[ad. L. connexiōn-em (in cl. L. cōnexiōn-) binding together, close union, n. of action f. co(n)nect-ĕre (ppl. stem co(n)nex-) to CONNECT: cf. F. connexion (14th c., Oresme), Pr. connexio, Sp. conexion, Pg. connexão, It. connessione. The etymological spelling connexion is the original in Eng.; in 17th c. it was supported by the verb CONNEX; after the latter was displaced by CONNECT, the sb. began c. 1725–50 to be often spelt connection, a spelling which, under the influence of etymologically formed words, such as affection, collection, direction, inspection (all f. L. ppl. stems in -ect-), is now very frequent, esp. in U.S.
The earlier Eng. lexicographers, including Bailey, Johnson, Walker, Todd, Crabb, recognize connexion only. Connection appears in Webster (1828), who says ‘For the sake of regular analogy, I have inserted Connection as the derivative of the English connect, and would discard connexion.’ This preference has been followed by other dictionaries in U.S., and by some in Great Britain. Latham would differentiate the two spellings and use connexion only in senses 5–8. Connexion is the official and invariable spelling in sense 8, and is now used in all senses by the majority of writers (or printers) in England.]
1. The action of connecting or joining together; the condition of being connected or joined together.
[Not in Shaks., nor in Bible of 1611; not in Florio 1611 (who has ‘Connessione, a connexing or ioyning’): in Cotgr. 1611 (‘Connexion, a connexion, ioyning’).)
1609. Bible (Douay), Ex. xxvi. 3. The other five [curtains] shal hang together with the connexion.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 255. Making a sumphysis or connexion between the mother and the Infant.
1747. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, III. 18. Separate filaments … without strength, because without connexion.
1797. M. Baillie, Morb. Anat. (1807), 272. Their close connection with the peritonæum.
1866. A. Murray, Geog. Distrib. Mammals, 64. The probability of the connexion of Papua and Australia … being thus established.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. Electr. & Magn., I. 220. The potentials at every point … are the same as if there were no metallic connexion between P and Q.
b. of immaterial union or joining together.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxii. 122. A league being a connexion of men by Covenants.
1787. A. Young, in Glasgow Wkly. Herald (1883), 7 July, 2/7. A correspondence might be carried on … between two lovers prohibited or prevented from any better connection.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., I. ii. § 8 (1864), 32. A complete and perfectly independent connexion [by telegraph] could be kept up between any two stations along the line.
1875. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., v. (ed. 5), 66. The connection of Church and State.
2. a. The linking together of words or ideas in speech or thought; b. Consecutiveness, continuity or coherence of ideas.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., I. iv. Speech, consisting of names and appellations, and their connexion.
1680. Roscom., Horace’s Art of P. (R.). So much good method and connection may Improve the common and the plainest things.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, II. xxix. 271. Matrimony and Liberty—Girlish connexion as I have since thought.
1766. Anstey, Bath Guide, ii. 93. And I hope, as I write without any connection, I shall make a great figure in Dodsley’s Collection.
c. Contextual relation of thought, speech, or writing; context.
1724. A. Collins, Gr. Chr. Relig., 71. The Jewish Doctors are used to detach passages from their connection.
1790. Porson, Lett. Archd. Travis, 310. Martin took the sentence out of its connection.
1827. C. Bridges, Exp. Ps. cxix. (1830), 3. It is interesting to notice the connexion in which the word is used.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 3. The word has been rendered in different places either Temperance or Wisdom, as the connection seemed to require.
d. Hence, in this (the same, another, etc.) connection.
