v. Also 4–5 commoeve, -meve. Chiefly in pa. pple. [a. F. commouv-oir (12th c. in Littré), stressed stem commeuv-.
Noted by Johnson as ‘Not in use,’ and by Craig, 1847, ‘Obs.’; but, although chiefly found in Scotch writers after 1500, it has never been obsolete, and is now not uncommon.]
1. trans. (lit.) To move violently, disturb, agitate, stir up, set in commotion.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., I. iv. 12. Þe manace of þe [Camb. Univ. MS. þe see] commoeuyng or chasyng vpwarde hete fro þe botme.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. vi. 72. And sall commove that deipest pyt of hell.
1659. Macallo, Can. Physick, 4. The pulse commoved tells the heart to be troubled.
1744. Thomson, Summer, 970. The sands, Commoved around in gathering eddies play.
1822. Southey, Ode King’s Visit Scotl., 6. From its depths commoved, Infuriate ocean raves.
1868. Geo. Eliot, Sp. Gipsy, 208. The air is so commoved by your voice.
† b. of motion onward. Obs. rare.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 34. Thai salbe commovit fra the see to the see.
c. fig. To put into general or universal motion.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (ed. 2), II. 76. The general stir and life of public activity tends to commove the whole system.
† 2. To throw into disorder, disturb. Obs.
c. 1500. Melusine, xxi. 123. About the spryng of the day foure score basynets … commevyd al thoost by manere of batayll.
a. 1563. Bale, Sel. Wks. (Parker Soc.), 476. When Gods judgments begin to wax known, all things are commoved and troubled.
1623. Drumm. of Hawth., Flowers of Sion, 20. Love … doch disturb the mind, And, like wild waves, all our designs commove.
3. To move in mind or feeling, stir to emotion, rouse to passion; to excite. (After 1500 almost exclusively Sc.)
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 205. Jupiter … was commeved of this thing.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, III. xxii. With his crye he hath them so commeued.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., II. I. iii. 43. Al the frensshe men were commoeued and troubled.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 577. Rycht far he wes commouit at that thing.
1567. in H. Campbell, Love-lett. Mary Q. Scots (1824), App. 41. Albeit her Hienes was commoved, for the present time of hir taking, at the said Erle Boithvile.
a. 1640. Earl Stirling, Sonn., in Campbell, Spec. Brit. Poets, III. 207. Such was Diana once, when being spied By rash Actæon, she was much commoved.
1750. Cloud of Witnesses, App. (1810), 317. This so commoved him that he durst not go away.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, viii. The clerk … was also commoved.
1840. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 132. To feel yourself commoved by such phenomena.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, I. 126. Commoving thee no less With that forced quietness.
† b. To excite or incite to. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 1795. This commeveth me To speke. Ibid., III. Proem. 17. Comeueden. Ibid., Boeth., V. iv. 167. Voys or soune hurtliþ to þe eres and commoeuiþ hem to herkne.
1651. Charleton, Ephes. & Cimm. Matrons, II. (1668), 45. To feel himself commoved to all sorts of Passions.
Hence Commoved ppl. a., and Commoving vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1641. Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 78. Dividing, striking, wounding, commoving, are as it were forced upon him.
1647. Ward, Simp. Cobler, 35. The gayest Kingdomes shall be but ruffing scuffling, removing and commoving hovells.
1847. Blackw. Mag., 768. The pulses of the commoved air.
