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ˈeminency
Also 7 emminency.
[ad. L. ēminēntia: see eminence and -ency.]
I. In physical senses.
†1. Height; prominence, elevation above surrounding objects. Obs. rare.
1635N. Carpenter Geog. Del. ii. vii. 105 The ordinary Eminency of the hight of the Earth aboue the Waters. 1657Austen Fruit Trees ii. 137 Mighty hils and Mountaines in eminency. 1663Charleton Chorea Gigant. 48 One..stone exceeding the rest in eminency.
†2. concr. A projection or prominence; a protuberance. Obs.
1668Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. iii. ix. 148 Towards the Temples there grows a certain eminency. 1677Moxon Mech. Exerc. (1703) 15 You do off the Eminencies or Risings. 1718J. Chamberlayne Relig. Philos. (1730) I. x. §9 The Muscle..runs about the Eminency, like a Rope in a Pulley.
†3. An elevation on the earth's surface; a rising ground, hill. Also an elevated object. Obs.
1662Gerbier Princ. 10 A Church or Steeple, or some other Eminency. 1703Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1721) 68 Mount Calvary..is a small Eminency or Hill. 1737Whiston Josephus Wars vii. viii. §5 A certain eminency of the rock. 1748Anson Voy. ii. xii. (ed. 4) 354 On the tops of some small eminencies there are several look-out towers.
II. In non-material senses.
†4. Distinguished superiority, elevation above the common standard in social position, wealth, power, reputation, or attainment, or in the possession of any special quality; = eminence 4. Obs.
1628Earle Microcosm. lxi. 166 Men of parts and eminency. 1642C. H. in Ellis Orig. Lett. ii. 282 III. 302 We have lost..few of eminency. 1698Sidney Disc. Govt. iii. §28 (1704) 351 Commoners, who in antiquity and eminency are no way inferior to the chief of the titular Nobility. 1727De Foe Hist. Appar. v. 48 This woman was a witch of some eminency.
†b. Of things, of places, towns, etc.: Importance. Obs.
1622E. Misselden Free Trade 6 To finde out a fit remedy is of high eminency. 1640Wilkins New Planet vii. (1707) 217 There are but two places of any eminency, the Circumference and the Centre. 1651tr. Don Fenise 296 We arrived at the doore of an house of eminency. 1673Vain Insolency Rome 6 The first greatness of Rome was founded in the eminency of the City.
†5. As a title of honour, borne esp. by cardinals; = eminence 5. Obs.
1655Milton Lett. State (1851) 331, I intreat your Eminency to give him entire Credit. 1670G. H. Hist. Cardinals i. iii. 72 Their Eminencies were all astonished at the Election.
†6. Acknowledgement of superiority, homage, deference; = eminence 6. Obs.
1647Ward Simp. Cobler (1843) 50 Equity is a due to People, as Eminency to Princes.
†7. That in which a person (or thing) excels or is remarkable; esp. in good sense, an excellence, special talent, honourable distinction. Obs.
1602W. Fulbecke Pandectes 62 He hath beene accompted ignoble, who hath not beene..noted for some eminency. 1607Topsell Serpents 595 Therefore it followeth unavoidably, that the eminency of their [serpents'] temperament is cold in the highest degree. a1617Bayne On Eph. (1658) 51 This Adoption is called by the name of a dignity or eminency. a1677Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 298 Reason and discretion are the singular eminencies of men.
†8. Superiority in degree or measure; intensive magnitude. by (way of) eminency: see eminence 8 c. Obs.
1608S. Hieron Defence III. 159 Some eminency of greatnes, power, or goodnes. 1622–62Heylin Cosmogr. iii. (1682) 51 Not only for distinctions sake, but in way of eminency. 1643J. Burroughes Exp. Hosea ix. (1652) 307 The Sabbath is called an everlasting Covenant by way of eminency. 1651Abel Rediv. Luther (1867) I. 38 The eminency of his good parts did more and more show themselves. 1703Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1721) 24 The People of the Country call it..the Plain..by way of Eminency.
9. Prominence, or relative importance, in mental view.
1841–4Emerson Ess. Art Wks. (Bohn) I. 147 This rhetoric, or power to fix the momentary eminency of an object. 1873M. Arnold Lit. & Dogma 367 Christian Churches do recommend the..secret of Jesus, though not..in the right eminency.
¶10. Confused with imminency. Cf. eminent 6.
1680Life Edw. II in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793) 37 The Spencers..saw the eminency of their own dangers. |