Forms: 4 addicioun, 5 addicion, 5–6 addycyon, 6 addycion, 6– addition. [a. Fr. addition, ad. L. additiōn-em n. of action f. add-ĕre; see ADD.]
1. The action or process of adding: the putting or joining of one thing to another so as to increase it, or the joining together of several things into one amount.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 6/2. Addycyon, or puttinge to for encrese, Addicio.
a. 1550. Compl. Lover’s Life, 201. Without addicioun Or disencrese, eyther more or lesse.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. ii. 130. And take vnmingled thence that drop againe Without addition or diminishing.
1635. N. Carpenter, Geogr. Delin., I. iv. 74. The Addition or Subtraction of some parts would make but an insensible difference.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus., Lett. in Pref. (1732). Accept the whole as it was first set down, without Addition or Diminution.
1870. Yeats, Nat. Hist. Comm., 13. The addition of a new fact to a farmer’s mind often increases the amount of his harvest more than the addition of acres to his estate.
2. The process of collecting separate numbers into one sum, which is the first rule of arithmetic.
1542. Recorde, Grounde of Artes (1575), 60. Addition is the gathering together and bringyng of twoo numbers or more, into one totall summe.
1827. Hutton, Mathem., I. 8. Addition is the collecting or putting of several numbers together, in order to find their sum, or the total amount of the whole.
1872. Hamb. Smith, Algebra, 2. The process of addition in Arithmetic can be presented in a shorter form by the use of the sign +.
3. That which is added to anything; an appendix, augmentation, accession.
1366. Maundevile, vii. 80. Thei ne know not the Addiciouns, that many Popes han made.
1483. Caxton, Cato, Pref. The said book of Cathon with some addicions and auctoritees of holy doctours.
a. 1520. Myrroure of Our Ladye, 29. Certeyne addycions that are put therto.
1611. Bible, 1 Kings vii. 29. Beneath the lyons and oxen were certaine additions made of thinne worke.
1691. Petty, Polit. Arith., Pref. a 2. That Ireland and … other Additions to the Crown, are a Burthen to England.
1855. Brewster, Newton, II. xxvi. 384. Had Sir Isaac enjoyed his usual health, he would no doubt have made greater additions to the Principia.
† 4. Something annexed to a man’s name, to show his rank, occupation, or place of residence, or otherwise to distinguish him; ‘style’ of address. Obs.
1494. Fabyan, IV. lxix. 48. He had an addycyon put to his name, and was called for his great myght and power, Constantyne the Great.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, Pref. 2. I haue not gyuen euery lorde, knyght, or squyer his true addycion.
1604. Shaks., Oth., IV. i. 105. Iago. How do you Lieutenant? Cass. The worser, that you giue me the addition. Ibid. (1605), Lear, I. i. 138. Onely we shall retaine The name, and all th’ addition to a King.
1726. Penn, Wks., I. 503. To set down the Names of those Justices who were present, with all their Additions and Titles.
† 5. Her. Something added to a coat of arms, as a mark of honor; opposed to abatement or diminution. Obs.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., IV. v. 141. I came to kill thee Cozen, and beare hence A great addition, earned in thy death.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., The arms of a kingdom have been sometimes given, by way of Addition, to a private subject.
† 6. Point or note of addition in Music: A dot placed on the right side of a note, to signify that it is to be lengthened by one half. Obs.
1674. Playford, Skill of Music, I. viii. 27. This Prick of Perfection or Addition is ever placed on the right side of all Notes, for the prolonging the sound of that note it follows to half as much more as it is.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., A note of Addition amounts to the same, with what is by some old English authors, called prick of perfection.
1880. F. Taylor, in Grove, Mus. Dict., I. 456/2. The ‘point of addition’ was identical with our modern dot.
