a. and adv. arch. Also 4–6 appert, and aphet. PERT. [a. OFr. apert:—L. apert-um open, pa. pple. of aperī-re to open: see APERIENT. In OFr. the word was to some extent confused with aspert = espert:—L. expertus, ‘expert,’ which seems to have affected some of the senses.]
A. adj.
1. Open, manifest, public, plain, unconcealed. (Opposed to privy.) arch. since c. 1700.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 29. Gaf Saynt Cutbert Londes & liþes, with chartir aperte.
1395. Purvey, Remonstr. (1851), 8. Glotonie, lecherie, and othere synnis prevy or apert.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6153. Religiouse folk ben fulle covert; Seculer folk ben more appert.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, D ij b. Appert or knowen myracles.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXIV. xxv. In vaine he had attempted to be king by apert and open force [palam atque aperte].
1681. Glanvill, Saducismus, I. 109. The apert confession of the Nullibists.
1849. S. Maitland, Ess., 392. Gardiner got many ‘nips,’ both ‘privy’ and apert, for his share in the book.
1879. Ward, Chaucer, i. 41. Our national life in this period … in its ‘apert,’ if not in its ‘privy’ sides … lacks the seriousness belonging to men and to generations.
† b. ‘Open’ in sound. Obs.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., III. xi. 363 (R.). Vowels, in pronouncing of which by the Instruments of Speech, the breath is freely emitted; and they are therefore stiled Apert or open Letters.
† 2. Manifest to the understanding, plain, evident.
1340. Ayenb., 203. Yef þe wordes byeþ uoule … þet is apert tokne þet þe uoulhede … byeþ ine þe herte.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, 238. Which had bene the directer speech and more apert.
1674. Hickman, Hist. Quinquart., 7. There are in Zuinglius … most apert sentences from which it is gathered that God is the Author of sin.
† 3. Straightforward, direct; brisk, bold. (With batayle aperte cf. ‘open battle.’) Obs.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 2450. Ther ros batayle aperte; Ten hundrid weoren to dethe y-dight.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 73. Thai … full manfully Grete and apert defens can ma.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xxxiii. 113. Wyth þe Wachis sturdily Made ane apert and stout mellé.
† 4. Distinguished, clever, ready, expert. Obs.
a. 1330. Sire Degarre, 95. Ther nas non in al the Kynges londe, More apert man than was he.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 276/2. Sharp in assoyllyng questyons, ryght appert in confundyng heretykes.
† 5. Outspoken, forward in manner, bold, insolent. (Survives in the aphetized PERT.) Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 289. Modred a fole aperte was slayn [for] licherie.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 541. Wiþ proude wordes apert þat passeth his rule.
a. 1400. Sir Perc., 681. Come I to the, appert fole, I salle caste the in the pole.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, B ij. She was aperte, for she praid me two or thre tymes that I shold not leue.
1688. Vox Cleri pro Rege, 3. Another stroak of his Rhetorick … to the same purpose, but only with a more apert and forward explanation.
† 6. In apert (OFr. en apert): openly, in public Into apert: to public view. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIX. 217. Mony a knycht and ek lady Mak in apert richt euill cher.
1382. Wyclif, Mark iv. 22. Nether ony thing is preuy, the whiche shal not come in to apert [1388 opyn].
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 182. Alle tho, that hadden be Or in appert or in prive Of counseil to the mariage.
1496. Dives & Paup. (W. de W.), I. lxii. 105/1. Two maner of dedes . oone pryuely and an other in aperte or openly.
† B. adv. Openly, manifestly, plainly, publicly.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6355. Þis meracle sagh þai all aperte.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 78. Oueral goþ symonie priualy or apert.
c. 1450. Myrc, 1448. Tell hyt owte now a-pert.
1556. Abp. Parker, Ps. cxix. 131. Rayse up my mouth I did apert.
