In 4–6 -acion, -acioun, etc., (5 -varsasyon). [ME., a. OF. conversation, -acion (12th c. in Littré), ad. L. conversātiōn-em frequent abode, intercourse, n. of action f. conversārī to CONVERSE.]
† 1. The action of living or having one’s being in a place or among persons. Also fig. of one’s spiritual being. Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xviii. 1. Haly men þat has þaire conuersacioun in heuen.
1340. Ayenb., 241. ‘Oure conuersacioun,’ he zayþ, ‘is ine heuene,’ uor þet body is ine þe erþe, þe herte is ine heuen.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., li. 229 (Harl. MS.). Where is his conuersacion but in the Empire of hevene?
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., II. (Arb.), 148. This same belefe of the present conuersation of their forefathers and auncetours among them.
1611. Bible, Philem. iii. 20. For our conuersation [1881 R.V. citizenship] is in heauen.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, III. iii. 322. They [fish] were improper for offerings, living in an element wherein men had no conversation.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., III. 409. Their Proneness to Idolatry, which a long Conversation in Egypt had disposed them to.
† 2. The action of consorting or having dealings with others; living together; commerce, intercourse, society, intimacy. Obs.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr., 25. And an othir tym he lefte þe conuersacion of alle worldely men … and went into disserte vpon the hilles.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, x. 41. Dydo toke grete playsir in his conuersacyon.
1594. Parsons, Confer. Success., I. i. 6. That natural instinct which man hath to live in conversation.
1645. Milton, Colast. (1851), 354. Unfitnes and contrariety frustrates … all the good and peace of wedded conversation.
1727. A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. xxv. 320. I shunn’d their Conversation for the little Time I staid at Calecut.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), I. 152/1. In the course of long sieges there is usually some conversation with the enemy.
3. Sexual intercourse or intimacy.
Criminal conversation (abbrev. to crim. con.): adultery.
c. 1511. 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.), p. xxvii. The men hath conuersacyon with the wymen, who that they ben or who they fyrst mete.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. v. 31. His Conuersation with Shores Wife.
1649. Bp. Hall, Cases Consc., IV. v. 445. After a conjugall conversation.
1697. Potter, Antiq. Greece, IV. xii. (1706), II. 298. An honest Man, who had love for a marry’d Woman upon the account of her Modesty, and the Well-favouredness of her Children, might with good Grace beg of her Husband his Wife’s Conversation, that he might have a Cyon of so goodly a Tree to transplant into his own Garden.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. Adultery, The usual mode of punishing adulterers at present is by action of crim. con. (as it is commonly expressed), to recover damages.
† 4. fig. Occupation or engagement with things, in the way of business or study; the resulting condition of acquaintance or intimacy with a matter.
a. 1626. Bacon, War with Spain, Misc. Wks. 1670, 1. I obtained of my self, to set down, out of long continued Experience in Business of Estate, and much Conversation in Books of Policy and History, what I thought pertinent to this Business.
1679. Dryden, Tr. & Cr., Ep. Ded. There is requir’d … a Conversation with those Authors … who have written with the fewest Faults in Prose and Verse.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, IV.s (1723), 194. By Experience and Conversation with these Bodyes, in any Place or Mine.
1702. Eng. Theophrast., 13. Some scholars, by their constant conversation with Antiquity … know perfectly the sense of the Learned dead.
1721. Bradley, Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat., 59. Nor have I had Conversation enough as yet with the Sea to give so ample an Account as I hope to do hereafter.
† 5. Circle of acquaintance, company, society.
1620. Shelton, Quix., IV. xxvii. 210. You may know the Man by the Conversation he keeps.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1702), I. i. 40. His Domestick Conversation and dependents … were all known Papists.
1673. Dryden, Marr. à la Mode, I. i. A Gentleman, Sir, that understands the Grand mond so well, who has haunted the best Conversations.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 429. That all Conversations in the World have indulged Human Infirmity in this Case.
6. Manner of conducting oneself in the world or in society; behavior, mode or course of life. arch.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, ii. 12. Haldis goed lyf & fayre conuersacioun.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 12. In al hyr conversacyoun bothe pure and clene.
1552. Bk. Com. Prayer, Ordin., Pref. A man of vertuous conuersacion, and wythoute cryme.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 307. True pietie doth not consist in knowledge & talking, but in the action and conversation.
1611. Bible, Ps. l. 23. To him that ordereth his conuersation aright.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 117. Your Conversation gives this your Mouth-profession, the lye.
a. 1761. Law, Comf. weary Pilgr. (1809), 25. The outward behaviour and visible conversation of Christ while dwelling among men.
