v. Forms: 3–4 aoure, 5 adoure, 6– adore. [a. OFr. aöre-r, aüre-r, aoure-r:—L. adōrā-re to address, salute, reverence, in late L. to worship; f. ad to + ōrā-re to speak, entreat, beg, f. ōr- (nom. ōs) mouth. Refash. in 14th c. Fr. as adourer, adorer, whence Eng. adore. See ANOURE.]
1. To worship as a deity, to pay divine honors to. (Now almost confined to poetry.)
c. 1305. St. Kath., in E. E. P., 31. Here godes noþing nere: þat hi aourede hem to.
1340. Ayenb., 135. Yef þou wilt þanne lyerni god to bidde and to aouri ariȝt.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 268/1. He was adoured and worshyped of all the peple as a god. Ibid. (1484), Chyualry, 4. To preye and adoure god Almyghty.
1557. Surrey, Æneid, II. (R.). My father … Spake to the gods, and tholy sterre adored.
1611. Bible, Bel 4. The king worshipped it, and went daily to adore it.
1628. Prynne, Cens. of Cozens, 18. We may worship them in their Pictures—though wee may not Adore the Pictures themselues.
1732. Pope, Ess. on Man, III. 198. Be crown’d as Monarchs, or as Gods adored.
1738. C. Wesley, Hymn. Rejoice! the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore!
c. 1860. J. S. B. Monsell, Hymn, ‘O worship the Lord.’ Kneel and adore Him, the Lord is His name!
2. (In the usage of R. C. Ch.) To reverence with relative or representative honors.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Heb. xi. 22. By faith Iacob dying, blessed euery one of the sonnes of Ioseph; and adored the toppe of his rodde.
1762. Smollett, Hist. Eng., an. 1689 (R.). He was met by a procession of popish bishops and priests … bearing the host, which he publickly adored.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 69. He forbade the practice of creeping to the cross and adoring it.
3. absol. and intr. To offer worship.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Acts x. 25. Cornelius came to meete him, and falling at his feete adored.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 279. Pretending that a piece of bread is the very body of Christ … and is adored towards accordingly.
a. 1826. Heber, Hymn ‘Holy, Holy, Holy.’ Gratefully adoring, our songs we raise to thee.
1843. E. Jones, Sensat. & Event, 12. I adore to it again.
4. techn. To kiss the hand, to a sovereign, etc. (So explained by Selden, but perh. never so used.) Obs. Also, To elect (a pope) by ADORATION.
1614. Selden, Titles of Hon., 40. Προσκυνῶ is truly interpreted in Adosculor (if the composition bee lawfull) or Adoro; both signifying to honor by kissing the hand.
1670. G. H., trans. Hist. Cardinals, III. II. 272. The Cardinals meeting in the Gallery, to go together and adore him in his Chamber.
5. fig. To reverence or honor very highly; to regard with the utmost respect and affection.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. ii. 177. Let the Soule forth that adoreth thee.
1599. Marston, Scourge of Vill., III. ix. 218. My soule adores iudiciall schollership.
1718. Pope, Iliad, IX. 453. Slave as she was, my soul adored the dame.
1766. Anstey, Bath Guide, VIII. (1779), 61. The tender soft sex I shall ever adore.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 575. The great mass of the population abhorred Popery and adored Monmouth.
¶ By confusion of ME. adore-n and adorn-e(n, and contact of meanings in sense of honor, used for ADORN.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. ii. 46. Like to the hore Congealed drops, who do the morn adore.
c. 1624. Flet. & Mass., Elder Brother, IV. iii. (fol. 2, 118). Armlets for great queens to adore.
