Surrender v.

Also 5 sorendre, 6 surrendre, Sc. surrander. [a. AF. surrender = OF. surrendre (13th c.), f. sur- SUR- + rendre to RENDER. The Anglo-L. equivalents were superreddere (c. 1400) and sursum reddere (13th c.).

  In the retention of the inflexion of the AF. inf. this word follows RENDER v.; cf. TENDER v.¹]

  1.  Law. a. trans. To give up (an estate) to one who has it in reversion or remainder; spec. to give up (a copyhold estate) to the lord of the manor, either by way of relinquishing it or of conveying it to another.

1466.  Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 348. Thomas Edmunde of Douercorte sorendryd into Iohn Sparre … alle the londe … that he hathe.

1544.  trans. Littleton’s Tenures, I. ix. 16 b. Yf he wyll alyen hys lande to another, him behoueth after some custome to surrendre the tenementes in some court &c into the lordes handes.

1606.  Munim. de Melros (Bann.), 658. To … surrander vpgeil and ouergeif All and haill þe maner place of Melrosse…. In the handis of oure said souerane lord.

1766.  Blackstone, Comm., II. 144. If I grant a lease to A for the term of three years, and after the expiration of the said term to B for six years, and A surrenders or forfeits his lease at the end of one year, B’s interest shall immediately take effect.

1800.  Addison’s Rep., 12. The award was … that a lease should be surrendered.

1875.  Digby, Real Prop. (1876), 378. He may at common law surrender his estate to the remainderman or reversioner by simple deed.

  absol.  1628.  Coke, On Litt., I. 59. Euerie Copiholder may surrender in Court and need not alleadge any custome therefore.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 54. If a person devises a copyhold for the benefit of persons of this kind, without surrendering to the use of his will.

1845.  Stephen, Comm. Laws Eng. (1874), I. 524. The under-lessees (by refusing to surrender, in their turn, not withstanding they had covenanted to do so).

  b.  To give up (letters patent, tithes) into the hands of the sovereign. (Cf. SURRENDER sb. 1 b.)

1473.  Rolls of Parlt., VI. 82/1. He to surrender uppe unto us his seid Letters Patentes.

1628.  Sc. Acts Chas. I. (1870), V. 189/2. That all superiorities of Erections should be freely resigned and surrendered in his Majesties hands without any composition.

1662.  Hughes, Abridgm. Law, III. 1906/1. It was found … That G. did Surrender and Restore the said Letters Patents, in Chancery, to be cancelled.

  c.  refl. or intr. of a bankrupt: To appear in the bankruptcy court for examination.

1707.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4318/4. He being declared a Bankrupt, is required to surrender himself.

1766.  Blackstone, Comm., II. 481. At the third meeting, at farthest,… the bankrupt … must surrender himself personally to the commissioners.

1825.  Act 6 Geo. IV., c. 16 § 117. The Bankrupt shall be free from Arrest or Imprisonment by any Creditor in coming to surrender.

1845.  Polson, in Encycl. Metrop., II. 835/1. If he fails … to surrender himself, and submit to be examined before the court, or upon examination does not discover all his … estate.

  d.  trans. Of a bail: To produce (the principal) in court at the appointed time. Also intr. or refl. of the principal, usually in phr. to surrender to one’s bail.

1747.  Viner, Abridgm. Law & Equity, III. 499. An Action of Debt was brought on the Recognizance against the Bail,… and the Principal was surrender’d. Ibid. On a Suggestion that the Defendant had surrender’d himself in Discharge of his Bail.

1835.  Penny Cycl., III. 288/1. Unless they, the bail, pay the costs and money recovered for him, or surrender him to custody.

1848.  Act 11 & 12 Vict., c. 42 § 23. Such Justice of the Peace may … admit such Person to Bail … and … shall take the Recognizance of the said accused Person and his Surety … that he will then surrender and take his Trial.

1883.  Law Times, 29 Sept., 363/1. Magistrates should in all cases grant bail unless they have good reason to suppose that the prisoner will not surrender.

  2.  To give up (something) out of one’s own possession or power into that of another who has or asserts a claim to it; to yield on demand or compulsion; esp. (Mil.) to give up the possession of (a fortress, town, territory, etc.) to an enemy or assailant. Also fig. Const. to.

  Formerly also with up (now rare or obs.).

1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., XLII. (Percy Soc.), 207. The body … wyll not remember Howe erth to erth must his strength surrender.

1561.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, II. (1577), L iij b. What offices has thou to surrender into my handes? quoth the Pope.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. xix. 23 b. If they … did surrender the place he would exempt out of them two hundreth.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 45. Till he surrendred Realme and life to fate.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. iv. 81. One … More worthy this place then my selfe, to whom … I would surrender it.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvii. 160. Though he have surrendred his Power to the Civill Law.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 26 May 1684. Luxembergh was surrendered to the French.

1782.  Cowper, Friendship, 117. Plebeians must surrender And yield so much to noble folk. Ibid. (1784), Task, VI. 102. Some to the fascination of a name Surrender judgment.

