Also 6–7 consent. [ad. L. concent-us a singing together, harmony (lit. and fig.), f. con-cinĕre to sing or sound together, harmonize, f. con- + canĕre (cant-us) to sing. Cf. It., Sp. concento (Florio and Minsheu).
From the first adoption of this word, on to 1700, it was very frequently confused in spelling with the identically sounded consent, and there are passages in which the identity of the word is disputed, esp. in sense 2. About 1620 A. Hume, Orthogr. Briton Tongue (1865), 19, gave the caution ‘This difference of c and s is the more attentivelie to be marked, for that wordes of one sound and diverse signification are many tymes distinguished be these symboles; as, the kinges secrete council, and the faithful counsil of a frende; concent in musik, and consent of myndes; to duel in a cel, and to sel a horse; a decent weed, and descent of a noble house.’]
1. Harmony (of sounds); accord or concord of several voices or parts; playing or singing together in harmony. Also (with a and pl.), A concord, a harmony. ? Obs.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. i. (Arb.), 79. The harmonicall concents of the artificial Musicke.
1609. Douland, Ornith. Microl., iii. 1. Accent hath great affinity with Concent, for they be brothers.
1631. R. Byfield, Doctr. Sabb., 163. Singing in Concents.
1697. Potter, Antiq. Greece, III. ix. (1715), 33. The Lacedaemonians … remarkable for beginning their Engagements with a Concent of Flutes.
β. (erroneously) spelt consent.
1585. Foxe, Serm. 2 Cor. v. 20. The consent of Musick may teach us, what an amiable thing to nature it is, to tune in one agreement of concord.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 76. Resounding again with the melodious consent of the birds.
1694. W. Holder, Harmony, Introd. This is proper in Symphony, i.e. Consent of more Voices in different Tones.
2. transf. and fig. Concord, harmony; accord.
1588. H. Broughton (title), A Concent of Scripture.
1593. Drayton, Eclog., VII. 177. That concent we cleerely find, Which doth things together draw.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 181. For Gouernment, though high, and low, and lower, Put into parts, doth keepe in one consent, Congreeing in a full and natural close, Like Musicke.
1603. Drayton, Bar. Wars, III. lix. So their affections, set in keys alike, In true concent meet, as their humours strike.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., III. 222. That sweet harmony and concent which passeth all understanding.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 483. Herein you may heare the concent of a Consort of Authors.
1830. Blackw. Mag., XXVIII. 527. All Falsehood is dissonant—and verity is concent.
1878. S. Cox, Salv. Mundi, vii. (ed. 3), 158. Science and Scripture are one, and join in pure concent.
