Forms: 5–6 com(m)odite(e, -dyte, 5–7 com(m)oditie, -dytie, -detie, (5 comedytee, comeditie), 7 comodity, 6– commodity. [a. F. commodité (15th c. in Littré), ad. L. commoditāt-em due measure, fitness, convenience, complaisance, f. commod-us: see COMMODE a. The concrete senses appear to have arisen in the modern languages.]
† 1. As a quality or condition of things, in relation to the desires or needs of men, etc.: The quality of being ‘commodious’; conveniency, suitability, fitting utility; commodiousness. Obs.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. v. There was al that myht do pleasaunce To any harte and all commoditee.
1542. Lament. & Piteous Treat., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), I. 239. They had the vauntage of vs … for the commodyte of the place beyng aboue vs.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 120. Sent … to espie the commoditie of the havens.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 46 b. Of the commoditie of water who doubteth, without whose use no man is able to live.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 132. Vulcan … the first that found out the commoditie of fire.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Tracts (1684), 83. Of singular use and commodity.
† b. Convenient access to or supply of. Obs.
c. 1529. Wolsey, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 104, II. 7. Summe … place, wher I may have comodyte of Physycyans.
1549. Compl. Scotl., xv. 131. Ve can hef na comodite of the necessair thingis that ar requirit.
2. As a property of the person, etc., affected: a. Convenience. Obs. or arch.
1488. Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 21. Suche men unresonably … encline to the rest and commodyte of the body.
1524. Ld. Dacre, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 86. I. 247. A surceace of warre … is only for their and the Duks commoditie.
1612. Brerewood, Lang. & Relig., xiii. 141. Not to be taken as a rule of necessity … but … rather … as a rule of commodity.
1774. Johnson, Diary Tour Wales, 4 Aug. Only one tower had a chimney, so that there was [no] commodity of living.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., I. 690. The lawyer’s pleadings … Doubled in two … For more commodity of carriage.
† b. Expediency. Obs.
1585. Parsons, Chr. Exerc., I. x. 117. A consideration of commoditie, whereunto commonly eche man is prone by nature.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 573. Since Kings breake faith vpon commoditie, Gaine be my Lord, for I will worship thee.
1614. T. Adams, Devil’s Banquet, 83. They wil heare vs willingly if our Text be Commodity, and our Sermon Policie.
1788. Cowper, Corr. (1824), II. 130. What Shakspeare calls commodity, and what we call political expediency.
† c. Advantage, benefit, profit, interest: often in the sense of private or selfish interest. Obs.
1571. R. Edwards, Damon & P., in Hazl., Dodsley, IV. 41. I will use his friendship to mine own commodity.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. xv. (1676), 85/1. Commodity is the steer of all their actions.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IV. i. § 12. His atchievements in France, were more for the credit, then commodity … of England.
1679. Penn, Addr. Prot., II. v. (1692), 163. Those kind of men do regard nothing but their own Commodity.
1836. Emerson, Nature, Commodity, Wks. (Bohn), II. 143. Under the general name of commodity, I rank all those advantages which our senses owe to nature.
† d. concr. Profit, gain.
1577. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Chron., 91. If he displaced any person from his commoditie, he did not forget otherwise to recompence him.
1630. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw., 236. These Indies … yeeld an exceeding commodity to this king.
3. (with a and pl.) A convenience, advantage, benefit, interest. Obs. or arch.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 21. Other commodytees folowynge of the same.
1578. Abp. Grindal, Lett., in Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. iv. § 3. The reading of Homilies hath his commodities.
1612. (title) An Old Thrift newly revived, wherein is declared … the commodities and discommodities of inclosing decayed Forrests.
1670. Baxter, Cure Ch. Div., 152. Hypocrites, who will do anything in compliance with their own commodities.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. ii. (1865), 12. The many commodities incidental to the life of a public office.
† 4. Convenient juncture of events; opportunity, occasion. Obs.
1551. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. II. i. 254. After dinner taking commodity to declare their letters.
a. 1555. Bp. Gardiner, in Abp. Parker’s Corr., 22. Having commodity to send this bearer … to the University.
1619. V’ct Doncaster, Lett., in Eng. & Germ. (Camden Soc.), 74. Your Lordship shall hear from me agayne by the first commodity I can make.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IX. (1682), 403. Finding the Commodity of an English Ship … we hoised sayl.
