Fix v.

Pa. t. and pa. pple. fixed. [Ultimately f. L. fīx-us (see FIX a.), pa. pple. of fīgĕre to fix, fasten. The proximate origin is uncertain; it may have been an Eng. formation on FIX a., or ad. med.L. fixāre or F. fixer (if the latter existed in 15th c.; Hatzf. quotes Montaigne c. 1590 for the earliest known use). Cf. Sp. fijar (earlier fixar), Pg. fixar, It. fissare.

  The earliest recorded use is ‘to fix (one’s eyes) upon an object’: this is the oldest and still the most prominent application of the corresponding verb in Italian, and it appears in Du Cange’s only example of med.L. fixare. The use in alchemy is nearly as old in Eng.; it is found in the Romanic langs. and in the med.Lat. writers on alchemy the Romanic (e.g., R. Lulli, Ep. ad Robertum), while in Romanic the verb has only the senses derived from L. fixus, it was in Eng. taken as the representative of L. figĕre, superseding the earlier FICCHE, and (in some applications) FAST and FASTEN vbs.]

  I.  To make firm or stable.

  1.  trans. To fasten, make firm or stable in position; to place, attach, or insert and secure against displacement. Const. in, on, to, etc.

  To fix bayonets (Mil.): to attach them to the mouth of the musket or rifle.

14[?].  Songs & Carols 15th C. (Percy Soc.), vi. 6.

1489.  Barbour’s Bruce (Edin. MS.), x. 402.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 160. His head to be fixed on a poole.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 213. They [Bats] sqweake and call one the other, in most offensiue cryes, and hang in swarmes vpon the trees (by clawes fixed to their wings) with their heads downwards, they are faced like Monkeyes.

1656.  B. Harris, trans. Parival’s The History of This Iron Age, 38. The Forts … could not their occasions, nor hinder them from fixing their cluches in the flat Country.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., Pref., Fij. Fixing both the Glass and Object to the Pedestal.

1694.  Acc. Sev. Late Voy., II. (1711), 5. We fixed our Ship with Ice-hooks to a large Ice-field.

1772.  Franklin, Exper., Wks. 1887, IV. 509. In Philadelphia I had such a rod fixed to the top of my chimney.

1842.  Tennyson, The Gardener’s Daughter, 124.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. xxvii. 210. The last stake being fixed, the faces of the men were turned homeward.

1892.  Law Times Rep., LXV. 582/1. The posts of the gantry stand on planks, and are fixed thereto by iron dogs and dowels.

  † b.  To fix the foot or footing: to obtain or take a sure foothold. lit. and fig. Obs. (Cf. FASTEN v. 1, and Lat. figere gradum.)

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 89.

1607.  Shaks., Cor., I. viii. 4. Fix thy foot.

1641.  J. Jackson, True Evang. T., II. 98. The more weary he [the Oxe] is, the more strong doth he fixe his footings.

1654.  trans. Martini’s Conq. China, 52. The Tartars could never fix a foot in China, but they were presently beaten out again.

1681.  Dryden, Sp. Friar, I. i.

  † c.  To affix (a seal), attach (a codicil) to. Obs.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 173. All the Nobilitie of Scotland, and namely all those that made claime to the crowne, entered into bond, the tenor whereof foloweth, beyng made letters patentes, wherevnto were fixed their seuerall seales. Ibid., 434. To be fixed as a Scedule to his last will and testament.

1776.  Trial of Nundocomar, 24/1. I have seen him frequently with my own eyes take off his seal, wet two or three papers, and fix his seal to them.

  d.  In immaterial sense: To attach firmly; to implant securely (principles, etc.).

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel., xxxviii. (1539), 70. As sone as the goddes haue gyuen theim a doughter, forthwith they ought to fyxe in theyr hartes a newe remembraunce: and not forgette it, tyll they haue prouided their doughter an husband.

1672.  J. Lacy, Dumb Lady, To Rdr. There is a kind of charm in poetry—’tis like tobacco and chemistry; for it you once take the one and undertake the other, you are fixed to the freehold never to be parted.

