[f. L. versant-, versans, pres. pple. of L. versāre, versārī: see VERSE v.2 Cf. CONVERSANT a.]
1. Concerned, anxious or busy about, occupied or engaged in or with, something.
1645. Arraignm. Persecution, 15. [His] nature hath ever been and is always versant in such cruelties.
1681. Flavel, Meth. Grace, xxv. 432. His fears were once versant about noxious creatures, now God is the object of the fear of reverence.
1682. Boyle, Cont. New Exp. Phys.-Mech., II. Pref. The other [matter] was [for me] to be versant about those trials, which were not to be made … with natural air … but factitious air.
1861. Temple Bar Mag., III. 409. The literary question of the age was versant almost exclusively with verbal accuracy.
2. Of persons: a. Skilled, versed or experienced in a subject, practice, etc., as the result of having been occupied with it.
In frequent use from c. 1790 to c. 1860. Now rare.
1766. W. Gordon, Gen. Counting-ho., 3. It may be known … by any person versant in accounts, what sums are due.
1777. Boswell, in Johnson, 18 Sept. That is owing to his being so much versant in old English poetry.
1789. Phil. Trans., LXXIX. 107. Who is perfectly versant in the method of breeding the insect.
1805. T. Harral, Scenes of Life, II. 113. This gentleman … was completely versant in the grammatical niceties … of the language.
1842. Syd. Smith, Wks. (1850), 669. These excellent directors, versant in wood and metal.
1870. Burton, Hist. Scot., lxxii. (1873), VI. 312. Persons versant in the history of Scotland.
b. Conversant, familiar or intimately acquainted with a subject or person.
1787. J. Howie, in Reformation Princ. Re-exhib., etc., 151. The Author,… being mostly versant with country-people, labours to speak and write in the vulgar dialect.
1822. Syd. Smith, Wks. (1850), 351. A man not versant with courts of justice will not believe it.
1836. Fraser’s Mag., XIII. 289. Mr. Puff … had become versant with all the private affairs of all the boroughs.
1877. ‘H. A. Page,’ De Quincey, II. xvi. 30. A shepherd … who was versant with all the approaching changes of the weather.
3. Conch. Turning or curling over.
1839. Penny Cycl., XIV. 321/1. Family Columellidæ…. Shell without a canal, but having the base of its aperture notched or versant, and the whorls of the spire large.
4. Her. (See quot.) rare–0.
c. 1828. Berry, Encycl. Her., I. Gloss., Versant, the same as reclivant, called also sursuant; and implies erected, or elevated.
