[ad. L. versificātiōn-, versificātio, noun of action f. versificāre to versify. So F. versification (1680), Sp. versificacion, Pg. -ação, It. -azione.]
1. The action of composing verse; the art or practice of versifying.
In Rolland, Crt. Venus (c. 1550), II. 176 ‘Versification, meter’ should perhaps be read for ‘Versificat in meter’ of the text.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1198. The order of writing an historie … came downe as one would say from the stately chariot of versification, to prose, and went a foot.
1658. Phillips, Versification, a making of Verses.
1706. Pope, Lett., Wks. 1736, V. 53. The thoughts I have already sent you on the subject of English Versification.
1774. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, I. II. 27. Camden affirms, that Aldhelm … taught his countrymen the art of Latin versification.
1790. Cowper, Lett., 13 Sept. After perpetual versification during five years I find myself … reduced to read for my amusement.
1824. Coleridge, Table-t., 7 June. How lamentably the art of versification is neglected by most of the poets of the present day!
1861. Wright, Ess. Archæol., II. xx. 153. The southern ecclesiastics … adopted this new style of versification for their chant music.
1875. Ouseley, Mus. Form, ii. 3. You may teach a man the rules of versification or of melody.
2. The form or style in which the words in a poetical composition are arranged; the structure of poetry or verse; measure, meter.
1693. Dryden, Juvenal, Ded. p. v. Donn alone, of all our Country-men, had your Talent; but was not happy enough to arrive at your Versification.
1720. J. Welwood, Pref. to Rowe’s Lucan, p. xliii. As to the Translation it self,… the Language is pure, and the Versification both musical and adapted to the subject.
1729. T. Cooke, Tales, etc., 137. His Versifycation is mostly as faulty as his Sentiment.
1759. Johnson, Idler, No. 60, ¶ 7. The versification of Rowe he thought too melodious for the stage.
1813. Byron, Corsair, Ded. I shall … take my chance, with that versification in which I have hitherto published nothing.
1841. W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., I. 139. Virgil was the great model, and his picturesque groups and flowing versification were imitated by many men of letters.
1880. L. Stephen, Pope, iii. 75. To make the versification as smooth and the sense as transparent as possible.
3. A poetical or metrical version of something.
1821. Q. Rev., XXV. 36. Of this song we have been favoured with the following beautiful versification.
1858. Doran, Crt. Fools, 154. Many of his epigrams … are said to have been versifications of his own jokes.
