Commune v.

Forms: 4–6 comune, 5 comewne, 3– commune. [ME. comune, a. OF. comune-r, to make common, share, f. comun COMMON a. As mentioned under COMMON v., this specially represents those forms of the OF. vb. in which the stress was upon the u, as 3 sing. pres. comu·ne (:—L. type commū·nat); the forms with the stress on the termination, e.g., comune·r, (:—L. type commūnā·re, etc.) gave the ME. form co·mun, common. The latter was long the prevalent type in Eng., though commu·ne never became obsolete; and in the 16th c., when the senses under I. became mostly obsolete, and those senses which were associated with communion survived, this became the accepted form. But a result of the two types co·mmon and commu·ne remains in the two pronunciations co·mmune and commu·ne, of which the former is frequent in verse (Pope, Cowper, Wordsworth, Scott, Mrs. Browning; both forms are used by Shakespeare, Milton, Tennyson).

  (In early prose quotations it is often impossible to say how co(m)mune was stressed. Hence some of the early quots. here placed, may belong to COMMON vb., as do all those spelt comun, comen, comyn, comon.)]

  I.  Obsolete senses: in which COMMON was the more usual form.

  † 1.  trans. To make common to others with oneself, impart (to), share (with); = COMMON v. 1.

1340.  Ayenb., 102. Hi nele … his þinges communy mid oþron.

1393.  Gower, Conf., II. 160. Unto his brother, which Neptune Was hote, it list him to comune Parte of his good.

1538.  Starkey, England, I. i. 7. When hyt [the mynd] communyth and spredeth hys vertues abrode.

  absol.  1382.  Wyclif, Philipp. iv. 14. Ȝe han don wel, comunynge to my tribulacioun.

  † 2.  To communicate verbally, tell, publish, report; = COMMON v. 2. Obs.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 43. A wonder hap … The which me liketh to commune And pleinly for to tellen it oute.

1432–50.  trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 311. Men of Creta … communede it in to oþer londes.

1540.  Hyrde, trans. Vives’ Instr. Chr. Wom. (1592), S v a. To commune them abroad.

  † 3.  intr. To take a part in common, to share, participate; = COMMON v. 3. Const. with. Obs.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 John 11. He that seith to him, Heyl, comuneth with his yuele werkis.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr. (Rolls), I. II. vi. 177 (quoting 1 Peter iv. 13). But comune ȝe with the passiouns of Crist.

  4.  To have common dealings or intercourse; to associate with; = COMMON v. 4. ? Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 29436 (Cott.). Þof þou wit cursd man commun Þou sal be soyned wit resun.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 64. With such hem liketh to comune.

1826.  Kent, Comm., 68. The inability of the subjects of the two states to commune, or carry on any correspondence or business together.

1827.  Hallam, Const. Hist. (1867), III. xvii. 328. All who had ever harboured or communed with rebels.

  † 5.  ? trans. To bring into agreement; cf. COMMON v. 5. Obs. rare.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 176. Where the lawe may comune The lordes forth with the comune, Eche hath his propre duete.

  II.  Current senses, now always commune.

  6.  intr. † a. To talk together, converse. † b. To confer, consult (with a view to decision).

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 571. Come Sir Gui de Mountfort … & is aunte sone … & commune wiþ him.

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 12244 (Trin.). Mani may not wiþ him comoun.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankl. Prol., 21. He hath leuere talken with a page Than to comune with any gentil wight.

1418.  Abp. Chichele, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 2. I. 4. Ȝour uncle … seyd to me that he hadde comunyd with Sir Thomas Fyschborn.

a. 1561.  G. Cavendish, Life Wolsey (1885), 248. Call for master Palmes, that ye may commune with him until your meat be ready.

1611.  Bible, Acts xxiv. 26. Hee sent for him the oftner, and communed with him.

  † c.  Const. † of, upon, on (the matter discussed).

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 2. It stant nought upon my fortune. But if you liste to comune Of the seconde glotony.

c. 1460.  Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 115. Thees Counceillours may … comewne and deliber upon … maters of Deficultie.

a. 1561.  G. Cavendish, Life Wolsey (1827), 240. Sitting thus at dinner communing of divers matters.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., II. i. 162. Why what neede we Commune with you of this?

1765.  H. Walpole, Otranto, v. We were communing on important matters.

  † d.  with dependent clause.

1611.  Bible, Luke xxii. 4. He went his way, and communed with the chiefe Priests and captaines, how he might betray him vnto them.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 201. Then commune how that day they best may ply Thir growing work.

  † e.  trans. To talk over together, confer about, discuss, debate; = COMMON v. 7. Obs.

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., I. i. 101. For I have more to commune with Bianca.

  7.  intr. To hold intimate (chiefly mental or spiritual) intercourse (with). (Now only literary, devotional and poetic.)

[1557.  N. T. (Genev.), Luke xxiv. 15. As they communed together and reasoned [Tindale, Cranm. commened, Rhem. talked.]

1611.  Bible, Ps. iv. 4, lxxvii. 6.]

1671.  Milton, P. R., II. 261. It was the hour of night, when thus the Son Commun’d in silent walk.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., V. 523. As thus he communed with his soul apart.

1768.  Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), II. 45. Walking backwards and forwards in the saloon, without a soul to commune with.

1814.  Wordsw., Excursion, IV. Wks. 467/2. The Man, Who, in this spirit, communes with the Forms Of nature.

1824.  W. Irving, T. Trav., I. 213. Feasting with the great, communing with the literary.

1842.  Tennyson, Two Voices, 461. To commune with that barren voice.

1867.  Lady Herbert, Cradle L., 168. On these hill-sides … Abraham walked and communed with God.

  † 8.  To administer the Holy Communion to; pass. to receive the Communion. Obs.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 357. Þat men shulen … oones þe ȝeer be comuned of her propre preest.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 102/4. He said the masse and howselyd and comuned the peple.

c. 1500.  in Maskell, Mon. Rit. (1846), 330. Every of thyes newe professed virgyns, muste … after masse be communed and howseld.

  b.  intr. To receive the Holy Communion, to communicate. (Common in U.S.)

1550.  O. Oglethorp, Submiss. & Faith, in Burnet, Hist. Ref. (1715), III. I. 189. In prohibiting that none should commune alone, in making the People whole Communers, or in suffering them to commune under both kinds.

1710.  E. Ward, Brit. Hud., 3. Those who … Turn’d all Religion into Spite, Would frequently at Church Commune, And rail against her when they’d done.

1828.  Webster, s.v. Communicate, Instead of this, in America, at least in New-England, commune is generally or always used.

1851.  Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., 784.

1856.  Olmsted, Slave States, 123. The slaves who habitually attend and commune in the Episcopal church.