Forms: α. 3–7, 9 dial., verdit, 4–7 -dite, 6–7 -ditt, 3–6 verdyt, -dyte, 5 -dytt, -dyth(e; 4 veirdit, 5 veredit, -dyte; 4–5 voirdit. β. 5 wardytte, 6 varditt, -dytt, 6, 9 dial., vardit, 9 dial. vardite. Also VARDY. γ. 5 verdoit, 6 verduytt, 7 verduit, -duict. δ. 6–7 veredict, 6– verdict, 6 -dicte. [a. AF. verdit (= OF. voirdit), f. ver, veir true + dit, pa. pple. of dire to say, speak. Hence med.L. verdictum (veredictum), to which the mod. spelling and pronunciation are due. The mod.F. verdict, Pg. verdict, Sp. verdicto, are from Eng.]
1. Law. The decision of a jury in a civil or criminal cause upon an issue that has been submitted to their judgment.
α. 1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2980. He stod vp & sede þe verdit vor al oþere þat þere were.
a. 1325. MS. Rawl. B. 520, fol. 60 b. Ȝif … þe Juree segge in his verdit þat te askare is bastard.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 2952. Until þai have gyven þair verdite, And outher þar-of made hym qwyte Als þe laghe walde, or made hym gilty.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 508/2. Verdyte, veridicum.
1472. Paston Lett., III. 40. I took syche a wey with hym that the qwest gave no verdyt.
1544. trans. Littleton’s Tenures (1574), 78. The verdyte of twelve men taken at large in Assise of disseysine.
1559. Mirr. Mag. (1563), K v. I gyltles was condempned: Such verdits passe where iustyce is contemned.
1591. Q. Elizabeth, in Lismore Papers, Ser. II. (1887), I. 3. To order the landes to our pattentes as shalbe found due, vpon the saide Verdyte.
1614–5. Boys, Exp. Fest. Epist. & Gosp., Wks. (1630), 750. When any suite concerning the Clergie shall be tried by your verdite.
1621. Quarles, Hadassa, Wks. (Grosart), II. 44/2. At last … they put their choyce Vpon the verdit of a Iurie’s voyce.
β, γ. 1479. Presentm. Juries, in Surtees Misc. (1890), 28. Thys is the wardytte of xxij men & the constabylls.
1531. Star Chamb. Cases (Selden), II. 193. To wryte any such presentment or vardytt. Ibid., 196. The same homage deed pleynly shewe … the same to be their trewe verduytt.
δ. 1533. More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 996/1. Whose verdicte the iudge taketh for a sure sentence … without ani examinacion of the circumstances, wherby they know … their verdicte to be true.
1559. Aylmer, Harborowe, L j b. Our lawe committeth it to the veredict of .12. men.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., V. i. 131. Not euer The Iustice and the Truth o’ th’ question carries The dew o’ th’ Verdict with it.
1657. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 121. A house and lande, which hee had recovered by law, and by a second verdict lost the same again.
1674. Wood, Life (O.H.S.), II. 281. The jury were about to pass their verdict.
1726. Life Penn, P.’s Wks. I. 15. The Agreement of Twelve Men is a Verdict in Law.
1781. Cowper, Truth, 448. The jury meet, the coroner is short, And lunacy the verdict of the court.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), II. 519. On the trial the Judge directed the jury to find a verdict for the plaintiff.
1885. Public Opinion, 9 Jan., 36/2. An advocate who wins an unjust verdict has contributed to bring about a miscarriage of justice.
Comb. 1892. Daily News, 10 May, 2. Though Mr. Bramwell had a good practice, he was never a great verdict-getter.
b. Without article.
1437. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 509/2. Founde gilty be verdite of xii notable men.
a. 1500. in Archaeol. (1904), LIX. 10. By the comyn lawe … ther lith non atteynt upon untrewe verdit gyffyn in London.
1535. Wriothesley, Chron. (Camden), I. 27. A jurie … incontinent gave verditt of them beinge guiltie of the same treason.
1577. Harrison, England, II. ix. (1877), I. 202. Our trials and recoueries are either by verdict and demourre, confession or default.
1589. ? Lyly, Pappe w. Hatchet (1844), 25. The Iurie gaue verdit and said guiltie.
1712. Prideaux, Direct. Ch.-wardens (ed. 4), 22. In case any should … obtain Verdict on their side.
1797. Tomlins, Jacob’s Law Dict., s.v., Another rule at Common law is, that surplusage will not vitiate after Verdict.
c. With particularizing addition.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., s.v., This verdict is two-fold: either generall or especiall…. A general verdict is that, which is giuen or brought into the Court, in like generall termes to the generall issue. Ibid. This speciall verdict, if it containe any ample declaration of the cause, from the beginning to the end, is also called a verdict at large.
1628. Coke, On Litt., I. 226 b. There be two kindes of verdicts; viz. one generall, and another at large or especiall. Ibid. It is therefore called a speciall Verdict or a Verdict at large, because they finde the speciall matter at large, and leaue the iudgement of law thereupon to the Court.
