1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Mark xiv. f. xc^v It was his [sc. Christ's] wyll and pleasure they shoulde nowe be witnesses of his greatest abasyng [L. abiectionis] of hymselfe, and humilitie.

1608 S. Hieron Helpe vnto Deuotion in Wks. (1620) I. 745/1 To the abasing & humbling of my hart.

1611 Bible (King James) 2 Cor. xi. 7 Haue I committed an offence in abasing my selfe, that you might be exalted. View more context for this quotation

1642 D. Rogers Naaman 30 Gods purpose towards him in this abasing of his stout heart.

1707 J. Norris Pract. Treat. Humility 363 But why great King of Glory, all this Emptying, all this Abasing of thy self?

1774 London Mag. Oct. 482/1 She found, to the abasing of her pride, that she was the worst dressed of any person there.

1813 H. More Christian Morals xvii. 200 The abasing of that pride which they rather foster than correct.

1862 Primitive Methodist Mag. Feb. 83 There appeared an abasing of his Divinity by stooping to ally it with humanity.

1921 V. E. Roe Val of Paradise xxi. 248 Once more she halted in the abasing of her pride, but that deep truth and courage whipped her on.

1998 G. Richter & E. J. Lieberman tr. O. Rank Psychol. & Soul ii. 32 From this apex of belief in soul and immortality, we note a slide to the..abasing of women, in witch-belief.

1550 Proclam. Edward VI 1 Dec. in All Proclam. sette Furthe (1551) f. xcix ^v A Proclamacion, for the abacyng of the Frenche Croune.

1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 1316 At this tyme also, the kinges Maiestie with the aduice of his priuye Counsaile,..did now purpose not onely the abacyng of the sayd copper moneys, but also ment wholly to reduce them into Bollion.

a1575 N. Harpsfield Treat. Divorce Henry VIII (1878) (modernized text) 298 The inestimable loss it [sc. England] suffered by the decay and abasing of money.

1683 J. Bulteel tr. F. E. de Mézeray Gen. Chronol. Hist. France Index The change and abasing of Money, cause of an emotion and rising amongst the Populace of Paris.

1695 S. Clement Disc. Money 13 The Abasing of our Coin, or Raising the Value of our Currant Money.

1721 J. Strype Eccl. Memorials II. ii. iv. 274 The Punishment of them that would blow Rumours of abasing and enhauncing of the Coin.

1819 R. Ruding Ann. Coinage Brit. & its Dependencies (ed. 2) II. 471 The King forbade..all his subjects to invent, speak, mutter, or devise any manner of tale, news, or report,..touching the abasing of the said Coin.

1857 J. G. Nichols Literary Remains of King Edward Sixth II. 329 This abasing of the coins had been fixed for the last day of August.

1625 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) xxii. 128 This would be done, with a demure Abasing of your Eye..as the Iesuites also doe use.

1870 Gentleman’s Mag. Feb. 266 The bending of his spine, and the abasing of his brain.

1888 I. Zangwill Premier & Painter iii. iv. 132 ‘I am glad to see you so resolved,’ she said..‘for the sake of my sex, and,’ she added, with..an irresistibly lovely abasing of her eyes, ‘myself’.

1615 E. Sandys Sacred Hymns 28 Let none who thee attend, abasing shame depress.

a1665 J. Goodwin Πλήρωμα τὸ Πνευματικόv (1670) vi. 123 The bodies of the Saints, which now in the state of mortality are vile (that is, of an abasing and humbling complexion and frame).

1747 D. Brainerd Diary 24 May in J. Edwards Acct. Life D. Brainerd (1765) 226 True religion consists in deep humility, brokenness of heart, and an abasing sense of barrenness.

1799 H. More Strictures Mod. Syst. Female Educ. II. xix. 249 The abasing thought that ‘we are all as sheep going astray’.

1827 J. F. Cooper Prairie II. xi. 172 Notwithstanding the exclamations of regret and resentment, which followed so abasing a declaration, the chief took his seat, as if determined to speak no more.

1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend I. ii. v. 210 He made a little gesture as though he kissed the hem of an imaginary garment worn by the noble youth before him. It was humbly done, but picturesquely, and was not abasing to the doer.

1920 L. C. Hale American's London xii. 196 Mrs. Hacking, our new housekeeper, entered identically with the abasing dish. She could, would, and did cook tripe.

1992 Independent (Nexis) 1 Aug. 32 He did not deliver an abasing self-criticism, refused to repent and flung himself into furious political activity.