civiladj.n.adv.

Brit.

/ˈsɪvl/, U.S.

/ˈsɪvᵻl/

Forms: Middle English civille, Middle English cyvel, Middle English cyvyl, Middle English cyvyle, Middle English cywell, Middle English sevile, Middle English siuile, Middle English siuyle, Middle English 1600s civell, Middle English 1600s cyvile, Middle English–1500s ciuyle, Middle English–1500s cyuile, Middle English–1500s cyuyl, Middle English–1500s cyuyle, Middle English–1600s ciuil, Middle English–1600s ciuile, Middle English–1600s civile, Middle English–1600s cyuil, Middle English–1600s cyvill, Middle English– civil, 1500s ceuell, 1500s ciuyl, 1500s cyuel, 1500s cyuell, 1500s cyville, 1500s–1600s ciuel, 1500s–1600s ciuell, 1500s–1600s ciuill, 1500s–1600s civill, 1500s–1600s cyuill, 1500s–1600s cyvell, 1700s civel (North American), 1700s sivil, 1700s sivill; Scottish pre-1700 ceiuill, pre-1700 ceueill, pre-1700 ceuill, pre-1700 cevile, pre-1700 cevill, pre-1700 ceweill, pre-1700 cewil, pre-1700 cewille, pre-1700 ciuiell, pre-1700 ciuil, pre-1700 ciuile, pre-1700 ciuill, pre-1700 ciuille, pre-1700 ciuyle, pre-1700 ciuyll, pre-1700 civel, pre-1700 civell, pre-1700 civelle, pre-1700 civile, pre-1700 civill, pre-1700 civille, pre-1700 ciweill, pre-1700 ciwell, pre-1700 ciwil, pre-1700 ciwill, pre-1700 cyuell, pre-1700 cyvile, pre-1700 cyvill, pre-1700 cyvyle, pre-1700 cyvylle, pre-1700 cywel, pre-1700 cywil, pre-1700 sevill, pre-1700 sivell, pre-1700 sivill, pre-1700 siweill, pre-1700 1700s– civil.

Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French civil; Latin cīvīlis.

Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman and Middle French civil (French civil ) (in legal use, of a case, law code, etc.) not belonging to criminal law, not belonging to canon law, relating to the relations between ordinary citizens (1290 in Old French), that concerns the citizen or his life, rights, etc. (1330), (of war) occurring within a society (a1413 in guerre civile ), polite, courteous (c1460), not belonging to the military or religious spheres (1835), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin cīvīlis of or relating to citizens, (of war) occurring between citizens, of or connected with such war, (of law) for citizens, of or according to such law, forensic, legal, determined by law, (of divisions of time) legally recognized, of or connected with the running of the state, political, relating to the citizen as distinct from the soldier, of or suited to one's status as a citizen, suitable for a private citizen, unassuming, unpretentious < cīvis citizen + -īlis -il suffix. Compare Catalan civil (14th cent.), Spanish civil (12th cent.), Portuguese civil (14th cent.), Italian civile (13th cent.); also Middle Dutch civil (15th cent.; Dutch civiel ), German zivil (17th cent.). With the semantic development compare social adj., and also later civic adj.With civil war n. at Compounds 2 compare classical Latin bellum cīvīle (Cicero), Middle French guerre civile (a1413). Compare also the following early use of Latin civile (neuter nominative singular, with bellum implicit) in an English context in a passage discussing types of war:OE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Maccabees (Julius) in W. W. Skeat Ælfric's Lives of Saints (1900) II. 114 Secgað swaþeah lareowas þæt synd feower cynna gefeoht: iustum, þæt is rihtlic; iniustum, unrihtlic; ciuile, betwux ceastergewarum; plusquam ciuile, betwux siblingum.With civil day (see sense A. 14b) compare classical Latin diēs cīvīlis . With civil year (see sense A. 14b) compare classical Latin annus cīvīlis . With civil crown n. at Compounds 2 compare civic crown at civic adj. 1 and foreign-language models and parallels listed at that entry. With civil plea n. at Compounds 2 compare post-classical Latin placitum civile (c1185 in a British source). With use as noun compare classical Latin cīvīlia (neuter plural) civil matters, concerns, post-classical Latin civilis citizen (13th cent.).

A. adj.

I. General uses, relating to community and citizenship.

1. Of warfare, conflict, etc.: occurring within a society or community; taking place between inhabitants of the same country or state, or between the populace and the ruling power; of or relating to such conflict. See also civil war n. at Compounds 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > war > types of war > [adjective] > civil

civila1387

intestine1535

internecive1819

intestinala1861

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 189 (MED) A batayle civile bygan bytwene Julius and..Pompeus.

a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) vi. l. 2332 (MED) Thes werris that callid wer cyuile.

a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. cxviii. f. lv^v A louer of Cyuyle batayll.

1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 625 Domesticall dyscorde, and cyuill discencion.

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II iii. iii. 101 With ciuill and vnciuill armes.

a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. ii. 248 Hostilitie, and ciuill tumult reignes.

1670 J. Milton Hist. Brit. iii. 103 From these confusions arose a Famin, and from thence discord and civil commotion among the Britans.

1735 tr. A. Mascardi Caveat to Britons 21 When he had overthrown his enemy in the Pharsalian field, and master'd the common-wealth, civil hatred ceased, and he was so sincerely beloved by the Romans.

1787 Daily Universal Reg. 21 Apr. 3/3 The number of capital convicts and executions have encreased throughout England, so as to out-number those upon any former occasion, except in times of civil commotion.

1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 172 Compelled by civil troubles to go into banishment.

1875 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. II. xvi. 486 A period of eight years of peace between two epochs of terrible civil discord.

1933 Folk-lore 44 241 The Police authorities are called on to look even further afield, in taking their precautions against civil unrest.

1979 Globe & Mail (Canada) (Nexis) 14 Feb. France could only look on sadly at the civil strife in its former colony.

2000 Independent 10 May ii. 1/1 Since my father's death, Sierra Leone has been looted by subsequent kleptocracies, finally descending into diamond- and greed-fuelled civil conflict.

2. Of, relating to, or designating a community, state, or body politic as a whole; esp. of or relating to the organization or internal affairs of such a body.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > [adjective]

generalc1300

civila1398

public1539

civic1655

communital1840

communal1843

communitive1843

communitary1850

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xv. clxviii. 820 Venicia... defendeþ myȝtliche sogetes aȝens enemyes, and holdeþ þe comune profyte and ciuyle vndir ryȝtful lawes.

a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) f. 10^v Ciuile office, þat is to seye þe office of gouernayle of citees, townes, and contrees.

1483 W. Caxton tr. Caton A viij Right lawe deuyne cyuyl and moralle.

a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. Prol. f. iii London that auncient Cytie..I thynke somwhat to expresse Of theyr good ordre and Ciuyle polycy That they so longe haue ruled their Cytie by.

1559 Bp. Scot in J. Strype Ann. Reformation (1824) I. ii. App. vii. 12 As we see for civill quietness, there is appointed in every Village one constable.

a1600 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie vii. xv, in Wks. (1662) 40 To exercise Civil Dominion of their own.

1606 Bp. J. Hall Arte Diuine Medit. §xiv The Heathen Romans entred not vpon any publike ciuile busines, without, [etc.].

1689 B. Keach Distressed Sion Relieved 118 The Almighty's Government will maintain, Who over Conscience is sole Soveraign, If any do the Civil State disturb, On such you justly ought to put a curb.

1718 Boston News-let. 17 Nov. 2/2 On Tuesday the..18th Currant..And on Wednesday the 20th was held at the Council Chambers a General Council for the Nominating and appointing of Civil Officers.

1765 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. I. i. xii. 309 The civil state consists of the nobility and the clergy.

1799 W. Godwin St. Leon I. i. 1 In the early ages of antiquity, one of the favourite topics of speculation was a perfect system of civil policy.

1830 J. Mackintosh Diss. Progress Ethical Philos. 23 If he had turned to civil institutions, he might have learned that some nations had preserved an ancient, simple, and seemingly rude mode of legal proceeding.

1868 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 219 The freed Africans were made over to the civil authorities, and the ship's company..received the head money allowed by government.

1907 Daily Chron. 31 Aug. 2/7 When civil fury runs high, the Papacy is there, either fomenting or pacificating.

1913 E. Wingfield-Stratford Hist. Eng. Patriotism I. i. x. 305 Philosophy..includes human philosophy, which includes civil knowledge.

1949 H. A. R. Gibb Mohammedanism i. 17 The expansion of the Ottoman Empire..brought the greater part of the Muslim world once more under the government of powerful and highly centralized civil States.

1958 Jrnl. Relig. 38 57/2 To Marsilius..the church itself is a civil institution and subject to judgement along with other civil institutions by the people themselves through the highest agency of popular will, the state.

2007 Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.) (Nexis) 23 June 12 One's own government is planning to legislate national identity, replete with a day set aside for hand-on-heart civil pride.

a. Of or relating to citizens or people who live together in a community; relating or belonging to members of a body politic.

ΘΚΠ

society > [adjective]

civilc1443

social1579

sociable1641

civic1655

societal1843

societary1844

worldward1848

macrosocial1969

c1443 R. Pecock Reule of Crysten Religioun (1927) 491 (MED) Þe bisynes which marþa made in mynistracioun of þe household..was not doon as a vertuose deede of charite for loue to god, but for worldli curtesie..and cyuyle freendschip, such as oon heþen man haþ to an oþer of his kyn.

c1454 R. Pecock Folewer to Donet 136 (MED) Þerbi schal be distroied al sure..comunycacioun and togidere cyuyl bargenyng..al freendful cyuyl togidere lyuyng.

1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries v. f. lxiij For this ciuile lyfe and gouernment of the publyque wealth can not endure, vnlesse there be a difference of persones, that theremaye be some free, and some bounde, some to rule, and some to obeye.

1597 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet Prol. 4 Whose ciuill warre makes ciuill hands vncleane.

1671 J. Milton Samson Agonistes 853 Sollicited, commanded, threatn'd, urg'd, Adjur'd by all the bonds of civil Duty.

1680 E. Waller Of this Transl. in Earl of Roscommon tr. Horace Art of Poetry sig. A4^v Civil Life was by the Muses taught.

1740 D. Hume Treat. Human Nature III. ii. 150 Now this is exactly the case with regard to our civil duties, or obedience to the magistrate; without which no government cou'd subsist, nor any peace or order be maintain'd in large societies.

1785 W. Paley Princ. Moral & Polit. Philos. iii. ix There is a certain appearance, attendance, establishment, and mode of living, which custom has annexed to the several ranks and orders of civil life (and which compose what is called decency).

1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 669 The proudest capitals of Western Europe have streamed with civil blood.

1883 T. H. Green Proleg. Ethics Introd. 7 That civil spirit through which the promptings of personal passion are controlled.

1948 H. W. Babb tr. Law of Soviet State i. 19 On this theory, the state is formed to the end of making civil life and civil society real and effective.

2008 What Papers Say (Russia) (Nexis) 12 Mar. I intend to do everything it takes to make Armenia a strong democracy with free enterprise and human rights and civil freedoms observed.

†b. That lives or is disposed to live as part of a community; (also) that is a citizen. Cf. social adj. 6. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabitant > inhabitant according to environment > town- or city-dweller > [adjective]

civil1559

citizena1616

civic1655

burgherly1762

citizenly1792

citizenish1821

urbanite1899

1559 W. Bavand tr. J. Ferrarius Common Weale i. i. f. 5^v Now ye see, how that emong all liuyng creatures, onely man is commonable and ciuill.

1572 J. Bossewell Wks. Armorie ii. f. 70^v Aristotle saithe, that the Crane is a ciuill byrde, Quia sub Duce degit.

1598 I. D. tr. L. Le Roy Aristotles Politiques i. ii. 11 (heading) What is a Citie: and that it consisteth by nature: and that man is naturally a sociable and ciuill creature.

1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Inurbare, to endenizen, to become or make a citizen, or a ciuill man.

1649 G. Langbaine Answer Vniv. Oxford 10 And for a civill man to goe to the Vicechancellor for leave to be out of his house.

1655 M. Carter Anal. Honor in Honor Rediv. 63 Man as a Civil creature was directed to this form of subjection.

1719 M. Shelton Hist. & Crit. Ess. Rise Nobility (ed. 2) ii. 45 Divers good Authors have without Question suppos'd the Monarchick Government both to have been presently upon the first Times; and also, that in the Frame of Nature itself, Man, as a civil Creature, was directed to this Form of Subjection.

†4. Befitting or appropriate to a citizen or citizens generally. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social attitudes > public-spiritedness > [adjective] > befitting a citizen

civil1526

1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection ii. sig. Mvii These .iiii. cardinal vertues, Temperaunce, Iustice, ciuile or moralle, Fortitudo..and Prudence.

1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. i. 43 To esteem the deceased holy is pious, to spare the absent just, to take away the eternity of hatred civill.

1661 O. Felltham Resolves (rev. ed.) 316 There is a Civil Hatred, when men in general detest whatsoever is Vice.

1780 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (ed. 2) IV. i. 29 For the instruction of heathen children in christian duties and civil knowledge.

1856 C. Merivale Hist. Romans under Empire IV. xxxiii. 63 It was ‘civil’, in the Roman sense of the word, to mingle in the amusements of the citizens.

5. That is in a condition of advanced social development such as is considered typical of an organized community of citizens; characteristic of or characterized by such a state of development; civilized. Now rare.Frequently contrasted with barbarous, savage.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > customs, values, and civilization > civilization > [adjective] > civilized

civil1531

civilized1611

unbrutizeda1711

unbarbarized1719

snivelized1849

1531 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Chron. Scotl. (1938) I. i. iv. 31 Eftir þair cuming in Albion, thai war ane civill pepill, richt ingenious and crafty in were and in peace.

1533 tr. Erasmus Enchiridion Militis Christiani iv. sig. Gvij^v Prometheus taught rude men ciuyle & honest maner.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. ii. 11 Among the Latines of the ciuiller ages.

1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §680 Beasts are more Hairy than Men; and Savage Men more than Civil.

a1667 Bp. J. Taylor Serm. (1678) 326 A Lybyan Tiger..shut up and taught to eat civil meat.

a1674 J. Milton Brief Hist. Moscovia (1682) Pref. sig. A3 Muscovy..being the most northern Region of Europe reputed civil.

1710 J. Chamberlayne Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia (ed. 23) ii. i. ii. 332 On the other side..the People are much more civil.

1779 W. Alexander Hist. Women II. xviii. 44 There is a further reason for the greater difference between the sexes in civil than in savage life, which is the difference of education.

1829 R. Southey Oliver Newman vii As in civil, so in barbarous states.

1841 G. Catlin Lett. N. Amer. Indians II. xxxvi. 32 From my long silence of late, you will no doubt have deemed me out of the civil and perhaps out of the whole world.

a1947 W. H. Auden Coll. Poems (1994) vi. 306 Outside the sunshine of its civil world Barbarians waited their appointed time.

†a. Of a person or his or her attributes, behaviour, etc.: educated; cultured, cultivated; well-bred. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adjective] > well-mannered > polished or refined

well-polished1485

civil?1538

politic1596

cult1598

refined1598

inlanda1616

facete1616

urbane1623

terse1628

gentilitat1632

polite1751

politeful1832

?1538 tr. St. Martinus Rule of Honest Lyfe sig. Bii^v Take hede..that no man fynde faute with you to be roughe and curyshe, nor yet to dyspyce you as though you were worthy to be caste out of company. Use no rude carterly fashyon, but gentell cyuyle maner.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VII f. xxxvi^v In Ireland there be two kynd of men, one softe, gentle, ciuile & curteous.

1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 42 A kinde of Symphonie whiche the common sort call a Pipe: the learned and more ciuil kinde of men name it a Dulcimer.

1628 G. Wither Britain's Remembrancer 29 Unbeseeming jests, And stuffe which every civill eare detests.

1647 J. Evelyn Let. 6 Dec. in Diary & Corr. (1857) III. 5 My character goes..for the civilest traveller that ever returned; for I was expected all ribbon, feather, and romanço.

a1704 J. Locke Lett. (1708) 31 I know what latitude civil and well bred men allow themselves.

b. Of a thing: highly-developed, advanced, sophisticated; refined. Now rare.In later use passing into sense A. 7a.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > refinement > [adjective]

polisheda1382

dainteousc1386

polite?a1500

delicatea1533

courtly1535

civil1551

court-like1552

well-refined1575

nice1588

perpolite1592

politic1596

soft1599

terse1628

refine1646

refined1650

elegant1652

genteel1678

chastea1797

spirituala1806

aesthetic1844

nicey1859

raffiné1865

nuttish1869

too-tooa1884

sophisticated1895

lavender1928

1551 R. Robinson tr. T. More Vtopia sig. Fv This schole philosophie..thinketh all thinges mete for euery place. But ther is an other philosophye more cyuyle, whyche knoweth..her owne stage.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xviii. 158 The Greekes call it [Asteismus], we may terme it the ciuill iest.

a1613 E. Brerewood Enq. Langs. & Relig. (1614) iii. 19 To their owne languages, which they held to be more ciuill then the Roman.

a1652 R. Brome Mad Couple Well Match'd iv. i. sig. F2, in Five New Playes (1653) No more then once a Lover, or at least, A bold pretender, having in civill language Exprest in writing his affection To a chast Mistris seal'd, and directed it And on the contrary, courted his vertuous friend in brothell language.

1709 M. Astell Bart'lemy Fair 49 To treat out Equals or Inferiors Freely and Familiarly, is to treat them kindly; and..to enliven the Conversation with a little harmless Mirth, and to break a Civil Jest upon them, is the best Breeding.

1808 Crit. Rev. 3rd Ser. 14 280 Multiply the civil enjoyments of moral and intellectual man.

2005 San Diego Union-Tribute (Nexis) 28 Aug. (Sports Suppl.) 2 The game was the most civil of pastimes, just ladies and gentlemen, frolicking about, their conduct as impeccable as their white costumes.

†c. Of clothing, behaviour, etc.: decent, seemly, respectable; not showy, sober. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [adjective] > other

smalleOE

lightc1230

round1402

side-necked1430

wanton1489

Spanish1530

tucked1530

lustya1555

civil1582

open-breasted1598

full1601

everlasting1607

sheeten1611

nothinga1616

burly1651

pin-up1677

slouching1691

double-breasted1701

negligée1718

translated1727

uniform1746

undress1777

single-breasted1796

unworn1798

mamalone1799

costumic1801

safeguard1822

Tom and Jerry1830

lightweight1837

fancy dress1844

wrap-1845

hen-skin1846

Mary Stuart1846

well-cut1849

mousquetaire1851

empire1852

costumary1853

solid1859

spring weight1869

Henri II1870

western1881

hard-boiled1882

man-of-war1883

Henley1886

demi-season1890

Gretchen1890

toreador1892

crossover1893

French cut1896

drifty1897

boxy1898

Buster Brown1902

Romney1903

modistic1907

Peter Pan1908

classic1909

Fauntleroy1911

baby doll1912

flared1928

flare1929

tuck-in1929

unpressed1932

Edwardian1934

swingy1937

topless1937

wraparound1937

dressed-down1939

cover-up1942

Sun Yat-sen1942

utility1942

non-utility1948

sudsable1951

off-the-shoulder1953

peasant1953

flareless1954

A-line1955

matador1955

stretch1956

wash-and-wear1959

layered1962

Tom Jones1964

Carnaby Street1965

Action Man1966

Mao-style1967

wear-dated1968

thermal1970

bondage1980

swaggery1980

hoochie1990

mitumba1990

kinderwhore1994

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adjective] > seemly or proper

seemly?c1225

comelya1350

seemc1400

ablea1500

setting1535

decent1545

civil1582

proper1738

gradely1763

decorous1792

nice1799

correctc1800

proprietous1815

the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > pleasing fitness > [adjective] > seemly or decorous

seemly?c1225

comelya1350

seemc1400

setting1535

comingc1540

decent1545

civil1582

handsome1583

mensefula1598

sprunt1631

semblable1647

proper1738

orthodox1755

decorous1792

comme il faut1818

wise-like1820

1582 G. Whetstone Heptameron Ciuill Disc. vii. sig. Yi^v The Husband is bound to keepe his wife in ciuill and comely apparell, as well to make her seeme beautifull vnto himselfe.

