Address v.

also 4–5 adress(e. [a. (14th c.) Fr. adresse-r, earlier adresce-r, adrece-r, adrecie-r (Pr. adreysar, Sp. aderezar, It. addirizzare):—late pop. L. *addrictiā-re, addirectiā-re; f. ad to + drictiā-re, directiā-re to make straight or right, f. drictum, dirictum, directum, straight, right: see DRESS and DIRECT. The subseq. refashioning of a- to ad- occasional in the 15th-c. Fr., has been permanently adopted in Eng.; see AD-.]

  Prim. sign. To straighten:—I. To make anything straight; then, to put things ‘straight’ or right; to put in order; to order, prepare; to array, clothe. II. To make straight the course of anything, to direct, to dispatch; to direct a letter, direct one’s speech or oneself to, speak to. III. To direct towards an object, apply to a purpose, to apply oneself.

  I.  To make (a thing) straight or right.

  † 1.  trans. To straighten up, to erect; to raise, to set up. refl. To raise oneself, to stand erect, lit. and fig. Obs.

c. 1375.  Barbour, Bruce, VI. 173. How he sa hardyly Addressyt hym againe thaim all.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 87/2. The first day that he was wasshen and bayned he addressid hym right up in the bassyn.

1620.  Shelton, Don Quixote, I. III. i. 116. He arose, remaining bended in the midst of the way, like unto a Turkish Bow, without being able to address himself.

  † 2.  To put (things) ‘straight,’ or ‘to rights,’ to set in order; to order, arrange, draw up in line (a body of troops, etc.) Obs., but cf. DRESS.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XIV. 265. His men addressit he thame agane.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. ii. 2. [He] achyued many perilous aventures, and dyuers great batelles addressed.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iv. (1641), 33/2. The spitefull Scorpion, next the Scale addrest, With two bright Lamps covers his loathsom brest.

1598.  R. Barnfeild, in Shaks. Cent. Praise, 26. The rest Whose stately Numbers are so well addrest.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, I. 445. Put to their shifts, and forced for to addresse themselues, and range a nauall battell in order.

  † b.  To right what is wrong; to redress (wrongs), reform (abuses). Obs.

1525.  Ld. Berners, Froissart, II. lxxx. [lxxvi.] 238. I say not this to you, bycause ye sholde addresse my wrongs … by hym ye maye be addressed of all your complayntes.

1670.  Milton, Hist. Eng., III. Wks. 1851, 95. A Parlament being call’d, to addres many things.

  † 3.  To order or arrange for any purpose; to prepare, make ready. refl. To prepare oneself. Const. to, unto, for. Obs., but see III.

1485.  Caxton, Paris & Vienne, 40. Eche departed fro other for tadresse suche thynges as to them shold be necessarye.

1560.  Q. Elizabeth, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 158, II. 265. We will that you shall from time to time address several Schedules containing the names of all such hable Scholers.

1596.  Chapman, Iliad, V. 730. And Hebe, she proceeds T’ address her chariot.

1633.  Hall, Hard Texts, 315. Those of Media addressed their Target for a present defence.

1655.  Lestrange, Chas. I., 117. He … did addresse himself for the stroke of death.

1678.  Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 201. He addressed himself to go over the River.

1818.  Byron, Childe Har., II. lxix. When he did address Himself to quit at length this mountain-land.

  † b.  intr. (refl. pron. suppressed). To prepare. Obs.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, VI. iv. 2. Sibillais commandment Enee addressis performe incontinent.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., IV. iv. 148. Let vs addresse to tend on Hectors heeles.

  † 4.  esp. To prepare or make ready with the proper attire; to accoutre, array, apparel, or attire, for any special purpose or occasion; in later usage, simply to clothe. (Const. to address a person in; also of clothes addressing a person.) Obs.; cf. DRESS.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 100. As he her couthe best adresse In ragges, as she was to-tore.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., VI. ii. 38. Thaire ryng, thaire sceptyre, and thare crownys ar devotly blest Or thai in-to thaim be addrest.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, IV. iv. 40. [He] wmquhile thaim gan balmyng and anoint, And into gold addres, at full gude poynt.