1712.  Budgell, Spect., No 319, 6 March, ¶ 4. I resolved … to fix his Face in my Memory.

1789.  W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 25. Early application weakens the faculties, and often fixes in the mind an aversion to books, which continues for life.

1855.  Bain, The Senses and the Intellect, II. i. § 5. A child may go through the repetition of its lessons, but while the mind is elsewhere, theie is no progress in fixing them.

  e.  To ‘fasten’ (an imputation, responsibility, etc.) on a person.

1665.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), Ded. A iij b. May the Title of plain Dealing and honest Man be the worst reproach, Malice or double Dealing can fix upon your Name and Memory.

1694.  Acc. Sweden, 90. The Odium of all the Losses and Misfortunes of the War was easily fix’d upon the Ministers that had managed Affairs in the King’s Minority.

1744.  Berkeley, Siris, § 353. It will not seem just, to fix the imputation of atheism upon those philosophers, who held the doctrin of τὺ ἓν.

1809.  Scott, Fam. Lett., 10 Sept. (1894), I. v. 148. Ellis fixes on me an article about Miss Edgeworth’s Tales, which I never saw.

  f.  intr. for refl. To become firmly attached or implanted; to adhere to. lit. and fig. ? Obs.

1682.  D’Urfey, Butler’s Ghost, 159.

1715.  Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 43. When they strike upon hard Bodies, they pass over them, without fixing to them.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VII. 299. Prejudices in disfavour of a person at his first appearance, fix deeper, and are much more difficult to be removed when fixed, than prejudices in favour.

  2.  To secure from change, vacillation or wandering; to give stability or constancy to (the mind, thoughts, affections, purposes).

1604.  Shaks., Oth., V. i. 5.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xi. § 3. Images are said by the Roman church to fix the cogitations, and raise the devotions of them that pray before them.

1641.  Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xxi. 212. A constant impression of Gods omnipresence is an excellent way to fix mens souls.

1793.  Object. to War Examined & Refuted, 37. But where, Frenchmen! can you now resort, except to your ancient Monarchy,… what other system is likely to fix your fluctuating opinions?

1851.  Dixon, W. Penn, xvii. (1872), 142–3. At length his mind began to fix itself on what he called the Holy Experiment of planting a religious democracy in the western world.

1875.  Maclaren, Serm., Ser. II. vii. 120. Let His Holy Spirit be the foundation of thy life, and then thy tremulous and vagrant soul shall be braced and fixed.

  b.  To make (a person) constant in attachment. Const. to, in. ? Obs.

1710.  Prideaux, Orig. Tithes, Reasons for Bill, 7. For the Parents of such being usually of the Lower Rank, who breed up their Children with less Care, and after a ruder Manner, they are seldom well fixed to Virtue and sober Behaviour in their first Education, and through Want hereof, when grown up, are the easier drawn off after any ill Courses they shall be tempted to.

1738.  Johnson, London, 144.

1747.  in Col. Rec. Pennsylv., V. 153. Unless all these Colonies shall unite with their greatest Zeal & Expedition to improve this favourable opportunity for fixing those Indians in the English Interest.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, XVIII. xii. Can the man who shall be in possession of these be inconstant? Impossible! my Sophia; they would fix a Dorimant, a Lord Rochester.

1796.  Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., vi. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark.

  c.  To settle immovably the purpose or conviction of (a person). Const. to with inf.; also on, for, against. Now only in passive.

1661.  Milton, Samson, 1481. I am fixt not to part hence without him.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 124.

1701.  W. Wotton, Hist. Rome, iii. 50. Verus would willingly have stayd behind, but Marcus was fixt upon taking him along with him, and therefore got the Senate to petition them both to go; as if both Emperors would but just suffice to manage so dangerous a War.

1766.  Franklin, Let., Wks. 1887, III. 456. The ministry are fixed for us, and we have obtained a majority in the House of Commons for repealing the Stamp Act, and giving us ease in every commercial grievance.

1856.  Darwin, in Life & Lett. (1887), II. 68. I am fixed against any periodical or Journal, as I positively will not expose myself to an Editor or a Council, allowing a publication for which they might be abused.