1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. vi. xx. 224/1 Wantonly clad in the habit of an Amazon woman; alwaies costly, but seldome ciuill.

1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus ii. 11 Let this work be neuer so ciuill and seemely.

a1625 J. Fletcher Womans Prize iii. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Ooooo3v/1 That fourteen yardes of satten give my woman, I do not like the colour, tis too civill.

a1691 Virgin's Compl. in Bayford Ballads (1878) 931 Dolly, Molly, Susan, Bess, Pretty Maids in civil Dress.

a. Courteous, or obliging in behaviour to others; demonstrating or indicative of such behaviour; polite. In later use frequently with negative overtones: demonstrating only a minimum degree of politeness or courtesy; not rude.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > [adjective]

metheOE

hendc1225

debonairc1230

hendya1250

courteousc1275

hendlyc1275

bonairc1300

quaintc1300

sweetc1330

graciousa1375

meetha1400

debonary1402

debonariousc1485

humanec1500

civil1565

genty1660

discreet1739

polite1751

politeful1832

1565 J. Jewel Replie Hardinges Answeare Pref. sig. ¶4 Ye shoulde not take it in suche griefe, that, onely for distinctions sake, by so Ciuile, and courteous a name wee cal you our Aduersaries.

1580 A. Munday Zelauto i. 17 I very well esteeme of your courteous and ciuill demeanour.

1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 101 A passing civill Apophthegme of his extant which hee uttered in the Senate.

1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler i. 38 We'l drink a civil cup to all the Otter Hunters that are to meet you to morrow.

1681 J. Ray Corr. (1848) 130 Your very civil and obliging letter.

1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. i. 26 A man..whom he had endeavour'd by many civil offices to make his Friend.

1718 Free-thinker No. 51. 1 A Youth ought..always to shew a Civil Regard to his Elders.

1774 R. Cumberland Note of Hand ii. iv. 33 A very civil pretty spoken gentleman, upon my conscience.

1814 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1838) XII. 138 I am sorry to add that I did not receive so civil an answer as ought to have been given to any body.

a1839 W. M. Praed Poems (1864) I. 231 And never said one civil thing When you were by to hear one.

1886 W. Carleton City Ballads 126 An' any kind-expressioned man, who acts a civil part, Can always find my soul to home, an' house-room in my heart.

1921 H. J. Newbolt Poems: New & Old 228 But John it appears has none of your grins and winks; Civil enough, but short.

1955 T. Williams Let. Aug. in Five O'Clock Angel (1991) 125 Keep a civil tongue in your head and a tolerant heart.

2003 C. Birch Turn again Home ii. 29 ‘How are you , Bessie?’ Auntie Bennet asked Mam, flashing her a smile. ‘Keeping well?’ ‘Can't complain.’ Mam was civil if unsmiling.

b. In extended use; esp. (chiefly Newfoundland) of the weather.

ΚΠ

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 71 The hils of the Alps, waxing more mild and ciuil [L. mitescentia Alpium iuga].

1742 H. Fielding Joseph Andrews I. ii. vii. 210 He cry'd, Softly, softly Boys, to his Hourses, which the civil Beasts immediately obeyed.

1887 R. L. Stevenson Underwoods i. ii. 3 Let the streams in civil mode Direct your choice upon a road.

1918 N. Duncan Battles Royal iv. ii. 242 Old Elihu Maul, with a hook and line, had fished the Boiling Pot in civil weather from a paddle-punt.

1969 F. Mowat Boat who wouldn't Float (1977) 79 It was a ‘civil’ day (in Newfoundland this means the wind is not blowing a full hurricane).

2006 C. H. Jensen Lety's Gift xix. 225 Now all we needs is civil weather and we be all set.

c. the civil thing: what is considered courteous, polite, or correct; the proper course of action. Frequently in to do the civil thing.

ΚΠ

1771 T. Bridges Adventures of Bank-note IV. 101 If you had asked me civilly, I should have done the civil thing.

1797 Milistina I. vii. 52 I intend to propose to his daughter, but by way of doing the civil thing by the father, I wish in due form to acquaint him previously of my intention.

1829 Visits to ‘Relig. World’ xvi. 246 Naturally I should like to say the civil thing, and keep all around me in good humour.

1840 C. J. Lever Harry Lorrequer ii The proud Earl of Callonby, who never did the ‘civil thing’ anywhere.

1881 F. H. Burnett Fair Barbarian xv, in Scribner's Mag. Mar. 670 I feel it the civil thing to go to Oldclough oftener than I like.

1917 P. G. Wodehouse Man with Two Left Feet 177 ‘Ah, don't Bill,’ she says, as if I'd hurt her. And me meaning only to say the civil thing.

1992 Boston Globe (Nexis) 14 May 29 If a person is on the verge of death..they are allowed to petition the court for immediate release. If the court feels it is the civil thing to do, then it has the authority to release them.

8. Having or demonstrating proper public or social order; well-governed; orderly. rare in later use (chiefly Irish English (northern)).

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > subjection > obedience > [adjective] > orderly of state or society

well-ruleda1387

civil1581

policied1596

at (a) quiet1603

policed1603

unrioted1627

untumultuated1659

policized1840

eunomic1952

1581 J. Derricke Image Irelande i. sig. Diii Not in the bounds of Englishe pale, whiche is a ciuill place: But in the Deuills Arse, a Peake, where Rebells moste imbrace.

c1600 J. Dymmok Treat. Ireland (1842) 13 The south parte [of the County of Wexford] as the more cyvill.

1641 J. Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 37 A more quiet, clean, elegantly built, and civil place, than..Antwerp.

1659 J. Milton Let. Rupture Commonw. in Wks. (1698) II. 779 That Army, lately so renown'd for the civilest and best order'd in the World.

1685 R. Morden Geogr. Rectified 38 Ireland is a Flourishing Island, Civil in its self, and a good additional strength to the British Empire.

1964 J. Braidwood Ulster & Elizabethan Eng. III. 97 In Ulster civility means ‘orderly behaviour’ more often than ‘politeness’ and civil is ‘orderly’.

1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 62/2 Civil, of a person quiet, orderly, not troublesome.

†9. Civic, municipal; urban. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > city > [adjective]

cityc1330

civila1593

civical1602

urban1619

urbicarian1654

civic1656

urbian1710

urbic1855

a1593 C. Marlowe Edward II (1594) sig. G2^v Make Englands ciuill townes huge heapes of stones.

1644 W. Castell Short Discov. Coasts & Continent Amer. ii. 2 Others affirme that he [sc. Pedro Harnandez] was defeated in the very entrance of Guiana, at the first civill Towne of the Empire, called Magureguary.

1713 G. Berkeley in Guardian 7 May 1/1 The Folly of the civil Landlord in London, who..is a Stranger to fresh Air and Rural Enjoyments.

†10. Public, popular. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adjective] > generally accessible or available

commonc1300

openc1390

publicc1485

vulgar1555

civil1605

free-for-all1871

1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Mm2 The conceits..(now almost made ciuile) of the Maistring Spirite, & the force of confidence, and the like.

†11. Benevolent; kind, considerate. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > [adjective] > humane

manlyc1400

humane1603

civil1609

humanitarian1844

1609 R. Cawdrey Table Alphabet. (ed. 2) Ciuill, honest in conuersation, or gentle in behauiour.

1649 J. Milton Observations in Articles of Peace with Irish Rebels 47 Poynings Act, which was..the civillest and most moderate acknowledgement impos'd of their dependance on the Crown of England.

1661 Trial James in Howell St. Trials (1816) VI. 104 The sheriff and hangman were so civil to him in his execution, as to suffer him to be dead before he was cut down.

1684 tr. Eutropius Breviary Rom. Hist. vii. 121 He was so civil in his government at Rome, that none ever was punished.

1766 T. Amory Life John Buncle II. x. 362 A gentleman..told me I had best rest with him that night, and I was most heartily welcome. This was humane and civil.

II. Specific and technical uses.

12. In legal contexts.

a. With reference to civil law n. 1: of, relating, or according to Roman law or any of various systems or codes of law historically derived from this. Cf. Roman law n.In early use frequently opposed to canon (cf. canon n.¹ 1b); in later use chiefly to common; cf. common law n. 1a.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > system of laws > [adjective] > relating to Roman law

civil1400

Romanistic1827

society > law > branch of the law > [adjective] > civil or Roman

civil1400

Romana1768

quiritarian1838

Quiritian1839

quiritary1862

civilian1882

1400 in W. Fraser Mem. Maxwells of Pollok (1863) I. 141 Na remede of lach canoun na ciuyle to be proponit in the contrary.

1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. 427/1 Grete scyence, bothe in ryght cyuyl and in Cannon.

1502 in W. Fraser Stirlings of Keir (1858) 279 Renunciande all exceptione off law, cewille or canowne.

1531 tr. E. Fox et al. Determinations Moste Famous Vniuersities f. 3 Not longe tyme sins ther were proposed vnto vs, the Rector and doctours regentes in lawe Canon and Ciuile of the vniuersite of Angewe, these two questions here folowynge.

c1538 E. Bonner Let. 2 Sept. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1570) II. 1240/1 Vnlesse I shoulde vse that ciuile remedye called in lawe acceptilation.

1579 B. Garter Newyeares Gifte sig. L He [sc. the Pope] citeth al the prelates, al diuines, and lawyers both ciuil & common, to appeare personally before him at Rome, at a certaine day, which was the firste of Nouember.

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 210 No woman had it, but a ciuill Doctor.

1647 W. Lilly Christian Astrol. clxxxv. 821 He shall have both the Civill and Common Lawyer and the pettifog Atturney against him.

1651 J. F. tr. H. C. Agrippa Three Bks. Occult Philos. ii. x. 202 The Laws in the Testament require seaven witnesses, there are seaven civill punishments, and seaven canonicall.

1729 W. Whiston Apostolical Rules Eccl. Courts (title page) Humbly Recommended to the Consideration of the present Ecclesiastical and Secular Judges; Civil, Canon, and Common Lawyers.

1776 J. Bentham Fragm. on Govt. ii. xxxv. 91 Civil Lawyers, indeed, will tell you..that a slave is nobody; as Common Lawyers will, that a bastard is the son of nobody.

1833 N. Amer. Rev. Apr. 399 Nor shall we enter into the warm and often puerile contention between the civil and common lawyers in England, about the comparative superiority of the objects of their professional predilection.

1897 Law Mag. & Law Rev. 22 148 The procedure of the Court follows the Civil—or Continental—system of the Roman Law, rather than that of the English Common Law.

1905 W. H. Taft in Yale Law Jrnl. Nov. 1 When..the common law lawyer is brought to the study of the beautifully simple and exactly comprehensive language of the civil code governing the rights between individuals, he begins to feel the veneration that comes from consciously viewing the work of twenty centuries of jurists.

1989 Univ. New Brunswick Law Jrnl. 38 131 Of course, Scots Law is not English Law, for it is civil rather than common.

2006 S. J. Buck Understanding Environmental Admin. & Law (ed. 3) i. 2 In the continental or civil system, the law is spelled out in detailed civil codes.

b. With reference to civil law n. 3: of or relating to the relations between ordinary citizens and the legal proceedings employed in settling these, as distinct from relations between the citizen and the state dealt with under criminal law; not criminal. Also: of or relating to the community of ordinary citizens and the rules governing them, as opposed to any of various subgroups; not military, ecclesiastical, commercial, etc. Cf. civil court n. at Compounds 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > branch of the law > [adjective] > distinguished from criminal

civil1474

1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) ii. iii. 36 Some causes ben crymynell, And some ben cyuyle.

c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 130 Sen the actioun js naturale, jt may nocht be termyt jn accioun ciuile be the writtin lawis.

1525 in W. Fraser Douglas Bk. (1885) III. 222 Geif ony dissention,..sal happyn..anent..actions criminall or cewil.

1541 T. Elyot Image of Gouernance xix. f. 33^v He ordeyned to be in the citie and also in the prouynces many offycers, somwhat mo than before were accustomed to be, appoyntyng causes ciuile and criminall to sundry iurisdictions.

1577 W. Harrison Descr. Eng. (1877) ii. ix. i. 202 These cases are otherwise called plees or action, wherof there are two sorts, the one criminall and the other ciuill.

1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Civilizer vn criminel, to change his Indictment into an action; to turne a criminall, into a ciuill, cause.

1682 G. Wheler Journey into Greece ii. 180 All Civil and Criminal Causes are tryed by the Vizier, or his Deputy, the Chaimacham.

1756 W. Blackstone Anal. Laws Eng. i. xiv. 25 Marriage is duly contracted between Persons, 1.Consenting: 2. Free from canonical Impediments..3. Free also from the civil Impediments—of prior Marriage;—of Want of Age;—of Non-Consent of Parents..—of Want of Reason.

1764 R. Burn Hist. Poor Laws 289 Civil, implies an offence of a private nature, betwixt party and party, and not where the king is party.

1826 W. Cobbett Rural Rides in Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 16 Sept. 731 In defiance of the law, ecclesiastical as well as civil.

1869 J. Austin Lect. Jurispr. (ed. 3) II. xliv. 780 The word civil has about twelve different meanings; it is applied to all manner of objects, which are perfectly disparate. As opposed to criminal, it means all law not criminal. As opposed to ecclesiastical, it means all law not ecclesiastical, as opposed to military, it means all law not military, and so on.

1887 T. Fowler Princ. Morals ii. iii. 145 A Civil Injury (as distinct from a Crime) is a wrong for which the law awards reparation to the injured individual.

1910 Times 12 Feb. 13/2 Lord Alverstone had partly heard a civil action, after completing the criminal business on Wednesday.

1919 Yale Law Jrnl. 28 807 In case the foreign law has two rules of internal law, one of which relates to civil contracts and the other to commercial contracts, the judge would select the rule applicable to the particular case.

1926 Monthly Labor Rev. 22 208 Within five days after the accident employers or their representatives are required to report to the civil judge of the locality where the accident occurred each case which causes death or disability.

1945 Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune 29 Jan. 1/6 The government filed a civil injunction suit in federal court today.

1981 Harvard Law Rev. 94 1376 A second source of potential conflict that criminal lawyers share with civil lawyers involves the confidences of former clients.

2004 .net Christmas 12/1 Copyright infringement is a civil offence, not a criminal one, so if you lose in court you'll be ordered to pay damages rather than sentenced.

13.

a. Non-ecclesiastical; non-religious, non-sacred; secular.

ΘΚΠ

society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > unspirituality > [adjective]

worldlyOE

dryc1175

fleshlyc1175

of the world?c1225

secularc1290

timely1340

of hencec1384

uttermore1395

worldisha1400

profane1474

humanc1475

mundanec1475

mundial1499

carnal?1510

seculary1520

unghostly1526

worldly-minded1528

sensual1529

earthly-minded1535

civil1536

subcelestial1561

worldly-witted1563

secular-minded1597

ghostlessa1603

lay1609

mundal1614

non-ecclesiastical1630

unspiritual1643

wilderness1651

worldly-handed1657

outward1674

timesome1674

apsychical1678

secularized1683

hylastic1684

choical1708

Sadducee1746

gay1798

unspiritualized1816

secularizing1825

unreligious1832

secularistic1862

apneumatic1864

Sadduceeic1875

this-worldly1883

this world1889

1536 R. Taverner tr. P. Melanchthon Apol. sig. U ^v, in Confessyon Fayth Germaynes Only it speaketh of charitie to be exercised, whiche laye and ciuile men do after a fashyon vnderstande, but it speakethe not of fayth, whiche fewe men vnderstande what it is.

c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. ii. xiii. f. xviii^v/2 Fynnane wes ane virtuous prince and na les honorit for his ciuil than religious maneris, be quhilkis he decorit his realme.

1592 tr. F. Du Jon Apocalypsis xiii. 1 One is of the civill Roman Empire..another of the Ecclesiastical or Propheticall.

1644 J. Milton Areopagitica 4 Both in religious and civill Wisdome.

1667 E. Waterhouse Short Narr. Fire London 67 To inundate things sacred and civil.

1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. III. 121 Civil and canon law, civil and ecclesiastical history.

1830 J. Mackintosh Diss. Progress Ethical Philos. 24 Civil and ecclesiastical oppressors.

1852 Times 9 June 5/5 Is the country to be governed, in ecclesiastical and civil matters, by the private opinions of particular men..; or by a system of fixed law?

1918 Internat. Jrnl. Ethics 29 84 Those societies in which it [sc. humanity] is most conscious, and therefore truest, are democracies, whether they be civil or ecclesiastical.

2000 M. K. Whyte in D. Browning Marriage in Amer. vii. 103 The strength of a society flows outward from its voluntary institutions—religious and civil—to public institutions and their policies.

b. Of a marriage: secular; spec. (of a wedding ceremony) conducted by an officer of the state, rather than as a religious ceremony. Cf. civil union n. (a) at Compounds 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > wedding or nuptials > [adjective] > types of wedding

civila1602

runaway1720

coemptive1875

confarreate1880

farreate1880

a1602 W. Perkins Comm. Epist. Gal. (1604) iv. 275 It may be called a politicke, or ciuill marriage, because it is ratified in the courts of men, according to humane laws... Neuerthelesse it is not a diuine or spirituall coniunction, or marriage.

1701 E. Godwin Two Serm. i. 33 As upon civil Marriage there ensues a mutual propriety between man and Wife, so here Faith doth unquestionably precede the Testimony or Assurance.

1802 Monthly Mag. Dec. 386/2 Marriage in France, you know, is merely a civil ceremony, the parties being obliged to swear before an appointed magistrate, that they are of age.

1810 Ipswich Jrnl. 7 Apr. The civil ceremony of the marriage was to take place at St. Cloud..and the religious ceremony at Paris.

1867 Freeman's Jrnl. (Dublin) 8 Oct. The King of Saxony left at two o'clock this afternoon by special train for Weimar to be present at the civil wedding of the Grand Duke and grand Duchess.

1880 Daily News 1 Oct. 6/1 The Church would..refuse to sanction..any civil marriage between divorcees and co-respondents.

1968 Harvard Law Rev. 81 1155 The court upheld the university's refusal to confer a degree on a student who had served as a witness in a civil wedding ceremony contrary to the tenets of the Catholic Church.

1999 Independent 20 Dec. i. 3/8 Officials from the London Eye..are to meet with registrars..to discuss a licence for civil marriages.

2000 You & your Wedding Mar. 174/1 Both we and our parents were concerned that a civil ceremony might seem matter-of-fact, not romantic at all.

14.

a. Legal; in the eyes of the law and the community; in terms of legal rights or status. Opposed to natural. civil death: the loss of a person's civil rights chiefly as a result of outlawry, banishment, etc. (cf. death n. 3b); also in extended use. civil disability: a restriction imposed upon a person's civil rights because of a criminal conviction, or for some other reason; the fact or state of having such restrictions imposed (cf. disability n. 3).

