[An absolute use of the pres. pple. or vbl. sb.; cf. concerning, regarding, notwithstanding, etc. The pple. would be expected originally to be in concord with the subject of a sentence, as in ‘considering his youth, we were surprised at his attainments’; but clear examples of this are not numerous, and as the construction with the pa. pple. considered (see CONSIDER 12) was prob. earlier, it is possible that this arose from it by simple substitution of the active for the passive, without reference to any particular subject. Cf. F. considéré, à considérer.]
1. Construed as a preposition, with simple obj.: When one considers; taking into account, having regard to, in view of.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., Prol. 3. And gentilly I preise wel thy wit, Quod the ffrankeleyn, considerynge thy yowthe, So feelyngly thou spekest, sire, I allowthe.
c. 1440. Generydes, 1617. I shall neuer assent to this mater, Consideryng what he hath proferyd her[e].
1481. Caxton, Orat. G. Flaminius, Epil. Me thynketh … ouer grete a losse of suche a man, consyderyng his estate and connyng.
1580. Baret, Alv., C 1097. Considering the time of day.
1632. J. Lee, Short Surv. Sweden, 89. Considering then his young yeares … we may most justly wonder.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 324. [They] suffered very little, considering their exposure.
1824. L. Murray, Eng. Gram. (ed. 5), I. 289. It is scarcely possible to act otherwise, considering the frailty of human nature.
† b. with of. Obs. rare.
a. 1593. Marlowe, Massacr. Paris, I. iii. Wks. (Rtldg.), 229/1. Your grace was ill-advis’d to take them, then, Considering of these dangerous times.
2. with obj. clause. Taking into account the fact that, seeing that (how, etc.). That may be omitted, leaving considering in conjunctional construction.
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, I. xxi. (1859), 22. Conciderynge al be hit soo that I haue mysdone, I haue att al tymes borne sad feyth and hope.
1454. Paston Lett., No. 223, I. 311. Cosetheryng that youre doutyr is desendyd of hym be the modyr syde.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 2165. Considering the diuerss knychtis fere Ar of wncouth and strang landis here.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. ii. 64. The place [is] death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here.
1749. F. Smith, Voy. Discov. N.-W. Pass., III. 237. The Evening was pleasant, and also warm, considering we were amongst Ice.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, I. 22. I should think you would be, considering how she always spoils you.
3. ellipt. Considering the circumstances; taking everything into account: used advb. (colloq.)
1741. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. 104. No, said I, pretty well, sir, considering.—None of your considerings, said he, pretty face.
1784. Mrs. Piozzi, in Piozziana, 27 June. My daughters parted with me at last prettily enough considering (as the phrase is).
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1863), 32. We went on very prosperously, considering; as people say of a young lady’s drawing, or a Frenchman’s English, or a woman’s tragedy.
1884. Pall Mall G., 24 Sept., 4/2. It was agreed on all hands that they had ‘done very well, considering.’
