Also 6 commynycat, communycat, -ate, 7 communicat. Pa. pple. 6–7 communicate, -at. [f. L. commūnicāt- ppl. stem of commūnicā-re to make common to many, share, impart, divide, f. commūn-is common + -ic- formative of factitive verbs. The earlier Eng. spellings partly followed the variants of COMMON a.]
1. trans. To give to another as a partaker; to give a share of; to impart, confer, transmit (something intangible or abstract, as light, heat, motion, a quality, feeling, etc.). Const. to.
1538. Starkey, England, I. i. 21. God, that … communycatyth hys gudnes to al other.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 13. Hee communicateth vnto vs as much celestiall and heauenly light as is needefull.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., IV. xlv. 353. The Græcians … communicated their Language … into Asia.
1752. Johnson, Rambler, No. 204, ¶ 5. Eminently qualified to receive or communicate pleasure.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V., V. V. 437. The prisoners communicated to them the pestilence.
1862. Ruskin, Munera P. (1880), 5. Both moral and physical qualities are communicated by descent.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 125. It has a disagreeable odour which it communicates to the fingers.
2. spec. To impart (information, knowledge, or the like); to impart or convey the knowledge of, inform a person of, tell. Const. to, formerly with (the person informed); or absol.
1529. Wolsey, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 102. II. 2. I wold nut onely commynycat thyngs unto you, wherin, [etc.].
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 340. He wolde … haue communicate this secreate to his owne contrey men.
1559. Morwyng, Evonym., Pref. I will communicate it with the studious of Physick.
1611. Bible, Gal. ii. 2. I … communicated vnto them that Gospel, which I preach.
1675. Burthogge, Causa Dei, 335. Doctrines … communicated down from hand to hand by Immemorial Tradition.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, i. The discovery he made and communicated with his friends.
1757. Foote, Author, I. You may communicate; this Gentleman is a Friend.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. ix. 272. The result of his observations was communicated to Prof. Jameson.
b. To impart by way of information to a society, the readers of a journal, or the like; to make a ‘communication.’
1684. [see COMMUNICATED].
1786. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), I. 567. I should be glad to communicate some answer.
1880. Athenæum, 25 Dec. Mr. Scott communicated a paper ‘On a collection of Hemiptera from Japan.’
3. To impart (as a share, portion, or specimen); to give, bestow (a material thing). ? Obs.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Gal. vi. 6. Let him that is catechized … communicate to him that catechizeth him.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, I. xxxv. 50. [I] did communicate one of the plants thereof vnto Clusius.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, IV. vi. 107. Sometimes, Kings did … communicate their robes to be worn by their Favorites.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 130, ¶ 2. If I would, they should tell us our Fortunes … We rid up and communicated our Hands to them [the Gipsies].
a. 1763. Shenstone, Ess., 2. Obliged to bid adieu to what he communicates.
† b. To bestow as a name to be shared. Obs. rare.
1563. Homilies, II. Rebellion, I. (1859), 554. So doth God himselfe … vouchsafe to communicate his Name with earthly Princes, terming them gods.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1637), 103. Wisedome; a name peculiarly applyed … to our most blessed Saviour … And therefore some godly men do more than dislike it as irreligious, that it should be communicated to any other.
4. To share, share in, partake of: to use, or enjoy, in common (with); to share with (either by receiving or bestowing). arch.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 221. The sacramentes of the chirche, and the … receyuynge of them, whiche holy christyans doth communycate.
1574. T. Cartwright, Full Declar., 166. Why do we communicate the holie Sacramentes with the Papistes?
1582. in Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., VI. (1677), 324. That the Queen of Scots should communicate the Crown with her Son.
1605. B. Jonson, Sejanus, III. i. Thousands, that communicate our loss.
1612. Bacon, Ess. Goodness (Arb.), 202. Common benefits are to bee communicate with all.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whis., v. 212. That which man communicates with beast.
1640. E. Dacres, trans. Machiavel’s Prince, 160. Hee writ that, being elected Emperour by the Senate, hee would willingly communicate it with him, and thereupon sent him the title of Caesar.
1850. W. Wallace, Schopenhauer, 67. Nor was he the only acquaintance with whom Schopenhauer communicated some of his … means.
† 5. intr. To have a common part, take part, partake, participate, share. a. Const. with (a person), in, rarely of (the thing). Obs.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard. (1618), 309. Cæsar the Dictator, of whom you beare the surname, and communicate in his fortunes.
1598. J. Dickenson, Greene in Conc. (1878), 138. Sensuall delights (wherein we wholly communicate with beasts).
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, II. 56. For him who communicated of the Emperours secrets.
