v. [ad. late L. apostatīzā-re for earlier apostatāre, f. apostata: see -IZE.]
1. To abandon or renounce one’s religious faith or moral allegiance; to become an apostate.
1611. Cotgr., Apostasier, to play th’ Apostata, to Apostatize it.
1634–46. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 373. Who will not perjure themselves by apostatizing with perjured prelatts.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, II. xi. (ed. 4), 162. A very great part of the angels apostatised.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 14. If ever he [Kirke] did apostatize, he was bound by a solemn promise … to turn Mussulman.
b. Const. from the original faith, to the new.
1552. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 313. Many princes and supreme pontiffs … have been found to apostatise from the faith.
1676. I. Mather, Philip’s War (1862), 108. A wretched English man that apostatized to the Heathen.
1839. De Quincey, in Blackw. Mag., XLVI. 817/2. All China apostatized to the new faith.
2. gen. To abandon a principle, desert a party.
1648. Cromwell, Lett., liii. (Carl.). He apostatised from your cause and quarrel.
1722. Wollaston, Relig. Nat., ix. 177. To cast off reason … apostatize from humanity, and recoil into the bestial life.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, xi. (1872), 89. Some of the courtiers were apostatising.
† 3. Med. To become resolved into a purulent discharge. (Cf. medical Gr. ἀπόστασις suppurative inflammation.) Obs. rare.
1651. Biggs, New Dispens., ¶ 236. Whatsoever has once apostatized into … corruption in the body.
