Obs. Forms: 3–4 co(m)mun, 4–5 comoun(e, -one, -own(e, 4–6 comon, (5 pa. t. comaunde), 5 commoun, 5–8 common. Also, 4–5 comin, 4–6 comen, -yn(e, commin, 5–6 commyn, -en; pa. t. and pple. 5 comynd, comynt, comend, commynd, etc. [ME. comune-n, comone-n, a. OF. comune-r (in AF. also comone-r) to make common, impart, share, f. COMMON a. The shifting stress in OF. comune·r, comu·ne (:—L. types commūnāre, commū·nat), was reflected in ME. by the two forms co·mun and comu·ne found side by side from the earliest times. The former became the more popular in ME., and was written co(m)mun, -on, -oun, -en, yn, -in, and finally like the adj., common; it survived in some senses down to the 18th c. But the earlier senses mostly became obs. in the 16th c., with the exception of that of ‘hold converse’; and here the form commune, which, though less usual in ME., had never become obsolete, now came to the front, being supported by the sb. communion, etc. Common and commune are thus only developments of the same word; but as they became very distinct in form, and their sense-history is not quite identical, common having taken from the cognate sb. and adj. some senses in which commune is never used, they are dealt with as distinct words.]
I. Senses in which COMMON was the prevalent form: now quite obsolete.
1. trans. To make common to others with oneself; to communicate, impart (to), share (with).
c. 1380. [see COMMONING vbl. sb. 1].
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. xxi. (1495), 333. Sterres comynen and parte eche wyth other theyr lyghte. Ibid., XVIII. xxvii. 788. A hounde comyneth not ne yeuyth flesshe … that he maye not deuour to other houndes.
1496. Dives & Paup. (W. de W.), VII. xxiv. 312/2. Not to hyde them but to comyne them forth to profyte of other.
1538. Starkey, England, I. i. (1871), 2. To commyn such gyftys as be to them gyuen, ych one to the profyt of other. Ibid., 8. He commynyth hys gudnes to al creaturys.
2. To communicate (verbally), tell, declare, publish, report.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 19. Such as I haue … i-rad in dyuerse bookes, I gadere and write … and comoun to oþere men.
1460–70. Bk. Quintessence, I. 3. Comounne ȝe not þis book of deuyne secretes to wickid men.
1548. Udall, etc., trans. Erasm. Par. John, 58 a. After these thynges were commoned to and fro from one to an other, etc.
b. absol. or intr.
[1494. cf. COMMONING vbl. sb. 2.]
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 181. The commons common so: tys commonly sayde.
3. intr. To take a part in common with others; to participate, partake, share with, in.
1388. Wyclif, 1 Pet. iv. 13. Comyne ȝe with the passiouns of Crist.
a. 1440. Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867), 3. Cristene folke þat commons to-gedire in þe sacrementes.
1602. Shaks., Ham., IV. v. 206. Laertes, I must common with your greefe.
4. To have intercourse; to associate with.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 29331 (Cott.). To comun noght wit cursed men.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 140. For foule meselrie he comond with no man.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, Prol. 2. My felawes comened with ladies and gentil women.
1555. Fardle Facions, II. iii. 128. That who so was diseased with any malady, should comon with other that had bene healed of the like.
b. Of sexual intercourse.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg. (MS. A), lf. 125 b. Þer folowiþ a litil wilnyng for to comoun [desiderium coitus] wiþ wymmen.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 7. Aftir tyme Cayn had killid Abel … Adam mad a vow that he schuld nevir … comoun with Eve; and his continens kept he a hundred ȝeres.
5. To have points in common; to agree. rare.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 73. As þey comoun to þe law of þe gospel. Ibid., 74. Comonning mikil wiþ law cyuil.
II. Senses afterwards expressed by COMMUNE.
6. intr. To confer, converse, talk (with, together); = COMMUNE v. 6.
1388. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxvi. 9. Sche comyneth with all men.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12046. Þes kynges in counsell were comynyng to-gedur.
1488. Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 22. Gladly they will speke and comyn. Ibid. (1490), Eneydos, vi. (1890), 26. She comened wyth the prynces of the same contrey.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. iv. 4. Comon with youre owne hertes vpon youre beddes.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 477. Kepyng the barres shut, eche might see and common with other at their pleasure.
1581. Savile, Tacitus’ Hist., I. xv. (1591), 10. We two … common [loquimur] plainly together.
b. Const. of, upon (the matter discussed).
1461. Paston Lett., No. 400. II. 26. I spake with Maister John Salet, and commonyd with hym of hyr.
1479. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 425. To commen … with the housholders of Brewers vpon a wise prouision to be made.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., I. (1599), 17. The practises … commoned vpon … betweene the Pope and him.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. ix. 4. And by the way … of sundry things did commen.
c. with dependent clause.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 325/2. He comened with them how … he myght departe.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 532. Which … began to common amongest themselves, howe they might render the towne, to their most honour and profite.
7. trans. To talk over in common, confer about, discuss, debate; to converse about, talk of.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon., xvii. (1885), 150. Þat his entente therin be comened with his counsell.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1584), 69. It were very wel, the affayres of warres should be commoned of many, but the resolution of them to bee used with fewe.
1607. (Nov.) J. King, Serm., 20. To common it [this scripture] in priuate with their owne spirits.
b. To come to a common decision, agree (that).
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 89. Than comyned thei al there That Generides saued were.
8. trans. To administer the Communion to; refl. and pass. to receive the Communion, communicate. (See COMMUNE v. 8.) [Cf. also F. communier:—L. commūnicēre.]
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Egipciane, 1230. Scho … of his hand syne commonyt was.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxi. 139. We schrafe vs clone and herd messe and comound vs.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 251/1. Ypolyte … commyned them with the Sacrament of the aulter.
c. 1500. in Maskell, Mon. Rit. (1847), III. 348. No man nother woman that this day proposyth here to be comenyd.
III. Later senses derived from COMMON, (-S) sb. or adj. (Not found with COMMUNE.)
9. intr. To exercise or enjoy a right of common: see COMMON sb. 6.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., 5. Where they and other commen togyder.
c. 1640. J. Smyth, Lives Berkeleys (1883), I. 203. Howe farr the sayd Abbot and his Tenants should Comon, and where.
1642. Perkins, Prof. Bk., i. § 108. 48. If common of pasture be granted unto me for my cattell I shall not common but with cattell commonable.
1697. View of Penal Laws, 252. The Commoners shall be excluded for Commoning therein; so also shall the Lord be debarred to common in the residue.
10. To eat at a common table, to board together.
1598. Florio, Dozzenare, to boord or common in companie.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., I. xxx. 415.
1684. [see COMMONING vbl. sb. 8].
1766. Entick, London, IV. 30. The reason for the name of Doctors Commons is because the civilians in this place common together.
b. trans. To board (at a common table). rare.
1598. Florio, Tener dozzena, to boord or common schollers at meate and drinke, to keepe an ordinarie.
11. To make common (what is sanctified).
1621. W. Sclater, Tythes (1623), 50. Nothing sanctified may euer be commoned. Ibid., 45.