1878. Morley, Carlyle, Crit. Misc. 193. The walk and conversation of any commonest person.
7. Interchange of thoughts and words; familiar discourse or talk.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, II. v. 120. She went alone vp to Pamelas chamber: where meaning to delight her eies, and ioy her thoughts with the sweet conuersation of her beloued sister.
1609. Tourneur, Fun. Poeme, 47. In little time he made such benefit of Conversation (the commerce of minds).
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. (1843), 15/1. Calling the earl of Bristol … to assist them in their conversation, the prince then not speaking any Spanish.
1713. Guardian, No. 24. The faculty of interchanging our thoughts with one another, or what we express by the word Conversation.
1752. Johnson, Rambler, No. 194, ¶ 8. Eagerness to lead the conversation. Ibid. (1783), in Boswell, March. No, Sir … we had talk enough, but no conversation; there was nothing discussed.
1871. Ruskin, Munera P., Pref. (1880), 20. I used to sit silently listening to the conversation.
fig. 1851. Ruskin, Stones Ven. (1874), I. ii. 36. There are some [buildings] which are only for covert or defence, and from which we require no conversation [cf. pp. 35 and 208].
b. ‘A particular act of discoursing upon any subject’ (J.); a talk, colloquy.
1694. J. Wright (title), Country Conversations; chiefly of the modern Comedies, of Drinking, [etc.].
1716–8. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. xviii. 57. I had the honour of a long conversation with him last night.
1824. Landor (title), Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 224. The conversation is said to have taken place when Theætetus was a youth.
† 8. A public conference, discussion, or debate.
1703. Rowe, Fair Penit., Ded. Publick Conversations … where there is hardly such a thing as being merry, but at another’s Expence.
1713. Steele, Guardian, No. 9, ¶ 18. At a publick conversation of some of the defenders of this Discourse of Freethinking, and others that differed from them.
† 9. An ‘At Home’; = CONVERSAZIONE 2. Obs.
1740. H. Walpole, Corr. (1820), I. 71. Lady Pomfret has a charming conversation once a week.
1779. Johnson, Lett. to Mrs. Thrale, 11 Oct. I have been invited twice to Mrs. Vesey’s conversation. Ibid. (1783), Ibid., 31 Dec. I never saw her, unless perhaps, without knowing her, at a conversation.
1787. Sir J. Hawkins, Life Johnson, 389. It being at a tea-conversation he … went on rhyming thus.
10. (In full conversation piece): A kind of genre painting representing a group of figures: see quot. 1854. So conversation painting.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 474, ¶ 3. None should be admitted into this green Conversation-Piece, except he had broke his Collar-bone thrice.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), III. 77. He imitated the manner of Terburgh, a Dutch painter of conversations.
1795. Hull Advertiser, 8 Aug., 2/2. Small portraits in oil, at one guinea … Conversation Pieces in proportion.
1854. Sir E. Head, Kugler’s Hdbk. Painting, I. 289, note. Waagen calls Terburg ‘the creator of conversation-painting,’ meaning that particular branch of genre, which bears the same relation to historical painting on the one side, and to the buffooneries of Jan Steen on the other, that ‘genteel comedy’ bears respectively to tragedy and to farce.
1891. Bookman, Oct., 29/2. ‘The Finances of the gods’ is a masterpiece … such an interior—one almost fancies Metsu painting a conversation-piece.
11. attrib. and Comb. Conversation tube, a tube for enabling conversation to be carried on easily with deaf persons; a speaking-tube for communicating between different parts of a building; conversation painting, piece (see 10).
1755. T. Amory, Mem. (1769), II. 167. To furnish them with chat in their conversation hours.
1824. Miss L. M. Hawkins, Mem., I. 270. A man with great conversation-talents.
1890. Catal. Army & Navy Stores, March, 580. Conversation Tubes … each 2s. 9d. to 10s. 6d.
¶ 12. = CONVERSION. [so also in OF. (see Godefroy).]
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxxviii. 22. Ne forsothe ther is conuersacioun [1388 turning]. Ibid. (1388), Acts xv. 3. Thei telden the conuersacioun of hethene men [Vulg. conversionem Gentium].
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 12. Hys merueyllous conuersacyon.
1535. Coverdale, Acts xv. 3. They … declared the Conuersacion of the Heythen.
a. 1570. Becon, Compar. Lord’s Supp. & Mass (1844), 357. In the conversation of the bread.