ΘΚΠ

society > law > [adjective] > in the eyes of the law

civil1539

1539 R. Taverner tr. Publilius Syrus Mimi sig. B.v, in tr. Erasmus Prouerbes Banyshement is in effecte a ciuile death [L. exul..est ut mortuus insepultus].

1579 G. Fenton tr. F. Guicciardini Hist. Guicciardin xvi. 950 Burbon subborned to be Duke in case of his death, was also to succeede in case of his priuation, for that by the lawes is considered the death naturall and the death ciuill.

1650 Bp. J. Taylor Rule & Exercises Holy Living iii. §3 208 Let nothing make you break your promise, unlesse it be unlawful or impossible, that is, either out of your natural, or out of your civil power.

1656 H. Jeanes Mixture Scholasticall Divinity 161 Buried in a civill grave of captivity, and most miserable servitude.

1726 J. Ayliffe Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani 15 An Abjuration, which is a Deportation for ever into a foreign Land, was antiently with us, a civil Death.

1767 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. (new ed.) II. 121 It may also determine by his civil death; as if he enters into a monastery, whereby he is dead in law.

1791 T. Amery Proc. on Prosecution James Templar II. 447 Where A, B, C, D, E, F, are private men, and have no being or existence in the eye of the law, but the king chuses to incorporate them, the civil creature cannot say to the civil creator any more than the natural creature can to the natural creator, ‘that he will not be made thus’.

1808 Monthly Rev. 55 452 Several offences, which are not capital, are punished by civil death.

1826 Leeds Mercury 17 June Every man should be allowed to worship his God according to his conscience, and this too without civil disability of any kind.

1859 Amer. Law Reg. 7 129 The death, natural or civil, of one of the partners.

1918 Yale Law Jrnl. 27 867 Parental control ceased only on the natural or civil death of the father.

1967 Virginia Law Rev. 53 405 Since the petitioner had been convicted of other felonies, the reversal of this conviction would not remove the civil disabilities imposed on him.

1971 K. Millett Sexual Politics (1972) ii. iii. 67 Under the common law which prevailed in both countries at the opening of the period, a woman underwent ‘civil death’ upon marriage.

2004 Harvard Law Rev. 117 2731 While felon disenfranchisement and other forms of ‘civil death’ have a long history in the United States, the most recent and controversial examples of civil disabilities single out particularly unpopular categories of felons for the curtailment of personal liberties.

b. Of a division of time: legally and practically recognized for the purposes of ordinary life and social organization; of or relating to this. Opposed to natural, astronomical, solar, etc. The civil day (day n. 2a) is now generally taken as consisting of 24 hours beginning at midnight and the civil year (year n. 2a) of 365 days (366 in a leap year), beginning on 1 January.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > period > [adjective] > civil or legal

civil1590

1590 H. Broughton tr. M. Beroald Short View Persian Monarchie 35 The 14. day of the moneth of March (which to the Hebrues is Nisan, and is the first moneth of the ciuile yeare amongst the people of God) is the ende and conclusion of the seauentie seauens.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 36 Those that have defined and set out a civil day.

1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ i. vi. §1 The ordinary or civill year did want intercalation.

1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) at Day The Parts of a Political or Civil Day.

1792 H. Cavendish Philos. Trans. 82 385 In those parts of India in which this almanac is used, the civil year is lunisolar.

1812 R. Woodhouse Elem. Treat. Astron. ix. 66 The common civil year..of 365 days.

1851 H. F. Clinton Epitome Civil & Lit. Chron. Greece ii. 242 The days of the civil month were to accompany the changes of the moon.

1885 Times 8 June 6/3 The public clock at the [Greenwich] Observatory entrance and the other mean solar clocks were put forward 12 hours so as to show Greenwich civil time, starting at midnight and reckoning from 0h. to 24h., which would correspond with the universal time recommended by the Washington Conference.

1931 G. A. Dorsey Man's own Show vi. 286 There are twenty-four hours in the astronomical day; two sets of twelve hours in the civil day.

1972 M. Kline Math. Thought ii. 21 Because the Egyptians did not intercalate the additional day every four years, the civil calendar lost all relation to the seasons.

1990 Whitaker's Almanack 65/1 Civil twilight, which begins or ends when the Sun's centre is 6° below the horizon. This marks the time when operations requiring daylight may commence or must cease.

2005 L. Holford-Strevens Hist. Time i. 2 This unanchored natural day must be distinguished from the civil day in the strict sense, which is the natural day as reckoned from a particular point determined by law or custom.

15. Not military or naval; civilian. Cf. civil aviation n., civil defence n. at Compounds 2, civil service n.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > peace > civilian life > [adjective]

civil1541

unmilitary1713

non-military1738

civilian1817

bowler-hatted1909

civvy1915

1541 T. Elyot Image of Gouernance ii. f. 2 Fro the tyme that he issued out of his infancy, he were contynually instructed in all maner of doctrine, both ciuile and marciall.

1569 N. Haward tr. Seneca Line of Liberalitie xxviii. f. 124^v His woorthie knowledge in Ciuill or Martial pollicie he becommeth famous, and by the noblenes of his said vertewes shaketh of the darkenes and obscuritye of his base parentage.

1612 J. Davies Discouerie Causes Ireland 69 Sir Anthony S^t. Leger..performed great seruice in a ciuill course..Sir Edward Bellingham, who succeeded him, proceeded in a Martiall course.

1633 G. Herbert Church Porch in Temple xxxiv Game is a civil gunpowder, in peace Blowing up houses with their whole increase.

1680 H. Care Hist. Popish Plot 86 Persons of very high quality, by whose influence they afterwards screw'd many of their Party into considerable Offices and places of Trust Civil and Military.

1741 C. Middleton Hist. Life Cicero (1742) II. vii. 278 As long as it was carried on by civil methods, one ought to take the honester side; but when it came to arms the stronger.

1777 W. Renwick Misplaced Confidence I. xv. 153 An attempt was made to bring you to be more explanatory, by pointing out a great number of civil places, and at last desiring that you would only endeavor to procure a place of any kind, that would yield a moderate subsistence, in any part of the world.

1826 J. F. Cooper Last of Mohicans I. i. 11 A large civil cocked hat, like those worn by clergymen.

1864 J. Bryce Holy Rom. Empire ii. 6 His sovereignty was civil as well as military.

1940 Economist 17 Feb. 285/1 These civil defenders should be sufficient in numbers and adequate in training and organisation to furnish protection for the civilian population.

1963 Jrnl. Rom. Stud. 53 240 Roman York is one of those long-occupied legionary fortresses beside which in course of time a civil town came into independent existence.

1977 Hist. Jrnl. 20 210 The Admiralty took some time to confirm, non-officially, that various naval and civil authorities had been making sightings of Italian submarines.

1996 LSE Mag. Summer 21/4 I'd..had the opportunity to interact with fairly senior people both military and civil from other countries.

16. Theology. Virtuous but lacking faith; good or moral as a result of reason or natural inclination rather than the inspiration of Christian belief. civil righteousness: natural righteousness as opposed to that informed and inspired by faith.

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > virtue > [adjective] > virtuous but unregenerate

civil1611

moral1620

society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > grace > righteousness > [adjective] > moral only

civil1611

1611 R. Bolton Disc. State True Happinesse 17 He which reaches but to ciuill honesty, comes farre short of being in Christ, and consequently of true happinesse.

1655 W. Gouge & T. Gouge Learned Comm. Hebrewes (x. 22) ii. 470 Meere civill men are such as suppose all religion to consist in the externall duties of the second Table.

a1698 W. Row Suppl. in R. Blair Life (1848) (modernized text) x. 166 Many that were civil before having become exceedingly loose.

1717 R. Younge Carnal Man Anatomiz'd (ed. 2) 172 I know these civil Men pass for as good Christians as the best, with Men of the World.

a1752 R. Erskine Serm. (1777) III. xlv. 235 Jesus Christ is usually little prized by civil men: they are satisfied with their own righteousness.

1897 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 5 Apr. 8/6 Civil righteousness and social schemes occupy the hours of public worship and representative men and women everywhere are..without God.

1902 R. D. D. Rainy Anc. Catholic Church vi. 106 A place was provided..for the ordinary Christians..who regulate their conduct by the rules of civil righteousness.

1998 T. J. Wengert Human Freedom, Christian Righteousness viii. 141 Inability to distinguish civil righteousness from the righteousness required by God.

B. n.

†1.

a. = civil law n. 1. Obsolete.In Piers Plowman: Civil Law personified.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > branch of the law > [noun] > civil or Roman law

civilc1390

civil law?a1500

Roman lawa1533

civil right?1614

c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. ii. l. 57 Now Simonye and Siuyle stondeþ forþ boþe.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. ii. l. 113 Þis dede I assele, Bi siȝte of Sire Symonye and cyuyles [A text c1390 Vernon ii. l. 82 Notaries] leue.

?c1430 (c1400) J. Wyclif Eng. Wks. (1880) 156 (MED) To lerne goddis lawe, þei gon for þe manere to cyuyle or canon.

a1475 Form Excommun. (Rawl.) in A. Clark Eng. Reg. Godstow Nunnery (1905) i. 3 Also in þe ciuile hit is wrytten..‘We interdiȝten al bysshopes..Þat vsen haserdyng or dyseplayng’.

a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Nero) viii. 416 Doctor solempne..He was in canon and sciwille.

c1500 (?a1475) Assembly of Gods (1896) l. 858 (MED) Geometry with Astronomy, Canon & Cyuyle, melodyous Musyk [etc.].

b. A civil lawyer; = civilian n. 1. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > jurisprudence > [noun] > legal knowledge or skill > one learned in the law > in specific branches or kinds of law

civiliana1425

civilistc1550

common lawyer1552

Justinianist1588

tenurist1588

commoner1591

feudist1607

criminalista1631

criminista1631

Romanist1647

pundit1661

antecessor1753

constitutionalist1766

civil1776

publicist1795

codist1831

theologo-jurista1843

internationalist1855

Sabinian1862

Pandectist1895

1776 S. Foote Bankrupt iii. 57 You are absolutely as knowing as one of the Civils, if the latter part of your prediction was but as fully accomplish'd.

†2. In plural.

a. Civil matters or affairs, esp. as opposed to spiritual or ecclesiastical ones. Cf. spiritual n. 3. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social class > the common people > [noun]

folkc888

peoplea1325

frapec1330

commona1350

common peoplea1382

commonsa1382

commontya1387

communityc1400

meiniec1400

commonaltya1425

commonsa1500

vulgarsa1513

many1526

meinie1532

multitude1535

the many-headed beast (also monster)1537

number1542

ignobility1546

commonitya1550

popular1554

populace1572

popularya1578

vulgarity?1577

populacya1583

rout1589

the vulgar1590

plebs1591

mobile vulgusc1599

popularity1599

ignoble1603

the million1604

plebe1612

plebeity1614

the common filea1616

the herda1616

civils1644

commonality1649

democracy1656

menu1658

mobile1676

crowd1683

vulgusa1687

mob1691

Pimlico parliament?1774

citizenry1795

polloi1803

demos1831

many-headed1836

hoi polloi1837

the masses1837

citizenhood1843

John Q.1922

wimble-wamble1937

society > faith > church government > laity > [noun] > concerns of

temporal1390

civils1644

1644 R. Williams Blovdy Tenent cxxiii. 209 I have in part..that from the King upon his Throne, to the very Beasts, yea the excrements of their bodies..their civills, moralls, and naturalls were carried on in types.

1654 G. Goddard in T. Burton Diary (1828) (modernized text) I. Introd. p. xix [Neither] from the Levellers, who would introduce a party in civils, nor from the Sectaries, who would cry down all order and government in spirituals.

1658 Sir A. Haslerigge in T. Burton Diary (1828) III. 99 It was a glorious work of our Saviour to die on the cross for our spirituals. This is as glorious a work for our civils, to put an end to the King and Lords. The right is..without all doubt, in the people.

1676 A. Marvell Mr. Smirke sig. K2^v Oppression and Persecution in Civils and Spirituals.

1708 S. Hill Thorough Exam. False Princ. i. 132 The Civils consist in all the Official and Judicial Acts of the Ordinary, that peculiarly relate to the security and determination of those civil Matters, which Power is committed to the Ecclesiastical Ordinaries by the civil Powers.

1717 R. Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 319 Arbitrary Government in civils, and persecution for matters of conscience.

b. Civil standing or position. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social class > [noun]

estatec1230

statec1300

rowa1350

qualityc1425

calling1477

range1494

line1528

stature1533

respect1601

station1603

gradationa1616

ordinancea1616

repute1615

spherea1616

distance1635

impression1639

civils1650

footing1657

regimen1660

order1667

sect1709

caste1791

status1818

position1829

social status1833

standpoint1875

1650 N. Ward Discolliminium 48 For my Civills, some say I am a Gentleman, some say an Esquire.

3. colloquial. = the civil thing at sense A. 7c. Frequently in to do the civil. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > be courteous [verb (intransitive)]

to do the polite1826

to do the civil1838

1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist II. xxii. 33 There's Bill Sikes in the passage with nobody to do the civil to him.

1841 J. T. J. Hewlett Peter Priggins I. xvi. 42 In this charitable and interesting situation, Ninny was discovered by Mr. Eugenius Eupheme, the senior tutor, who had called to do the civils and usuals to his honourable pupil.

1877 C. Reade Woman-hater ii. xix. 150 He would go to the station and telegraph him; and by that means would do the civil and meet Miss Gale.

1933 O. Jespersen Essent. Eng. Gram. xvi. 126 We have to do the civil to him.

1953 W. S. Churchill Second World War (1985) VI. ii. vi. 95 I had at least done the civil to ‘Anvil’.

1981 J. Aiken Stolen Lake 33 He ain't about to use it while he's a-giving dinner and doing the civil to old Brandyblossom.

a. Usually in plural. A civil engineer.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > engineer > [noun] > other types

millwright1387

field engineer1758

chemical engineer1838

mechanical engineer1840

industrial engineer1849

structural engineer1867

civil1873

sanitary engineer1873

radio engineer1910

stress analyst1916

ack emma1917

stressman1919

roboticist1940

systems engineer1940

environmental engineer1947

terotechnologist1970

knowledge engineer1981

1873 Yale Lit. Mag. Oct. 43 The Civils have practical Surveying, while the Mechanicals continue Drawing.

1939 Pop. Sci. Monthly Feb. 176/2 They are of various varieties from the civils who build dams, bridges, buildings, roads and other structures, to the chemical kind who engineer the production of new kinds of substances out of raw materials.

1992 New Civil Engineer 13 Feb. 9/4 Strathclyde University has launched an MSc integrated building design course to bring together architects and civils in a series of workshops and master classes.

b. British. In plural. Civil engineering. Chiefly attributive.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > engineering > [noun] > branches of

waterwork?a1560

civil engineeringc1770

water engineering1787

millwrighting1821

engineering science1826

hydraulic engineering1835

river engineering1842

structural engineering1859

industrial engineering1860

chemical engineering1861

sanitary engineering1868

biological engineering1898

control engineering1914

radio engineering1915

environmental engineering1946

systems engineering1946

bioengineering1950

value engineering1959

biomedical engineering1961

geoengineering1962

macro-engineering1964

microengineering1964

terotechnology1970

hydroengineering1971

civil1975

mechatronics1976

knowledge engineering1977

1975 New Civil Engineer 13 Mar. 10 [He] had a limited education and left King's College at aged 16, when he was engaged on civils work.

1988 B. Scanlon Marketing Engin. Services xiv.102 This will give each major civils contractor a distinctive flavour to his marketing stance.

2001 Contract Jrnl. 16 May 1/5 We have no intention of pulling out of construction, but we have come out of civils because it didn't have synergy with the other areas we work in.

C. adv.

= civilly adv. Now rare (chiefly colloquial in later use).

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > virtue > [adverb] > but in unregenerate manner

civilly1592

civil1642

the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > [adverb]

welleOE

fairOE

methelyOE

menskly?c1225

hendilyc1275

hendlyc1275

courteouslyc1290

bonairc1330

bonairly1340

goodly1372

debonairlya1375

henda1375

kindlya1375

fairlyc1480

humanelya1500

handsomely1542

civilly1552

gallantly1611

civil1642

politely1748

nicely1864

society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > grace > righteousness > [adverb] > moral only

civilly1592

civil1642

1642 J. Eaton Honey-combe Free Justific. 229 If he were meerely civill honest, it leaves him still meerely civill honest.

1667 R. Head & F. Kirkman Eng. Rogue (rev. ed.) I. xiii. 138 He was brought into the Chamber where I was, who at first behaved himself indifferently civil, and treated me nobly.

1767 Babler No. 12 I never heard of a man who behaved commonly civil to a woman, who, etc.

1790 J. Angresteen Authentic Acct. Barbarities Monsters 119 The man still continuing to behave very civil to her until he came to the bottom of the steps.

1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility I. xxi. 289 For my part, I think they are vastly agreeable, provided they dress smart and behave civil.

1874 North Country News 1 Dec. 4/1 Prisoner had abused his wife, saying that she would not speak civil to him when her mother was present.

2005 M. Pastor in J. Canfield et al. Chicken Soup for Girl's Soul 51 We both acted civil.

Phrases

a civil question deserves a civil answer: see question n. Phrases 1e.

Compounds

C1. Uses of the adverb to form parasynthetic compounds and preceding past participles to form adjectives, as civil-mannered, civil-spoke, civil-spoken, civil-tongued, etc.

ΚΠ

a1625 J. Fletcher Island Princesse i. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Nnn/2 The people they shew brave too, civill manner'd.

1645 J. Milton Il Penseroso in Poems 42 Till civil-suited Morn appeer.

1776 S. J. Pratt Liberal Opinions IV. lxxii. 46 She seems a civil spoken woman.

1842 S. Lover Handy Andy xiv He was a very ‘close’ man, as well as a ‘civil-spoken’.

1882 Harper's Mag. May 930/1 At all events, you were civil-mannered then, Kitty.

1910 J. Farnol Broad Highway ii. ii. 202 ‘What might you be wanting with a peaceable, civil-spoke cove like me?’ he inquired.

2003 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 6 Feb. d10 White-haired, always civil-tongued, he has the bearing of a country gentleman.

C2. Compounds of the adjective.

civil aviation n. non-military aviation; private or (esp.) commercial aviation.

ΚΠ

1917 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 21 Oct. 15/2 Europe has completed its plans for this civil aviation development.

1930 L. Troubridge & A. Marshall John Ld. Montagu of Beaulieu 234 The enormous natural strides made by civil aviation the moment that the brake of war-time conditions was released.

1976 J. Lukasiewicz Railway Game 183 In the case of civil aviation, the revenues include landing fees, gas and oil fees, aircraft parking fees..aviation fuel taxes, and others.

2006 Amer. Jrnl. Internat. Law 100 242 These small, portable, shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles potentially pose a serious threat to civil aviation.

civil court n. Law (a) a secular or civilian court, rather than an ecclesiastical or military one; (b) a court dealing with civil (as opposed to criminal) cases; cf. criminal court n. at criminal adj. and n. Compounds.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun]

court1297

justicec1300

benchc1325

consistoryc1386

King's Courtc1400

open court?1456

justiciary1486

justry1489

seat1560

civil court1567

tribunal1590

judicatory1593

judicature1593

law-court1619

judiciary1623

jurisdiction1765

forum1848

society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] > court for trial of civil cases

common courtc1400

Common Bench1414

Common Place?1433

Common Pleas1531

College of Justice1537

civil court1567

Common Bank1647

High Court1896

1567 T. Stapleton Counterblast ii. vi. f. 113 Yea so farre was this Emperour from al gouernment ouer Priestes in matters ecclesiastical, that euen in matters ciuil or temporal, he woulde not suffer priestes to be called to the ciuil court.

a1675 B. Whitelocke Memorials Eng. Affairs (1682) anno 1648 375/2 Fair quarter for his life, which was explained to be, a freedom from any execution of the Sword, but not any protection from the judicial proceedings of a Civil Court; and mercy, was explained to be only from the promiscuous execution of the Sword, but that he might be tryed by a Council of War.