1658. Whole Duty Man, xv. § 4. 118. We are … to communicate with them in all holy offices.
1709. Stanhope, Paraphr., IV. 51. The absurdity of communicating in Heathen Rites.
b. Const. with (the thing).
1579. Fenton, Guicciard. (1618), 182. His brethren communicated with his fortune, being betrayed by the same disloyaltie of the Swissers.
1611. Bible, Philipp. iv. 14. Yee haue well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
1634. Canne, Necess. Separ. (1849), 124. The worship of the English service book is unlawful to be communicated with.
6. To unite in the celebration or observance of the Lord’s Supper; to partake of or receive the Holy Communion.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion, Rubric, Though there be none to communicate with the Priest … To communicate once in the year at the least.
1651. C. Cartwright, Cert. Relig., I. 283. In Cyprians time all that did communicate at all, did communicate in both kinds.
1740. Wesley, Wks. (1872), I. 279. Every one who was baptized communicated daily.
1844. Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858), II. i. 10. Attended but did not communicate at the mass.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 83. He certainly had scruples about communicating with the Church of England.
† b. trans. Obs.
1641. Baker, Chron., 25/2. He communicated the mysteries of the blessed body of Christ.
1647. Souldier’s March to Salvation, 19. The army of King William … did give themselves to acknowledge their sins, prayer, and communicating the Lord’s body.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xxi. 258. When he [Calvin] came first to Geneva, the Sacrament was communicated but thrice in the year.
7. To administer the Communion to.
1539. Act 31 Hen. VIII., c. 14. That al men should be communicate with bothe kindes.
1616. Brent, trans. Sarpi’s Counc. Trent (1676), 321. Whether children ought to be communicated.
1855. Cdl. Wiseman, Fabiola, 73. Speaking of a married woman communicating herself at home.
1872. O. Shipley, Gloss. Eccl. Terms, 10 s.v. Administration, The Eastern Church communicates the faithful in both kinds.
† b. intr. To administer the Communion (to).
1635. Pagitt, Christianogr., III. (1636), 108. We command no Priest to communicate to the people in both kinds.
† 8. refl. To put oneself into familiar relations; to hold or have intercourse or converse. Obs.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 33. He came downe as a meane betwene God and men … His nie communicating himself made him to be called an Angell.
1624. Heywood, Gunaik., IV. 175. Her own brother with whom she communicated herselfe as to a husband.
1639. F. Robarts, God’s Holy H., 45. Prayer, whereby to communicate himselfe to almighty God.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Garth. He communicated himself through a very wide extent of acquaintance.
9. intr. To hold intercourse or converse; (now always) to impart, transmit, or exchange thought or information (by speech, writing, or signs); to make a communication. Const. with.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 159 (R.). Euen so the marchants … of our soueraigne lord … may … friendly bee vsed, and with your marchants and subiects suffered to communicate and to haue intercourse of traffique.
1652. Nicholas Papers (1886), I. 316. Sir Alexander Hume and I have very much conversation together,… and, if you advise him to communicate freely with me, [etc.].
1850. Prescott, Peru, II. 298. He … put in at one of the Azores, where he remained until he could communicate with home.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., lxxxv. xxi. In dear words of human speech We two communicate no more.
1865. Tylor, Early Hist. Man., ii. 18. No means of communicating with others but by signs.
10. Of vessels, spaces, rooms, etc.: To open into each other by a common channel or aperture whereby the whole becomes as one space, etc.; to have communication or continuity of passage. Also said of the connecting channel or passage.
1731. Arbuthnot, Aliments (J.). A system of such canals, which all communicate with one another.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 128. James’s Bay lies at the bottom … of Hudson’s Bay, with which it communicates.
1833. Act 3 & 4 Will. IV., c. 46 § 95. One waste … pipe … to communicate with any drain.
1839. G. Bird, Nat. Philos., 88. When several vessels … communicate together, the same conditions of equilibrium obtain as when fluids are contained in a single vessel.
Mod. Their apartments are separate, but they communicate by a door. A dressing-room communicating with this bedroom.
Hence Communicated ppl. a., Communicating vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1559. Bp. Scot, in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. x. 30. The communicatinge, that is, the eatinge and drinkinge of the … blessed body and blood.
1644. Milton, Jdgm. Bucer, Wks. 1738, I. 288. The … main end of Marriage, is the communicating of all duties, both divine and human, each to other.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angels, Aa 4 b. The good Angels … are extreamly communicating to us.
1684–5. Boyle, Min. Waters, Advt. The communicated writing is not pretended to be a full … History of Mineral Waters.
1831. R. Knox, Cloquet’s Anat., 677. The communicating artery of Willis, which comes from the internal carotid.
1884. N. York Herald, 27 Oct., 2/2. Two large, communicating front Rooms.
