ppl. a. [pa. pple. of TEACH v, which see for earlier Forms.]
1. Of a person: Instructed, trained; † learned (obs.). Now usually absol., ‘the taught,’ or in comb. with adverbs, as ill-taught, well-taught.
1382. Wyclif, Eccl. ii. 16. The taȝt man dieth also and the vntaȝt.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 178. Alle with taghte mene and towne in togers fulle ryche.
1483. Cath. Angl., 377/1 Tawght, doctus, instructus.
1552. Huloet, Taught or newlye instructed, catechizatus.
1831–3. E. Burton, Eccl. Hist., iv. (1845), 72. The mere necessity of instruction would give to the teachers a superiority over the taught.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 283. Truth of knowledge is the same in the Teacher and the taught.
1876. J. Martineau, Hours Th., I. ix. 116. It is not intellect from which God hides himself, but selfishness and pride; which may belong alike to taught and untaught, and darken the soul of sophist or of clown.
2. Of a subject, art, etc.: Conveyed by instruction: see TEACH v. 5.
1909. Westm. Gaz., 4 May, 5/1. This, we are assured, was not a taught trick, but a perfectly natural demonstration.
Hence † Taughtly adv., learnedly, skilfully.
1382. Wyclif, Wisd. xiii. 11. If any crafti man … hewe of the wode an euene tree, and of this taȝtli [1388 perfitli; Vulg. docte] pare awei al the rinde.