5. concr. A thing of ‘commodity,’ a thing of use or advantage to mankind; esp. in pl. useful products, material advantages, elements of wealth.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxii. 101. Þe land of Inde es þe maste plentifous land of folk þat es owerwhare, by cause of þe grete commoditez [Fr. bontee] þat it has þerin.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 289. Flandres … is replete with mony commodites, as with pastures, bestes, marchandise, waters, hauenes.
1494. Fabyan, I. iv. 11. Ye Ryuer of Thamys … with also the Commodities therunto adioynynge.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 5. Euery parte, region or commoditie of ye sayd new found landes.
1594. Norden, Spec. Brit., Essex (Camden Soc.), 8. Hopps, a commoditie of greate and continuall use.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., I. xlvii. (1739), 80. They now think a Bishoprick but a naked commodity.
1657. Austen, Fruit Trees, Ep. Ded. Cattle, Corne and all Commodities will thrive.
1820. Hazlitt, Lect. Dram. Lit., 177. Command over the gross commodities of life.
6. spec. in Comm. A kind of thing produced for use or sale, an article of commerce, an object of trade; in pl. goods, merchandise, wares, produce. Staple commodity: leading article of trade.
1436. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 160. Commodytes … commynge out of Spayne, And marchandy … Bene fygues, raysyns, wyne bastarde, and dates.
1486. Act 3 Hen. VII., c. 8. Every Merchant … shall imploy the Money … upon the Commodities of this Land.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., IV. iii. 6. Some tender monie to me … Some offer me Commodities to buy.
1649. Bp. Hall, Cases Consc., I. ii. 17. There is a due price to be set upon every saleable commodity.
1691. Locke, Money, Wks. 1727, II. 73. Commodities are Moveables, valuable by Money.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 359. Money was at that time a scarce Commodity in Greece.
1825. McCulloch, Pol. Econ. III. vi. 294. Money is itself a commodity, whose value depends on the same circumstances that determine the value of all other commodities.
1878. Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., 16. A commodity is any portion of wealth.
b. fig. and transf. Anything that one ‘trades’ or ‘deals’ in.
1608. Dekker, Belman Lond. The Whore, who is called the commoditie.
a. 1623. W. Pemble, Wks. (1635), 53. The maxime of Politicians, that the opinion of virtue is a commodity.
1659. Vulgar Errors Censured, ii. § 1. 18. The first Commodity a young Tradesman sets to sale is his own Honesty.
1767. Junius Lett., xii. 52. The favour of princes is a perishable Commodity.
1863. Fr. Kemble, Resid. Georgia, 16. The staple commodity of my letters.
† 7. A quantity of wares, parcel, ‘lot.’ Also fig.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., I. ii. 93. I wold thou and I knew, where a Commodity of good names were to be bought. Ibid., IV. ii. 19. Such a Commoditie of warme slaues, as had as lieue heare the Deuill, as a Drumme. Ibid. (1601), Twel. N., III. i. 50. Now Ioue in his next commodity of hayre, send thee a beard.
† b. spec. in 16–17th c.: A parcel of goods sold on credit by a usurer to a needy person, who immediately raised some cash by re-selling them at a lower price, generally to the usurer himself (see D’Israeli, Cur. Lit., Usury, III. 70).
An accommodation of this kind, designed to evade the usury laws, in which the goods were trumpery, was known as a commodity of brown paper, or the like: see Nares. To take (clap) up a commodity: to obtain such an accommodation.
1590. Greene, Never too late (1600), 56. If coyne want, then eyther to Limbo, or else clap vp a commodity (if so much credite be left).
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., 47 a. A hundred pound commodity … is not forty pound money.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., IV. iii. 5. Here’s yong Mr. Rash, hee’s in for a commoditie of browne paper and olde Ginger, nine score and seuenteene pounds, of which hee made fiue Markes readie money.
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne & Candle-light, Non-dram. Wks. 1885, III. 175. (title of ch.), How Gentlemen are vndone by taking vp Commodities.
a. 1652. Brome, Mad Couple, II. Wks. 1873, I. 21. My husband … lent you the last Terme a hundred pound, which hee assign’d to me; and now I have it in Commodity.