  † d.  With complement: To render unchangeably (so and so). Obs.

1726.  W. R. Chetwood, Adv. Boyle & Castelman, 59. This Interview had fix’d my Heart intirely hers.

1744.  S. Fielding, David Simple (ed. 2), I. 44. The Girl was commanded by her Father, if Mr. David made any Addresses to her, to receive him in such a manner, as to fix him hers.

1777.  Hist. Eliza Warwick, I. 238. That important one [sc. day] which fixed me wretched for ever.

  3.  To direct steadily and unwaveringly, fasten, set (one’s eyes, attention, affections, etc.) on, upon, † to (an object).

c. 1430.  Lydg., Min. Poems, 35.

1509.  Hawes, The Pastime of Pleasure, XXX. xix.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. ii. 5.

1665.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 44. Could but these Idolaters fix their mind upon Heaven, by following the guide of the celestial Light, which is much more glorious than that of the Sun, it would convince them of their fault, and without error direct them to the Port of everlasting happiness.

1709.  Berkeley, Th. Vision, § 83. The more we fix our sight on any one object, by so much the darker and more indistinct shall the rest appear.

1792.  G. Washington, Lett., Writ. 1891, XII. 197. The enemy’s attention would be less fixed to it.

1802.  Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. viii. 60. Our hero, who still resolutely held out the hand, upon which every eye was fixed.

1866.  J. Martineau, Ess., I. 173. Passing by, however, the substantive matter of both Mr. Maurice’s history and Mr. Spencer’s Kosmogony, we fix attention on a single fundamental problem, which has a pervading influence on both works, and receives from them contradictory answers. What is the highest legitimate object of Reason in man?

  b.  absol. To concentrate one’s attention or mind on. Also intr. for refl. (said of the eyes, attention, etc.).

1663.  Gerbier, Counsel, E vija. To you whose deep judgment could not suffer your Eyes to fix on slight objects.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., III. vi. § 28. As in Vegetables and Animals ’tis the Shape, so in most other Bodies, not propagated by Seed, ’tis the Colour we most fix on, and are most led by.

1760.  Johnson, Idler, No. 97, 23 Feb., ¶ 7. He that reads these books must consider his labour as its own reward; for he will find nothing on which Attention can fix, or which Memory can retain.

c. Of an object of vision or thought: To ‘rivet,’ attract and hold fast (the eye, the attention, etc.).

1752.  Hist. Jack Connor, I. 231. The Major gave a loud Hem, and having fix’d Sangfroid’s Eyes, call’d out, [etc.].

1781.  J. Moore, View Soc. It. (1790), I. xl. 437. Your admiration is fixed by the animated equestrian statue.

1792.  C. Smith, Desmond, I. 53. There is not in the world another [subject] that really fixes my attention an instant.

1823.  Byron, Island, IV. vii.

1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. xlvi. 206. In State contests that which chiefly fixes his attention is the influence of a State victory on an approaching national contest.

  d.  To make (the eyes, features, etc.) motionless or rigid (as in death). Also intr. for refl.

1821.  Shelley, Prometh. Unb., I. 600.

1842.  Punch, II. 20/2.

1877.  W. G. Wills, Love that Kills, xxi. Her heart stops, and her eyes fix.

  e.  To make (a person) motionless with astonishment or other feeling, to hold spellbound.

1664.  J. Wilson, A. Comnenius, I. i. She fixt me Ducas.

1795.  Fate of Sedley, II. 76. Paulinus was fixed in astonishment.

1802.  Helen of Glenross, IV. 8. At the first view of her I was fixed in admiration.

  4.  a. trans. To deprive of volatility or fluidity.

  Orig. in Alchemy, to fasten a volatile spirit or essence by combination with a tangible solid or fluid; also, to render (mercury) solid by combination with some other substance.

1460–70.  Bk. Quintessence, 15. Also it is needeful þat he vse ofte good wiyn at his mete and at þe soper, in þe which be fixid þe 5 essence of gold as I tauȝte ȝou to.

