v. Forms: 3–6 conferme, 4–7 -firme, 6 -fyrme, 6– -firm. [ME. conferme-n, a. OF. conferme-r:—L. confirmāre to make firm, strengthen, establish, etc., f. con- together, altogether + firmāre to strengthen, make fast, f. firm-us FIRM, fast. In 15th c. assimilated both in F. and Eng. to the L. spelling.
From 14th to 16th c. confirm and conform were often confused: see note to CONFORM v. and cf. CONFORMABLE, CONFORMATION, CONFORMITY. The following are examples of conform for confirm (conferm).
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 213. And conformen [v.r. confermen, -firmen] fauntekynes.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Doctor’s T., 136 (Harl.). Eck sche Conformed [6-text confermed] was in such soverayn bounte.]
1. trans. To make firm or more firm, to add strength to, to settle, establish firmly.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 25390 (Cott.). Þis word amen … conferms al [is] forwit said.
c. 1300. Beket, 430. Lawes ther beoth and custumes, that … bi the Kyng Henries dai … i-confermed were … that no man ther aȝe nas.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 191. Pite … His regne in good estate confermeth.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. v. 42. His alliance will confirme our peace.
1611. Bible, 2 Kings xv. 19. That his hand might be with him, to confirm the kingdome in his hand.
a. 1703. Burkitt, On N. T., Mark v. 34. To preserve it [health], to recover it, and to confirm it.
1822. Procter (B. Cornwall), Misc. Poems. Distance doth but confirm … a love sublime.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xviii. 207. To confirm his dominion by fortresses and garrisons.
b. To establish by long continuance, render inveterate (a disease, etc.). See CONFIRMED 1 b.
2. To make valid by formal authoritative assent (a thing already instituted or ordained); to ratify, sanction.
A charter was confirmed by being inspected, ratified, and sanctioned anew, by a successor of the original grantor.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 59/179. Seint Fraunceys … To confermi is ordre a-riȝht toward Rome he wende.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 324. [He] confermede al so Þe ȝeftes, þat oþer kynges hadde er yȝyue þerto.
[1311–12. Charter (dated 23 April, 939) Cod. Dipl., V. 235. Ich Æðelstan … grantye and confirmye by ðisse minre chartre.]
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxiv. 156. Oure haly fader þe Pape hase ratified and confermed my buke.
1552. Bk. Com. Prayer, Confirmation, Pref. They may then themselves … openly … ratify and confirm [1549 confess] the same [baptismal vows].
1658. Bramhall, Consecr. Bps., vii. 154. Paul 4. and Cardinall Poole … confirmed all Ordinations in Edward the sixths time indifferently.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. i. 127. The great charter … obtained … from king John, and afterwards … confirmed in parliament by king Henry the third.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 52. This moderate sentence was confirmed by the emperor. But it was not confirmed by the archbishop.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 147. Where a codicil ratifies and confirms a will.
185[?]. Curtis, Hist. Engl., 114. According to Sir Edward Coke it [Magna Charta] has been thirty-two times solemnly confirmed by acts of parliament.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist. Eng. (1877), II. 141. The charters were confirmed by inspeximus on the 12th [Oct. 1297]; the king on the 5th of November at Ghent confirmed both the charters and the new articles.
1875. Public Health Act, § 184. Bye-laws made by a Local Authority … shall not take effect unless … confirmed by the Local Government Board.
fig. 1581. Sidney, Apol. Poetrie (Arb.), 42. Dauid had so far forsaken God, as to confirme adulterie with murther.
1648. N. Estwick, Treatise, 8. Their passing through the Sea … did seal up, and … confirm that Moses was by the Lord deputed to bee … a Leader of his people.
b. Const. a person to or in a dignity, position, etc.: to ratify the election or appointment of.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 473. Wan he were ichose in is chapele … Homage he solde him do, ar he confermed were.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxxxvi. 258. Tho that were chose to bisshoppes sees … myvt be confermed to the same of hir metropolitanes.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Macc. xi. 27. The kynge … confirmed him in the hye presthode.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1241/1. He was confirmed bishop of Couentrie.