1567.  Jewel, Def. Apology, 349. Tecla sometime addressed her selfe in Mans apparell.

1598.  Yong, Diana, 157. Kembe and adresse (louely Shepherdesse) thy silke soft haire.

1615.  Bp. Hall, Contemp., XXI. 80. That soule which should be addressed, a fit Bride for thine holy and glorious majestie.

1678.  Quarles, Arg. & Parth., 63. A Pilgrims weed her liveless limbs addrest from head to foot.

  b.  To put on (a garment), to don. (Also with on.) Obs. or arch.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, XI. x. 2. Turnus hym self, als fers as ony gleid, full bissely addressyt on his weid.

1835.  Browning, Paracelsus, iii. 81. I have addressed a frock of heavy mail.

  II.  To direct.

  † 5.  To make straight the course or aim of (anything); to direct; to aim (a missile). Obs. except as a techn. phrase in Golf, ‘to address the ball.’

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boethius, v. (1560), 224 b/1. As men seene the Carter worching in the tourning, and in the attempring or adressing of his carts or chariots.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 204/3. My crosse shall shewe my hede to therth and addresse my feet to heuen.

1520–41.  Sir T. Wyatt, Poet. Wks., 197. Sinners I shall into thy ways address.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. v. (1641), 42/2. If without wings we fly … Through hundred sundry wayless ways addrest.

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., I. iv. 15. Therefore, good youth, address thy gait unto her.

1676.  Hobbes, Iliad, 159. Paris … To him an arrow unperceiv’d addrest.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 496.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., XIII. 19. Then all their steps addrest To sep’rate mansions.

1867.  Cornh. Mag., April, 494. The moment [a golfer] begins to ‘address’ his ball, as it is called, he expects that as a matter of course, everybody near him will become dumb and motionless.

  6.  To direct (any one) to go (to a person or place), to send, dispatch; to refer, introduce. Still said of a ship.

1475.  Caxton, Jason, 11. I pray yow if ye knowe any in this contre that hit may plese yow to adresse me to them.

1530.  Palsgr., 417/2. I am nowe out of the waye, who shall nowe adresse me?

1570–87.  Holinshed, Scot. Chron., II. 19. King Edward addressed his orators into Scotland.

1660.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 355. I addressed him to Lord Mordaunt.

1715.  Burnet, Hist. own Times (1823), I. 285. He was addressed first to the Earl of Clarendon.

1882.  Charter-party. Ship to be addressed to Charterers or their Agents at port of discharge.

  † b.  refl. To direct one’s course, to make one’s way; to betake oneself. Obs. (See III.)

1475.  Caxton, Jason, 30. He addressid him on that parte where he sawe the banyer royall.

1576.  Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 137. Into Italie whether warde he addressed himself with all speede.

1647.  Fuller, Holy War, II. iii. 46. Such pilgrims as were disposed to return addressed themselves for their country.

1683.  Brit. Spec. [He] addressed himself to the British King Arviragus.

  7.  To send as a written message to (some one); to write (anything) expressly that it may reach and be read by some one; to destine, inscribe, dedicate. To address a letter to one: To write and send it; in modern usage also, techn. to write on the outside the name and residence of the person to whom it is addressed, to ‘direct’ it.

1636.  Healey, Epictetus, Ep. Ded. [He] ever wisht if these ensuing were published, they might onely bee addressed unto your Lordship.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviathan, II. xxiii. 126. For the Advice is addressed to the Soveraign only.

1772.  Junius Lett., lxviii. 355. This letter is addressed not so much to you, as to the public.

1855.  Prescott, Philip II. (1857), I. ii. 19. Previous to his embarkation Charles addressed a letter to his son.

1880.  P. O. Guide, 16. Letters for well-known firms and persons in London are sometimes addressed ‘London’ only, but this practice often causes delay.

  8.  To direct spoken words to any one; (implying that they are meant expressly for him).

  a.  trans. To address prayers, vows, a speech, words (to a person).

1490.  Caxton, How to Die, 17. The oraysons and prayers whiche [thei] adressen vnto our lorde.

1654.  Baker, Lett. Balzac, III. 134. They have addressed incense to Apes and Crocodiles.

1684.  Dryden, Thren. August., 2. His usual morning vows had just address’d.

1718.  Pope, Iliad, V. 38. When by the blood-stain’d hand Minerva press’d The God of battles, and this speech address’d.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 623. Her husband received her very coldly, and addressed almost all his discourse to Clarendon.