1705 tr. Present State Europe ii. 16 The New Civil Court, where all appeals in Civil Cases from the Exterior or out-lying Magistracy are decided.

1780 G. Crompton Pract. Common-placed I. Introd. p. ix The civil court retained the name of the county court.., and in it all the civil pleas of consequence arising in the county were discussed and decided.

1839 J. R. McCulloch Statist. Acct. Brit. Empire (ed. 2) II. iv. iv. 136 Inferior ones of known jurisdiction..such as a leet or a civil court within a borough.

1913 Southeastern Reporter 77 249/1 Military courts shall never take the place of the civil courts of the State for the trial of a civil offense.

1987 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 15 Oct. Under the current constitution the ordination of a woman could be tested in the ecclesiastical or civil courts.

2004 H. Kennedy Just Law (2005) i. 25 When an individual suffers a loss or is harmed in some way, they seek redress through the civil courts using the law of torts.

civil crown n. Roman History a crown or garland of oak leaves and acorns given in ancient Rome as a mark of distinction to a person who saved the life of a fellow-citizen in war; see civic adj. 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > military organization > insignia > [noun] > decorations or orders > crowns and wreaths

naval crown?a1439

civil crowna1522

civic garland1542

obsidional crown1546

oval1614

civic crown1649

olive crown1679

crown-mure1682

rostral crown1686

stephane1847

a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) vi. xiii. 37 With ciuile crownys of the strang aik tre.

1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. i. 7/1 The Civil Crown, or Citizens Crown: this was made of the flourishing branches of the Oak fructed..and was given by the City of Rome, to their fellow Cittizens, who had saved a Citizens life, either in a Siege or Battel.

1748 Gentleman's Mag. Sept. 430/1 On the reverse is a civil crown, with the arms of his serene highness above, and those of the city below.

1865 P. Smith Hist. World (1866) III. xxxvii. 355 For these merits, and others more particularly enumerated, he had been honoured with the laurel wreath and civil crown.

1935 tr. H. Wendel Danton iv. 249 The ‘People's Friend’ was..carried back to the Manège in triumph by cheering throngs, with a civil crown on his brow.

2002 F. Millar Rome, Greek World, & East I. 133 177 [Senators] were chosen, in the following order of preference: men elected to a curule magistracy since the last censorship;..those who had set up captured spoils at home or won a civil crown.

civil defence n. defence of a country, community, etc., esp. by its civilian population; (in later use) spec. the organization and training of civilians to protect lives and property from danger caused by enemy action, natural disasters, etc.; (frequently with capital initials) an organized body devoted to this.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > defence > [noun] > civil defence

civil defence1798

1798 J. Ebers New & Compl. Dict. German & Eng. Lang. II. 482/1 The Militia of the Country, the civil Defence of the Land.

1804 Parl. Reg. II. 555 I think it a most desirable thing to promote this species of civil defence even in time of peace, that the military may not be resorted to on every occasion.

1939 Times Weekly 6 Sept. 17/4 It is impossible now to say where air raid precautions end and where civil defence begins.

1942 Ann. Reg. 1941 290 A.R.P. services would henceforth be known as Civil Defence Services.

1998 Daily Tel. 10 Aug. 21/2 During the war, Smith became a warden in the local Civil Defence, and remained in the CD on the return of peace.

civil disobedience n. rebellion of the populace against a governing power; (in later use) spec. refusal to obey the laws, commands, etc., of a government or authority as part of an organized, non-violent political protest or campaign.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > [noun] > civil disobedience

civil disobedience1579

1579 R. Robinson Vineyarde of Vertue xiii. f. 25 That God may thereby be gloryfied, and the common wealth fortified against assaults of the deuil, inuasions of forraine enemyes against ciuil disobedyence and discorde.

1644 R. Williams Blovdy Tenent xlix. 79 Caesar (as a civill supreme Magistrate) ought to defend Paul from Civill violence, and slanderous accusations about sedition, mutiny, civill disobedience.

1716 ‘P. Freeman’ Mock Patriots 18 The Inferior clerical Tools..judicially hardened into an Habituality of Civil Disobedience also, so as..to preach Faction instead of Faith, and Rebellion instead of Peace.

1866 in H. D. Thoreau Yankee in Canada 123 (heading) Civil disobedience [1849 titile orig. appears as ‘Resistance to Civil Government’.].

1922 Ann. Reg. 1921 275 Mr. Gandhi announced that he reserved the right to continue..preparations for civil disobedience.

2002 Weekend Austral. (Nexis) 30 Mar. 21 It was barely three years since a black worker named Rosa Parks had refused to move to the back of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama—a simple act of civil disobedience.

civil engineer n. an engineer specializing in non-military building and construction; spec. one who designs, constructs, and maintains large public works, especially those relating to social infrastructure, such as bridges, railways, tunnels, dams, airports, power stations, etc.; see engineer n. 3.Originally so called in distinction to engineer n. 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > engineer > [noun]

engineera1500

enginist1579

mechanician1621

mechanic1662

machinist1706

civil engineer1763

mechanist1806

machine-maker1813

society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > builder > [noun] > civil engineer

engineer1722

civil engineer1763

structural engineer1867

1749 Present Taxes 57 He must proceed by one of these two ways, which are common both to Military and Civil Engineers; that is, he must either work by Sap and Undermining, or attack by open Force.]

1763 T. Mortimer Universal Director ii. 72 Smeaton, John F. R. S. Surveyor and Civil Engineer.

a1792 Smeaton Rep. (1797) I. Pref. 7 The first meeting of this new institution, the Society of civil engineers, was held on the 15th of April 1793.

1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) Introd. 8 My profession of a civil Engineer.

1836 Hull & Selby Railw. Act 102 A civil engineer of eminence.

1936 Times 23 June 5/5 He spent some years as a civil engineer with railway companies and elsewhere.

1998 A. Chaudhuri Freedom Song (1999) 137 They were civil engineers..; the country needed dams, bridges, roads and pylons as it grew.

civil engineering n. the branch of engineering that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of works of public utility, esp. those relating to social infrastructure; cf. civil engineer n.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > engineering > [noun] > branches of

waterwork?a1560

civil engineeringc1770

water engineering1787

millwrighting1821

engineering science1826

hydraulic engineering1835

river engineering1842

structural engineering1859

industrial engineering1860

chemical engineering1861

sanitary engineering1868

biological engineering1898

control engineering1914

radio engineering1915

environmental engineering1946

systems engineering1946

bioengineering1950

value engineering1959

biomedical engineering1961

geoengineering1962

macro-engineering1964

microengineering1964

terotechnology1970

hydroengineering1971

civil1975

mechatronics1976

knowledge engineering1977

c1770 in Innes Rev. (1963) 14 124 He was familiarly spoken of as ‘the Deacon’ or ‘Archie’ or ‘planny Anderson’. Mr Anderson's sobriquet of ‘planny’ or ‘planner’ arose from his turn for architectural designs and civil engineering.

1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. II. 932/1 Gabions filled with stones are used in civil engineering as defences for starlings of bridges.

1999 Materials World July 408/3 In the case of civil engineering, the system might prove useful to monitor buildings in earthquake zones or to examine the degradation of bonding in composite-reinforced structures.

civil lines n. (also with capital initials) (the name for) an area (in various South Asian cities) originally developed as a residential district for colonial administrators and civil servants.

ΚΠ

1833 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 10 i. 59 The civil lines, at the distance of two miles, are much more beautifully-situated, amidst well-wooded ravines.

1920 Rep. Comm. Govt. India Disturbances Punjab ii. 23 in Parl. Papers (Cmd. 681) XIV. 1001 By 1 o'clock the crowds making for the civil lines were not merely those who were attempting to approach via Hall Gate.

1992 World (BBC) Apr. 23/1 Kailasnath Choudhary..fought tooth and nail with the bureaucrats residing in the British-built bungalows of the Civil Lines to stop them from introducing an electric crematorium to the city.

2002 Sunday Times of India 22 Sept. (Classifieds section) 2/1 Wanted a flat in civil lines, Delhi between 1000–1200 sqft.

Civil Lord n. (a) (chiefly in plural) (the title of) a secular member of the House of Lords; (b) (the title of) a civilian member of the Admiralty Board (formerly the Board of Admiralty); cf. naval lord n. at naval adj. and n. Compounds, lord n. 12.

ΚΠ

?1546 tr. M. Luther Last Wil & Last Confession Faith sig. dvi^v Thei be not nor wil not be right true bisshops but rather temporal & ciuil lordes & rulers.

1700 R. Brady Contin. Compl. Hist. Eng. 459 None is a Civil Lord, none is a Bishop, none is a Prelate, while he is guilty of Mortal Sin.

1816 Hansard's Parl. Deb. 1st Ser. 27 Mar. 640/2 These civil lords were nothing but sinecure placemen, though their names now and then might..garnish a report.

1943 J. F. O'Sullivan & J. F. Burns Medieval Europe xi. 214 Bishops championed human rights against violation by civil lords.

1992 Times (Nexis) 26 June I was Civil Lord of the Admiralty when the Polaris agreement was reached.

civil magistrate n. a magistrate dealing with civil as opposed to criminal or (formerly) ecclesiastical matters.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > legal power > [noun] > temporal or secular

secular armc1290

secularityc1380

temporality1393

temporalty1396

civil magistrate1535

1535 D. Lindsay Satyre 3938 Thay..Sal be degraithit of thair Nobilitie,..Vnto the tyme thay by [= buy] thair libertie, Rehabilit be the ciuill magistrate.

1651 C. Cartwright Certamen Religiosum ii. 16 Luther admonishing to obey the Civil Magistrate.

1769 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. IV. 108 An entire exemption of it's clergy from any intercourse with the civil magistrate.

1860 R. Morris Elopement ii. x. 50 The laws of France require, that the solemn ceremony, to be legal and binding, shall be performed by a civil magistrate.

1994 D. Wojahn Late Empire 51 A hundred demonstrators handcuffed, clubbed, and brought before some drunken civil magistrate.

civil parish n. = parish n. 3a.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > for administration of poor-law

union1830

civil parish1835

parish1847

1835 Times 24 June 2/5 The territorial extent of the ecclesiastical and civil parish.

1987 J. Lees-Milne Some Cotswold Country Houses 137 Although perilously close to Chippenham town and actually within the civil parish of ‘Chippenham Without’, Sheldon Manor is hidden in flat, wooded North Wiltshire country with glimpses of blue Downs in the distance.

civil partner n. a person who is in a civil partnership (civil partnership n. (b)), considered in relation to his or her partner.

ΚΠ

2002 Guardian 16 Jan. (G2 section) 16/2 If the bill became law, would those in such relationships boringly introduce each other as ‘my civil partner’, to distinguish them from couples who hadn't registered?

2006 Church Times 3 Mar. 10/2 Civil partners are to be treated as spouses in relation to housing and tenancies, domestic violence, and fatal accident claims, and cannot be discriminated against in employment for being a civil partner.

2018 @RedHotSquirrel 15 Mar. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) Despite all the hysteria from the British mainstream media about Brexit, my civil partner and I have decided to remain in Britain indefinitely.

civil partnership n. (a) a legal (business) partnership, spec. one established under civil law, as opposed to one established under commercial law; (b) a legally recognized relationship similar to but distinct from marriage, available in certain jurisdictions to homosexual couples who are prohibited from marrying, and sometimes also to heterosexual couples who do not wish to marry.Partnerships offering same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities provided by civil marriage were instituted under this name in the United Kingdom by an Act of Parliament in 2004. Civil partnerships were subsequently extended to mixed-sex couples in the United Kingdom by the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Act 2019.

ΚΠ

1840 H. Reeve tr. A. de Tocqueville Democracy in Amer. III. vii. 240 Men can embark in few civil partnerships without risking a portion of their possessions; this is the case with all manufacturing and trading companies.

1910 Jrnl. Soc. Compar. Legislation 10 240 The artificial distinction between..‘commercial’ partnerships and ‘civil’ partnerships [in the Philippines]..is confusing.

1993 K. Waaldijk in K. Waaldijk & A. Clapham Homosexuality iii. 97 In 1990 a member of the French Senate proposed the introduction of a ‘contract of civil partnership’,..which would also be open to heterosexual couples.

1999 Arab Law Q. 14 235 Equity partnership agreements are undertaken within the context of the Iranian Commercial Code,..whereas civil partnerships..are formed within the context of the Iranian Civil Code.

1999 Africa News (Nexis) 23 Apr. The right of same-sex couples to form civil partnerships entailing the same rights and responsibilities as civil marriage.

2006 Guardian 3 June (Weekend Suppl.) 7/1 What about ‘ante-consortial contracts’ between same-sex couples about to register a civil partnership?

civil plea n. a legal proceeding relating to civil law, as opposed to criminal or (formerly) ecclesiastical law; a plea brought in a civil court, a civil action.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > [noun] > common or civil proceedings

civil plea1548

Common Pleas1576

1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Mark xiii. f. lxxxv Be you not carefull.., for that ye are not sene in y^e lawe, but men ignoraunt in ciuill plees: as the common sort of the people are wonte to be carefull in suche case, who make Oratours and Rhetorcians theyr atturneys, and proctours in pleading of matters.

a1634 E. Coke 2nd Pt. Inst. Lawes Eng. (1642) 22 Common or civil pleas are divided into real, personall, and mixt.

1741 R. Richardson Attorney's Pract. Court Common Pleas I. 1 All Pleas are regularly divided into Pleas of the Crown, and into Common or Civil Pleas.

1844 Pennsylvania Law Jrnl. 3 472 These district courts are essentially courts of common pleas, their jurisdiction being to hear and determine all civil pleas and actions.

1999 Austin (Texas) Amer.-Statesman (Nexis) 6 May 1 Cornyn accused Morales of criminal behavior in a strongly worded civil plea.

civil religion n. a religion, or a secular tradition likened to a religion, which serves (officially or unofficially) as a basis for national identity and civic life.

ΚΠ

1713 R. Bentley Remarks Disc. Free-thinking II. xlv. 33 But as to the Civil Religion, Socrates never oppos'd it, but always countenanc'd it both by discourse and example. His precept to his Scholars about matters of Worship was to govern themselves..by the Custom of the Country.

1789 tr. J.-C. Laveaux Life Frederick II II. 541 You are the chief of the Civil religion of the country, which consists in honesty and all the moral virtues.

1871 Congregational Q. Oct. 568 [Rousseau] propounds the theory of a civil religion, but limits it to those general dogmas which are common to all states, and the foundations of all creeds.

1985 Times 19 Dec. 13/5 If the Church of England did not provide the civil religion for the nation and the State, it would be necessary to invent some other organisation to do so.

2001 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 17 May 49 (advt.) Some argue that a ‘Civil Religion’ is necessary to hold together our newly ‘religionless’ society.

civil union n. (a) a civil marriage (see sense A. 13b); (b) chiefly U.S. = civil partnership n. (b).

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > wedding or nuptials > [noun] > manner of marrying > other types of wedding

confarreation1598

farreation1656

coemption1676

Scotch marriage1762

foot washing1780

civil union1837

white wedding1840

hand-fastening1899

Anand Karaj1938

destination wedding1990

1837 Times 2 June 5/1 The company repaired to the hall of Henry II., where the civil union was performed... Baron Pasquier..drew up the civil act of marriage.

1934 I. Brown Master Sanguine 337 An immediate civil union before a Registrar and a quiet, unmolested honeymoon.

1992 Economist 2 May 49/2 Three French Socialist deputies have put forward proposals for a new ‘contract of civil union’. This would give an unmarried couple, of whatever sexual tendency, the same right as a married couple in regard to death duties, [etc.].

2000 N.Y. Times 1 May a14/3 [Vermont] recently passed a bill creating civil unions that give gay couples the rights of marriage.

2004 Philadelphia Inquirer 13 June a11/1 Gay activists are urging a boycott of Virginia because of a new ban on civil unions and other marriagelike arrangements for same-sex couples.

civil war n. war between the citizens or inhabitants of a single country, state, or community; an instance of this; (also figurative); cf. sense A. 1.Frequently with the and capital initials, with reference to a particular conflict: see American, English, Spanish Civil War at first element.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > war > types of war > [noun] > civil war

civil wara1533

neighbourhood war1887

society > armed hostility > war > types of war > [noun] > civil war > specific

civil war1712

the troubles1786

English Civil War1794

Wars of the Roses1809

the late unpleasantness1866

War between the States1867

Spanish Civil War1936

Spanish War1937

a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) vi. l. 2332 (MED) Thes werris that callid wer cyuile.]

a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1537) sig. B The ebuliyion and mouynge of ciuill warres were cause of the dymynysshynge of the aunciente Polycie of Rome.

1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan 390 Sidney Godolphin, who..was unfortunately slain in the..late Civill warre.

1712 E. Budgell Spectator No. 313. ¶16 The Civil War broke out..one of them followed the Parliament, the other the Royal Party.

a1832 J. Mackintosh Hist. Revol. Eng. (1834) i. 10 Their sufferings in the royal cause during the civil war.

1941 W. J. Cash Mind of South ii. i. 103 The Civil War and Reconstruction represent..an attempt on the part of the Yankee to achieve by force what he had failed to achieve by political means.

1985 New Statesman 27 Sept. 4/2 Any senior Labour politician who experienced at first hand the bitter civil war within the party after 1979 can be forgiven for putting a high price on the preservation of unity.

2006 J. Treglown in Granta Summer 77 Although the Spain of the 1920s had yet to experience civil war and the Franquista tyranny, it was already ruled by a military dictator.

civil wrong n. an infringement of a person's rights, esp. (Law) such an infringement against which there is legal redress, such as a tort or breach of contract.

ΚΠ

a1602 W. Perkins Godlie & Learned Expos. Epist. Iude (1606) 143/2 But this exposition cannot stand; for to shew that it is no direction of the manner to reuenge ciuil wrongs, but appertaineth vnto the conscience.

1776 Monthly Rev. Aug. 162 The laws of Canada are to provide the remedy against a civil wrong.

1898 W. F. Craies in Encycl. Laws Eng. VIII. 77 It certainly has different meanings with respect to responsibility for civil wrongs and responsibility for crime.