1607. Shaks., Cor., II. iii. 217. Hee’s not confirm’d, we may deny him yet.
1712. Hearne, Collect., III. 387. Yesterday Mr. John Keil was confirm’d in Congregation Professor of Geometry.
1803. Nelson, 5 Nov., in Nicolas, Disp. (1845), V. 1803. I congratulate you on being confirmed and … I shall be glad to put you into a good Frigate.
1886. Yule & Burnell, Anglo-Ind. Wds., Confirmed, applied to an officer whose hold of an appointment is made permanent.
c. Const. (a possession, title, etc.) to a person: to ratify the presentation or bestowal of.
c. 1325. Coer de L., 3664. Make hym Sawdoun … and rycheste kyng: Confirme it hym and hys ofspring.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 112. Þe kyng for his seruise confermed his gyft.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 106 a. If I by my dede confirme ye estate of ye tenant for terme of yeres.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., I. i. 172. Confirme the Crowne to me and to mine Heires.
1794. Paley, Evid. II. vi. (1817), 134. Claudius … confirmed to Agrippa the dominion which Caligula had given him.
1851. Turner, Dom. Archit., II. ii. 48. The Church of St. Olave, Southwark, was confirmed to the Prior and convent of St. Pancras, of Lewes.
3. To make firm, strengthen, establish (any one in a habit, practice, disposition, etc.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 500 (Cott.). Þai [angels] ware confermed þar als tite, Þai mai neuermar held til il.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Doctor’s T., 136. She Confermed was in swich souerayn bountee That [etc.].
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, II. lii. (1859), 54. He was confermyd in malyce.
1549. Latimer, Ploughers (Arb.), 20. To confirme them in the same fayeth.
1718. Freethinker, No. 61. 38. [He] has employed his Time … only to confirm Himself in Absurdities.
1824. Byron, Juan, XVI. li. Perhaps … To laugh him out of his supposed dismay … Perhaps … to confirm him in it.
4. To strengthen spiritually.
c. 1300. E. E. Psalter l. [li] 13. Conferme me wyþ þyn holy gost.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Confirmation. Confirm and strength them with the inward unction of thy Holy Ghost.
1872. Ruskin, Eagle’s N., § 121. Men whose passions were tempered, and whose hearts confirmed, in the calm of these holy places.
5. Eccl. To administer the religious rite of CONFIRMATION to; formerly ‘to bishop.’
c. 1315. Shoreham, 15. The bisschop these wordes seth … ‘Ich signi the with signe of croys, And with the creme of hele Confermi.’
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 449. Til it be crystened in crystes name and confermed of þe bisshop, It is hethene as to heueneward.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., IV. (1520), 32/1. He ordeyned that a chylde sholde be confyrmed as soone as it myght, namely after it was crystened.
1494. Fabyan, V. cxxxi. 114. This chylde … was brought to the holy bissop Amandus to be confermed, beyng than of the age of xl. dayes.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Confirmation, Pref. It is thought good, that none hereafter shall be confirmed, but such as can say … the Articles of the Faith, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments; and can also answer to [the] questions of this short Catechism.
1732. Neal, Hist. Purit., I. 238. They disliked the Custom of confirming Children, as soon as they could repeat the Lord’s Prayer and their Catechism.
1863. Miss Sewell, Glimpse of World, vi. 45. ‘She has been treated quite like a grown-up girl,’ continued Mrs. Cameron … ‘You know we had her confirmed last year.’
1885. Arnold, Cath. Dict., s.v. Confirmation, The Greeks and Orientals give it immediately after baptism, and in the West down to the thirteenth century a child was confirmed as soon after baptism as possible … But the Roman Catechism advises that confirmation should not be given till the age of reason.
absol. 1750. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1886), II. 169. The Lord Bishop of Chester is to … confirm in this town.
