[a. Fr. appellation (13th c.), ad. L. appellātiōn-em, n. of action f. appellāre: see APPEAL v. and -TION.]
I. Appealing, appeal. [from Fr. apeler.] Obs.
† 1. The action of appealing to a higher court or authority against the decision of an inferior one; the appeal so made; = APPEAL sb. 3. Obs.
1494. Fabyan, VII. 479. In iugement vpon the appellacions before made by the erle of Armenak … agayne prynce Edwarde.
1538. Starkey, England, 125. Another grete mysordur, in appellatyon of such as be callyd spiritual causys.
1547. Homilies, I. ix. (1859), 92. The condemnation both of body and soul, without either appellation or hope of redemption.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 65. In Ecclesiasticall causes appellation is admitted within fourtie dayes.
1669. Honyman, Surv. Naphtali, II. 105. Pauls appellation to Cæsar, Acts 25. 11.
1679. Filmer, Freeholder, 66. There might be Appellation made to the Kings Person.
† b. Ground of appeal, title, claim. Obs. rare.
1630. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (Arb.), 26. He could not find out any appellation to assume the Crown in his own Person.
† 2. gen. The action or process of appealing or calling on; entreaty, or earnest address. Obs.
1587. M. Grove, Pelops & Hipp. (1878), 18. No god there was but him they had in appellation.
1589. Hay any Work, 43. His appellation to the obedient cleargie.
1671. True Non-Conf., 399. Master Knox his reasoning … in his appellation and admonition to the commonalty.
II. Calling, designation. [from later Fr. appeler, or L. appellāre.]
3. The action of calling by a name; nomenclature.
1581. Campion, in Confer., III. (1584), U iiij. Euery piece of bread is called bread … because it was bread by appellation.
1630. Prynne, Anti-Armin., 126. If it be grace in truth, as well as in appellation.
1742. Hume, Ess. (1817), I. 36. The government, which in common appellation receives the appellation of free.
1875. Whitney, Life of Lang., ii. 27. They must be carefully distinguished in appellation.
4. A designation, name or title given: a. to a particular person or thing.
1447. Bokenham, Lyvys of Seyntys, 44. Anne is as myche to seyn as grace And worthyly thys appellacyoun To hyr pertenyth.
1610. Histrio-m., I. 136. Seri. Your appellations? Post. Your names he meanes. The man’s learn’d.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. i. 15. Stenny, an appellation he allways used of and towards the Duke.
1774. Priestley, Observ. Air, 178. By the common appellation of phlogisticated air.
1833–48. H. Coleridge, North. Worth. (1852), I. 69. Which entitles him to the appellation of a prose Juvenal.
b. to a class: A descriptive or connotative name.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 665. Manes the Hereticke, whereof the Maniches haue their appellation.
1651. Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., vii. § 3. 112. If he … Rule well … they afford him the appellation of a King; if not, they count him a Tyrant.
1709. Swift, T. Tub, iii. 50. These men seem … to have understood the appellation of critic in a liberal sense.
1841. Borrow, Zincali, I. vi. § 1. 102. If not sorcerers, they have always done their best to merit that appellation.