1999 M. Shoard Right to Roam i. 13 Otherwise trespass in Scotland is a civil wrong as normally in England, with force available to landowners against trespassers who refuse to leave and interdicts from the Sheriff Court playing the part of a county court against repeat offenders.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	civil
释义	civiladj.n.adv. Brit. /ˈsɪvl/, U.S. /ˈsɪvᵻl/ Forms: Middle English civille, Middle English cyvel, Middle English cyvyl, Middle English cyvyle, Middle English cywell, Middle English sevile, Middle English siuile, Middle English siuyle, Middle English 1600s civell, Middle English 1600s cyvile, Middle English–1500s ciuyle, Middle English–1500s cyuile, Middle English–1500s cyuyl, Middle English–1500s cyuyle, Middle English–1600s ciuil, Middle English–1600s ciuile, Middle English–1600s civile, Middle English–1600s cyuil, Middle English–1600s cyvill, Middle English– civil, 1500s ceuell, 1500s ciuyl, 1500s cyuel, 1500s cyuell, 1500s cyville, 1500s–1600s ciuel, 1500s–1600s ciuell, 1500s–1600s ciuill, 1500s–1600s civill, 1500s–1600s cyuill, 1500s–1600s cyvell, 1700s civel (North American), 1700s sivil, 1700s sivill; Scottish pre-1700 ceiuill, pre-1700 ceueill, pre-1700 ceuill, pre-1700 cevile, pre-1700 cevill, pre-1700 ceweill, pre-1700 cewil, pre-1700 cewille, pre-1700 ciuiell, pre-1700 ciuil, pre-1700 ciuile, pre-1700 ciuill, pre-1700 ciuille, pre-1700 ciuyle, pre-1700 ciuyll, pre-1700 civel, pre-1700 civell, pre-1700 civelle, pre-1700 civile, pre-1700 civill, pre-1700 civille, pre-1700 ciweill, pre-1700 ciwell, pre-1700 ciwil, pre-1700 ciwill, pre-1700 cyuell, pre-1700 cyvile, pre-1700 cyvill, pre-1700 cyvyle, pre-1700 cyvylle, pre-1700 cywel, pre-1700 cywil, pre-1700 sevill, pre-1700 sivell, pre-1700 sivill, pre-1700 siweill, pre-1700 1700s– civil. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French civil; Latin cīvīlis. Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman and Middle French civil (French civil ) (in legal use, of a case, law code, etc.) not belonging to criminal law, not belonging to canon law, relating to the relations between ordinary citizens (1290 in Old French), that concerns the citizen or his life, rights, etc. (1330), (of war) occurring within a society (a1413 in guerre civile ), polite, courteous (c1460), not belonging to the military or religious spheres (1835), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin cīvīlis of or relating to citizens, (of war) occurring between citizens, of or connected with such war, (of law) for citizens, of or according to such law, forensic, legal, determined by law, (of divisions of time) legally recognized, of or connected with the running of the state, political, relating to the citizen as distinct from the soldier, of or suited to one's status as a citizen, suitable for a private citizen, unassuming, unpretentious < cīvis citizen + -īlis -il suffix. Compare Catalan civil (14th cent.), Spanish civil (12th cent.), Portuguese civil (14th cent.), Italian civile (13th cent.); also Middle Dutch civil (15th cent.; Dutch civiel ), German zivil (17th cent.). With the semantic development compare social adj., and also later civic adj.With civil war n. at Compounds 2 compare classical Latin bellum cīvīle (Cicero), Middle French guerre civile (a1413). Compare also the following early use of Latin civile (neuter nominative singular, with bellum implicit) in an English context in a passage discussing types of war:OE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Maccabees (Julius) in W. W. Skeat Ælfric's Lives of Saints (1900) II. 114 Secgað swaþeah lareowas þæt synd feower cynna gefeoht: iustum, þæt is rihtlic; iniustum, unrihtlic; ciuile, betwux ceastergewarum; plusquam ciuile, betwux siblingum.With civil day (see sense A. 14b) compare classical Latin diēs cīvīlis . With civil year (see sense A. 14b) compare classical Latin annus cīvīlis . With civil crown n. at Compounds 2 compare civic crown at civic adj. 1 and foreign-language models and parallels listed at that entry. With civil plea n. at Compounds 2 compare post-classical Latin placitum civile (c1185 in a British source). With use as noun compare classical Latin cīvīlia (neuter plural) civil matters, concerns, post-classical Latin civilis citizen (13th cent.). A. adj. I. General uses, relating to community and citizenship. 1. Of warfare, conflict, etc.: occurring within a society or community; taking place between inhabitants of the same country or state, or between the populace and the ruling power; of or relating to such conflict. See also civil war n. at Compounds 2. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > war > types of war > [adjective] > civil civila1387 intestine1535 internecive1819 intestinala1861 a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 189 (MED) A batayle civile bygan bytwene Julius and..Pompeus. a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) vi. l. 2332 (MED) Thes werris that callid wer cyuile. a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. cxviii. f. lv^v A louer of Cyuyle batayll. 1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 625 Domesticall dyscorde, and cyuill discencion. 1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II iii. iii. 101 With ciuill and vnciuill armes. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. ii. 248 Hostilitie, and ciuill tumult reignes. View more context for this quotation 1670 J. Milton Hist. Brit. iii. 103 From these confusions arose a Famin, and from thence discord and civil commotion among the Britans. 1735 tr. A. Mascardi Caveat to Britons 21 When he had overthrown his enemy in the Pharsalian field, and master'd the common-wealth, civil hatred ceased, and he was so sincerely beloved by the Romans. 1787 Daily Universal Reg. 21 Apr. 3/3 The number of capital convicts and executions have encreased throughout England, so as to out-number those upon any former occasion, except in times of civil commotion. 1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 172 Compelled by civil troubles to go into banishment. 1875 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. II. xvi. 486 A period of eight years of peace between two epochs of terrible civil discord. 1933 Folk-lore 44 241 The Police authorities are called on to look even further afield, in taking their precautions against civil unrest. 1979 Globe & Mail (Canada) (Nexis) 14 Feb. France could only look on sadly at the civil strife in its former colony. 2000 Independent 10 May ii. 1/1 Since my father's death, Sierra Leone has been looted by subsequent kleptocracies, finally descending into diamond- and greed-fuelled civil conflict. 2. Of, relating to, or designating a community, state, or body politic as a whole; esp. of or relating to the organization or internal affairs of such a body. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > [adjective] generalc1300 civila1398 public1539 civic1655 communital1840 communal1843 communitive1843 communitary1850 a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xv. clxviii. 820 Venicia... defendeþ myȝtliche sogetes aȝens enemyes, and holdeþ þe comune profyte and ciuyle vndir ryȝtful lawes. a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) f. 10^v Ciuile office, þat is to seye þe office of gouernayle of citees, townes, and contrees. 1483 W. Caxton tr. Caton A viij Right lawe deuyne cyuyl and moralle. a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. Prol. f. iii London that auncient Cytie..I thynke somwhat to expresse Of theyr good ordre and Ciuyle polycy That they so longe haue ruled their Cytie by. 1559 Bp. Scot in J. Strype Ann. Reformation (1824) I. ii. App. vii. 12 As we see for civill quietness, there is appointed in every Village one constable. a1600 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie vii. xv, in Wks. (1662) 40 To exercise Civil Dominion of their own. 1606 Bp. J. Hall Arte Diuine Medit. §xiv The Heathen Romans entred not vpon any publike ciuile busines, without, [etc.]. 1689 B. Keach Distressed Sion Relieved 118 The Almighty's Government will maintain, Who over Conscience is sole Soveraign, If any do the Civil State disturb, On such you justly ought to put a curb. 1718 Boston News-let. 17 Nov. 2/2 On Tuesday the..18th Currant..And on Wednesday the 20th was held at the Council Chambers a General Council for the Nominating and appointing of Civil Officers. 1765 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. I. i. xii. 309 The civil state consists of the nobility and the clergy. 1799 W. Godwin St. Leon I. i. 1 In the early ages of antiquity, one of the favourite topics of speculation was a perfect system of civil policy. 1830 J. Mackintosh Diss. Progress Ethical Philos. 23 If he had turned to civil institutions, he might have learned that some nations had preserved an ancient, simple, and seemingly rude mode of legal proceeding. 1868 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 219 The freed Africans were made over to the civil authorities, and the ship's company..received the head money allowed by government. 1907 Daily Chron. 31 Aug. 2/7 When civil fury runs high, the Papacy is there, either fomenting or pacificating. 1913 E. Wingfield-Stratford Hist. Eng. Patriotism I. i. x. 305 Philosophy..includes human philosophy, which includes civil knowledge. 1949 H. A. R. Gibb Mohammedanism i. 17 The expansion of the Ottoman Empire..brought the greater part of the Muslim world once more under the government of powerful and highly centralized civil States. 1958 Jrnl. Relig. 38 57/2 To Marsilius..the church itself is a civil institution and subject to judgement along with other civil institutions by the people themselves through the highest agency of popular will, the state. 2007 Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.) (Nexis) 23 June 12 One's own government is planning to legislate national identity, replete with a day set aside for hand-on-heart civil pride. 3. a. Of or relating to citizens or people who live together in a community; relating or belonging to members of a body politic. ΘΚΠ society > [adjective] civilc1443 social1579 sociable1641 civic1655 societal1843 societary1844 worldward1848 macrosocial1969 c1443 R. Pecock Reule of Crysten Religioun (1927) 491 (MED) Þe bisynes which marþa made in mynistracioun of þe household..was not doon as a vertuose deede of charite for loue to god, but for worldli curtesie..and cyuyle freendschip, such as oon heþen man haþ to an oþer of his kyn. c1454 R. Pecock Folewer to Donet 136 (MED) Þerbi schal be distroied al sure..comunycacioun and togidere cyuyl bargenyng..al freendful cyuyl togidere lyuyng. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries v. f. lxiij For this ciuile lyfe and gouernment of the publyque wealth can not endure, vnlesse there be a difference of persones, that theremaye be some free, and some bounde, some to rule, and some to obeye. 1597 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet Prol. 4 Whose ciuill warre makes ciuill hands vncleane. View more context for this quotation 1671 J. Milton Samson Agonistes 853 Sollicited, commanded, threatn'd, urg'd, Adjur'd by all the bonds of civil Duty. 1680 E. Waller Of this Transl. in Earl of Roscommon tr. Horace Art of Poetry sig. A4^v Civil Life was by the Muses taught. 1740 D. Hume Treat. Human Nature III. ii. 150 Now this is exactly the case with regard to our civil duties, or obedience to the magistrate; without which no government cou'd subsist, nor any peace or order be maintain'd in large societies. 1785 W. Paley Princ. Moral & Polit. Philos. iii. ix There is a certain appearance, attendance, establishment, and mode of living, which custom has annexed to the several ranks and orders of civil life (and which compose what is called decency). 1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 669 The proudest capitals of Western Europe have streamed with civil blood. 1883 T. H. Green Proleg. Ethics Introd. 7 That civil spirit through which the promptings of personal passion are controlled. 1948 H. W. Babb tr. Law of Soviet State i. 19 On this theory, the state is formed to the end of making civil life and civil society real and effective. 2008 What Papers Say (Russia) (Nexis) 12 Mar. I intend to do everything it takes to make Armenia a strong democracy with free enterprise and human rights and civil freedoms observed. †b. That lives or is disposed to live as part of a community; (also) that is a citizen. Cf. social adj. 6. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabitant > inhabitant according to environment > town- or city-dweller > [adjective] civil1559 citizena1616 civic1655 burgherly1762 citizenly1792 citizenish1821 urbanite1899 1559 W. Bavand tr. J. Ferrarius Common Weale i. i. f. 5^v Now ye see, how that emong all liuyng creatures, onely man is commonable and ciuill. 1572 J. Bossewell Wks. Armorie ii. f. 70^v Aristotle saithe, that the Crane is a ciuill byrde, Quia sub Duce degit. 1598 I. D. tr. L. Le Roy Aristotles Politiques i. ii. 11 (heading) What is a Citie: and that it consisteth by nature: and that man is naturally a sociable and ciuill creature. 1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Inurbare, to endenizen, to become or make a citizen, or a ciuill man. 1649 G. Langbaine Answer Vniv. Oxford 10 And for a civill man to goe to the Vicechancellor for leave to be out of his house. 1655 M. Carter Anal. Honor in Honor Rediv. 63 Man as a Civil creature was directed to this form of subjection. 1719 M. Shelton Hist. & Crit. Ess. Rise Nobility (ed. 2) ii. 45 Divers good Authors have without Question suppos'd the Monarchick Government both to have been presently upon the first Times; and also, that in the Frame of Nature itself, Man, as a civil Creature, was directed to this Form of Subjection. †4. Befitting or appropriate to a citizen or citizens generally. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social attitudes > public-spiritedness > [adjective] > befitting a citizen civil1526 1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection ii. sig. Mvii These .iiii. cardinal vertues, Temperaunce, Iustice, ciuile or moralle, Fortitudo..and Prudence. 1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. i. 43 To esteem the deceased holy is pious, to spare the absent just, to take away the eternity of hatred civill. 1661 O. Felltham Resolves (rev. ed.) 316 There is a Civil Hatred, when men in general detest whatsoever is Vice. 1780 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting (ed. 2) IV. i. 29 For the instruction of heathen children in christian duties and civil knowledge. 1856 C. Merivale Hist. Romans under Empire IV. xxxiii. 63 It was ‘civil’, in the Roman sense of the word, to mingle in the amusements of the citizens. 5. That is in a condition of advanced social development such as is considered typical of an organized community of citizens; characteristic of or characterized by such a state of development; civilized. Now rare.Frequently contrasted with barbarous, savage. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > customs, values, and civilization > civilization > [adjective] > civilized civil1531 civilized1611 unbrutizeda1711 unbarbarized1719 snivelized1849 1531 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Chron. Scotl. (1938) I. i. iv. 31 Eftir þair cuming in Albion, thai war ane civill pepill, richt ingenious and crafty in were and in peace. 1533 tr. Erasmus Enchiridion Militis Christiani iv. sig. Gvij^v Prometheus taught rude men ciuyle & honest maner. 1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. ii. 11 Among the Latines of the ciuiller ages. 1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §680 Beasts are more Hairy than Men; and Savage Men more than Civil. a1667 Bp. J. Taylor Serm. (1678) 326 A Lybyan Tiger..shut up and taught to eat civil meat. a1674 J. Milton Brief Hist. Moscovia (1682) Pref. sig. A3 Muscovy..being the most northern Region of Europe reputed civil. 1710 J. Chamberlayne Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia (ed. 23) ii. i. ii. 332 On the other side..the People are much more civil. 1779 W. Alexander Hist. Women II. xviii. 44 There is a further reason for the greater difference between the sexes in civil than in savage life, which is the difference of education. 1829 R. Southey Oliver Newman vii As in civil, so in barbarous states. 1841 G. Catlin Lett. N. Amer. Indians II. xxxvi. 32 From my long silence of late, you will no doubt have deemed me out of the civil and perhaps out of the whole world. a1947 W. H. Auden Coll. Poems (1994) vi. 306 Outside the sunshine of its civil world Barbarians waited their appointed time. 6. †a. Of a person or his or her attributes, behaviour, etc.: educated; cultured, cultivated; well-bred. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adjective] > well-mannered > polished or refined well-polished1485 civil?1538 politic1596 cult1598 refined1598 inlanda1616 facete1616 urbane1623 terse1628 gentilitat1632 polite1751 politeful1832 ?1538 tr. St. Martinus Rule of Honest Lyfe sig. Bii^v Take hede..that no man fynde faute with you to be roughe and curyshe, nor yet to dyspyce you as though you were worthy to be caste out of company. Use no rude carterly fashyon, but gentell cyuyle maner. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VII f. xxxvi^v In Ireland there be two kynd of men, one softe, gentle, ciuile & curteous. 1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 42 A kinde of Symphonie whiche the common sort call a Pipe: the learned and more ciuil kinde of men name it a Dulcimer. 1628 G. Wither Britain's Remembrancer 29 Unbeseeming jests, And stuffe which every civill eare detests. 1647 J. Evelyn Let. 6 Dec. in Diary & Corr. (1857) III. 5 My character goes..for the civilest traveller that ever returned; for I was expected all ribbon, feather, and romanço. a1704 J. Locke Lett. (1708) 31 I know what latitude civil and well bred men allow themselves. b. Of a thing: highly-developed, advanced, sophisticated; refined. Now rare.In later use passing into sense A. 7a. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > refinement > [adjective] polisheda1382 dainteousc1386 polite?a1500 delicatea1533 courtly1535 civil1551 court-like1552 well-refined1575 nice1588 perpolite1592 politic1596 soft1599 terse1628 refine1646 refined1650 elegant1652 genteel1678 chastea1797 spirituala1806 aesthetic1844 nicey1859 raffiné1865 nuttish1869 too-tooa1884 sophisticated1895 lavender1928 1551 R. Robinson tr. T. More Vtopia sig. Fv This schole philosophie..thinketh all thinges mete for euery place. But ther is an other philosophye more cyuyle, whyche knoweth..her owne stage. 1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xviii. 158 The Greekes call it [Asteismus], we may terme it the ciuill iest. a1613 E. Brerewood Enq. Langs. & Relig. (1614) iii. 19 To their owne languages, which they held to be more ciuill then the Roman. a1652 R. Brome Mad Couple Well Match'd iv. i. sig. F2, in Five New Playes (1653) No more then once a Lover, or at least, A bold pretender, having in civill language Exprest in writing his affection To a chast Mistris seal'd, and directed it And on the contrary, courted his vertuous friend in brothell language. 1709 M. Astell Bart'lemy Fair 49 To treat out Equals or Inferiors Freely and Familiarly, is to treat them kindly; and..to enliven the Conversation with a little harmless Mirth, and to break a Civil Jest upon them, is the best Breeding. 1808 Crit. Rev. 3rd Ser. 14 280 Multiply the civil enjoyments of moral and intellectual man. 2005 San Diego Union-Tribute (Nexis) 28 Aug. (Sports Suppl.) 2 The game was the most civil of pastimes, just ladies and gentlemen, frolicking about, their conduct as impeccable as their white costumes. †c. Of clothing, behaviour, etc.: decent, seemly, respectable; not showy, sober. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [adjective] > other smalleOE lightc1230 round1402 side-necked1430 wanton1489 Spanish1530 tucked1530 lustya1555 civil1582 open-breasted1598 full1601 everlasting1607 sheeten1611 nothinga1616 burly1651 pin-up1677 slouching1691 double-breasted1701 negligée1718 translated1727 uniform1746 undress1777 single-breasted1796 unworn1798 mamalone1799 costumic1801 safeguard1822 Tom and Jerry1830 lightweight1837 fancy dress1844 wrap-1845 hen-skin1846 Mary Stuart1846 well-cut1849 mousquetaire1851 empire1852 costumary1853 solid1859 spring weight1869 Henri II1870 western1881 hard-boiled1882 man-of-war1883 Henley1886 demi-season1890 Gretchen1890 toreador1892 crossover1893 French cut1896 drifty1897 boxy1898 Buster Brown1902 Romney1903 modistic1907 Peter Pan1908 classic1909 Fauntleroy1911 baby doll1912 flared1928 flare1929 tuck-in1929 unpressed1932 Edwardian1934 swingy1937 topless1937 wraparound1937 dressed-down1939 cover-up1942 Sun Yat-sen1942 utility1942 non-utility1948 sudsable1951 off-the-shoulder1953 peasant1953 flareless1954 A-line1955 matador1955 stretch1956 wash-and-wear1959 layered1962 Tom Jones1964 Carnaby Street1965 Action Man1966 Mao-style1967 wear-dated1968 thermal1970 bondage1980 swaggery1980 hoochie1990 mitumba1990 kinderwhore1994 the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adjective] > seemly or proper seemly?c1225 comelya1350 seemc1400 ablea1500 setting1535 decent1545 civil1582 proper1738 gradely1763 decorous1792 nice1799 correctc1800 proprietous1815 the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > pleasing fitness > [adjective] > seemly or decorous seemly?c1225 comelya1350 seemc1400 setting1535 comingc1540 decent1545 civil1582 handsome1583 mensefula1598 sprunt1631 semblable1647 proper1738 orthodox1755 decorous1792 comme il faut1818 wise-like1820 1582 G. Whetstone Heptameron Ciuill Disc. vii. sig. Yi^v The Husband is bound to keepe his wife in ciuill and comely apparell, as well to make her seeme beautifull vnto himselfe. 