[ad. L. acclāmātiōn-em a shouting at or to, n. of action f. acclāmāre: see ACCLAIM. Cf. Fr. acclamation, also 16th c. in Littré.]
1. The action of acclaiming. † a. Calling to, appealing. Obs. b. Loud or eager expression of assent or approval, as to vote a motion by acclamation. c. Shouting in honor of any one.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 56. The people of Israel … sang with joyful acclamation unto the Lord.
1612. T. Taylor, Titus (1619), iii. 8. 679. Giuing consent and acclamation vnto the most weighty and necessarie doctrine of free iustification.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 91. ¶ 3. With the general acclamation of all the powers.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 408. Dryden … joined his voice to the general acclamation.
1860. Froude, Hist. Eng., VI. xxxi. 196. The spirit which thirty years before had passed the Six Articles Bill by acclamation.
1868. Peard, Water-farming, v. 51. Crowned long ago by acclamation king of fish, learning has done him [the salmon] homage.
2. An act of acclaiming; an exclamation, or phrase addressed to anyone in a loud voice, † a. (as in early L.) in expression of dislike; † b. (as in later L.) of approbation or applause. Hence c. Loud applause or approbation however expressed.
1541. Elyot, Image of Gov., 172. With these and other moste ioyouse acclamations, the emperour issued out of the Theatre.
1606. Holland, Suetonius, 39. Acclamations must be restrained heere to the worse sense … of Curses and Detestations.
1611. Bible, 1 Macc. v. 64. The people assembled vnto them with ioyfull acclamations.
1611. Speed, Theatre Gt. Brit., 121/1. The cruell tyrant, to stop her cries and acclamations, slew her.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 361. That auspicious Acclamation of the Senate to their Cæsars, Felicior Augusto, Melior Trajano.
1673. Lady’s Calling, II. § 2. 75. To force their unhappy mothers to that sad acclamation, Blessed are the wombs which bare not.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XV. 872. This happy day with acclamations greet.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & Fall, I. x. 196. The acclamations of the soldiers proclaimed him emperor.
1862. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Constitn., x. 136. The assembled people … by their acclamations gave an affirmative answer.
† 3. Rhet. A brief isolated sentence in a discourse, emphasizing what precedes it. Obs.
1561. J. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apocal. (1573), 8 b. He finisheth the title With an acclamation [Rev. i. 3]. Ibid., 56 b. Hereunto is annexed the wonted acclamation … Let hym that hath eares, heare etc. [Rev. ii. 7 etc.]
1641. Milton, Animadv. (1851), 202. This ancient Father mentions no antiphonies, or responsories of the people heer, but the only plain acclamation of Amen.
1657. J. Smith, Myst. Rhet. Unv., 143. Acclamation is a figure, when after a thing is done or declared, a clause or part of a sentence is added, briefly purporting some Emphasis.
