arch. Forms: 4–7 conge, -ey, -ie, 4–5 congey-en, congei-e, 5 cungyn, 6 congye, 7 congy, 7–9 congee, congé. [a. OF. congeer, congier, f. congié sb.: cf. Pr. conjiar. (In 15th c. altered to congedier after It. congedare, f. OF.: see prec.) But some of the Eng. senses are directly taken from the sb., of which the vb. has been treated as an immediate derivative. (Formerly stressed congey·, congee·.)]
† 1. trans. To give leave to go, dismiss. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 323. Þe þrid day com grete frape, & conged him away.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 479. That we shal here bleue, Til Sarpedoun wol forth congeyen [v.r. cunge] vs?
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 238. Whan they to rest a while him preide, Out of his lond he them congeide.
c. 1410. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., xlviii. (Gibbs MS.), 101. After þat he hadde congede þe other wymmen.
1557. Paynel, Barclay’s Jugurth, B iij b. To congye and lycence such socours as were sente vnto him from other kynges.
† 2. To give authoritative leave to; to license.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 259. By a statute of the universite of Oxenford whan eny man is i-congyed þere to commence in eny faculte.
1532. St. Papers Hen. VIII., II. 156. Beseching the Kinges Highnes of redres, or els to congye [printed congue], and licence my silf to seke my remedy.
3. intr. To take ceremonious leave, pay one’s respects at leaving; in mod. dial., to make one’s retiring bow.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, IV. iii. 103. I haue congied with the Duke, done my adieu with his neerest.
1880. W. Cornw. Gloss., ‘We congeed [con-geéd] and parted.’
4. To make a congee; to bow in courtesy or obeisance. Also fig.
1606. Choice, Chance & C. (1881), 27. An other would congey so low that his points had much adoe to holde.
1657. Reeve, God’s Plea, 74. When he doth congee to the humours of the age, and make low leggs to the fancies of the times.
1660. Fuller, Mixt Contempl., I. xxii. The other came cringing and congying.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. xi. I do not like to see the Church and Synagogue kissing and congeeing in awkward postures of an affected civility.
Hence Congeeing vbl. sb.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 259. Apish toyes, as conging and kissing his hand.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., 327. Congeeing, Curcheeing, Genuflexion.