1780. M. Madan, Thelyph., I. 48. This word, in certain connexions, denotes [etc.].
1807. Hazlitt, Pol. Ess. (1819), 413. The same argument … stated in the same connexion.
1833. J. H. Newman, Ch. of Fathers (1842), 412. Sulpicius … happens to mention [it] in another connexion.
1837. Ht. Martineau, Soc. in Amer. (1839), I. 277. One fact, in this connection, is [etc.].
1844. Bp. Wilberforce, Hist. Episc. Ch. Amer. (1846), 13. In this connexion, it is full of interest to trace back.
1860. Jowett, in Ess. & Rev., 371. In different connexions.
1875. M. Arnold, God & Bible (1884), 173. Certain fundamental themes … appearing repeatedly and in several connexions. Ibid., 174. These three sayings … come in different connexions. [See F. Hall in The Nation (N. Y.), 5 Jan., 1888, p. 12.]
3. The condition of being related to something else by a bond of interdependence, causality, logical sequence, coherence, or the like; relation between things one of which is bound up with, or involved in, another.
1613. Salkeld, Treat. Angels, 98. Unsignificant wordes, which have no connexion or proportion with the effect … produced.
1651. Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., Pref. Derived from true Principles by evident connexion.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. xxxi. § 6. This property has no necessary connexion with that complex idea.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. i. The reason of the thing shows us no connection between death, and the destruction of living agents.
1784. Cowper, Task, VI. 89. Knowledge and Wisdom, far from being one, Have ofttimes no connexion.
1833. N. Arnott, Physics (ed. 5), II. I. 129. The connexion of temperature with the rise of fevers and other pestilences.
1865. Tylor, Early Hist. Man., ii. 16. We have quite lost sight of the connection between the word and the idea.
1872. E. W. Robertson, Hist. Ess., 256. There was a close connexion during the early feudal period between rank and wealth.
4. Anything that connects; a connecting part.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., i. 74. [Man] … Connexion exquisite of distant Worlds! Distinguish’d Link in Being’s endless Chain!
1751. Smollett, Per. Pic. (1779), II. lxx. 247. The robust connections of his limbs.
1882. Worcester Exhib. Catal., iii. 5. Hot water connections.
b. A connecting passage, word, or particle.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 416, ¶ 2. Because it is impossible to draw the little Connexions of Speech, or to give the Picture of a Conjunction or an Adverb.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (ed. 7), IV. 4. I will only at present transcribe for you with some short connexions two letters.
5. A personal relation of intercourse, intimacy, common interest, or action; a having to do with. Often with pl.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1775), I. 34. [He] made the whole tour … without one generous connection or pleasurable anecdote to tell of.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., I. ii. Well, if he supplies us with these, we shall want no further connexion.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 634. There [we] form connexions, but acquire no friend.
a. 1831. A. Knox, Rem. (1844), I. 96. Far from advising any man to break connexions once fairly formed.
1874. Green, Short Hist., v. 213. We find Chaucer in close connexion with the Court.
1886. Morley, Comte, Crit. Misc. III. 341. To write of Saint Simon as a depraved Quack, and to deplore his connection with him.
b. Sexual relation or intercourse; a liaison.
(The legal phrase criminal connexion is often abbreviated crim. con.)
1791. Boswell, Johnson, an. 1744. The Earl Rivers, on account of a criminal connexion with whom, Lady Macclesfield is said to have been divorced from her husband.
1804. Abernethy, Surg. Obs., 168. He had had no connexion with any other woman.
c. Practical relation with a thing or affair.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. i. 7. Such are the circumstances … under which my connexion with glaciers originated.
1888. N. Brit. Daily Mail, 24 Aug., 4/8. The failure of the [Fisheries] treaty was chiefly attributable to Mr. Chamberlain’s connection with it.
6. Relationship by family ties, as marriage or distant consanguinity. Often with a and pl.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., V. The girl could not have made a more prudent choice. Hard. Then … I’m proud of the connexion.
1809. Malkin, Gil Bl., I. xvii. (Bohn), 53. He is a youth of good connections.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., 246. He was, by hereditary connection, a Cavalier.
1870. L’Estrange, Miss Mitford, I. v. 147. Mr. Turner is certainly a man of high connections.
b. A person who is connected with others by ties of any kind; esp. a relative by marriage or distant consanguinity. (Orig. only in pl.)
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., III. iii. But pray, sir, are you acquainted with any of my connections?
