In 5 -cion. [ad. L. comprehensiōn-em a seizing, comprising, n. of action f. comprehendĕre to COMPREHEND. Cf. F. comprehension (15th c. in Littré), which may be the origin of some Eng. uses.]
I. Inclusion, comprising.
1. The action of comprehending, comprising, or including; the fact or condition of being so comprehended or comprised in a treatise, classification, description, proposition, etc.
1541. Wyatt, Defence, Wks. (1861), p. xxxviii. I should wish … that the king should be left out of the comprehension.
1543. [see COMPREHENSE].
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 1. Questions are called infinite, whiche … are propounded, without comprehension of time, place, and persone.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xx. 6. In the Old Testament there is a close comprehension of the New, in the New an open discovery of the Old.
1644. Milton, Educ., Wks. (1847), 98/1. A better education, in extent and comprehension far more large.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 175, ¶ 3. The excellence of aphorisms consists … in the comprehension of some obvious and useful truth in a few words.
1858. J. Martineau, Studies Chr., 173. If in the one we see humanity at head-quarters in time, in the other we see it at head-quarters in comprehension.
b. Rhet. (See quots.)
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 107 b. Comprehension, is when bothe the above rehersed figures [i.e., Repetition and Conversion] are in one kynd of speakyng used, so that bothe one first worde must ofte be rehersed, & likewise al one last worde. What winneth the hartes of men? Liberalitie…. What continueth the estate of a king? Liberalitie. [etc.].
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., Comprehension, a trope, or figure, whereby the name of a whole is put for a part; or that of a part for a whole.
1755. Johnson cites Harris.
c. Eng. Hist. Ecclesiastical inclusion; esp. the inclusion of Nonconformists within the Established Church by enlarging the terms of ecclesiastical communion.
1667–8. Pepys, Diary, 5 Feb. An Act of Comprehension is likely to pass this Parliament for admitting of all persuasions in religion to the public observation of their particular worship.
1680. Baxter, Cath. Commun. (1684), 13. The restoring of Nonconformists, by … a Comprehension.
1738. Neal, Hist. Purit., IV. 277. The conference between the Episcopal and Presbyterian Divines about a Comprehension.
1828. Lamb, Lett. to B. Barton, 5 Dec. I am for a comprehension, as divines call it; but so as that the Church shall go a good deal more than half way over to the silent Meeting-house.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xiv. III. 495. The pertinacity with which the High Church party … refused even to deliberate on any plan of Comprehension.
2. The faculty or quality of comprehending; inclusive force; comprehensiveness.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 75. Those names … are of much narrower comprehension.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., III. 515. The Love of God … is of vast Comprehension.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Dryden, Wks. II. 387. The affluence and comprehension of our language is … displayed in our poetical translations of Ancient Writers.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), II. 73. Words … of the widest comprehension, or rather extending to the whole duty of a good and honourable man.
† 3. A comprehensive arrangement, summation, summary of any matter. Obs.
1659. Pearson, Creed, To Rdr. The Creed … is a brief comprehension of the objects of our Christian faith.
1684. T. Burnet, Th. Earth, II. 208. That grand idea … is the treasury and comprehension of all knowledge.
a. 1729. J. Rogers, 19 Serm. (1735), xix. 411. We must at last fix on this wise and religious Aphorism in my Text, as the Sum and Comprehension of all.
4. Logic. The sum of the attributes comprehended in a notion or concept; intension.
1725. Watts, Logic, I. iii. § 3. In universal Ideas it is proper to consider their Comprehension and their Extension.
1836. Sir W. Hamilton, Logic, viii. The Internal Quantity of a notion,—its Intension or Comprehension, is made up of … the various characters connected by the concept itself into a single whole in thought.
1885. Veitch, Instit. Logic, § 238. In Comprehension, the individual … contains a sum of attributes.
II. Mental grasping, understanding.
5. The action or fact of comprehending with the mind; understanding.
15[?]. Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.), 10. For crafte nor for cuninge, [Cas]te never comprehencion.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. III. 92. Νοησις, Intelligence, which they make to be a comprehension of the first principes of Science.
1729. Butler, Serm., Pref. Wks. 1874, II. 8. The title of Sermons gives some right to expect what is plain and of easy comprehension.
1769. Burke, Late State Nation, Wks. 1842, I. 109. Deficiency of temper and judgment, and manly comprehension of the publick interest.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, 110. No men are so solemn … as the dull of comprehension.
6. The mental state or condition of comprehending (often viewed as a property that one may have); an adequate notion.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxiii. § 1. The comprehension which she hath of God.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. x. 39. Mechanicke and vulgar heads ascend not unto such comprehensions.
1801. Med. Jrnl., V. 429. A subject of which he has not the most distant comprehension.
1875. H. Spencer, First Princ., I. iv. § 23. 70. What has changed your state from one of perplexity to one of comprehension?
Mod. To attain to a full comprehension of the subject.
7. The faculty of grasping with the mind, power of receiving and containing ideas, mental grasp.
a. 1662. Heylin, Laud, I. 211. A work … not to be entertained by a man of such narrow comprehensions, as were ascribed unto him … by one of the Peers.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. vii. A scheme, or constitution, beyond our comprehension.
1795. Roscoe, Lorenzo de’ Medici, x. Exhibiting … depth of penetration … and comprehension of mind.
1889. H. B. Wheatley, How to Catalogue, 3. To think that every thing is to be brought down to the comprehension of the fool.
† III. 8. Physical grasping, compression. Obs.
1656. More, Antid. Ath., II. ii. Philos. Writ. (1712), 45. Such a comprehension of the Particle [of air] as there is in the hairs of a lock of Wool.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), I. 54. I must have made some slight efforts toward a closer comprehension of her hand.