1858.  O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t., xi. 109. I never addressed one word of love to the schoolmistress.

  b.  refl. To address oneself in speech (to a person).

1665.  J. Spencer, Prophecies, 53. God addrest him to men in more natural and familiar ways.

1751.  Fielding, Amelia, III. iv. Wks. 1784, VIII. 271. Some on board were addressing themselves to the Supreme Being.

1855.  Maurice, Proph. & Kings, xvii. 293. To all these different tendencies of the people’s mind, Isaiah addresses himself.

1858.  De Quincey, Whiggism, Wks. VI. 41. To consider the Doctor as addressing himself exclusively to the lady of the house.

Mod.  He addressed himself to the reporters.

  † c.  intr. (by omission of obj. or refl. pron.) To address to a person. Also techn. to present a formal address, and to ‘pay addresses,’ to court. Obs.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, I. i. 193. My Lord of Burgundie, We first addresse toward you.

1713.  Guardian, No. 45 (1756), I. 194. A man of greater fortune than she could expect would address to her upon honourable terms.

1725.  Burnet, Hist. Own Times, II. 32. Yet they addressed to him against it.

1754.  Richardson, Grandison, IV. xxxix. Miss Clements is addressed to by a Yorkshire gentleman.

1756.  Hume, Hist. Eng., vii. (1767), 524. The Commons … addressed against the King’s guards.

1765.  Tucker, Lt. of Nat., II. 686. If either he had addressed to the studious, or I been to write for the better sort.

  d.  trans. (by omission of to) To speak directly to. Also with inf. phr. To request (the sovereign) in a formal address.

1718.  Pope, Iliad, V. 518. And, calling Venus, thus address’d his child.

1782.  Priestley, Matt. & Spir., I. Pref. 12. In printed publications we, in fact, address all the world.

1827.  Hallam, Const. Hist., xi. (1876), II. 380. The Commons … instantly addressed the king to disband his army.

1859.  De Quincey, Cæsars, Wks. X. 112. The custom was that the candidate should address every voter by name.

1862.  Ld. Brougham, Brit. Constit., xv. 238. An obsequious assembly, which addressed him to take the title of King.

Mod.  Address the chair!

  e.  To deliver a prepared speech to a company or meeting (extended to any speech appealing to an audience).

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. vi. 208. He now addressed the House of Peers for the first time.

1870.  Crown, Hist. Eng., 818. Mr. Hunt began to address the assembly amidst a profound silence.

Mod.  Messrs. Fawcett and Holmes will address their constituents on the work of the session.

  III.  (Special development of 3 influenced by 6.)

  † 9.  trans. To apply, direct, or turn (to some object or purpose). Obs.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 213. Where stant the verray hardiesse, There mote a king his herte adresse.

1481.  Caxton, Myrrour, I. xiv. 43. The axe doeth nothynge but cutte And he that holdeth it addressith it to what parte he wylle.

1591.  Garrard, Art of Warre, 300. To carry Ladders and such Engines, to addresse and reare them to the breach.

  10.  refl. To turn oneself with preparation, to apply oneself, to direct one’s skill or energies (to some work or object).

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 259. And he, which all him hadde adressed To lust, toke thanne what him liste.

c. 1525.  Skelton, Agst. Scottes, 89. And now to begyn I will me adres, To you rehersyng the somme of my proces.

1598.  Parismus, I. (1661), 31. Parismus and the rest of the company addressed themselves to that pastime.

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 348. The captive Jewes … shall soon addresse themselves to their returne.

1751.  Watts, Improv. Mind, i. (1801), 3. To address yourself to the work of improving your reasoning powers.

1816.  J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. iv. 30. We may address ourselves to revelry.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 67. These men addressed themselves to the task of subverting the treasurer’s power.

  † 11.  intr. (by suppression of refl. pron.) To turn the attention to, set about. Obs.

1643.  Milton, Divorce, iv. (1851), 28. Which I shall forthwith addresse to prove.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., VI. 131. But Pallas now addrest To break the bands of all-composing rest.