1805. Foster, Ess., II. (1819), 127. A decisive man … may be encountered by the strongest disapprobation of many of his connexions.
1822. Byron, Werner, I. i. 689. The baron is my intimate connection.
1869. Parkman, Disc. Gt. West, i. (1875), 1. Some of their connections held high diplomatic posts.
7. A body, or circle of persons connected together, or with whom one is connected, by political or religious ties, or by commercial relations; a body of fellow-worshippers, of political sympathizers, a circle of clients, customers, etc.
1767. Chesterf., Lett., 6 April (1774), IV. 259. What is called the Rockingham Connection stands the fairest for the Ministry.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iv. He had long been at the head of a strong parliamentary connection.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, I. 46. Doing a most respectable business especially in the Dissenting connection.
1868. G. Duff, Pol. Surv., 120. The Republicans are essentially the same political connexion which was headed by Washington.
Mod. An old established business with a first-rate connection.
8. Used by Wesley of those associated or connected with him in religious work and aims; thence it gradually became with the Wesleyans equivalent to ‘religious society’ or ‘denomination,’ and is used also by other Methodist associations and bodies which have sprung from them.
(The development of this sense from the simple phrase ‘in connexion with’ is shown in the following examples:
1753–7. J. Wesley, Large Minutes, Q. 51 He may be received into full connexion with us [ed. 1780 He may be received into full connexion]. Ibid. (1768), Jrnl., III. 127. I and all the Preachers in connexion with me.
1791. Minutes Wesl. Conf., Q. 9. The Preachers of his District who are in full connexion.)
1757. J. Wesley, Jrnl., 1 Aug. II. 421. I did not dare to remain in their connexion. Ibid. (1765), 5 Oct. III. 237. The oldest preacher in our connexion. Ibid. (1769), Addr. Trav. Preachers, 4 Aug. Wks. 1872, XIII. 242. The Travelling Preachers in our Connexion. Ibid. Those who aim at anything but the glory of God … will not, cannot remain in the Connexion. Ibid. (1789), Will. Lastly, I give to each of those travelling Preachers who shall remain in the Connexion six months after my decease … the eight volumes of sermons.
1793. Ann. Reg., 82. The Sacrament shall not be administered by the preachers, in any part of the connexion, except when the whole society is unanimous for it.
c. 1801. J. Bunting, in T. P. Bunting, Life (1859), I. ix. 139. The Preachers and Circuits in our Connexion.
1847. H. Miller, First Impress., i. (1861), 5. A prodigiously clever preacher of the New Connexion.
1859. J. P. Bunting, Life J. Bunting, I. vi. 84. A tribunal … pronounced that he had separated himself from the Methodist Connexion.
9. The meeting of one means of communication (as a railway train or steam-boat) by another at an appointed time and place in order to take on the passengers. Phr. To run in connection, to make connections, etc.
1862. Trollope, N. Amer., II. 99. ‘I have got a furlough for ten days,’ one soldier said to me. ‘And I have missed every connection all through from Washington here. I shall have just time to turn round and go back when I get home.’
Mod. The steamers on the lake run in connection with the trains; and coaches start from Waterhead in connection with the steamers.
10. The phr. in connection with occurs in most of the senses.
1768. [see 8].
1841. De Quincey, Plato’s Repub., Wks. 1890, VIII. 43. The war itself, taken in connexion with the bloody feuds that succeeded it … gave a shock to the civilisation of Greece.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. i. 27. Except in rare instances, the agricultural labourer held land in connexion with his house.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 328. We may say of Voltaire in connection with history what he said of Corneille in connection with tragedy.
1876. T. Fowler, Induct. Logic, Pref. to Ed. 3. The student is requested to read this Preface in connexion with Chapter III.
Mod. In connection with this subject, it may be remarked, etc.
11. attrib., as connection rod.
1836. Hull of Selby Railw. Act, 45. It shall be lawful for any proprietor … to fix all such ropes, chains, connexion rods and other matters.
