Also 5 avmentacion, 5–6 augmentacyon, -cion, etc. [a. OF. aument-, augmentacion (mod. -tion), ad. late L. augmentātiōn-em, n. of action f. augmentāre: see AUGMENT v. and -ATION.]
1. The action or process of augmenting, making greater, or adding to; extension, enlargement.
1463. Bury Wills (1850), 29. To haue the seyd iii s. iiij d. to the avmentacion of his lifloode.
1586. Thynne, in Animadv., Introd. 73. Both the historie of England & Scotland were half printed before I set pen to paper to enter into the augmentation … of them.
1656. trans. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos. (1839), 165. The composition therefore of proportions is not in this case the augmentation of them.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxv. (1856), 313. Refraction, with its preternatural augmentation of the visual hemisphere, revisited us.
† 2. The action or process of raising in estimation or dignity; exaltation, honoring. Obs.
1494. Fabyan, V. cxxiii. 100. And to the augmentacion of theyse wordis [he] shortly after restored to hym all such cyties.
1558. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. iv. 5. Every augmentation … of such men in authority … is an encouragement of those of their sect.
1611. Bible, 2 Macc. v. 16. Dedicated by other kings, to the augmentation and glory and honour of the place.
3. The process of becoming greater; growth, increase.
c. 1486[?]. Bk. St. Albans, Her., in Dallaway, Sc. Her., App. 110. The first son … is in hoope of augmentacion and encressyng of his patrimony.
1656. Ridgley, Pract. Physic, 10. Old men are lesse nourished; also generation and augmentation ceaseth.
1825. McCulloch, Pol. Econ. III. § 7. 334. The … excessive augmentation of their numbers.
4. Augmented state or condition; increased size, amount, degree, etc.; increase.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helth (1541), 46. Therof commeth augmentation of heat.
1630. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (Arb.), 49. Some generall Learning, which by diligence he enforced to a great augmentation.
1794. Godwin, Cal. Williams, 50. The vices of Mr. Tyrrel in their present state of augmentation.
1825. T. Jefferson, Autobiog., Wks. 1859, I. 71. The result was an augmentation of the revenue.
5. That by which anything is augmented; an addition, increase.
1576. (title) Ane Compendious Buik of godlie Psalmes and spirituall Sangis … with augmentation of sindrie gude and godlie Ballatis, not contenit in the first editioun.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. ii. 85. More lynes then is in the new Mappe, with the augmentation of the Indies.
1872. F. Duncan, Roy. Regt. Artill., xxix. 381. Augmentations to the Regiment in the form of other battalions.
6. Her. An honorable addition to a coat of arms, either quartered with the family arms, or borne upon an escutcheon or canton.
1662. Fuller, Worthies (1840), I. 275. Authorized … to bear three Turks’ heads, as an augmentation to his arms.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xiii. 93. Complicated Augmentations, which assumed the condition of a series of quarterings, were granted by HENRY VIII. to his successive Consorts.
7. Med. ‘The period between the commencement and height of a fever.’ Mayne, Exp. Lex., 1853.
8. Mus. The repetition of a subject (esp. in fugues) in notes double or quadruple those of the original.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 24. Augmentation proceedeth of setting the signe of the more prolation in one part of the songe onely, and not in others.
1674. Playford, Skill Mus., I. vii. 24. A Large, Long, Breve, Semibreve … are Notes of Augmentation.
1869. Ouseley, Counterp., xv. 104. Imitation by augmentation is often introduced into fugues.
9. Sc. Law. Increase of stipend obtained by a Scottish parish minister by an action (Process of A.) in the Court of Teinds, against the titular or beneficiary, and heritors.
1653. Milton, Hirelings, Wks. (1851), 370. As Glebes and Augmentations are now bestow’d.
1816. Scott, Antiq. (1879), II. xxxi. 139. A dreadful proser, particularly on the subject of augmentations, localities, tiends.
1868. Chambers, Encycl., I. 548. By 48 Geo. III. c. 138, it is enacted that no Augmentation shall be granted … till the expiration of 20 years from any Augmentation subsequent to the act.
10. Augmentation Court, Court of Augmentation(s, or ellipt. The Augmentation: a court established by 27 Hen. VIII., for determining suits and controversies in respect of monasteries and abbey-lands; so called because, by the suppression of monasteries, it largely augmented the revenues of the Crown. Dissolved by 1 Mary, sess. 2, cap. 10, and its records kept in the Augmentation Office. Augmentationer, an officer of this court.
1542. Brinklow, Complaynt, x. (1874), 24. Saue me from the court of the Augmentacyon!
1550. Latimer, Serm. bef. Edw. VI., I. 244. I speak to you, my masters, minters, augmentationers.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 977/1. Edward North knight, chancellor of the augmentation.
1884. Athenæum, 4 Oct., 423. The zeal that he showed in saving the records of the Augmentation Office [in 1834].
11. (Army). Promotion by augmentation (sc. of the number of officers): promotion by the issue of an additional commission, instead of by purchase of one previously existing. (Obsolete in use since the abolition of purchase.)
