Company v.

Forms: see prec. [a. OF. compaignie-r, f. as compaignon COMPANION.]

  1.  trans. To go in company with, to accompany; to keep company with, have society with. arch.

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 12379 (Trin.). Whenne þei had companyed him so Forþ in pees he bad hem go.

1494.  Fabyan, VI. clxxii. 167. Dayly resorted to hym men of Wylshyre … tyll y^t he was strongly companyed.

1526.  Tindale, Acts x. 28. A jewe to company or to come unto an alient.

1574.  J. Jones, Nat. Beginning Grow. Things, 19. If a contagious … person shall frequent and company one not infected.

1611.  Shaks., Cymb., V. v. 408. I am Sir The Souldier that did company these three.

1616.  Drumm. of Hawth., Sonn., 6. Best companied when most I am alone.

1623.  Cockeram, II. Vnfit to Company any one. Insociable.

1798.  Southey, Monodr., Ximalpoca. He shall … company Down to the western palace of his rest The Prince of Glory.

1814.  Cary, Dante (Chandos ed.), 209. The fair dame … companied By Statius and myself, pursued the wheel.

  fig.  a. 1625.  Fletcher, Q. Corinth, III. i. Your goodness companies your greatness.

1718.  Prior, Poems, 477. Rage companies our Hate.

  † 2.  To associate in companionship. Obs.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xxii. 388. The xl knyghtes that with hem were companyed.

1534.  Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, 1 (1540), 23. Reason … doth allure and companyeth men togythers by a naturall socyete.

1590.  Marlowe, Edw. II., V. i. To company my heart with sad laments.

  3.  intr. To keep company, associate, or consort.

1387.  Trevisa, Descr. Brit. (Caxton), 35. Bicause they companye with englisshmen.

1503.  Hawes, Examp. Virt., ix. 168. Praynge me to company with her noblenesse.

1548.  Udall, etc., Erasm. Par., Matt. ix. 58. I cumpany with the Publicains and sinners.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., III. xlii. 288. To have companyed with the first and prime Apostles.

1842.  H. E. Manning, Serm. (1848), I. xxv. 378. Those with whom we have here companied through the long years of our earthly sojourn.

1885.  Ld. Coleridge, in Law Rep., 15 Q. Bench 137. Sending a sane man to company with madmen.

  † b.  To cohabit (with).

c. 1400.  Maundev., xxviii. (1839), 288. What man … that hathe companyed with hire.

1579.  Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 93. They had companyed with their wiues.

1605.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. ii. (1641), 12/2. The lusty Heav’n with Earth doth company.

1680.  Answ. Stillingfleet’s Serm., 21. Unlawful to company with any other Woman as his own Wife.

  c.  absol. in prec. senses.

1611.  Bible, Susanna 58. Vnder what tree didst thou take them companying together?

1643.  Burroughes, Exp. Hosea, xvi. (1652), 424. When men seek to company for their own ends.

1833.  Chalmers, Const. Man (1835), I. vi. 265. When men of very acute sensibilities company together.

  † 4.  intr. ‘To be a gay companion’ (J.). Obs.

1591.  Spenser, M. Hubberd, 506. If thee list unto the Court to throng … there thou needs must learne, to laugh, to lie, To face, to forge, to scoffe, to companie.

  Hence Companying vbl. sb.

1550.  Bale, Apol., 35. A companyenge of men with their owne wyves.

1577.  Test. 12 Patriarchs, 29. Continual companyings do not always work wickedness.

1608–11.  Bp. Hall, Epist., III. ix. (1627), 331. Companying with infidels may not be simply condemned.

1648.  G. Gillespie, Usefull Case (1649), 5. A conversing and companying with wicked persons.