Appointment

Also in 6 appunctuament; for other forms see APPOINT v. [a. OF. apointement: see APPOINT v. and -MENT. In 15–16th c. often assimilated to med.L. appunctā-, appunctuā-mentum.]

  † 1.  A pointing out, indication. Obs. rare.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. Prol. 12. I har stablit myne entent Now to mak here apoyntment Qwhen þe succession lynealle Endit.

  † 2.  The action of agreeing, or coming to an arrangement; an agreement, pact, contract. Obs.

a. 1440.  Paston Lett., 25, I. 39. Accordyng to poyntment that ye made. Ibid. (1461), 408, II. 35. Without agrement or apoyntement taken.

1526.  Acts James V. (1814), 310 (Jam.). Ratifijs and appreuis the contract and appunctuament made.

1631.  Quarles, Samson, 70, in Farr’s S. P., 128.

1745.  De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., I. xix. 182. The ordinary appointment of people to meet either at place or time.

  † 3.  spec. The act of capitulating, or coming to terms with an opponent; terms of capitulation. Obs.

1494.  Fabyan, VI. clxxxi. 179. Delyuered y^e cytie by appoyntement, that he with the people myght departe thens without bodely harme.

1521.  Arnold, Chron. (1811), Introd. 48. The Kynge … lyed syege to the cyte of Torney, and wan it by poyntment.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, IV. 326. Sic appunctment as the victoure plesis to gif.

1603–5.  Sir J. Melvil, Mem. (1735), 240. They would have taken any reasonable Appointment.

  4.  spec. An agreement or arrangement for a meeting; engagement, assignation. (Cf. quot. 1745 in 2.)

c. 1530.  J. Heywood, Interlude (1846), Introd. 40. I and ij or thre Of my frendes made an appoyntement … That in a place we wolde sup together.

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 67. With mee shee kept not apoinctment.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., III. i. 92. For missing your meetings and appointments.

1745.  De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., I. xix. 181. A promise or appointment for a further day.

1879.  Reade, Drink, I shall break an appointment.

  † 5.  Resolution, purpose. Obs.

1529.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., II. Wks. 1199/2. The proude man himself hath no certain purpose or appointment.

1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., IV. x. 8. Where their appointment we may best discover, And looke on their endeuor.

  6.  The action of ordaining or directing what is to be done; direction, decree, ordinance, dictation.

c. 1440.  Generydes, 2100. These princes hadde vj thowsand knyghteȝ In ther poyntement.

1574.  trans. Marlorat’s Apocalips, 15. All things are done and disposed by his determination and appoyntment.

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 27. By Gods forwarned apoinctement.

1651.  Life Father Sarpi (1676), p. xcvi. Making one of his Writers read to him, or write at his appointment.

1736.  Butler, Anal., I. i. 19. According to a natural order or appointment.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Tale of Tyne, iv. 67. The wind also failed,… a more merciful appointment than if it had blown a great storm.

  7.  Law. The act of declaring the destination of any specific property, in exercise of an authority conferred for that purpose.

1601.  Act 43 Eliz., iv. § 1. Such giftes, limitacions, assignements, and appoyntments.

1768.  Blackstone, Comm., II. 119. An appointment by tenant in tail of the lands entailed, to a charitable use.

1874.  G. Farwell, Powers, 2. The ordinary power of appointment among children in a marriage settlement where personalty is vested in trustees.

1876.  Digby, Real Prop., vii. § 2. 326. Powers of appointment, that is, conferring on a person a power of disposing of an interest in lands quite irrespective of the fact whether or not he has any interest in the land himself.

  8.  The action of nominating to, or placing in, an office; the office so given.

1658–9.  Ld. Lambert, in Burton, Diary, III. 333. By your appointment agree the Government. Then appoint officers.

1863.  Cox, Inst. Eng. Govt., II. iii. 342. The danger of the appointment of incompetent judges is limited by public opinion. Ibid. As these appointments are made by the ministers of the Crown, they are like other ministerial appointments.

1868.  Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, 36. A poor baronet, hoping for an appointment.

1874.  Davidson, Concise Preced., 477. Appointment of new trustees of a will.

1878.  Lecky, Eng. in 18th C., I. iii. 426. His appointment to the lucrative office of Joint Vice-Treasurer of Ireland.

  9.  Equipment, equipage, outfit, accoutrement, furniture, or any article thereof. Now usually pl.

1575.  Laneham, Lett. (1871), 48. Hiz honorz exquisit appointment of a beautifull garden.

1593.  Shaks., Rich. II., III. iii. 53. That from this Castles tatter’d Battlements Our faire Appointments may be well perus’d.

1658.  Evelyn, Corr., 8 Nov. To allow him [his son] an appointment so noble and considerable as does become his greatness.

1759–67.  Sterne, Tr. Shandy (1802), III. xxii. 335. I have not one appointment belonging to me which I set so much store by, as I do by these jack-boots.

1864.  Boutell, Heraldry, xxiv. 402. Royal blazonry upon the appointments as well of his horse as of his own person.

  † 10.  An allowance paid to any one, especially to a public officer. Obs.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time, an. 1674 (R.). He had the appointments of an ambassador.

1727–51.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Appointments differ from wages, in that the latter are fixed and ordinary … whereas appointments are annual gratifications granted by brevet for a time uncertain, and are paid out of the privy purse.

1753.  Hanway, Trav. (1762), II. I. ix. 51. The appointment of the stadt-holdership … is one hundred thousand guilders.

1761.  Smollett, Gil Blas, I. xvii. (1802), I. 109. His parents will turn thee away … perhaps even without paying thee thy appointments.