a. (and sb.). Also 4–5 (north.) -and, 4–6 -aunt. [ME. a. OF. conversant, pr. pple. of converser:—L. conversānt-em, pr. pple. of conversārī to CONVERSE. Originally conversa·nt, whence later co·nversant; conve·rsant, given by J. and various orthoepists, is not recognized by the poets, nor by current use.]
A. adj. (usually predicative).
† 1. Dwelling habitually or frequently, accustomed to live or abide, passing much of one’s time, in a place. (With various preps. and advbs.)
[1292. Britton, I. xxx. § 9. Et hors pris ausi ceux qi ne sount mie conversauntz et continuelment demorauntz en les hundrez.]
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 4198. He [Anticrist] sal be lered … And nurist and mast conversand In þe cite of Bethsayda.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xii. 2. My sones ben with ȝow; also conversaunt before ȝou.
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, IV. ii. (1483), 59. In his … fayre braunches the birdes ben alwey couersaunt.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 25. My selfe there wonned, and there was conversaunt.
1555. Eden, Decades, 31. They are whyte … sauynge suche as are much conuersant in the sonne.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, II. vi. (1639), 80. It is good to have the sick conversant in a hot house.
1704. Addison, Italy, Ded. They who have been conversant abroad.
1766. Pennant, Zool. (1768), I. 170. On marshy and muddy grounds, where they are conversant.
c. 1820. G. S. Faber, 8 Dissert. (1845), II. 8. By reason of Christ’s being visibly and personally conversant within its precincts.
2. a. Living or associating with in familiar intercourse; having regular or frequent intercourse with (together); on terms of familiarity with.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), x. 113. Oure lady … was conuersant with hire sone xxxiij ȝeer and iij monethes.
1488. Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 20. All men that hem knew or be with hem conuersaunt or famylier.
1583. Exec. for Treason (1675), 43. They lived and were conversant in company of the principal Rebels.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 120. They were much conuersant together.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. xxv. 15. Neither missed we any thing as long as wee were conuersant with them.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 154, ¶ 1. I am afraid you have been very little conversant with Women.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 815. Much conversant with Heaven.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Each & All, i. 3. She had been conversant with many ranks of society.
† b. Having familiar intercourse in (a family, etc.), among (people, etc.), about (a place). Obs.
a. in:—a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 379. Tho whiche … Han be conversaunt here longe before In oure Company.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 72. I haue my self ben conuersaunt in a religious hows of whyt freres.
1580. Baret, Alv., C 1241. Conuersant in princes courtes.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., IV. iii. (1675), 187. When I had occasion to be conversant in great Mens Families.
1788. V. Knox, Winter Even., III. VIII. viii. 152. I had been much more conversant in a college library than in a circulating one.
b. among:—a. 1340. Hampole, Psal. xxv. 6. Conuersaunt among innocentis bodely & gostly.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 40. Hyt behoueth a kyng to … be conuersant amongis them [his people] without ouermoche famylyarite.
1683. Dryden, Life Plutarch, 35. Pliny the younger was … conversant among them in Asia.
a. 1805. Paley, Serm., xx. (1825), VI. 198. The beings with whom we converse, or amongst whom we are conversant.
c. about:—a. 1704. Locke, Cond. Underst., § 3. As much superior to, as a Man conversant about Whitehall and the Court, is to an ordinary Shop-keeper.
† 3. a. Occupied, busied, or engaged in; having one’s activity or attention engaged in or among (affairs, objects of study or inquiry, etc.) Obs.
1388. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxxix. 3. He schal be conuersaunt in the hid thingis of parablis.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 56. Much matter wherein to be conversant.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iii. § 4. Studies have an influence and operation upon the manners of those that are conversant in them.
1647. Lilly, Chr. Astrol., lxiv. 398. He was a meer Fisherman, or man conversant in water.
1710. Addison, Tatler, No. 216, ¶ 1. It is, methinks, the Mark of a little Genius to be wholly conversant among Insects, Reptiles, Animalcules.
1769. Goldsm., Roman Hist., II. 211. As she had been long conversant in this horrid practice.
1809. Kendall, Trav., I. xxv. 246. A Jew, skilled in mineralogy … has been conversant among these mountains.
1842. H. Rogers, Introd. Burke’s Wks., 64. Men too much conversant in office are rarely minds of remarkable enlargement.
b. Concerned, occupied, or having to do with (things).
1595. Shaks., John, IV. iii. 70. Neuer to be infected with delight, Nor conuersant with Ease and Idlenesse Till [etc.].
1671. Milton, P. R., I. 130. Thou and all angels conversant on earth With man or men’s affairs.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 61, ¶ 1. The Scholar has been very conversant with Books, and the other with Men only.
