Also 6–7 cohærence. [a. F. cohérence (16th c. in Littré), ad. L. cohærēntia, n. of state f. cohærēnt-em COHERENT.]
1. lit. The action or fact of cleaving or sticking together; cohesion.
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Cohærence, ioyning, and vniting together.
1678. Hobbes, Nat. Philos., ix. 108. For then not only the points of Contact will be many (which make the coherence stronger).
1796. De Serra, in Phil. Trans., LXXXVI. 501. The coherence of two living embryos … may form monsters.
1874. Boutell, Arms & Arm., i. 6. In order to obtain for the two parts of their weapons a solid coherence.
b. concr. Anything that coheres; a cohering object; an adjunct.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., III. ii. 132/1. Riolanus accounts them to be Coherences of the Duglicated Brain.
2. transf. and fig. of association other than material.
c. 1580. Trag. Rich. II., III. (1870), 49. Woodstock. But this most fashionable chayne that li[n]ckes as it were the tooe and knee together? Courtier. In a most kynd coherence.
1598. Florio, Colleganza, Collegamento, affinitie, alliance, coherence.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, 398. The coherence of the body and the soule to the making of a full man.
1692. Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 226. By a secret relation, and I know not what cohærence which still remains between their souls and others.
1795. Burke, Let. W. Elliot, Wks. 1842, II. 245. They have not enough of coherence among themselves, nor of estimation with the publick.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. i. 18. There is something truly noble in the coherence of society upon principles of fidelity.
3. Logical connection or relation; congruity, consistency.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., I. ii. 4 b. Where there is a greater cohærence and affinitie betweene the argument and the thing argued.
a. 1600. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. (1631), 226 (J.). Why betweene Sermons alone and Faith there should be ordinarily that coherence which causes haue with their vsuall effects…?
1636. Healey, Epictetus’ Man., 53. To bee now a Philosopher, now a Publican, now an Orator, and to morrow the deputy of Cæsar. Here is no coherence in these things.
1778. Bp. Lowth, Isaiah, Notes 189. The destruction of Ephraim has no coherence with the grandeur of Syria.
† b. Agreement. Obs.
1597. T. J., Serm. Paules Crosse, 3. Wee may perceive a sweet coherence betwixt the one and the other.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. i. 73. It is a wonderfull thing to see the semblable Coherence of his mens spirits, and his.
1680. Morden, Geog. Rect. (1685), 425. I have two Lunar observations and the co-herence of the Sea chart with them to strengthen my assertion.
4. ‘Consistency in reasoning, or relating, so that one part of the discourse does not destroy or contradict the rest’ (J.); harmonious connection of the several parts, so that the whole ‘hangs together.’
a. 1623. W. Pemble, Exp. Zachary (1629), 160. The division of the Chapters here make the cohærence somewhat difficult.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 184. If there be any Coherence left in your Scull, you cannot but perceive [etc.].
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), III. 24. He … says every-where great and noble Things … with infinite Wit, but with little or no Coherence.
1850. R. Wilberforce, Holy Baptism, 178. This want of coherence and completeness in his system has opened a door to Socinianism.
1856. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., I. i. 21. There is sometimes so much coherence in them [dreams], that they are very like realities.
† 5. concr. Context: the immediately connected parts of a discourse. Obs.
1581. E. Campion, in Confer., III. (1584), Y ij. When the coherence of the place yeeldeth it, then we say it must signifie the substance.
1659. Fuller, App. Inj. Innoc. (1840), 291. A naked sentence … disarmed of the assistance of the coherence before and after it.
1737. Whiston, Josephus’ Antiq., I. xviii. § 1, note. The coherence requires that we read Esau.