1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. vi. xx. 224/1 Wantonly clad in the habit of an Amazon woman; alwaies costly, but seldome ciuill. 1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus ii. 11 Let this work be neuer so ciuill and seemely. a1625 J. Fletcher Womans Prize iii. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Ooooo3v/1 That fourteen yardes of satten give my woman, I do not like the colour, tis too civill. a1691 Virgin's Compl. in Bayford Ballads (1878) 931 Dolly, Molly, Susan, Bess, Pretty Maids in civil Dress. 7. a. Courteous, or obliging in behaviour to others; demonstrating or indicative of such behaviour; polite. In later use frequently with negative overtones: demonstrating only a minimum degree of politeness or courtesy; not rude. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > [adjective] metheOE hendc1225 debonairc1230 hendya1250 courteousc1275 hendlyc1275 bonairc1300 quaintc1300 sweetc1330 graciousa1375 meetha1400 debonary1402 debonariousc1485 humanec1500 civil1565 genty1660 discreet1739 polite1751 politeful1832 1565 J. Jewel Replie Hardinges Answeare Pref. sig. ¶4 Ye shoulde not take it in suche griefe, that, onely for distinctions sake, by so Ciuile, and courteous a name wee cal you our Aduersaries. 1580 A. Munday Zelauto i. 17 I very well esteeme of your courteous and ciuill demeanour. 1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 101 A passing civill Apophthegme of his extant which hee uttered in the Senate. 1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler i. 38 We'l drink a civil cup to all the Otter Hunters that are to meet you to morrow. View more context for this quotation 1681 J. Ray Corr. (1848) 130 Your very civil and obliging letter. 1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. i. 26 A man..whom he had endeavour'd by many civil offices to make his Friend. 1718 Free-thinker No. 51. 1 A Youth ought..always to shew a Civil Regard to his Elders. 1774 R. Cumberland Note of Hand ii. iv. 33 A very civil pretty spoken gentleman, upon my conscience. 1814 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1838) XII. 138 I am sorry to add that I did not receive so civil an answer as ought to have been given to any body. a1839 W. M. Praed Poems (1864) I. 231 And never said one civil thing When you were by to hear one. 1886 W. Carleton City Ballads 126 An' any kind-expressioned man, who acts a civil part, Can always find my soul to home, an' house-room in my heart. 1921 H. J. Newbolt Poems: New & Old 228 But John it appears has none of your grins and winks; Civil enough, but short. 1955 T. Williams Let. Aug. in Five O'Clock Angel (1991) 125 Keep a civil tongue in your head and a tolerant heart. 2003 C. Birch Turn again Home ii. 29 ‘How are you , Bessie?’ Auntie Bennet asked Mam, flashing her a smile. ‘Keeping well?’ ‘Can't complain.’ Mam was civil if unsmiling. b. In extended use; esp. (chiefly Newfoundland) of the weather. ΚΠ 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 71 The hils of the Alps, waxing more mild and ciuil [L. mitescentia Alpium iuga]. 1742 H. Fielding Joseph Andrews I. ii. vii. 210 He cry'd, Softly, softly Boys, to his Hourses, which the civil Beasts immediately obeyed. 1887 R. L. Stevenson Underwoods i. ii. 3 Let the streams in civil mode Direct your choice upon a road. 1918 N. Duncan Battles Royal iv. ii. 242 Old Elihu Maul, with a hook and line, had fished the Boiling Pot in civil weather from a paddle-punt. 1969 F. Mowat Boat who wouldn't Float (1977) 79 It was a ‘civil’ day (in Newfoundland this means the wind is not blowing a full hurricane). 2006 C. H. Jensen Lety's Gift xix. 225 Now all we needs is civil weather and we be all set. c. the civil thing: what is considered courteous, polite, or correct; the proper course of action. Frequently in to do the civil thing. ΚΠ 1771 T. Bridges Adventures of Bank-note IV. 101 If you had asked me civilly, I should have done the civil thing. 1797 Milistina I. vii. 52 I intend to propose to his daughter, but by way of doing the civil thing by the father, I wish in due form to acquaint him previously of my intention. 1829 Visits to ‘Relig. World’ xvi. 246 Naturally I should like to say the civil thing, and keep all around me in good humour. 1840 C. J. Lever Harry Lorrequer ii The proud Earl of Callonby, who never did the ‘civil thing’ anywhere. 1881 F. H. Burnett Fair Barbarian xv, in Scribner's Mag. Mar. 670 I feel it the civil thing to go to Oldclough oftener than I like. 1917 P. G. Wodehouse Man with Two Left Feet 177 ‘Ah, don't Bill,’ she says, as if I'd hurt her. And me meaning only to say the civil thing. 1992 Boston Globe (Nexis) 14 May 29 If a person is on the verge of death..they are allowed to petition the court for immediate release. If the court feels it is the civil thing to do, then it has the authority to release them. 8. Having or demonstrating proper public or social order; well-governed; orderly. rare in later use (chiefly Irish English (northern)). ΘΚΠ society > authority > subjection > obedience > [adjective] > orderly of state or society well-ruleda1387 civil1581 policied1596 at (a) quiet1603 policed1603 unrioted1627 untumultuated1659 policized1840 eunomic1952 1581 J. Derricke Image Irelande i. sig. Diii Not in the bounds of Englishe pale, whiche is a ciuill place: But in the Deuills Arse, a Peake, where Rebells moste imbrace. c1600 J. Dymmok Treat. Ireland (1842) 13 The south parte [of the County of Wexford] as the more cyvill. 1641 J. Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 37 A more quiet, clean, elegantly built, and civil place, than..Antwerp. 1659 J. Milton Let. Rupture Commonw. in Wks. (1698) II. 779 That Army, lately so renown'd for the civilest and best order'd in the World. 1685 R. Morden Geogr. Rectified 38 Ireland is a Flourishing Island, Civil in its self, and a good additional strength to the British Empire. 1964 J. Braidwood Ulster & Elizabethan Eng. III. 97 In Ulster civility means ‘orderly behaviour’ more often than ‘politeness’ and civil is ‘orderly’. 1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 62/2 Civil, of a person quiet, orderly, not troublesome. †9. Civic, municipal; urban. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > city > [adjective] cityc1330 civila1593 civical1602 urban1619 urbicarian1654 civic1656 urbian1710 urbic1855 a1593 C. Marlowe Edward II (1594) sig. G2^v Make Englands ciuill townes huge heapes of stones. 1644 W. Castell Short Discov. Coasts & Continent Amer. ii. 2 Others affirme that he [sc. Pedro Harnandez] was defeated in the very entrance of Guiana, at the first civill Towne of the Empire, called Magureguary. 1713 G. Berkeley in Guardian 7 May 1/1 The Folly of the civil Landlord in London, who..is a Stranger to fresh Air and Rural Enjoyments. †10. Public, popular. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adjective] > generally accessible or available commonc1300 openc1390 publicc1485 vulgar1555 civil1605 free-for-all1871 1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Mm2 The conceits..(now almost made ciuile) of the Maistring Spirite, & the force of confidence, and the like. View more context for this quotation †11. Benevolent; kind, considerate. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > kindness > [adjective] > humane manlyc1400 humane1603 civil1609 humanitarian1844 1609 R. Cawdrey Table Alphabet. (ed. 2) Ciuill, honest in conuersation, or gentle in behauiour. 1649 J. Milton Observations in Articles of Peace with Irish Rebels 47 Poynings Act, which was..the civillest and most moderate acknowledgement impos'd of their dependance on the Crown of England. 1661 Trial James in Howell St. Trials (1816) VI. 104 The sheriff and hangman were so civil to him in his execution, as to suffer him to be dead before he was cut down. 1684 tr. Eutropius Breviary Rom. Hist. vii. 121 He was so civil in his government at Rome, that none ever was punished. 1766 T. Amory Life John Buncle II. x. 362 A gentleman..told me I had best rest with him that night, and I was most heartily welcome. This was humane and civil. II. Specific and technical uses. 12. In legal contexts. a. With reference to civil law n. 1: of, relating, or according to Roman law or any of various systems or codes of law historically derived from this. Cf. Roman law n.In early use frequently opposed to canon (cf. canon n.¹ 1b); in later use chiefly to common; cf. common law n. 1a. ΘΚΠ society > law > system of laws > [adjective] > relating to Roman law civil1400 Romanistic1827 society > law > branch of the law > [adjective] > civil or Roman civil1400 Romana1768 quiritarian1838 Quiritian1839 quiritary1862 civilian1882 1400 in W. Fraser Mem. Maxwells of Pollok (1863) I. 141 Na remede of lach canoun na ciuyle to be proponit in the contrary. 1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. 427/1 Grete scyence, bothe in ryght cyuyl and in Cannon. 1502 in W. Fraser Stirlings of Keir (1858) 279 Renunciande all exceptione off law, cewille or canowne. 1531 tr. E. Fox et al. Determinations Moste Famous Vniuersities f. 3 Not longe tyme sins ther were proposed vnto vs, the Rector and doctours regentes in lawe Canon and Ciuile of the vniuersite of Angewe, these two questions here folowynge. c1538 E. Bonner Let. 2 Sept. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1570) II. 1240/1 Vnlesse I shoulde vse that ciuile remedye called in lawe acceptilation. 1579 B. Garter Newyeares Gifte sig. L He [sc. the Pope] citeth al the prelates, al diuines, and lawyers both ciuil & common, to appeare personally before him at Rome, at a certaine day, which was the firste of Nouember. 1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 210 No woman had it, but a ciuill Doctor. View more context for this quotation 1647 W. Lilly Christian Astrol. clxxxv. 821 He shall have both the Civill and Common Lawyer and the pettifog Atturney against him. 1651 J. F. tr. H. C. Agrippa Three Bks. Occult Philos. ii. x. 202 The Laws in the Testament require seaven witnesses, there are seaven civill punishments, and seaven canonicall. 1729 W. Whiston Apostolical Rules Eccl. Courts (title page) Humbly Recommended to the Consideration of the present Ecclesiastical and Secular Judges; Civil, Canon, and Common Lawyers. 1776 J. Bentham Fragm. on Govt. ii. xxxv. 91 Civil Lawyers, indeed, will tell you..that a slave is nobody; as Common Lawyers will, that a bastard is the son of nobody. 1833 N. Amer. Rev. Apr. 399 Nor shall we enter into the warm and often puerile contention between the civil and common lawyers in England, about the comparative superiority of the objects of their professional predilection. 1897 Law Mag. & Law Rev. 22 148 The procedure of the Court follows the Civil—or Continental—system of the Roman Law, rather than that of the English Common Law. 1905 W. H. Taft in Yale Law Jrnl. Nov. 1 When..the common law lawyer is brought to the study of the beautifully simple and exactly comprehensive language of the civil code governing the rights between individuals, he begins to feel the veneration that comes from consciously viewing the work of twenty centuries of jurists. 1989 Univ. New Brunswick Law Jrnl. 38 131 Of course, Scots Law is not English Law, for it is civil rather than common. 2006 S. J. Buck Understanding Environmental Admin. & Law (ed. 3) i. 2 In the continental or civil system, the law is spelled out in detailed civil codes. b. With reference to civil law n. 3: of or relating to the relations between ordinary citizens and the legal proceedings employed in settling these, as distinct from relations between the citizen and the state dealt with under criminal law; not criminal. Also: of or relating to the community of ordinary citizens and the rules governing them, as opposed to any of various subgroups; not military, ecclesiastical, commercial, etc. Cf. civil court n. at Compounds 2. ΘΚΠ society > law > branch of the law > [adjective] > distinguished from criminal civil1474 1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) ii. iii. 36 Some causes ben crymynell, And some ben cyuyle. c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 130 Sen the actioun js naturale, jt may nocht be termyt jn accioun ciuile be the writtin lawis. 1525 in W. Fraser Douglas Bk. (1885) III. 222 Geif ony dissention,..sal happyn..anent..actions criminall or cewil. 1541 T. Elyot Image of Gouernance xix. f. 33^v He ordeyned to be in the citie and also in the prouynces many offycers, somwhat mo than before were accustomed to be, appoyntyng causes ciuile and criminall to sundry iurisdictions. 1577 W. Harrison Descr. Eng. (1877) ii. ix. i. 202 These cases are otherwise called plees or action, wherof there are two sorts, the one criminall and the other ciuill. 1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Civilizer vn criminel, to change his Indictment into an action; to turne a criminall, into a ciuill, cause. 1682 G. Wheler Journey into Greece ii. 180 All Civil and Criminal Causes are tryed by the Vizier, or his Deputy, the Chaimacham. 1756 W. Blackstone Anal. Laws Eng. i. xiv. 25 Marriage is duly contracted between Persons, 1.Consenting: 2. Free from canonical Impediments..3. Free also from the civil Impediments—of prior Marriage;—of Want of Age;—of Non-Consent of Parents..—of Want of Reason. 1764 R. Burn Hist. Poor Laws 289 Civil, implies an offence of a private nature, betwixt party and party, and not where the king is party. 1826 W. Cobbett Rural Rides in Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 16 Sept. 731 In defiance of the law, ecclesiastical as well as civil. 1869 J. Austin Lect. Jurispr. (ed. 3) II. xliv. 780 The word civil has about twelve different meanings; it is applied to all manner of objects, which are perfectly disparate. As opposed to criminal, it means all law not criminal. As opposed to ecclesiastical, it means all law not ecclesiastical, as opposed to military, it means all law not military, and so on. 1887 T. Fowler Princ. Morals ii. iii. 145 A Civil Injury (as distinct from a Crime) is a wrong for which the law awards reparation to the injured individual. 1910 Times 12 Feb. 13/2 Lord Alverstone had partly heard a civil action, after completing the criminal business on Wednesday. 1919 Yale Law Jrnl. 28 807 In case the foreign law has two rules of internal law, one of which relates to civil contracts and the other to commercial contracts, the judge would select the rule applicable to the particular case. 1926 Monthly Labor Rev. 22 208 Within five days after the accident employers or their representatives are required to report to the civil judge of the locality where the accident occurred each case which causes death or disability. 1945 Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune 29 Jan. 1/6 The government filed a civil injunction suit in federal court today. 1981 Harvard Law Rev. 94 1376 A second source of potential conflict that criminal lawyers share with civil lawyers involves the confidences of former clients. 2004 .net Christmas 12/1 Copyright infringement is a civil offence, not a criminal one, so if you lose in court you'll be ordered to pay damages rather than sentenced. 13. a. Non-ecclesiastical; non-religious, non-sacred; secular. ΘΚΠ society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > unspirituality > [adjective] worldlyOE dryc1175 fleshlyc1175 of the world?c1225 secularc1290 timely1340 of hencec1384 uttermore1395 worldisha1400 profane1474 humanc1475 mundanec1475 mundial1499 carnal?1510 seculary1520 unghostly1526 worldly-minded1528 sensual1529 earthly-minded1535 civil1536 subcelestial1561 worldly-witted1563 secular-minded1597 ghostlessa1603 lay1609 mundal1614 non-ecclesiastical1630 unspiritual1643 wilderness1651 worldly-handed1657 outward1674 timesome1674 apsychical1678 secularized1683 hylastic1684 choical1708 Sadducee1746 gay1798 unspiritualized1816 secularizing1825 unreligious1832 secularistic1862 apneumatic1864 Sadduceeic1875 this-worldly1883 this world1889 1536 R. Taverner tr. P. Melanchthon Apol. sig. U ^v, in Confessyon Fayth Germaynes Only it speaketh of charitie to be exercised, whiche laye and ciuile men do after a fashyon vnderstande, but it speakethe not of fayth, whiche fewe men vnderstande what it is. c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. ii. xiii. f. xviii^v/2 Fynnane wes ane virtuous prince and na les honorit for his ciuil than religious maneris, be quhilkis he decorit his realme. 1592 tr. F. Du Jon Apocalypsis xiii. 1 One is of the civill Roman Empire..another of the Ecclesiastical or Propheticall. 1644 J. Milton Areopagitica 4 Both in religious and civill Wisdome. 1667 E. Waterhouse Short Narr. Fire London 67 To inundate things sacred and civil. 1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. III. 121 Civil and canon law, civil and ecclesiastical history. 1830 J. Mackintosh Diss. Progress Ethical Philos. 24 Civil and ecclesiastical oppressors. 1852 Times 9 June 5/5 Is the country to be governed, in ecclesiastical and civil matters, by the private opinions of particular men..; or by a system of fixed law? 1918 Internat. Jrnl. Ethics 29 84 Those societies in which it [sc. humanity] is most conscious, and therefore truest, are democracies, whether they be civil or ecclesiastical. 2000 M. K. Whyte in D. Browning Marriage in Amer. vii. 103 The strength of a society flows outward from its voluntary institutions—religious and civil—to public institutions and their policies. b. Of a marriage: secular; spec. (of a wedding ceremony) conducted by an officer of the state, rather than as a religious ceremony. Cf. civil union n. (a) at Compounds 2. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > wedding or nuptials > [adjective] > types of wedding civila1602 runaway1720 coemptive1875 confarreate1880 farreate1880 a1602 W. Perkins Comm. Epist. Gal. (1604) iv. 275 It may be called a politicke, or ciuill marriage, because it is ratified in the courts of men, according to humane laws... Neuerthelesse it is not a diuine or spirituall coniunction, or marriage. 1701 E. Godwin Two Serm. i. 33 As upon civil Marriage there ensues a mutual propriety between man and Wife, so here Faith doth unquestionably precede the Testimony or Assurance. 1802 Monthly Mag. Dec. 386/2 Marriage in France, you know, is merely a civil ceremony, the parties being obliged to swear before an appointed magistrate, that they are of age. 1810 Ipswich Jrnl. 7 Apr. The civil ceremony of the marriage was to take place at St. Cloud..and the religious ceremony at Paris. 1867 Freeman's Jrnl. (Dublin) 8 Oct. The King of Saxony left at two o'clock this afternoon by special train for Weimar to be present at the civil wedding of the Grand Duke and grand Duchess. 1880 Daily News 1 Oct. 6/1 The Church would..refuse to sanction..any civil marriage between divorcees and co-respondents. 1968 Harvard Law Rev. 81 1155 The court upheld the university's refusal to confer a degree on a student who had served as a witness in a civil wedding ceremony contrary to the tenets of the Catholic Church. 1999 Independent 20 Dec. i. 3/8 Officials from the London Eye..are to meet with registrars..to discuss a licence for civil marriages. 2000 You & your Wedding Mar. 174/1 Both we and our parents were concerned that a civil ceremony might seem matter-of-fact, not romantic at all. 14. a. Legal; in the eyes of the law and the community; in terms of legal rights or status. Opposed to natural. civil death: the loss of a person's civil rights chiefly as a result of outlawry, banishment, etc. (cf. death n. 3b); also in extended use. civil disability: a restriction imposed upon a person's civil rights because of a criminal conviction, or for some other reason; the fact or state of having such restrictions imposed (cf. disability n. 3). ΘΚΠ society > law > [adjective] > in the eyes of the law civil1539 1539 R. Taverner tr. Publilius Syrus Mimi sig. B.v, in tr. Erasmus Prouerbes Banyshement is in effecte a ciuile death [L. exul..est ut mortuus insepultus]. 1579 G. Fenton tr. F. Guicciardini Hist. Guicciardin xvi. 950 Burbon subborned to be Duke in case of his death, was also to succeede in case of his priuation, for that by the lawes is considered the death naturall and the death ciuill. 1650 Bp. J. Taylor Rule & Exercises Holy Living iii. §3 208 Let nothing make you break your promise, unlesse it be unlawful or impossible, that is, either out of your natural, or out of your civil power. 1656 H. Jeanes Mixture Scholasticall Divinity 161 Buried in a civill grave of captivity, and most miserable servitude. 1726 J. Ayliffe Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani 15 An Abjuration, which is a Deportation for ever into a foreign Land, was antiently with us, a civil Death. 