1471.  Ripley, Comp. Alch., Ep. in Ashm. (1652), 115.

1698.  J. Fryer, A New Account of East-India and Persia, 53. Lying down when they are hot, till the Earth at Night is in a cold sweat, which penetrating the rarified Cuticle, fixes the Humours by intercepting their free concourse on that side.

1700.  Astry, trans. Saavedra-Faxardo, I. 42. Curiosity will easily lead him from thence to Alchymy; or at least, under the pretext of Simple Distillation, he will have a fancy to fix Mercury, and make Gold and Silver; things which the most precious of our time is thrown away upon to no purpose, and certain, wasted for uncertain Treasures.

1702.  C. Mather, Magn Chr., II. vii. (1852), 145. The animal spirits are fired by irregular particles, fixed with acid, bilious, venemous ferments in the blood.

1727.  Fielding, Love in Sev. Masques, V. x. Are you so conversant in the beau-monde, and don’t know that women, like quicksilver, are never fixed till they are dead?

1805.  Chenevix, in Phil. Trans., XCV. 111. Mercury can be fixed … by platina.

1885.  A. B. Hervey, trans. Behrens’ Microsc. in Bot., iii. § 4. 178. The cell wall very soon becomes rigid, and the protoplasm with slight contraction is ‘fixed.’

  b.  intr. for refl. To lose volatility or fluidity; to become firm, rigid, or solidified; to congeal, set.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 847. The Quicke-Siluer will fix, and runne no more, and endure the Hammer.

1715–20.  Pope, Iliad, V. 1113.

1777.  Robertson, Hist. Amer. (1778), I. IV. 327–8. The slightest wound with those envenomed shafts is mortal. If they only pierce the skin, the blood fixes and congeals in a moment, and the strongest animal falls motionless to the ground.

  5.  trans. To make (a colour, a drawing, photographic image, etc.) fast or permanent.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 79. Colours … capable of being very much chang’d and heightned, and fixt with several kinds of Saline menstruums.

1750.  Franklin, Let., Wks. 1887, II. 170. This color, given by the flash from two jars only, will wipe off, but four jars fix it, and frequently melt the needles.

1845.  Athenæum, 22 Feb., 203/1. Mr. Talbot was the first who succeeded in fixing the images taken by the camera—and by superposition—on paper.

1859.  Gullick & Timbs, Paint., 316. There is no satisfactory method of ‘fixing’ pastel paintings, and the chief objection to them is want of permanency.

1875.  trans. Vogel’s Chem. Light, i. 6. No means were then known to make the pictures durable, that is to say, to make them light-resisting, or as we now say, to fix them.

  † b.  To set down in writing (F. fixer par écrit).

1630.  Capt. Smith, Trav., Ded. Wks. (1884), 808. Sir Robert Cotton … requested me to fix the whole course of my passages in a booke by it selfe.

1656.  North’s Plutarch, Add. Lives, 76. The Laws … (on Paper fixt) … pass the Seas.

  c.  To give permanent form to (evanescent images).

a. 1834.  Lamb, Acting of Munden. O for the power of the pencil to have fixed them when I awoke!

  6.  a. To force into or overtake in a position from which escape is difficult; to ‘corner,’ ‘nail.’ lit. and fig.

1736.  Lediard, Life Marlborough, 406. It was his Opinion, as it happen’d, that they should fix the Rebels at Preston.

1741.  Richardson, Pamela (1742), III. 371. As I entered one Room he went into another…. At last I fixed him speaking to Rachel.

  b.  To hold (a person) engaged or occupied, so as to prevent his leaving the spot.

1668.  Etheredge, She wou’d if She cou’d, I. ii.

1764.  Foote, Patron, I. Wks. 1799, I. 334. Fix the old fellow so that she may not be miss’d.

  c.  To fix (a person) with one’s eyes: to direct upon him a steady gaze from which he cannot escape.

  Cf. F. fixer avec l’œil, condemned by Littré as incorrect.

1792.  Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, 27 June. Mrs. Wells, singing, and throwing herself into extravagant attitudes, again rushed down the steps, and fixed her eyes on Mrs. Crewe…. Mrs. Crewe fixed her in return, and with a firm, composed, commanding air and look that, though it did not make this strange creature retreat, somewhat disconcerted her for a few minutes.