1628. [see PRIVY a. 8].
1665. [see SPECIAL a. 7].
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 377. The only effectual and legal verdict is the public verdict; in which they openly declare to have found the issue for the plaintiff, or for the defendant. Ibid. (1769), IV. 354. The jury … cannot, in a criminal case, give a privy verdict. But an open verdict may be either general, guilty, or not guilty.
1835. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v., Where a verdict is given by thirteen jurors, it is said to be a void verdict; because no attaint would lie.
1854, 1884. [see PERVERSE a. 1 c].
1894. [see SEALED ppl. a. 2].
2. transf. and fig. A judgment given by some body or authority acting as, or likened to, a jury.
c. 1381. Chaucer, Parlt. Foules, 525. I iuge on euery folk men shul on calle To seyn the verdit for yow foulys alle.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Familye of Love, 63 b. The euidence … whereby … that verdict should be gathered, which shall passe agaynst vs.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng., Prose Add. (1612), 338. The Iurour could not but giue Verdict for Elisa, and the Iudge sentence against Æneas.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. ii. § 8. They are here presently to abide the verdite of battaile.
1671. Milton, Samson, 324. Though Reason here aver That moral verdit quits her of unclean.
1684. T. Burnet, Th. Earth, I. 295. Ought we not in this, as well as in other things, to … bring in an honest verdict for nature as well.
1860. Hawthorne, Marb. Faun (Tauchn.), II. xvi. 177. Might we not render some such verdict as this?—‘Worthy of Death but not unworthy of Love.’
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), I. vi. 501. The great Earl is at least entitled to a verdict of Not Proven, if not of Not Guilty.
3. transf. A decision or opinion pronounced or expressed upon some matter or subject; a finding, conclusion or judgment.
α. c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 787 (Petworth). Vs bouȝt it was not worþe to make to wis … And bad him seie his veredit [v.r. verdit(e, voirdit, verdoit] as him lest.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 23. Clatering pyes, whan tha come in presence, Most malapert there verdit to purpose.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 73. When the messenger was gone, euery man began to say his verdite.
1585. Daniel, Paul. Iouius, Pref. Neither must wee depend vpon the verdite of some conceled Philosophers.
1627. Bp. Hall, Epist., II. v. 302. There is none of all my labours … whereof I would so willingly heare the verdit of the wise and iudicious.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1228. Cam’st thou for this, vain boaster, to survey me, To descant on my strength, and give thy verdit?
1825. Jennings, Observ. Dial. W. Eng., 80. Verdi, Verdit, opinion.
1873. Williams & Jones, Somerset Gloss., 40. That’s my verdit, therefore I zay’t.
β. 1565. Stapleton, trans. Staphylus’ Apol., 161 b. For they pardie by the vardit of Luther, are all damned, if they thought, as they taught.
1577. Misogonus, IV. ii. 97. To take thy neighboures varditt in such a case thou must not sticke.
1828. Carr, Craven Gloss., Vardite, verdict, opinion.
1877. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss., 265. I think we shall hev snaw; what’s your vardit? Ibid. Thoo’s alus pokin’ in thy vardit.
γ. 14[?]. Verdoit [see α].
1642. D. Rogers, Naaman, 197. No one mystery, administration, worke or ordinance of his can passe her fingers, without some verduit or other of her owne. Ibid., 345. The ten spies bringing a verduict of sense to their brethren.
δ. 1585. Greene, Planetomachia, Saturnes Trag., Wks. (Grosart), V. 111. Psamnetichus … thought it a longe time to yeelde so small a verdict.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., I. 43. I end with this verdict, the Iew and the Iesuite, is a Pultrone and a Parasite.
1683. D. A., Art Converse, Pref. It … shall stand or fall by your Verdict.
1791. Burke, App. Whigs, Wks. VI. 76. This representation is authenticated by the verdict of his country.
1819. Keats, Otho, V. v. Those tears will wash away a just resolve, A verdict ten times sworn!
1857. W. Collins, Dead Secret, III. i. The verdict of humanity is always against any individual member of the species who presumes to differ from the rest.
1882. C. Pebody, Eng. Journalism, xvii. 127. No controversy is supposed to be closed till the Times has given its verdict.
b. Without article.
1537. [? Tindale], Exp. St. John, 93. Of such he geueth verdyte contynently. Ibid., 100. The Apostle Jhon … gaue such verdyte.
1566. Drant, Horace, Sat., X. E vj b. In learnyng rype, in vertue juste, in verdite sharpe and sage.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VII. vii. 27. Iudge thy selfe, by verdit of thine eye, Whether to me they are not subiect all.
† 4. A vote or suffrage. Obs.–1
1580. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 431. Neither the Mayor,… nor any Mayors peare, shall have either at the tyme of ellection or for any other cause but the verdicte of one man.
