Also 7 -plyance. [f. COMPLY v. + -ANCE; cf. appliance.] The action, practice, or fact of complying; in various senses of the vb.
I. Related to obs. senses of COMPLY.
† 1. Practice of civility, complaisance. Obs.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., III. 195. Though the Scepter be departed from them … yet have they had … all convenient connivences, and compliances from the State.
1662. H. More, Antid. Ath., Contents R iij a. His studied Condescension and compliance with the Atheist, to win him from his Atheism.
1681. Baxter, Apol. Nonconf. Min., 4. Mutual Compliances in gentle and amicable Conference.
1732. Lediard, Sethos, II. x. 400. Publick duties ought to take place of domestick compliances.
† 2. Accord, concord, agreement; amicable relations (between parties). Obs.
1647. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 143. It is the desire of Mr. Maior … that in all things their may be a free and faire complyance betwixt the townesmen and the soldiers.
1656. Trapp, Comm. Matt. xi. 17. He [Paul] tells them of his tears, and they answer him with tears: O happy compliance!
1666–7. Marvell, Corr., lxv. The happy compliance renewed betwixt them.
1675. Baxter, Cath. Theol. II. XII. 280. May not … all Sects say the same against Concord and Complyance with you?
1722. De Foe, Plague (1756), 202. To move … both Sides to a more charitable Compliance one with another.
† 3. Agreement in nature, construction, etc.; accord, harmony. Obs.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., Ep. Ded. 4. Morall, not intellectual excellencies are of use and complyance with our present state and conjunction.
1659. Hammond, On Ps. lxxvi. 3. The Syriack in some degree of complyance with them render it.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 90. You must fit them to an exact Compliance of every Bevil with its Match.
1845. S. Judd, Margaret, xi. 69. Nimrod, not yet fifteen years of age, but of due physical proportion and compliance, was hired.
† 4. Complaisant or deferential agreement with a person; complaisant or servile accession to his wishes. Obs.
1648. Milton, Tenure Kings, 2. Neither do bad men hate tyrants, but have been always readiest, with the falsified … names of Loyalty and Obedience to colour over their base compliances.
1659. Vulgar Errours Censured, iii. § 1. 38. Since Adam came into compliance with the Serpent.
† 5. A complaisant disposition; complaisance; = COMPLIANCY 2. Obs.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 603. All her words and actions mixed with love And sweet compliance.
1674. M. Scrivener, Course of Div., II. vi. 393. A notable piece of modesty, condescension and complyance.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones (1775), II. 269. Jones, who in the compliance of his disposition … a little resembled his lovely Sophia, was easily prevailed on.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, II. ii. 21. It is not that graceful manner of obliging, in which you generally excel. Compliance and Reflection are not to be coupled.
II. Related to the current sense of COMPLY.
6. The acting in accordance with, or the yielding to a desire, request, condition, direction, etc.; a consenting to act in conformity with; an acceding to; practical assent. Const. with, less often to.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. (1843), 17/2. [He] told him, he expected more compliance from him.
1648. Eikon Bas. (1824), 8. I am so farre from excusing … that complyance on My part (for plenary consent it was not) to his destruction.
1688. Col. Rec. Penn., I. 231. That his Complyance therewith is desired by The Goverr.
1711. Earl of Oxford, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. IV. 267. The Queen’s compliance to your desires.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones (1775), III. 84. Nor shall you ever have Sophia unless she can be brought freely to compliance.
1788. Trifler, No. 5. 62. An obsequious compliance to the will of a superior.
1874. Green, Short Hist., iv. § 5 (1882), 200. A direct threat of rebellion forced him to swear compliance with its provisions.
b. Often absol.; also in bad sense, Unworthy accommodation or submission.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl. (1675), 356. In Matters indifferent, there is ofttimes requir’d by Prudence, as much of Compliance as is allow’d by Innocence.
1702. Evelyn, in Pepys’ Diary, VI. 255. In the most servile Compliances and basest offices.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 160, ¶ 11. Few … can avoid disingenuous compliances.
1863. W. Phillips, Speeches, xxiii. 498. All politics necessitates questionable compliances.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 198. The compliances of society … are not problems that he is fond of solving. Ibid. (1874), Compromise (1886), 3. The aim of the present essay is … to seek one or two of the most general principles which ought to regulate the practice of compliance.
† c. The action of conforming in matters political or religious. Cf. COMPLIER 2 b. Obs.
1699. Burnet, 39 Art., xx. (1700), 194. It was only a Compliance, and not a Submission to their Opinions, that made them observe days, and distinguish meats.
1706. Hearne, Collect., 21 April. He was suspected of Hypocrisy and of mean Complyance.
1716. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), II. 143. We, in this Presbytery, have deposed several schoolmasters for their compliances during the Rebellion.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), II. ix. 307. The government knew too well the temper of the clergy to trust to outward compliance.
7. In compliance with (less often to): in harmony, agreement, or accordance with; in submission or active obedience to.
1685. Col. Rec. Penn., I. 55. In complyance with an Order of Councill Charles Ashcome appeared.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 155. In compliance with established language and the use of the world.
1746. Eliza Heywood, Female Spect. (1748), IV. 280. In compliance to the request made her by his lord.
1833. H. Coleridge, North. Worthies (1852), I. 33. In weak compliance to a popular clamour.
1834. Whately, in Life (1866), I. 231. To profess or do anything they think wrong in compliance to me.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xxxii. In compliance with your wishes.