6. To make firm, fortify, encourage, strengthen (in an opinion, action, or purpose).
1485. Caxton, St. Wenefr., 17. Go ye confermed by the lycence of myn auctorite.
1648. Milton, Tenure Kings (1650), 15. These words [Deut. xvii. 14] confirm us that the right of choosing, yea of changing their own Government, is … in the People.
1715. Pope, Iliad, II. 228. Warriours like you … By brave examples should confirm the rest.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 168, ¶ 5. When Mackbeth is confirming himself in the horrid purpose.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. v. 29. He was confirmed in this opinion.
† b. refl. and pass. To be firmly resolved. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Ezek. xxiv. 1 The king of Babiloyne is confermyd aȝens Jerusalem to day.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melib., ¶ 811. I assente and conferme me to have pees.
a. 1658. Ford, etc., Witch Edm., I. i. I am confirm’d, and will resolve to do What you think most behoveful.
7. To corroborate, or add support to (a statement, etc.); to make certain, verify, put beyond doubt.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, II. 253. To confirme my reasoun Thou wost wel this.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 53. To conferme this … oure Lorde hathe shewed his myracles in these two chirches.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg. This reason is confyrmed by an example yt Henry de Maundeuille putteth.
1605. Shaks., Macb., V. i. 21. Hauing no witnesse to confirme my speech.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 305, ¶ 4. The News … has not been yet confirmed.
1837. Disraeli, Venetia, IV. iii. Her altered habits confirmed the suspicion.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 29. The testimony of Xenophon is thus confirmed by that of Plato.
† b. with obj. and inf. complement. Obs. rare.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), 32. These and such like … are confirmed to be unhonest.
† 8. To affirm, assert, maintain that. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 258. Ȝif pe chirche of þes prelatis confermen þat pis is pe gospel of crist.
c. 1540. Pilgr. T., 276. With an othe confirmid and said, that I had rehersid nothing but popry.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 42. Doth not Aristotle alledge and confirme, that Nature frameth … nothing … vnperfect.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., III. iii. 135. I am not of their opinion who confirme that this Spirit is Generated in … the Brain.
† 9. To make quite sure in an opinion or as to a matter; to assure, make certain, convince. Obs.
1607. B. Jonson, Volpone, II. i. 39. Pray you, sir, confirm me, Were there three porpoises seen above the bridge, As they give out?
1622. Fletcher, Beggar’s Bush, I. i. We are all confirm’d ’twas a sought quarrel.
1638. Ford, Fancies, V. i. I am confirm’d the lady, By this time, proves his scorn as well as laughter.
1707. E. Ward, Hudibras Rediv. (1715), II. ix. The Battel they had won Confirm’d them all was now their own.
1722. Eliza Haywood, Brit. Recluse, 125. If before … I thought these Ladies were mistaken, I was now confirm’d they were so.
1771. Goldsm., Hist. Eng., IV. 309. The ministry was no sooner confirmed in the account of his arrival … than [etc.].
† 10. To strengthen, invigorate; to make firm, support (physically). Obs.
1542. Boorde, Dyetary, xi. (1870), 261. Good breade doth comforte, confyrme and doth stablysshe a mannes herte.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, III. 42. [Ligaments] issue out … from the hinder part of the Spondilles … to confirme the Vertebres.
1611. Bible, Isa. xxxv. 3. Confirme the feeble knees.
1665. J. Webb, Stone-Heng (1725), 74. This way of confirming great Stones in Buildings.
1682. N. O., trans. Boileau’s Lutrin, III. 114. A Truncheon strong Confirms his staggering steps.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, V. 155. His nerves confirm’d, his languid spirits chear’d.
† 11. To make firm in consistence; to solidify. Obs. rare.
1663. J. Spencer, Prodigies, Pref. That the Ghosts assum’d an aiery … body to appear in, which was confirm’d by the cold of the night.