1879.  F. W. Robinson, Coward Consc., III. xix. Ursula twined her hands together, placed them behind her neck as if for extra support, and then ‘fixed’ Mrs. Coombes with a steady, searching stare.

1894.  Mrs. H. Ward, Marcella, I. 142. Marcella fixed him with her bright frank eyes.

  d.  Of the eyes: To arrest (an object of vision) with the gaze, i.e., to have a steady vision of it.

1791.  Mad D’Arblay, Diary, 4 June (1842), V. 211. His eyes, which were quite lustrous, could not fix any object steadily.

  † 7.  To transfix. [After L. figere.] Obs. rare^–1.

1638.  G. Sandys, Job xx., in Divine P., 27.

  II.  To place definitely.

  8.  To place in a definite and more or less permanent position; to set, station. To fix up: to set up.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 18. The Citizens … fixed on his grave stone this Epitaph.

1633.  Marmion, Fine Companion, III. ii.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 8. The Pole-star … is … fixt in the tip of the little Beares taile.

1653.  Walton, Angler, i. 7. Hee shall finde it fix’d before the Dialogues of Lucian.

1674.  Dryden’s Mall, Ded. Wks. 1884, VIII. 508. All the interest I have in the Play, is inferiour to the Glory I take, in seeing your Name fixt in the Frontispiece.

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., xvi. It [a picture] was so very large that we had no place in the house to fix it.

1768.  Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), II. 199. The beds … were fixed up moreover near the fire.

1796.  T. Twining, Trav. Amer. (1894), 3. The dining-table was fixed in the middle of the room, and half of it consequently remained in my cabin when the curtain was drawn.

  b.  To place, install (a person, oneself) in a position, with preparations for a stay; in early military use, † to set (oneself) in a posture of defence. To fix (a person) up (colloq.): to ‘put (him) up,’ provide with quarters.

1697.  Dampier, Voy., I. 5. Here we lay all the day, and went ashore and dried our Cloaths, clean’d our Guns, dried our Ammunition, and fixt our selves against our Enemies, if we should be attack’d.

1825.  Scott, Fam. Lett., Sept. (1894), II. xxiii. 348. I believe his mode of travelling is to get into the first coach where he sees a place vacant, and after he has had his umbrella and portmanteau accommodated, and himself comfortably fixed, asks which way they are going.

1867.  Trollope, Chron. Barset, I. xxxvi. 316. On a certain morning she fixed herself at her desk to write her letter.

1889.  Mrs. C. Praed, Rom. of Station, 161. He’d bring round embrocations and a cooling draught, and fix up Mr. Sabine comfortably for the night.

  c.  To establish (a person) in a place of residence, a position or office; to take up (one’s quarters, abode); to locate, settle (an industry, etc.) in a certain place. In passive, to be (comfortably or otherwise) ‘placed’ or circumstanced.

1638.  Sir H. Wotton, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 54. In any part where I shall understand you fixed, I shall be glad and diligent to entertain you with home-novelties, even for some fomentation of our friendship, to soon interrupted in the cradle.

1656.  B. Harris, trans. Parival’s The History of This Iron Age (ed. 2), I. xv. 26. That learned man Iohn Calvin, carried on that Reformation much farther then Luther, as well in France, as elsewhere, and fixed his Chayre at Geneva.

1665.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 353. Noah before Nimrod and his associates removed Westward towards Euphrates, fixed his Quarters somewhere in Mergiana or upon the banks of Indus, that being the richest soil.

1677.  Yarranton, Eng. Improv., 134. Here this Trade of making Mum may be fixt with very great advantage.

1694.  Dryden, Love Triumphant, Ep. Ded. It is the usual Practice of our decay’d Gentry, to look about them for some illustrious Family, and there endeavour to fix their young Darling, where he may be both well Educated and Supported.

1702.  C. Mather, Magn. Chr. IV. (1853), II. 10. Conforming to the ceremonies of the church of England, he was fixed at Biddiford, where he became (as Apostata est Osor sui Ordinis)—a bitter persecutor of the Christians that kept faithful to the way of worship, from which he was himself an apostate.