† c. Occupied or employed about; having one’s activity or attention exercised about, upon. Obs.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. II. vi. (1651), 85. Such as are conversant or imployed about any office or business.
1622. Donne, Serm. (1624) 8. He [Bp. of Rome] is euermore too conuersant vpon the contemplation of temporall kingdomes.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angelis, 4. To shewe what the Divell is conversant about.
1806. K. White, Lett., 25 June. God … is as intently conversant about the smallest as about the greatest things.
1828. Whately, Rhet., II. § 7. He had been … long conversant about corn.
4. fig. of things: Exercised in, concerned about (touching); dealing or having to do with; having for its object or sphere.
a. in:—1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., III. The Matters wherein Church Polity is conversant, are the Publick Religious Duties of the Church, as the Administration of the Word and Sacraments, Prayers, Spiritual Censures, and the like.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xx. § 8. The controversies wherein moral philosophy is conversant.
1754. Sherlock, Disc. (1759), I. i. 47. Is not Justice conversant in Rewards and Punishments?
1875. Lightfoot, Comm. Col. & Philem. (1876), 273. Physical science is conversant in experiment; logical science in argumentation.
b. about:—1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxviii. § 6. The object whereabout the contemplations and actions of the Church are properly conversant.
1660. Trial Regic., 12. There are three things, touching which the Law is conversant … Persons, Things, and Actions.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 329. Public virtue being … conversant about great concerns.
1827. Whately, Logic, II. ii. § 2, note. Logic is entirely conversant about language.
c. with:—1803. Mackintosh, Def. Peltier, Wks. 1846, III. 249. That philosophy which is conversant with human affairs.
1850. Daubeny, Atom. Th., ii. (ed. 2), 58. Chemistry … had … been conversant merely with the qualities of matter.
5. Versed or experienced in; ‘well up’ in.
1573. Abp. Parker, Corr. (1853), 424. Some whom he judgeth to be conversant in histories.
a. 1626. Bacon, Q. Eliz., Wks. (Bohn), 487. She was very conversant in the Scriptures and writings of the fathers.
1635. Swan, Spec. M., vii. § 3 (1643), 341. One well versed or conversant in these things.
1786. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., xiii. (1876), 76. A great master who is thoroughly conversant in the nature of man.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 45. All the languages in which Milton was conversant.
b. Familiar or intimately acquainted with (anything), as a result of having been occupied with it.
1726. De Foe, Hist. Devil, I. vii. (1840), 82. They are conversant with other parts of God’s creation.
1771. Junius Lett., liv. 282. I speak to facts with which all of us are conversant.
1863. Bright, Sp. Amer., 16 June. Those men who are most conversant with American affairs.
1878. Lecky, Eng. in 18th C., I. iii. 412. Like Walpole … he was thoroughly conversant with questions of finance.
c. with on.
1778. Miss Burney, Evelina, xvii. The young man … seemed to be very conversant on the subject.
† 6. Of things: Frequently occurring and hence familiarly known, familiar. Obs.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. xvii. The vile serpent the Leuiathan … Whych of kynde is neuer conuersaunt.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), v. 609. These thynges be now so conuersaunt, we seme it no shame.
1601. Cornwallyes, Disc. Seneca (1631), 13. The most pleasing and most conversant thoughts of the best contented minds are descended from hope.
1651. Fuller, Abel Rediv., Bullinger, 334. To imbrace a pure worship of the Lord, which had not yet been conversant amongst them.
† 7. ? Familiarly known, frequented. rare.
1461. Paston Lett., No. 400, II. 26. She thynkyth the place is right conversaunt of pupyll for hyr to abeyd in, for she kepyth hyr as close as she may for spyyng.
8. Having the quality of conversing, ready to converse; conversable. rare.
1804. Man in Moon, 92. He … was polite and attentive to the women, and friendly and conversant with the men.
1831. Fraser’s Mag., III. 408. Fluent without volubility, and conversant without loquaciousness.
B. sb. † 1. A person who ‘converses’ or is intimate with another; a familiar acquaintance. Obs.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xxv. (Arb.), 306. Some such … secret disease, as the common conuersant can hardly discouer.
1650. Hubbert, Pill Formality, 221. Not thy familiar acquaintance, nor thy intimate conversants.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 114. While Fools their Conversants possess As unawares with Sottishness.
† 2. One who leads a ‘religious’ or monastic life: see conversāre in Du Cange.
1671. H. M., trans. Colloq. Erasm., 149. There were continually some women of that Colledge with me, whom they call Conversants, encouraging me with their exhortations, to persevere in my holy purpose.
