[a. (through Fr. examen or directly) L. exāmen means of weighing, tongue of a balance, fig. testing, examination, for *exagmen, f. *exag-, exigĕre to weigh accurately: see EXACT v.
The sense ‘tongue of a balance’ (ligula) rests on the authority of the scholiast to Persius; it seems to occur in Virg. Æn. XII. 725, where, however, ‘scale-beam’ would equally suit the context. Servius obscurely explains it as ‘filum quo trutina regitur.’ (L. exāmen ‘swarm of bees, flock’ is related to exigĕre in the sense ‘to lead or drive out.’) The Romanic forms, It. esame, Sp. exámen, Fr. examen, are synonymous with Eng. examination.]
1. Examination, scrutiny (of a doctrine, system, etc.); investigation (of an affair). Now rare.
1618. Bolton, Florus, To Rdr. 4. The doctrines … are such as thou art to expect from an Heathen … and their examen will elsewhere fall out fitly.
1645. City Alarum, 17. They allow the Prince of Orange every summer a tun or two of gold without examen, for Intelligence.
1715. Leoni, Palladio’s Archit. (1742), I. 45. Things … which I had learnt by a very laborious Examen and long Study.
1801. Fuseli, Lect. Art, i. (1848), 370. Recalled his pupil to the examen of the great principle.
1890. E. Johnson, Rise Christendom, 123. That only [is] wise which … the law of God or the examen of his senior has pointed out.
b. Eccl. and Law. (a) A formal examination (of the conscience or soul). (b) The examination (of a candidate) for ordination. (c) † A legal examination or inquiry (obs.).
1651. Life Father Sarpi (1676), p. xcix. In all those days he made a most exact examen of his soul.
1669. Woodhead, St. Teresa, II. vii. 59. This Examen shall have a Bell to ring to it…. Let every one … at the time of the Examen, kneel down, and briefly examine her conscience.
1685. H. Consett, Pract. Spirit. Courts, 95. To compel them to … undergo the Examen the Judge imposeth upon them.
1696. Phillips, Examen, a Trial, Proof, particularly of one that is to be admitted to Orders or Employment.
[So 1721. in Bailey.]
1853. Faber, All for Jesus, 36. We might ask it … in our examen of conscience.
1885. Catholic Dict., s.v. Examination of Conscience, St. Ignatius … also recommends a particular examen to be made, at least daily, not on sin in general, but on that particular sin into which the individual most frequently falls.
† 2. A critical dissertation or treatise (on any subject); an examination, disquisition. Obs.
1606. Holland, Sueton., To Rdrs. Correct what is amisse according to the Examen and Review annexed to the end of all.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., Apol. 7. Having greedily read over his Exhortation and Examen a little before.
1667. Boyle (title), An Examen of The Origine (and Doctrine) of Substantial Formes.
1738. Johnson, Lett. to Cave, Sept. in Boswell. An Examen of Mr. Pope’s Essay, &c.
† 3. Investigation by experiment; a test, assay.
1661. Glanvill, Vanity Dogmat., viii. 73. The only way to know what is sophisticate is to bring all to the Examen of the Touchstone.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva (1776), 25. Some … might here recommend to us a more accurate Microscopical Examen.
1717. F. Slare, in Phil. Trans., XXX. 565. I made a yet more nice and certain Examen of these Waters, by mixing Milk with them.
1765. Wilkinson, ibid. LV. 103. We proceeded to the more important examen, to discover the precise quantity of cork necessary to sustain a man in the water.
4. The tongue of a balance. rare.
[1832. Gell, Pompeiana, I. iii. 44. Common scales … were found … without that little projecting point above the beam which serves to mark more accurately the absence of equipoise, and which … was called by the … Romans … ligula, and examen.]
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metals, II. 292. When the beam does, by the position of its examen or vertical spur over the axis, appear to have its two brachia exactly in equilibrio.
1850. Weale, Dict. Terms, s.v.