1767 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. (new ed.) II. 121 It may also determine by his civil death; as if he enters into a monastery, whereby he is dead in law. 1791 T. Amery Proc. on Prosecution James Templar II. 447 Where A, B, C, D, E, F, are private men, and have no being or existence in the eye of the law, but the king chuses to incorporate them, the civil creature cannot say to the civil creator any more than the natural creature can to the natural creator, ‘that he will not be made thus’. 1808 Monthly Rev. 55 452 Several offences, which are not capital, are punished by civil death. 1826 Leeds Mercury 17 June Every man should be allowed to worship his God according to his conscience, and this too without civil disability of any kind. 1859 Amer. Law Reg. 7 129 The death, natural or civil, of one of the partners. 1918 Yale Law Jrnl. 27 867 Parental control ceased only on the natural or civil death of the father. 1967 Virginia Law Rev. 53 405 Since the petitioner had been convicted of other felonies, the reversal of this conviction would not remove the civil disabilities imposed on him. 1971 K. Millett Sexual Politics (1972) ii. iii. 67 Under the common law which prevailed in both countries at the opening of the period, a woman underwent ‘civil death’ upon marriage. 2004 Harvard Law Rev. 117 2731 While felon disenfranchisement and other forms of ‘civil death’ have a long history in the United States, the most recent and controversial examples of civil disabilities single out particularly unpopular categories of felons for the curtailment of personal liberties. b. Of a division of time: legally and practically recognized for the purposes of ordinary life and social organization; of or relating to this. Opposed to natural, astronomical, solar, etc. The civil day (day n. 2a) is now generally taken as consisting of 24 hours beginning at midnight and the civil year (year n. 2a) of 365 days (366 in a leap year), beginning on 1 January. ΘΚΠ the world > time > period > [adjective] > civil or legal civil1590 1590 H. Broughton tr. M. Beroald Short View Persian Monarchie 35 The 14. day of the moneth of March (which to the Hebrues is Nisan, and is the first moneth of the ciuile yeare amongst the people of God) is the ende and conclusion of the seauentie seauens. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 36 Those that have defined and set out a civil day. 1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ i. vi. §1 The ordinary or civill year did want intercalation. 1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) at Day The Parts of a Political or Civil Day. 1792 H. Cavendish Philos. Trans. 82 385 In those parts of India in which this almanac is used, the civil year is lunisolar. 1812 R. Woodhouse Elem. Treat. Astron. ix. 66 The common civil year..of 365 days. 1851 H. F. Clinton Epitome Civil & Lit. Chron. Greece ii. 242 The days of the civil month were to accompany the changes of the moon. 1885 Times 8 June 6/3 The public clock at the [Greenwich] Observatory entrance and the other mean solar clocks were put forward 12 hours so as to show Greenwich civil time, starting at midnight and reckoning from 0h. to 24h., which would correspond with the universal time recommended by the Washington Conference. 1931 G. A. Dorsey Man's own Show vi. 286 There are twenty-four hours in the astronomical day; two sets of twelve hours in the civil day. 1972 M. Kline Math. Thought ii. 21 Because the Egyptians did not intercalate the additional day every four years, the civil calendar lost all relation to the seasons. 1990 Whitaker's Almanack 65/1 Civil twilight, which begins or ends when the Sun's centre is 6° below the horizon. This marks the time when operations requiring daylight may commence or must cease. 2005 L. Holford-Strevens Hist. Time i. 2 This unanchored natural day must be distinguished from the civil day in the strict sense, which is the natural day as reckoned from a particular point determined by law or custom. 15. Not military or naval; civilian. Cf. civil aviation n., civil defence n. at Compounds 2, civil service n. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > peace > civilian life > [adjective] civil1541 unmilitary1713 non-military1738 civilian1817 bowler-hatted1909 civvy1915 1541 T. Elyot Image of Gouernance ii. f. 2 Fro the tyme that he issued out of his infancy, he were contynually instructed in all maner of doctrine, both ciuile and marciall. 1569 N. Haward tr. Seneca Line of Liberalitie xxviii. f. 124^v His woorthie knowledge in Ciuill or Martial pollicie he becommeth famous, and by the noblenes of his said vertewes shaketh of the darkenes and obscuritye of his base parentage. 1612 J. Davies Discouerie Causes Ireland 69 Sir Anthony S^t. Leger..performed great seruice in a ciuill course..Sir Edward Bellingham, who succeeded him, proceeded in a Martiall course. 1633 G. Herbert Church Porch in Temple xxxiv Game is a civil gunpowder, in peace Blowing up houses with their whole increase. 1680 H. Care Hist. Popish Plot 86 Persons of very high quality, by whose influence they afterwards screw'd many of their Party into considerable Offices and places of Trust Civil and Military. 1741 C. Middleton Hist. Life Cicero (1742) II. vii. 278 As long as it was carried on by civil methods, one ought to take the honester side; but when it came to arms the stronger. 1777 W. Renwick Misplaced Confidence I. xv. 153 An attempt was made to bring you to be more explanatory, by pointing out a great number of civil places, and at last desiring that you would only endeavor to procure a place of any kind, that would yield a moderate subsistence, in any part of the world. 1826 J. F. Cooper Last of Mohicans I. i. 11 A large civil cocked hat, like those worn by clergymen. 1864 J. Bryce Holy Rom. Empire ii. 6 His sovereignty was civil as well as military. 1940 Economist 17 Feb. 285/1 These civil defenders should be sufficient in numbers and adequate in training and organisation to furnish protection for the civilian population. 1963 Jrnl. Rom. Stud. 53 240 Roman York is one of those long-occupied legionary fortresses beside which in course of time a civil town came into independent existence. 1977 Hist. Jrnl. 20 210 The Admiralty took some time to confirm, non-officially, that various naval and civil authorities had been making sightings of Italian submarines. 1996 LSE Mag. Summer 21/4 I'd..had the opportunity to interact with fairly senior people both military and civil from other countries. 16. Theology. Virtuous but lacking faith; good or moral as a result of reason or natural inclination rather than the inspiration of Christian belief. civil righteousness: natural righteousness as opposed to that informed and inspired by faith. ΘΚΠ society > morality > virtue > [adjective] > virtuous but unregenerate civil1611 moral1620 society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > grace > righteousness > [adjective] > moral only civil1611 1611 R. Bolton Disc. State True Happinesse 17 He which reaches but to ciuill honesty, comes farre short of being in Christ, and consequently of true happinesse. 1655 W. Gouge & T. Gouge Learned Comm. Hebrewes (x. 22) ii. 470 Meere civill men are such as suppose all religion to consist in the externall duties of the second Table. a1698 W. Row Suppl. in R. Blair Life (1848) (modernized text) x. 166 Many that were civil before having become exceedingly loose. 1717 R. Younge Carnal Man Anatomiz'd (ed. 2) 172 I know these civil Men pass for as good Christians as the best, with Men of the World. a1752 R. Erskine Serm. (1777) III. xlv. 235 Jesus Christ is usually little prized by civil men: they are satisfied with their own righteousness. 1897 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 5 Apr. 8/6 Civil righteousness and social schemes occupy the hours of public worship and representative men and women everywhere are..without God. 1902 R. D. D. Rainy Anc. Catholic Church vi. 106 A place was provided..for the ordinary Christians..who regulate their conduct by the rules of civil righteousness. 1998 T. J. Wengert Human Freedom, Christian Righteousness viii. 141 Inability to distinguish civil righteousness from the righteousness required by God. B. n. †1. a. = civil law n. 1. Obsolete.In Piers Plowman: Civil Law personified. ΘΚΠ society > law > branch of the law > [noun] > civil or Roman law civilc1390 civil law?a1500 Roman lawa1533 civil right?1614 c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. ii. l. 57 Now Simonye and Siuyle stondeþ forþ boþe. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. ii. l. 113 Þis dede I assele, Bi siȝte of Sire Symonye and cyuyles [A text c1390 Vernon ii. l. 82 Notaries] leue. ?c1430 (c1400) J. Wyclif Eng. Wks. (1880) 156 (MED) To lerne goddis lawe, þei gon for þe manere to cyuyle or canon. a1475 Form Excommun. (Rawl.) in A. Clark Eng. Reg. Godstow Nunnery (1905) i. 3 Also in þe ciuile hit is wrytten..‘We interdiȝten al bysshopes..Þat vsen haserdyng or dyseplayng’. a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Nero) viii. 416 Doctor solempne..He was in canon and sciwille. c1500 (?a1475) Assembly of Gods (1896) l. 858 (MED) Geometry with Astronomy, Canon & Cyuyle, melodyous Musyk [etc.]. b. A civil lawyer; = civilian n. 1. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ society > law > jurisprudence > [noun] > legal knowledge or skill > one learned in the law > in specific branches or kinds of law civiliana1425 civilistc1550 common lawyer1552 Justinianist1588 tenurist1588 commoner1591 feudist1607 criminalista1631 criminista1631 Romanist1647 pundit1661 antecessor1753 constitutionalist1766 civil1776 publicist1795 codist1831 theologo-jurista1843 internationalist1855 Sabinian1862 Pandectist1895 1776 S. Foote Bankrupt iii. 57 You are absolutely as knowing as one of the Civils, if the latter part of your prediction was but as fully accomplish'd. †2. In plural. a. Civil matters or affairs, esp. as opposed to spiritual or ecclesiastical ones. Cf. spiritual n. 3. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social class > the common people > [noun] folkc888 peoplea1325 frapec1330 commona1350 common peoplea1382 commonsa1382 commontya1387 communityc1400 meiniec1400 commonaltya1425 commonsa1500 vulgarsa1513 many1526 meinie1532 multitude1535 the many-headed beast (also monster)1537 number1542 ignobility1546 commonitya1550 popular1554 populace1572 popularya1578 vulgarity?1577 populacya1583 rout1589 the vulgar1590 plebs1591 mobile vulgusc1599 popularity1599 ignoble1603 the million1604 plebe1612 plebeity1614 the common filea1616 the herda1616 civils1644 commonality1649 democracy1656 menu1658 mobile1676 crowd1683 vulgusa1687 mob1691 Pimlico parliament?1774 citizenry1795 polloi1803 demos1831 many-headed1836 hoi polloi1837 the masses1837 citizenhood1843 John Q.1922 wimble-wamble1937 society > faith > church government > laity > [noun] > concerns of temporal1390 civils1644 1644 R. Williams Blovdy Tenent cxxiii. 209 I have in part..that from the King upon his Throne, to the very Beasts, yea the excrements of their bodies..their civills, moralls, and naturalls were carried on in types. 1654 G. Goddard in T. Burton Diary (1828) (modernized text) I. Introd. p. xix [Neither] from the Levellers, who would introduce a party in civils, nor from the Sectaries, who would cry down all order and government in spirituals. 1658 Sir A. Haslerigge in T. Burton Diary (1828) III. 99 It was a glorious work of our Saviour to die on the cross for our spirituals. This is as glorious a work for our civils, to put an end to the King and Lords. The right is..without all doubt, in the people. 1676 A. Marvell Mr. Smirke sig. K2^v Oppression and Persecution in Civils and Spirituals. 1708 S. Hill Thorough Exam. False Princ. i. 132 The Civils consist in all the Official and Judicial Acts of the Ordinary, that peculiarly relate to the security and determination of those civil Matters, which Power is committed to the Ecclesiastical Ordinaries by the civil Powers. 1717 R. Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 319 Arbitrary Government in civils, and persecution for matters of conscience. b. Civil standing or position. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social class > [noun] estatec1230 statec1300 rowa1350 qualityc1425 calling1477 range1494 line1528 stature1533 respect1601 station1603 gradationa1616 ordinancea1616 repute1615 spherea1616 distance1635 impression1639 civils1650 footing1657 regimen1660 order1667 sect1709 caste1791 status1818 position1829 social status1833 standpoint1875 1650 N. Ward Discolliminium 48 For my Civills, some say I am a Gentleman, some say an Esquire. 3. colloquial. = the civil thing at sense A. 7c. Frequently in to do the civil. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > be courteous [verb (intransitive)] to do the polite1826 to do the civil1838 1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist II. xxii. 33 There's Bill Sikes in the passage with nobody to do the civil to him. 1841 J. T. J. Hewlett Peter Priggins I. xvi. 42 In this charitable and interesting situation, Ninny was discovered by Mr. Eugenius Eupheme, the senior tutor, who had called to do the civils and usuals to his honourable pupil. 1877 C. Reade Woman-hater ii. xix. 150 He would go to the station and telegraph him; and by that means would do the civil and meet Miss Gale. 1933 O. Jespersen Essent. Eng. Gram. xvi. 126 We have to do the civil to him. 1953 W. S. Churchill Second World War (1985) VI. ii. vi. 95 I had at least done the civil to ‘Anvil’. 1981 J. Aiken Stolen Lake 33 He ain't about to use it while he's a-giving dinner and doing the civil to old Brandyblossom. 4. a. Usually in plural. A civil engineer. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > engineer > [noun] > other types millwright1387 field engineer1758 chemical engineer1838 mechanical engineer1840 industrial engineer1849 structural engineer1867 civil1873 sanitary engineer1873 radio engineer1910 stress analyst1916 ack emma1917 stressman1919 roboticist1940 systems engineer1940 environmental engineer1947 terotechnologist1970 knowledge engineer1981 1873 Yale Lit. Mag. Oct. 43 The Civils have practical Surveying, while the Mechanicals continue Drawing. 1939 Pop. Sci. Monthly Feb. 176/2 They are of various varieties from the civils who build dams, bridges, buildings, roads and other structures, to the chemical kind who engineer the production of new kinds of substances out of raw materials. 1992 New Civil Engineer 13 Feb. 9/4 Strathclyde University has launched an MSc integrated building design course to bring together architects and civils in a series of workshops and master classes. b. British. In plural. Civil engineering. Chiefly attributive. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > engineering > [noun] > branches of waterwork?a1560 civil engineeringc1770 water engineering1787 millwrighting1821 engineering science1826 hydraulic engineering1835 river engineering1842 structural engineering1859 industrial engineering1860 chemical engineering1861 sanitary engineering1868 biological engineering1898 control engineering1914 radio engineering1915 environmental engineering1946 systems engineering1946 bioengineering1950 value engineering1959 biomedical engineering1961 geoengineering1962 macro-engineering1964 microengineering1964 terotechnology1970 hydroengineering1971 civil1975 mechatronics1976 knowledge engineering1977 1975 New Civil Engineer 13 Mar. 10 [He] had a limited education and left King's College at aged 16, when he was engaged on civils work. 1988 B. Scanlon Marketing Engin. Services xiv.102 This will give each major civils contractor a distinctive flavour to his marketing stance. 2001 Contract Jrnl. 16 May 1/5 We have no intention of pulling out of construction, but we have come out of civils because it didn't have synergy with the other areas we work in. C. adv. = civilly adv. Now rare (chiefly colloquial in later use). ΘΚΠ society > morality > virtue > [adverb] > but in unregenerate manner civilly1592 civil1642 the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > [adverb] welleOE fairOE methelyOE menskly?c1225 hendilyc1275 hendlyc1275 courteouslyc1290 bonairc1330 bonairly1340 goodly1372 debonairlya1375 henda1375 kindlya1375 fairlyc1480 humanelya1500 handsomely1542 civilly1552 gallantly1611 civil1642 politely1748 nicely1864 society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > grace > righteousness > [adverb] > moral only civilly1592 civil1642 1642 J. Eaton Honey-combe Free Justific. 229 If he were meerely civill honest, it leaves him still meerely civill honest. 1667 R. Head & F. Kirkman Eng. Rogue (rev. ed.) I. xiii. 138 He was brought into the Chamber where I was, who at first behaved himself indifferently civil, and treated me nobly. 1767 Babler No. 12 I never heard of a man who behaved commonly civil to a woman, who, etc. 1790 J. Angresteen Authentic Acct. Barbarities Monsters 119 The man still continuing to behave very civil to her until he came to the bottom of the steps. 1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility I. xxi. 289 For my part, I think they are vastly agreeable, provided they dress smart and behave civil. 1874 North Country News 1 Dec. 4/1 Prisoner had abused his wife, saying that she would not speak civil to him when her mother was present. 2005 M. Pastor in J. Canfield et al. Chicken Soup for Girl's Soul 51 We both acted civil. Phrases a civil question deserves a civil answer: see question n. Phrases 1e. Compounds C1. Uses of the adverb to form parasynthetic compounds and preceding past participles to form adjectives, as civil-mannered, civil-spoke, civil-spoken, civil-tongued, etc. ΚΠ a1625 J. Fletcher Island Princesse i. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Nnn/2 The people they shew brave too, civill manner'd. 1645 J. Milton Il Penseroso in Poems 42 Till civil-suited Morn appeer. 1776 S. J. Pratt Liberal Opinions IV. lxxii. 46 She seems a civil spoken woman. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy xiv He was a very ‘close’ man, as well as a ‘civil-spoken’. 1882 Harper's Mag. May 930/1 At all events, you were civil-mannered then, Kitty. 1910 J. Farnol Broad Highway ii. ii. 202 ‘What might you be wanting with a peaceable, civil-spoke cove like me?’ he inquired. 2003 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 6 Feb. d10 White-haired, always civil-tongued, he has the bearing of a country gentleman. C2. Compounds of the adjective. civil aviation n. non-military aviation; private or (esp.) commercial aviation. ΚΠ 1917 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 21 Oct. 15/2 Europe has completed its plans for this civil aviation development. 1930 L. Troubridge & A. Marshall John Ld. Montagu of Beaulieu 234 The enormous natural strides made by civil aviation the moment that the brake of war-time conditions was released. 1976 J. Lukasiewicz Railway Game 183 In the case of civil aviation, the revenues include landing fees, gas and oil fees, aircraft parking fees..aviation fuel taxes, and others. 2006 Amer. Jrnl. Internat. Law 100 242 These small, portable, shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles potentially pose a serious threat to civil aviation. civil court n. Law (a) a secular or civilian court, rather than an ecclesiastical or military one; (b) a court dealing with civil (as opposed to criminal) cases; cf. criminal court n. at criminal adj. and n. Compounds. ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] court1297 justicec1300 benchc1325 consistoryc1386 King's Courtc1400 open court?1456 justiciary1486 justry1489 seat1560 civil court1567 tribunal1590 judicatory1593 judicature1593 law-court1619 judiciary1623 jurisdiction1765 forum1848 society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] > court for trial of civil cases common courtc1400 Common Bench1414 Common Place?1433 Common Pleas1531 College of Justice1537 civil court1567 Common Bank1647 High Court1896 1567 T. Stapleton Counterblast ii. vi. f. 113 Yea so farre was this Emperour from al gouernment ouer Priestes in matters ecclesiastical, that euen in matters ciuil or temporal, he woulde not suffer priestes to be called to the ciuil court. a1675 B. Whitelocke Memorials Eng. Affairs (1682) anno 1648 375/2 Fair quarter for his life, which was explained to be, a freedom from any execution of the Sword, but not any protection from the judicial proceedings of a Civil Court; and mercy, was explained to be only from the promiscuous execution of the Sword, but that he might be tryed by a Council of War. 1705 tr. Present State Europe ii. 16 The New Civil Court, where all appeals in Civil Cases from the Exterior or out-lying Magistracy are decided. 1780 G. Crompton Pract. Common-placed I. Introd. p. ix The civil court retained the name of the county court.., and in it all the civil pleas of consequence arising in the county were discussed and decided. 1839 J. R. McCulloch Statist. Acct. Brit. Empire (ed. 2) II. iv. iv. 136 Inferior ones of known jurisdiction..such as a leet or a civil court within a borough. 1913 Southeastern Reporter 77 249/1 Military courts shall never take the place of the civil courts of the State for the trial of a civil offense. 1987 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 15 Oct. Under the current constitution the ordination of a woman could be tested in the ecclesiastical or civil courts. 