[ad. L. frequentāre, f. frequent-em FREQUENT. Cf. F. fréquenter (recorded from 12th c.).]
1. trans. To visit or make use of (a place) often; to resort to habitually; to attend (a meeting, etc.).
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 347. The nauigation to India by the Ocean was then wel knowen and frequented, althowgh not so much as at this present, the same beinge neyther then or nowe a thynge of great difficultie or trauayle by the coastes of hotte regions.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm., xv. 266. Many such there be, which haue gladly heard the gospel, haue frequented sermons with appearance of great deuotion, and could freshly talk of the holy scriptures of God.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 769. This house is fiftie or threescore yards long, frequented onely by Priests.
1694. Gibson, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 227. He constantly frequented the Presbyterian meetings.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 148, 20 Aug., ¶ 4. A Coffee-house which I myself frequent.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 193. Some of those ways through the hills were much frequented.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 11. Proper Ideas or Materials are only to be got by frequenting good Company.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1888), III. 248. He [Du Guernier] was reckoned to improve much here by drawing in the academy, which was then frequented, though established only by private contributions among the artists.
1834. L. Hunt, Town, iv. (1848), I. 191. The Church of St. Clement Danes, which unworthily occupies the open part of the Strand, to the west of Essex Street, was the one most frequented by Dr. Johnson.
1860. Merc. Marine Mag., VII. 213. Whales of the species called ‘California Greys,’ frequent this as well as several other bays and lagoons on the coast.
2. To visit or associate with (a person); to be frequently with (a person) or in (his company). Now somewhat rare.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 123. Frequente and haunte the companyes of wysemen and not of the riche.
1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 293. If you frequent the companie of Crates, a man indued with rare wisdome.
1580. Sidney, Ps. xxvi. iii.
| I did not them frequent, | |
| Who be to vainesse bent, | |
| Nor kept with base dissemblers company. |
1616. in J. Brown, Bunyan, i. (1887), 4. He doth frequent and keep company with Margarett Bennett, who standeth excommunicate.
1683. Penn, Wks. (1782), IV. 307. Nor do their husbands frequent them [native women], till that time [their month] be expired.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), II. 192. His lordship had one friend, that used to frequent him much, and was greatly countenanced by him.
1889. Lowell, Latest Lit. Ess. (1892), 145. It is for other and greater virtues that I would frequent the Greeks.
† b. Of a disease: To attack often. Obs. rare–1.
1632. trans. Bruel’s Praxis Med., 59. This disease [Falling-sicknes] for the most part doth frequent children, because they are of a moyster braine then yong men.
† 3. To use habitually or repeatedly; to practise.
1485. Caxton, Charles the Grete, 29. Charles … by ardaunt desyre frequented the bookes composed vpon the crysten fayth for to be protectour and defendour of the chyrche.
1541. Bible (Cranmer), title-p. The Byble in Englyshe … to be frequented and used in everye Churche within this his sayd realme.
1546. Langley, Pol. Verg. De Invent., I. xi. 226. The Great Prophet Dauid, whiche songe the Misteries of God in Meter frequented Singing.
1576. A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, Epit. A. Vertue and commendable behaviour, was of them both so frequented and followed.
1614. W. B., Philosopher’s Banquet (ed. 2), 105. They seldom eate Bread, yet the oyle of Oliues they knewe, yet frequented it sparingly.
1642. W. Bird, Mag. Hon., 55. And after that [the Norman Conquest] the word Baron seemeth to be frequented in this Realm in lieu and place of the word Thane among the English Saxons.
1665–7. Dryden, Ess. Dram. Poesy (1668), 43. Corneille’s Andromede; a Play which has been frequented the most of any he has writ.
† b. To celebrate (a sacrament, etc.); to honor with observances. Cf. F. fréquenter. Obs.
a. 1555, 1669. [see the vbl. sb.].
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding (1611), 375. He gaue the Image of his Passion to be frequented [celebrandam] in the Church.
1579. Fulke, Refut. Rastel, 723–4. The Christians did solemnelye frequent the memories of the martyrs, both to stirre vp themselues to a following of them, and also to be made companions of their merites, and to be helped by their prayers.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 343 b. God did institute in his Church two Sacramentes…. If we do not frequent these in that sincerity of Religion, as we ought to doe: Let vs be condemned.
† c. refl. To busy oneself about something. Obs.
a. 1562. G. Cavendish, Wolsey (1893), 216. He dayly frequentyng hymeself abought suche busynes and deeds of honest charitie.
† 4. To familiarize with Obs. [Cf. FREQUENT a. 6 b.]
1588. Exhort. to H. M. faithful Subjects, in Harl. Misc., II. 93. Ye encounter with them that are rich, hardy, resolute, and frequented with daily victories, which neglect no opportunity nor advantage.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., V. 219. These wretched Armenians, committed with these Infidelish harlots a twofold kind of voluptuous adhomination, which my conscience commands me to conceale: least I frequent this Northern World, with that which their nature never knew.
† 5. intr. To resort to or unto (a person or place); to associate with (a person); to be often in or about (a place). Obs.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619), 96. An infinite multitude not only of hereticks, but also of the true Faith, frequented vnto Paulus.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 467. I frequented more often to Camilla.
1599. Sir R. Wrothe, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. III. 180–1. There are sertaine lewde fellowes, sumtimes horsemen, sumtimes footemen, disguising themselves with beardes that they cary about them in their pockets, which doe frequente and use aboute Layton heath.
1651. trans. Life Father Sarpi (1676), 67. The House of the Servi, where he frequented much with Fra. Antonio da Viterbo, who served as a Writer, and was very familiar with the Father.
1660. trans. Amyraldus’ Treat. conc. Relig., I. vii. 123. Will she frequent in Towns, or will she resort to unhabited places?
1725. Pope, Odyss., V. 127.
| A world of waters! far from all the ways | |
| Where men frequent, or sacred altars blaze. |
1810. Scott, Lady of L., I. xxv.
| Nor track nor pathway might declare | |
| That human foot frequented there. |
† 6. trans. a. To crowd or pack closely together. b. To crowd, fill (a place). c. To supply abundantly. Obs.
1578. [see FREQUENTED ppl. a.].
1596. Drayton, Legends, II. 253.
| Daine (Deare) to looke vpon these brimfull Eyes, | |
| With Tydes of Teares continually frequented. |
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 1091.
| With tears | |
| Watering the ground, and with our sighs the Air | |
| Frequenting. |
1682. R. Burton, Admir. Cur. (1684), 82. Winchester is a City which flourished in the time of the Romans, and now indifferently peopled, and frequented by water.
Hence Frequenting vbl. sb.
a. 1555. Ridley, in Confer. betw. Ridley & Latymer (1556), 16 b. The commandment and institution of our sauior Christe, for the ofte frequenting of the remembrance of his deathe.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 138 b. As touchyng Luthers frequentyng of Hyperbolicall speaches.
1669. Woodhead, St. Teresa, I. xix. (1671), 119. Here comes in the frequenting of the Sacraments.
1698. J. Fryer, A New Account of East-India and Persia, 376. Nor wants he his Lime twigs for such sort of Birds, by whose frequentings he arrives to the top of his hopes.
1870. Lubbock, The Origin of Civilisation, v. 163. In some cases departed relatives are regarded as reappearing in the form of snakes, which may be known from ordinary snakes by certain signs, such as their frequenting huts, not eating mice, and showing no fear of man.
