also 3 bihaldung, biholdung, 4 by-, behaldyng. [f. BEHOLD v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of looking at; contemplation, sight.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 14. Wið luueliche lates, wið steape bihaldunge eiðer on oðer.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Chron. xxv. 21. Thei ȝeuen to hem silf beholdingis either to other.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, D v. The fourthe foly of Eue was the foolyssh beholdynge.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. vii. 10. The reuenges … are not fit for your beholding.
1702. Rowe, Tamerl., I. i. 321. My Eyes first own’d thee … the Joy of their Beholding.
† 2. Mental contemplation; consideration. Obs.
a. 1520. Myrr. Our Ladye, 310. The beholdynge of the causes.
1540. Coverdale, Pref. Fruitful Less., Wks. 1844, I. 206. Sweet contemplation and beholding of God’s almightiness.
† 3. Regard, reference. Obs.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. iii. 17. Thouȝ no biholding therto were maad into Holi Scripture.
4. The thing beheld: † a. An image, a specter. Obs. b. A vision. arch.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 240. She shalle loke in the glas, & hir owne beholdyng shalle bowe & passe to hir ayene.
1824. Coleridge, Aids Refl. (1848), I. 322. Shadows and imperfect beholdings and vivid fragments of things distinctly seen.
1826. E. Irving, Babylon, I. III. 161. Twice … doth the Prophet mention this part of his beholding.
¶ The sense ‘Obligation,’ the only one recognized by Dr. Johnson, assigned by him on the strength of a quotation from Carew, is a mere blunder, mechanically perpetuated by subsequent dictionaries: Carew’s word is beholdingnes, q.v.