2004 H. Kennedy Just Law (2005) i. 25 When an individual suffers a loss or is harmed in some way, they seek redress through the civil courts using the law of torts. civil crown n. Roman History a crown or garland of oak leaves and acorns given in ancient Rome as a mark of distinction to a person who saved the life of a fellow-citizen in war; see civic adj. 1. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > military organization > insignia > [noun] > decorations or orders > crowns and wreaths naval crown?a1439 civil crowna1522 civic garland1542 obsidional crown1546 oval1614 civic crown1649 olive crown1679 crown-mure1682 rostral crown1686 stephane1847 a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) vi. xiii. 37 With ciuile crownys of the strang aik tre. 1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. i. 7/1 The Civil Crown, or Citizens Crown: this was made of the flourishing branches of the Oak fructed..and was given by the City of Rome, to their fellow Cittizens, who had saved a Citizens life, either in a Siege or Battel. 1748 Gentleman's Mag. Sept. 430/1 On the reverse is a civil crown, with the arms of his serene highness above, and those of the city below. 1865 P. Smith Hist. World (1866) III. xxxvii. 355 For these merits, and others more particularly enumerated, he had been honoured with the laurel wreath and civil crown. 1935 tr. H. Wendel Danton iv. 249 The ‘People's Friend’ was..carried back to the Manège in triumph by cheering throngs, with a civil crown on his brow. 2002 F. Millar Rome, Greek World, & East I. 133 177 [Senators] were chosen, in the following order of preference: men elected to a curule magistracy since the last censorship;..those who had set up captured spoils at home or won a civil crown. civil defence n. defence of a country, community, etc., esp. by its civilian population; (in later use) spec. the organization and training of civilians to protect lives and property from danger caused by enemy action, natural disasters, etc.; (frequently with capital initials) an organized body devoted to this. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > defence > [noun] > civil defence civil defence1798 1798 J. Ebers New & Compl. Dict. German & Eng. Lang. II. 482/1 The Militia of the Country, the civil Defence of the Land. 1804 Parl. Reg. II. 555 I think it a most desirable thing to promote this species of civil defence even in time of peace, that the military may not be resorted to on every occasion. 1939 Times Weekly 6 Sept. 17/4 It is impossible now to say where air raid precautions end and where civil defence begins. 1942 Ann. Reg. 1941 290 A.R.P. services would henceforth be known as Civil Defence Services. 1998 Daily Tel. 10 Aug. 21/2 During the war, Smith became a warden in the local Civil Defence, and remained in the CD on the return of peace. civil disobedience n. rebellion of the populace against a governing power; (in later use) spec. refusal to obey the laws, commands, etc., of a government or authority as part of an organized, non-violent political protest or campaign. ΘΚΠ society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > [noun] > civil disobedience civil disobedience1579 1579 R. Robinson Vineyarde of Vertue xiii. f. 25 That God may thereby be gloryfied, and the common wealth fortified against assaults of the deuil, inuasions of forraine enemyes against ciuil disobedyence and discorde. 1644 R. Williams Blovdy Tenent xlix. 79 Caesar (as a civill supreme Magistrate) ought to defend Paul from Civill violence, and slanderous accusations about sedition, mutiny, civill disobedience. 1716 ‘P. Freeman’ Mock Patriots 18 The Inferior clerical Tools..judicially hardened into an Habituality of Civil Disobedience also, so as..to preach Faction instead of Faith, and Rebellion instead of Peace. 1866 in H. D. Thoreau Yankee in Canada 123 (heading) Civil disobedience [1849 titile orig. appears as ‘Resistance to Civil Government’.]. 1922 Ann. Reg. 1921 275 Mr. Gandhi announced that he reserved the right to continue..preparations for civil disobedience. 2002 Weekend Austral. (Nexis) 30 Mar. 21 It was barely three years since a black worker named Rosa Parks had refused to move to the back of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama—a simple act of civil disobedience. civil engineer n. an engineer specializing in non-military building and construction; spec. one who designs, constructs, and maintains large public works, especially those relating to social infrastructure, such as bridges, railways, tunnels, dams, airports, power stations, etc.; see engineer n. 3.Originally so called in distinction to engineer n. 1. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > engineer > [noun] engineera1500 enginist1579 mechanician1621 mechanic1662 machinist1706 civil engineer1763 mechanist1806 machine-maker1813 society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > builder > [noun] > civil engineer engineer1722 civil engineer1763 structural engineer1867 1749 Present Taxes 57 He must proceed by one of these two ways, which are common both to Military and Civil Engineers; that is, he must either work by Sap and Undermining, or attack by open Force.] 1763 T. Mortimer Universal Director ii. 72 Smeaton, John F. R. S. Surveyor and Civil Engineer. a1792 Smeaton Rep. (1797) I. Pref. 7 The first meeting of this new institution, the Society of civil engineers, was held on the 15th of April 1793. 1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) Introd. 8 My profession of a civil Engineer. 1836 Hull & Selby Railw. Act 102 A civil engineer of eminence. 1936 Times 23 June 5/5 He spent some years as a civil engineer with railway companies and elsewhere. 1998 A. Chaudhuri Freedom Song (1999) 137 They were civil engineers..; the country needed dams, bridges, roads and pylons as it grew. civil engineering n. the branch of engineering that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of works of public utility, esp. those relating to social infrastructure; cf. civil engineer n. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > engineering > [noun] > branches of waterwork?a1560 civil engineeringc1770 water engineering1787 millwrighting1821 engineering science1826 hydraulic engineering1835 river engineering1842 structural engineering1859 industrial engineering1860 chemical engineering1861 sanitary engineering1868 biological engineering1898 control engineering1914 radio engineering1915 environmental engineering1946 systems engineering1946 bioengineering1950 value engineering1959 biomedical engineering1961 geoengineering1962 macro-engineering1964 microengineering1964 terotechnology1970 hydroengineering1971 civil1975 mechatronics1976 knowledge engineering1977 c1770 in Innes Rev. (1963) 14 124 He was familiarly spoken of as ‘the Deacon’ or ‘Archie’ or ‘planny Anderson’. Mr Anderson's sobriquet of ‘planny’ or ‘planner’ arose from his turn for architectural designs and civil engineering. 1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. II. 932/1 Gabions filled with stones are used in civil engineering as defences for starlings of bridges. 1999 Materials World July 408/3 In the case of civil engineering, the system might prove useful to monitor buildings in earthquake zones or to examine the degradation of bonding in composite-reinforced structures. civil lines n. (also with capital initials) (the name for) an area (in various South Asian cities) originally developed as a residential district for colonial administrators and civil servants. ΚΠ 1833 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 10 i. 59 The civil lines, at the distance of two miles, are much more beautifully-situated, amidst well-wooded ravines. 1920 Rep. Comm. Govt. India Disturbances Punjab ii. 23 in Parl. Papers (Cmd. 681) XIV. 1001 By 1 o'clock the crowds making for the civil lines were not merely those who were attempting to approach via Hall Gate. 1992 World (BBC) Apr. 23/1 Kailasnath Choudhary..fought tooth and nail with the bureaucrats residing in the British-built bungalows of the Civil Lines to stop them from introducing an electric crematorium to the city. 2002 Sunday Times of India 22 Sept. (Classifieds section) 2/1 Wanted a flat in civil lines, Delhi between 1000–1200 sqft. Civil Lord n. (a) (chiefly in plural) (the title of) a secular member of the House of Lords; (b) (the title of) a civilian member of the Admiralty Board (formerly the Board of Admiralty); cf. naval lord n. at naval adj. and n. Compounds, lord n. 12. ΚΠ ?1546 tr. M. Luther Last Wil & Last Confession Faith sig. dvi^v Thei be not nor wil not be right true bisshops but rather temporal & ciuil lordes & rulers. 1700 R. Brady Contin. Compl. Hist. Eng. 459 None is a Civil Lord, none is a Bishop, none is a Prelate, while he is guilty of Mortal Sin. 1816 Hansard's Parl. Deb. 1st Ser. 27 Mar. 640/2 These civil lords were nothing but sinecure placemen, though their names now and then might..garnish a report. 1943 J. F. O'Sullivan & J. F. Burns Medieval Europe xi. 214 Bishops championed human rights against violation by civil lords. 1992 Times (Nexis) 26 June I was Civil Lord of the Admiralty when the Polaris agreement was reached. civil magistrate n. a magistrate dealing with civil as opposed to criminal or (formerly) ecclesiastical matters. ΘΚΠ society > law > legal power > [noun] > temporal or secular secular armc1290 secularityc1380 temporality1393 temporalty1396 civil magistrate1535 1535 D. Lindsay Satyre 3938 Thay..Sal be degraithit of thair Nobilitie,..Vnto the tyme thay by [= buy] thair libertie, Rehabilit be the ciuill magistrate. 1651 C. Cartwright Certamen Religiosum ii. 16 Luther admonishing to obey the Civil Magistrate. 1769 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. IV. 108 An entire exemption of it's clergy from any intercourse with the civil magistrate. 1860 R. Morris Elopement ii. x. 50 The laws of France require, that the solemn ceremony, to be legal and binding, shall be performed by a civil magistrate. 1994 D. Wojahn Late Empire 51 A hundred demonstrators handcuffed, clubbed, and brought before some drunken civil magistrate. civil parish n. = parish n. 3a. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > for administration of poor-law union1830 civil parish1835 parish1847 1835 Times 24 June 2/5 The territorial extent of the ecclesiastical and civil parish. 1987 J. Lees-Milne Some Cotswold Country Houses 137 Although perilously close to Chippenham town and actually within the civil parish of ‘Chippenham Without’, Sheldon Manor is hidden in flat, wooded North Wiltshire country with glimpses of blue Downs in the distance. civil partner n. a person who is in a civil partnership (civil partnership n. (b)), considered in relation to his or her partner. ΚΠ 2002 Guardian 16 Jan. (G2 section) 16/2 If the bill became law, would those in such relationships boringly introduce each other as ‘my civil partner’, to distinguish them from couples who hadn't registered? 2006 Church Times 3 Mar. 10/2 Civil partners are to be treated as spouses in relation to housing and tenancies, domestic violence, and fatal accident claims, and cannot be discriminated against in employment for being a civil partner. 2018 @RedHotSquirrel 15 Mar. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) Despite all the hysteria from the British mainstream media about Brexit, my civil partner and I have decided to remain in Britain indefinitely. civil partnership n. (a) a legal (business) partnership, spec. one established under civil law, as opposed to one established under commercial law; (b) a legally recognized relationship similar to but distinct from marriage, available in certain jurisdictions to homosexual couples who are prohibited from marrying, and sometimes also to heterosexual couples who do not wish to marry.Partnerships offering same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities provided by civil marriage were instituted under this name in the United Kingdom by an Act of Parliament in 2004. Civil partnerships were subsequently extended to mixed-sex couples in the United Kingdom by the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Act 2019. ΚΠ 1840 H. Reeve tr. A. de Tocqueville Democracy in Amer. III. vii. 240 Men can embark in few civil partnerships without risking a portion of their possessions; this is the case with all manufacturing and trading companies. 1910 Jrnl. Soc. Compar. Legislation 10 240 The artificial distinction between..‘commercial’ partnerships and ‘civil’ partnerships [in the Philippines]..is confusing. 1993 K. Waaldijk in K. Waaldijk & A. Clapham Homosexuality iii. 97 In 1990 a member of the French Senate proposed the introduction of a ‘contract of civil partnership’,..which would also be open to heterosexual couples. 1999 Arab Law Q. 14 235 Equity partnership agreements are undertaken within the context of the Iranian Commercial Code,..whereas civil partnerships..are formed within the context of the Iranian Civil Code. 1999 Africa News (Nexis) 23 Apr. The right of same-sex couples to form civil partnerships entailing the same rights and responsibilities as civil marriage. 2006 Guardian 3 June (Weekend Suppl.) 7/1 What about ‘ante-consortial contracts’ between same-sex couples about to register a civil partnership? civil plea n. a legal proceeding relating to civil law, as opposed to criminal or (formerly) ecclesiastical law; a plea brought in a civil court, a civil action. ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > [noun] > common or civil proceedings civil plea1548 Common Pleas1576 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Mark xiii. f. lxxxv Be you not carefull.., for that ye are not sene in y^e lawe, but men ignoraunt in ciuill plees: as the common sort of the people are wonte to be carefull in suche case, who make Oratours and Rhetorcians theyr atturneys, and proctours in pleading of matters. a1634 E. Coke 2nd Pt. Inst. Lawes Eng. (1642) 22 Common or civil pleas are divided into real, personall, and mixt. 1741 R. Richardson Attorney's Pract. Court Common Pleas I. 1 All Pleas are regularly divided into Pleas of the Crown, and into Common or Civil Pleas. 1844 Pennsylvania Law Jrnl. 3 472 These district courts are essentially courts of common pleas, their jurisdiction being to hear and determine all civil pleas and actions. 1999 Austin (Texas) Amer.-Statesman (Nexis) 6 May 1 Cornyn accused Morales of criminal behavior in a strongly worded civil plea. civil religion n. a religion, or a secular tradition likened to a religion, which serves (officially or unofficially) as a basis for national identity and civic life. ΚΠ 1713 R. Bentley Remarks Disc. Free-thinking II. xlv. 33 But as to the Civil Religion, Socrates never oppos'd it, but always countenanc'd it both by discourse and example. His precept to his Scholars about matters of Worship was to govern themselves..by the Custom of the Country. 1789 tr. J.-C. Laveaux Life Frederick II II. 541 You are the chief of the Civil religion of the country, which consists in honesty and all the moral virtues. 1871 Congregational Q. Oct. 568 [Rousseau] propounds the theory of a civil religion, but limits it to those general dogmas which are common to all states, and the foundations of all creeds. 1985 Times 19 Dec. 13/5 If the Church of England did not provide the civil religion for the nation and the State, it would be necessary to invent some other organisation to do so. 2001 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 17 May 49 (advt.) Some argue that a ‘Civil Religion’ is necessary to hold together our newly ‘religionless’ society. civil union n. (a) a civil marriage (see sense A. 13b); (b) chiefly U.S. = civil partnership n. (b). ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > wedding or nuptials > [noun] > manner of marrying > other types of wedding confarreation1598 farreation1656 coemption1676 Scotch marriage1762 foot washing1780 civil union1837 white wedding1840 hand-fastening1899 Anand Karaj1938 destination wedding1990 1837 Times 2 June 5/1 The company repaired to the hall of Henry II., where the civil union was performed... Baron Pasquier..drew up the civil act of marriage. 1934 I. Brown Master Sanguine 337 An immediate civil union before a Registrar and a quiet, unmolested honeymoon. 1992 Economist 2 May 49/2 Three French Socialist deputies have put forward proposals for a new ‘contract of civil union’. This would give an unmarried couple, of whatever sexual tendency, the same right as a married couple in regard to death duties, [etc.]. 2000 N.Y. Times 1 May a14/3 [Vermont] recently passed a bill creating civil unions that give gay couples the rights of marriage. 2004 Philadelphia Inquirer 13 June a11/1 Gay activists are urging a boycott of Virginia because of a new ban on civil unions and other marriagelike arrangements for same-sex couples. civil war n. war between the citizens or inhabitants of a single country, state, or community; an instance of this; (also figurative); cf. sense A. 1.Frequently with the and capital initials, with reference to a particular conflict: see American, English, Spanish Civil War at first element. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > war > types of war > [noun] > civil war civil wara1533 neighbourhood war1887 society > armed hostility > war > types of war > [noun] > civil war > specific civil war1712 the troubles1786 English Civil War1794 Wars of the Roses1809 the late unpleasantness1866 War between the States1867 Spanish Civil War1936 Spanish War1937 a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) vi. l. 2332 (MED) Thes werris that callid wer cyuile.] a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1537) sig. B The ebuliyion and mouynge of ciuill warres were cause of the dymynysshynge of the aunciente Polycie of Rome. 1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan 390 Sidney Godolphin, who..was unfortunately slain in the..late Civill warre. 1712 E. Budgell Spectator No. 313. ¶16 The Civil War broke out..one of them followed the Parliament, the other the Royal Party. a1832 J. Mackintosh Hist. Revol. Eng. (1834) i. 10 Their sufferings in the royal cause during the civil war. 1941 W. J. Cash Mind of South ii. i. 103 The Civil War and Reconstruction represent..an attempt on the part of the Yankee to achieve by force what he had failed to achieve by political means. 1985 New Statesman 27 Sept. 4/2 Any senior Labour politician who experienced at first hand the bitter civil war within the party after 1979 can be forgiven for putting a high price on the preservation of unity. 2006 J. Treglown in Granta Summer 77 Although the Spain of the 1920s had yet to experience civil war and the Franquista tyranny, it was already ruled by a military dictator. civil wrong n. an infringement of a person's rights, esp. (Law) such an infringement against which there is legal redress, such as a tort or breach of contract. ΚΠ a1602 W. Perkins Godlie & Learned Expos. Epist. Iude (1606) 143/2 But this exposition cannot stand; for to shew that it is no direction of the manner to reuenge ciuil wrongs, but appertaineth vnto the conscience. 1776 Monthly Rev. Aug. 162 The laws of Canada are to provide the remedy against a civil wrong. 1898 W. F. Craies in Encycl. Laws Eng. VIII. 77 It certainly has different meanings with respect to responsibility for civil wrongs and responsibility for crime. 1999 M. Shoard Right to Roam i. 13 Otherwise trespass in Scotland is a civil wrong as normally in England, with force available to landowners against trespassers who refuse to leave and interdicts from the Sheriff Court playing the part of a county court against repeat offenders. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online June 2022). † civilv. Forms: see civil adj., n., and adv. Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: civil adj. Etymology: < civil adj. Compare civilize v. Obsolete. rare. transitive. To make civil, to civilize. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > customs, values, and civilization > civilization > make civilized [verb (transitive)] civil1584 civilize1595 reclaim1603 unbeast1611 dissavage1631 unbarbarize1648 unbrute1670 disbarbarize1803 unbrutify1812 debarbarize1823 snivelize1849 unbrutalize1852 1584 W. Warner Pan his Syrinx lii. sig. T4 ^v Whosoeuer had extirped Tyraunts, ciuiled Nations, confounded Monsters,..was magnified for more than a man. 1591 G. Fletcher Of Russe Common Wealth xxviii. f. 115^v If they were once ciuilled, & brought to more vnderstanding. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online September 2018). < adj.n.adv.a1387v.1584
随便看	to take a person at advantages to take a person at face value to take a person at her word to take a person at his etc offer to take a person at his etc proposal to take a person at his her offer to take a person at his her proposal to take a person at his offer to take a person at his proposal to take a person at his word to take a person by the button to take a person by the hand to take a person down a buttonhole to take a person down a buttonhole lower to take a person down a peg to take a person down a pin to take a person down a two to take a person hostage to take a person in the head to take a person into custody to take a person napping to take a person off his or her perch to take a person on one side to take a person or thing on trial to take a person out of himself

civiladj.n.adv.

Phrases

Compounds

† civilv.