175[?].  Hist. Young Lady of Distinction, II. 214. He is fixing himself, as if he was to live here for ever.

1759.  Robertson, Hist. Scot., I. II. 145. Not satisfied with their first claim of toleration for their religion, they now openly aimed at establishing the protestant doctrine on the ruins of popery. For this reason they determined to fix their residence at Edinburgh.

1803.  Southey, in Robberds, Mem. W. Taylor, I. 475. We are fixed here for some time,—indeed, I trust, till we fix decidedly; you will be our guest in the summer?

1844.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. V. I. 282. I am happy to see them all comfortably fixed.

1861.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 39–40. Long before the existence of the Hanse, long before they fixed their factories in Lisbon, Bergen, and Novogorod, a corporation of German merchants was established with privileges on the Thames.

  9.  intr. for refl. To settle, take up a position; esp. to settle permanently, take up one’s abode.

1638.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 102. Bidding farewell to the world and all other society and imployments, he … fixes at Zirmol where hee anchorites.

1710.  Steele, Tatler, No. 263, 14 Dec., ¶ 4. In my own Memory the Dinner has crept by Degrees from Twelve o’clock to Three, and where it will fix no Body knows.

1737.  Whiston, Josephus’ Antiq., XVIII. vi. § 5. For that all governors are naturally disposed to get as much as they can: and that those who are not to fix there, but to stay a short time, and that at an uncertainty when they shall be turned out, do the more severely hurry themselves on to fleece the people.

1760.  Goldsm., Cit. W., xxx. ¶ 7. Wherever luxury once fixes, no art can either lessen or remove it.

1796.  Jane Austen, Pride & Prej. (1885), I. vi. 21. I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself, for I am fond of superior society.

1801.  Southey, Thalaba, VI. xiii.

1862.  T. L. Peacock, Wks. (1875), III. 300. Messer Piero. Well, let us fix here.

  10.  To take up one’s position mentally. ? Obs.

1623.  Massinger, Dk. Milan, II. i.

1646.  H. Lawrence, Of Our Communion and Warre with Angels, 170. Your hope fixeth upon seeing him in heaven.

1655.  Nicholas Papers (Camden), II. 332. Mais Dieu sur tout; and there I fix and pray.

1757.  Chesterf., Lett., IV. cccxxi. 94. I am lost in astonishment and conjectures, and do not know where to fix.

  b.  To fix on or upon: to settle one’s choice on or upon; to decide upon, choose, select.

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., lxxvi. 311. I was nominated unto him, as the fittest he could fix upon, in regard of the knowledge I had, both of the Country, and of the then King thereof.

1711.  Pope, Vertumnus, 79.

1823.  H. J. Brooke, Introd. Crystallogr., 229. Our choice would probably fix on that which was most predominant among the secondary forms.

1855.  Costello, Stor. Screen, 74. The night which Laloubière fixed upon for the carrying out of his plot was that agreed upon for the flight of Madeleine and her lover.

  c.  To decide, determine to (do something); also const. for with gerund, or with subord. sentence.

1788.  Trifler, 206.

1794.  Miss Gunning, Packet, IV. 35. They fixed for going to the parsonage early the next morning.

1813.  Southey, Nelson, I. 132. As Nelson had been so much in the habit of soldiering, it was immediately fixed that the brigadier should go.

1834.  Keble, in Card. Newman’s Lett. (1891), II. 23. In consequence of Palmer’s wishing it so much, I have fixed to go to London next week.

1866.  Times, 29 Dec., 10/3. The lady had entirely fixed to lead a life of celibacy.

  11.  To appoint or assign the precise position of; to refer (something) to a definite place, time, etc.; † to appoint or attribute exclusively to (some particular person, thing, etc.).

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., I. v. § 1. [The ancients had various estimates of the length of the year;] what certainty can we possibly have which of them to fix their accounts to.

1692.  Locke, Educ., § 15. When Custom has fixed his Eating to certain stated Periods, his Stomach will expect Victuals at the usual Hour, and grow peevish if he passes it; either fretting itself into a troublesome Excess, or flagging into a downright Want of Appetite.

