices … carryes the Question in all our Debates, but rather as an Expedient for Peace than an Eviction of the Right.
1755. Young, Centaur, i. 22. It has ever been prejudicial to the truth, to labour at rational evictions of sacred mysteries.
1776. G. Campbell, Philos. Rhet. (1801), I. I. iv. 82. The sole and ultimate end of logic is the eviction of truth.
