Also † fatherhead. Forms: α. 4–5 fader-, -ir-, -ur-, -yr-, -hed(e, -heed, 5 fatherhed(e, 6 (fathered), Sc. fatherheid, 6–7 fatherhead. β. 5 fader-, -ir-, -hode, -hood, (fathyrod), 6 fatherhode, -hoode, 6– fatherhood. [f. FATHER sb. + -HOOD, -HEAD.]
1. The attribute of being a father; the relation of a father to a child; paternity. Also in spiritual sense.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 179. Frute of such fadurhede schal be joye of heven.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1676), 21. Patres Conscripti, which is a name of Father-head.
a. 1647. Filmer, Patriarcha, i. § 9. 20. It may be demanded what becomes of the Right of Fatherhood, in Case the Crown does escheate for want of an Heir? Whether doth it not then Devolve to the People?
1759. Johnson, Lett. to Simpson, in Boswell. In his refusal to assist you there is neither good nature, fatherhood, nor wisdom.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 119. I’ll lay hold of them by their fatherhood.
transf. 1889. Boys’ Own Paper, 23 March, 400/1. The fatherhood of the game [stool-ball] to cricket is unmistakable.
b. applied to God in his relation to mankind.
1611. W. Perkins, Cases Consc. (1619), 368. The father is honoured of the sonne, because he beares in his person the image of Gods paternitie, or father-hoode.
c. 1620. Donne, Serm., xxxviii. 380. Now we consider God in a two-fold Paternity a two-fold Fatherhood.
1830. E. Irving, in Mackintosh, Life, II. 477. We pray for those orphans who have been deprived of their parents and are now thrown on the fatherhood of God.
1876. A. Swanwick, Evolution and the Religion of the Future, in The Contemporary Review, XXVIII. June, 116. This conception of the universal Fatherhood of God, with its corollary, the brotherhood of men, has changed, and is destined still further to change, the aspect of the world.
c. with especial reference to Eph. iii. 15 after the Vulgate rendering (paternitas).
1382. Wyclif, Eph. iii. 15. Oure Lord Jhesu Crist, of whom ech fadirheed in heuenes and in erthe is named.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut. xxxvi. 214. We heare that all fatherhoode proceedeth of God.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., Prayers, 36. To the Father … frome quhome al fatherheid in heauen and earth is named.
¶ d. confused use. The attribute of having a certain father.
1846. Keble, Lyra Innocentium, Children Like Parents, 5.
| Full busy in her kindly mood | |
| Is Fancy, to descry | |
| The welcome notes of fatherhood, | |
| In form, and lip, and eye. |
1878. Grosart, H. More’s Poems, Mem. Introd., 41/1. His conception of our common Fatherhood and Brotherhood was Christ-like.
2. The relation of an author, originator, or perpetrator, rare.
1871. H. B. Forman, Our Living Poets, 462. Any more than Silisco and Ruggiero in A Sicilian Summer lack original personality, or fatherhood to fine sayings.
1885. Manch. Exam., 26 Jan., 5/1. To adopt the fatherhood of such atrocities is an easy way of obtaining credit.
† 3. Authority of or as of a father in various senses; paternal authority, headship. Obs.
c. 1460. The Play of the Sacrament, 894.
| And in fatherhed, that longyth to my dygnyte, | |
| Vn-to yowr grefe I wylle gyf credens. |
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 195/2. Yet had Becket no cause to claime fatherhood ouer the King.
1610. Bp Carleton, Jurisd., 4. Others: these be who are in some sort content to allowe the Pope’s Fatherhood in spirituall matters.
1645. Milton, Tetrach. (1851), 165. Shall fatherhood, which is but man, for his own pleasure dissolve matrimony?
1690. Locke, Govt., I. ii. (1694), 5. We might have had an entire Notion of this Fatherhood or Fatherly Authority.
† 4. The personality of a father; in Thy, your, etc. fatherhood(s, a form of address, denomination, or title given: a. to ecclesiastics, esp. those of high rank. His Holy Fatherhood, the Pope. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxxi. 314. And [I] besoughte his holy fadirhode, þat my boke myghte be examyned.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 247/1. What thyng is in me yt hath displesyd thy faderhode.
1534. Hildebrand (W de W.), A vj. Althoughe he haue fulfylled the penaunce of thy fatherhode enjoyned.
1546. Bale, Eng. Votaries, II. (1550), 22 b. Gregory the vj … had nothynge left hym, to sustayne hys owne holy fathered and hys Cardynalles with, in the relygyon of spirytuall ydelnesse, but the bare offerynges and a fewe rentes there besydes.
1614. Bp. Hall, A Recollection of such Treatises, 870. Who can abide … sixe whole books, should, by their father-hoods of Trent, be vnder paine of a curse, imperiously obtruded vpon God, and his Church?
1641. Prynne, Antip., 113. To set Princes together by the eares, till they be both weary, and then to take the matter in his hand, and never to make an end, till both parties hath given some possessions to his Holy Father-head.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, III. 147. He reproved Pope Sergius his fatherhood, for being a father indeed to a Base Child.
b. to God.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 904. That my prayour be resowndable to þi fathyrod in glory.
1531. Tindale, Exp. 1 John 22. His fatherhed geueth pardon frely.
c. to a literal father; hence gen. to persons having a claim to respect.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 46. Not to displease your Fatherhood I pray.
1461. Paston Lett., No. 410, II. 39. I submytt me lowlely to your good faderhood.
1608. Middleton, Trick to Catch Old One, I. iv. Now to the judges, ‘May it please your reverend honourable fatherhoods.’
1682. Bunyan, Holy War, 256. If what we have said shall not by thy Fatherhood be thought best.