1737.  Johnson, in Boswell (1791), I. 52.

1776.  T. Jefferson, Let., Writ. 1893, II. 88. The commissions now sent do not fix the officers to any particular battalion so that the commanding officer will dispose of them.

1790.  Paley, Horæ Paul., ii. 11. We have these circumstances—each by some hint in the passage in which it is mentioned, or by the date of the writing in which the passage occurs—fixed to a particular time.

1874.  Newman, Tracts Theol. & Eccl., 340. Easter Day depends upon, is later than, the full moon is not fixed to any certain day in either month.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 271, Theaetetus, Introduction. Wherever we fix a limit, space is springing up beyond.

  b.  To allocate, determine the incidence of (a responsibility, liability, etc.). Also, To fix (a person) with costs, liability, etc.: to impose upon him the obligation of meeting or paying them.

1833.  Ld. Brougham, in Mylne & Keen, Rep., II. 248. No degree of mistake or apprehension would entitle the Court to fix a next friend with costs.

1850.  Florist, June, 159. Take care to fix your judges with the full responsibility of their decisions.

1884.  Sir J. Bacon, in Law Times’ Rep., LII. 568/2. The liability with which the plaintiffs seek to fix them.

1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., III. lxxxvi. 151. The American plan of dividing powers, eminent as are its other advantages, makes it hard to fix responsibility.

  12.  To settle definitely; to appoint or assign with precision; to specify or determine. Const. at, for, to.

1660.  R. Coke, Power & Subj., 134. A Law is the declared will of him who by right commands, permits, or forbids a thing, together with a penalty annext for not observance, after some reasonable time fixt whereby the obliged may take notice of such declaration.

1694.  Molesworth, Acc. Denmark, 223. The prices of all these Drugs are fixed.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time II. 303. What definition or standard should be made for fixing the sense of so general a term.

1719.  The Free-Thinker, No. 120, 15 May, ¶ 6. As for the ordinary Meetings of the Senate, they were fixed to the Day of the Calends and the Day of the Ides, in every Month; and consequently did not require to be notify’d.

1739.  Chesterf., Wks. (1892), V. 500. Chronology … fixes the dates of facts; that is, it informs us when such and such things were done.

1769.  Goldsm., Rom. Hist. (1786), I. 319. He afterwards fixed the price of corn to a moderate standard.

1772.  Franklin, Wks. (1887), IV. 431. The town now begins to fill with members of Parliament, and great officers of state coming in daily to celebrate the Queen’s birthday, and be present at the opening of the session, which is fixed for next Tuesday.

1821.  Southey, Life (1849), I. 42. This recollection, however, by the help of that useful book, the Biographia Dramatica, fixes the date to 1778, when I was four years old.

1825.  Scott, Fam. Lett., 13 May (1894), II. xxi. 265. Mr. Chantrey the celebrated scupltor has been down here fixing the place for the King’s statue.

1869.  E. A. Parkes, A Manual of Practical Hygiene (ed. 3), 5. The War Office authorities have fixed the daily supply for cavalry horses at 8 gallons, and for artillery horses at 10 gallons per horse.

1876.  Gladstone, Homeric Synchr., 9. An endeavour to fix the place of Homer in History.

  absol.  1748.  in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1886), II. 167. To paint an Altar Piece in such scripture-historical manner as the said Committee shall fix.

  13.  To settle or determine the form of, give a permanent form to (language or literature).

1712.  Swift, A Proposal for Correcting … the English Tongue, 31. That some Method should be thought on for ascertaining and fixing our Language for ever, after such Alterations are made in it as shall be thought requisite.

1752.  Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 223. A few eminent and refined geniuses will communicate their taste and knowledge to a whole people, and produce the greatest improvements; but they fix the tongue by their writings, and prevent, in some degree, its farther changes.

1837.  Hallam, Hist. Lit., I. iii. I. § 57. 241. Before the use of printing fixed the text of a whole edition—one of the most important of its consequences—the critical amendments of these scholars could only be made useful through their oral lectures.

