Obs. [a med. L. word, used by scribes in indicating the end of a book, or of one of the separate pieces contained in a MS. It was regarded as a vb. in 3rd pers. sing., ‘Here ends’ (such a book, piece, etc.), the form expliciunt being used as pl. It seems, however, to have been originally an abbreviation of explicitus pa. pple., in explicitus est liber, lit. ‘the book is unrolled’; cf. quot. 949.]
[a. 420. Hieronymus, Ep. XXVIII. iv. Solemus completis opusculis … interponere Explicit aut Feliciter aut aliquid istius modi.
949. in Yepez, Chron. Ord. S. Benedicti, I. 92 (Du Cange). Explicitus est liber iste à Notario Sebastiano Diacono, notum perfectionis diem 4. Kalend. Februarii æræ 987.]
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex. (end). Explicit liber Exodus.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus (end). Explicit liber Troili et Criseide.
c. 1450–60. in Babees Bk. (1868), 331. Expliciunt Statuta Familie bone Memorie.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt. (end). Explicit per William Caxton.
15[?]. Piers of Fullham, 287, in Hazl., E. P. P., II. 12. Explysyth peers of fulham.
1595. G. M., Gentleman’s Acad., 54. Explicit prima pars.
[1663–76. Bullokar, Explicite … ended or finished.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., II. 402. EXPLICIT.]
b. nonce-use as sb.: The ‘finis,’ shutting up.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Poems, Agst. Sleep, 11 (1687), 296. Sleep!… Reason’s Assassine, Fancies Bail; The Senses Curfew,… Joys Explicite, unfathom’d Gulf of time.
