v. Also 6–7 -curr(e. [ad. L. concurr-ĕre to run together, assemble, meet, rush together in hostility, etc., f. con- together + currĕre to run. The hostile sense was app. that in which it was first used in Eng.: cf. F. concourir (16th c. in Littré).]
† 1. intr. To run together violently or with a shock; to come into collision; to collide. Obs.
a. 1470. Tiptoft, Caesar, xii. (1530), 15. The shyppys … were sore brosyd by reason of concurring.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. xii. 43. Huge hie hillis, concurrand all at anis, Togidder rusch and meyt wyth vther montanis.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., vii. 236. Is it not now utterly incredible that our two Vessels placed there, Antipodes to each other, should ever happen to concur?
† b. To run together in hostility; to rush at each other. Obs.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. i. 20. My will was nocht at the Italianys In batale suld concur contrar Troianis.
1587. T. Hughes, Arthur, IV. ii. Anon, they fierce encountring both concur’d, With griesly looks and faces like their fates.
1660. S. Fisher, Rusticks Alarm, Wks. (1679), 439. They can never accord, but are ever snarling and concurring, as Dogs, together by the ears among themselves.
2. To run or come together peacefully; to meet.
† a. Of persons: To have concourse. Obs.
1577. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Chron., 53. He built a market place for the merchants of both people, to trade and concurre.
1609. Bible (Douay), 2 Sam. xix. 41. Al the men of Israel concurring to the king.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VII. (1682), 295. By their concurring hither, it is wonderfully peopled.
† b. To flow together, as streams (material or immaterial). Obs.
1548. Ld. Somerset, Epist. Scots, 239 Twoo successions cannot concurre and fal into one, by no maner of other meanes, then by mariage.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 198. The one ioineth with the first head of Medway at Twiford, and the other closeth with the third brooke of Medwey a little from Stylebridge, and they all concurre at Yealding.
1624. Ussher, Answ. Jesuit, 348. The one [motion] whereby the soule concurreth to the body, (which we call Generation) [etc.].
1643. trans. Fabricius’ Exper. Chyrurg., iv. 9. The … humours do concurre together unto the offended part.
1691. Ray, Creation, I. (1704), 69. Why may not Atoms of different Species concur to the composition of Bodies?
† c. Of lines, etc.: To converge and meet. Obs.
1570. Billingsley, Euclid, I. Def. xxxv. 6. Parallel … lines … produced infinitely on both sydes, do neuer in any part concurre.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 556. In a round figure they concurre and meete together into a poynt.
1703. T. N., City & C. Purch., 8. They always concur in an acute Angle at the Top.
1828. Hutton, Course Math., II. 147. To find the resultant of several forces concurring in one point, and acting in one plane.
d. Of times, events, and circumstances: To fall, happen, or occur together; to coincide.
1596. Danett, trans. Comines, 291. Many matters concur heere.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., IV. v. 274. As Hectors leysure, and your bounties shall Concurre together.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, III. ix. (heading). Matters concurring with the Peloponnesian Warre.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., I. xxxvii. (1739), 56. Right and Victory always do not concur.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 160, ¶ 11. It were happy if … virtue could concur with pleasure.
1868. Bain, Ment. & Mor. Sc., IV. v. § 1. When two pleasures concur, the result is a greater pleasure.
1884. trans. Lotze’s Logic, 390. The chance that different and mutually independent events will concur is measured by the product of their respective chances.
e. Eccl. Of two feasts: To fall on two consecutive days, so that the second vespers of the one coincide with the first vespers of the other.
1863. Neale, Ess. Liturg., 113. Suppose that the Second Vespers of an ordinary Sunday were to concur with the First Vespers of a Festival of the First or Second Class,… then the First Lesson at Vespers is not the proper Lesson for the Sunday.
† f. Of qualities, attributes, etc.: To come together or be combined in the same person or thing; to meet in. Obs.
1574. Whitgift, Def. Aunsw., 253. None can be founde in whom all these qualities do concurre.
1596. Drayton, Legends, IV. 202. Youth, Wit, and Courage, all in me concurre.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 301. If Government, and the preaching of the Gospel, may well concur in the same person.
3. To combine in action, to cooperate:
a. of persons, etc.
1549. Compl. Scot., Prol. (1872), 12. Al sortis of craftis suld concur to gyddir, ande ilkane til help vthirs.
1588. Allen, Admon., 47. They should not acknowledge her … but according to euery ones power and habillite, to concurr to her deposition and condigne punishment.
1626. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess. (1629), 166. God concurres to euill; not positiuè, but priuatiuè.
1642. J. Ball, Answ. to Can, ii. 42. The whole Church should concurre in that action.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 36. I concurred with our incumbent in getting up a petition against the Reform Bill.
b. of things, causes, circumstances, conditions.
1559. Myrr. Mag., Hen. VI., xii. 83. Thus wrath and wreake divine, mans sinnes and humours yll, Concur in one.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 921. There be many causes concurring, which mooue men to praier.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Praise, ii. All things concurre to give it a perfection.
1677. Grew, Anat. Plants, Lect., v. Colours Plants, i. § 11. How doth the Air concur to the Greenness of Plants?
1817. R. Jameson, Char. Min., 159. One of the plane angles which concur to the formation of the solid angle.
1861. Stanley, East. Ch., iii. (1869), 83. Two opposite forces concurred in bringing about the Council of Nicæa.
4. To agree in opinion (with).
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, A iij b. They doo alleadge … that their wars are now growen to greater perfection … in the which I do concurre with them.
1631. Star Chamb. Cases (Camd. Soc.), 22. For the censure I doe concurre with Mr Chancellor.
1666. Pepys, Diary (1879), IV. 16. Whom my wife concurs with me to be a pretty woman.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, Wks. 1775, III. 83. Mr. Alworthy by no means concurred with the opinion of those parents.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 404. From what was said … he concurred that the intention of the testator was lawful.
1876. Grote, Eth. Fragm., ii. 37. If the public dissent from our views we say that they ought to concur with us.
† 5. Of things: To agree, accord in quality, character, etc. Obs.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 207. Your doinges therefore shall concurre and agree with reason and conscience.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. i. 87. To establish here a Peace indeede, Concurring both in Name and Qualitie.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, IV. vii. (1611), 205. The hanging downe of the bag from the Handwrist, doth concurre with that forme of Sleeue which the women of Galway … at this day doe vse.
1765. H. Walpole, Otranto, i. (1798), 18. It was now twilight, concurring with the disorder of his mind.
1788. Trifler, 399. As the opinions of mankind concur to his inclinations and suit his taste.
6. Law. Of rights, titles, etc.: To cover or claim the same ground; hence, to conflict, clash.
1613. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 61. When two titles concurre, the best is preferred.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 259. Where the king’s title and a subject’s concur, the king’s shall be always preferred.