1874.  Maurice, Friendship Bks., xxx. 75. The worth of it [Wycliffe’s Translation of the Bible] lies in its English; it has fixed the language, it has become a ground of the literature.

  14.  a. To adjust, make ready for use (arms, instruments, etc.); to arrange in proper order. † To fix a shell: to fit it with a fuse. Also with up.

1663.  Pepys, Diary, 12 July. I found him ashore, but the ship in pretty good order, and the arms well fixed, charged, and primed.

1666.  Earl Orrery, State Papers (1743), I. 241. We have in every garrison one gunsmith, who is our friend, who buys old arms for us, and fixes them up privately.

1697.  Dampier, Voy., I. iii. 45. We went back with her to Rio Grande, to fix our Rigging, which was shattered in the Fight, and to consider what to do with her.

1701.  Farquhar, Sir H. Wildair, II. i. Are all things set in order? the toilet fixed, the bottles and combs put in form?

1769.  Falconer, Dict. Marine (1776), D d. No shells, fixed during the service, are to be kitted.

1779.  Forrest, Voy. N. Guinea, 287. I thought it a good opportunity to fix my german flute, and play a tune, having asked Rajah Moodo’s permission.

1797.  Washington, Let., Writ. 1892, XIII. 417. To have the press fixed for copying.

  b.  In wider sense (chiefly U.S. colloq.): To arrange, get ready, put in order; to put to rights, make tidy, ‘rig up.’ Also with up. To fix out, ‘to set out, display, adorn, supply, fit out’ (Cent. Dict.).

[1769.  Bickerstaff, Dr. Last, II. vii. We’d fix things directly; I’ll settle whatever you please upon her.]

1832.  Macaulay, Life & Lett. (1883), I. 272. As soon as I was fixed in my best and had breakfasted, I paid a round of calls to all my friends who had the cholera.

1839.  Marryat, Diary Amer., Ser. I. II. 228. ‘Shall I fix your coat or your breakfast first?’ That is—‘Shall I brush your coat, or get ready your breakfast first?’

1842.  Dickens, Amer. Notes (1850), 101/2. You are advised to have recourse to Doctor so and so, who will ‘fix you’ in no time.

1860.  O. W. Holmes, Elsie V. (1887), 77. Come here, girls, and fix yourselves in the glass, and scent your pocket-handkerchers.

1882.  Mrs. A. Edwards, Ballroom Repent., I. 4. It’s the state of her gastric organs that’s her trouble, and none of the physicians in Europe can fix her up.

1884.  Miss Wilkins, An Honest Soul, in Harper’s Mag., LXIX. July, 304/1. I ain’t sick, only kinder all gone with the warm weather. I reckon I’ll hev to fix me up some thoroughwort tea. Thoroughwort’s a great strengthener.

1891.  B. Harte, A First Family of Tasajara, I. ii. 48. While you’re dryin’ your clothes, mother’ll fix you suthin’ hot.

  c.  U.S. To fix it: to arrange matters. Any way you can fix it: whatever you do, contrive as you may. To fix (another’s) flint: to settle or ‘do for’ him.

1840.  Haliburton (‘Sam Slick’), Clockm., Ser. III. xii. Their manners are rude, overbearin’, and tyrannical. They want their flints fixed for ’em as we did last war. Ibid. (1843), Sam Slick in England, I. ii. A wet day is considerable tiresome, any where or any way you can fix it; but it’s wus at an English country house than any where else, cause you are among strangers, formal, cold, gallus polite, and as thick in the head-piece as a puncheon.

1859.  O. W. Holmes, Prof. Breakf.-t., i. (1891), 15. If you can’t fix it so as to be born here [Boston], you can come and live here.

  d.  U.S. ‘To make favorable to one’s purposes’ (Bartlett), to ‘square.’

1886.  Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 15 July. An organized attempt is being made to fix the jury. Ibid., 24 Aug., 4/3. Fixing Legislatures.

  15.  (See quot.)

1881.  Raymond, Mining Gloss., Fix. To fettle or line with a fix or fettling, consisting of ores, scrap and cinder, or other suitable substances, the hearth of a puddling furnace.