1832.  Brewster, Nat. Magic, xii. 299. The diamond and the gems have surrendered to science their adamantine strength.

1850.  Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. iii. (1872), 41. There are others, who … would surrender the conscience of each man to the conscience of the Church.

1874.  A. B. Davidson, Introd. Hebr. Gram., 29. In words with the Art[icle] the weak he usually surrenders its vowel to the prep[osition] and disappears.

  with up.  1590.  Marlowe, Faustus, iii. Say, he surrenders vp to him his soule.

1592.  Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. xii. 76. Ile make a pick-axe of my poniard, And heere surrender vp my Marshalship.

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 394. They surrendred up this Manour unto King Henry the Eight.

1673.  Ray, Journ. Low C., 3. Ostend was surrendred up to Arch-Duke Albert.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1823), II. 310. To surrender up some of those great jurisdictions over the Highlands that were in his family.

a. 1774.  Harte, Vision Death, 256.

  b.  More widely: To give up, resign, abandon, relinquish possession of, esp. in favor of or for the sake of another.

1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., xx. (Percy Soc.), 96. Ryght so let wysdome your sorowe surrendre.

1565.  Harding, Confutation, IV. vii. 187 b. His sonne tooke vpon him forthwith the administration of the Empire,… would not surrender the state which he liked well.

1594.  Kyd, Cornelia, V. 463. Afterward … I will surrender my surcharged life.

1779.  Mirror, No. 35. He must surrender his own character, and assume the hue of every company he enters.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Fr. Wines & Pol., iv. 62. Sounds reached her which gave her back a little of the hope which she had wholly surrendered.

1871.  R. W. Dale, Commandm., x. 253. For those whom we love we gladly surrender our personal comfort and ease.

  3.  refl. To give oneself up into the power of another, esp. as a prisoner.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. xix. 23. Fainte heartedlie to surrender themselues to the mercie of those, at whose hands was nothing to be looked for, but miserable seruitude.

1693.  Mem. Cnt. Teckely, I. 82. That [sc. garrison] of Licowa surrendred it self the next day.

1760.  Cautions & Advices to Officers of Army, 30. The French fired all their Arms into the Air; then threw them down, and surrendered themselves Prisoners of War.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xxiii. It is the banner of the Count of Crèvecœur,…to him I will surrender myself.

1828.  Lytton, Pelham, III. xix. His … desire to appease his mind, by surrendering himself to justice.

1891.  Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, lv. They were … informed that the Apostle … had thought it right to … surrender himself as a prisoner.

  b.  fig. To give oneself up to some influence, course of action, etc.; to abandon oneself or devote oneself entirely to.

1713.  Atterbury, Serm. (1734), II. 48. Those … who do not surrender themselves up to the Methods it prescribes.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, viii. 88. We must surrender ourselves … to our duties.

  4.  intr. for refl. = 3; chiefly Mil. (said of a body of men, a town or fortress, etc.); also fig.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 286 b. Whan they had surrendred [orig. facta deditione].

1593.  Shaks., Rich. II., IV. i. 156. Fetch hither Richard, that in common view He may surrender.

1676.  Earl Orrery, in Essex Papers (Camden), 58. I lay before it [sc. Limerick] … untill the Plague and Famine made it surrender, we could not take it.

1691.  [see DISCRETION 5 b].

a. 1721.  Prior, Songs, vi. 25. Nothing’s proof against those eyes, Best resolves and strictest ties To their force must soon surrender.

1790.  Beatson, Nav. & Mil. Mem., II. 239. The Commodore was determined that the place should surrender at discretion.

1845.  Disraeli, Sybil, VI. xii. ‘Surrender,’ said the commander of the yeomanry. ‘Resistance is useless.’

1890.  Spectator, 1 Nov., 595/1. They [the French] only sent fifteen hundred men, who accomplished nothing, and were finally compelled to surrender at discretion.

  † 5.  To render, return (thanks, etc.). Obs.

1542.  Boorde, Dyetary, viii. E j. Surrendrynge thankes to hym for his manyfolde goodnes.

1578.  H. Wotton, Courtlie Controv., 125. To surrender their accustomed honor vsed yearely vnto the … mistresse.

1588.  Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 180. They had surrendred vnto him thankes. Ibid., 195. Hee tooke his leaue of vs with great friendship and curtesie: who did surrender the same after our custome.

  Hence Surrendered ppl. a., Surrendering vbl. sb. and ppl. a.

1648.  (title) The Demands … of The Earle of Norwich … to Generall Fairfax, concerning the surrendering of the said City.

1711.  in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 174. Articles of agreement for the surrendering of Lymerick.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. V. vi. The Hôtel de Ville ‘invites’ him to admit National Soldiers, which is a soft name for surrendering.

1876.  Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. II. 119. Dante … believed that … his [sc. the Lord’s] kingdom would be established in the surrendered will.

1901.  Westm. Gaz., 20 May, 7/1. Parties of the latter returned into the town and searched the place for surrendering burghers.

1911.  Sir H. Craik, Life Clarendon, I. xii. 323. Fairfax … had … accepted the others as surrendered prisoners.