v. Forms: 4–5 aferm(e, 4–6 afferm(e, 6–7 affirme, 6– affirm. [a. OFr. aferme-r, -ier:—L. affirmā-re, f. af- = ad- to + firmā-re to make firm, f. firm-us strong. In 16th c. the spelling was refashioned after the L., as Fr. affirmer, Eng. affirm.]
† 1. trans. To make firm; to strengthen; to confirm, to support (an institution, purpose, proposition). Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 316. The pes þei suld afferme, for drede of hardere cas.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. v. 27. Ðan þai Welle afermyd hys cunnand.
1485. Caxton, Chas. the Gt., 1. The cristen feyth is affermed and corrobered by the doctours of holy chyrche.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. of M. Aurel. (1546), K k v. The goddis assure & affirme euerything.
2. Law. To confirm or ratify (a judgment, law).
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melibeus, 84. He consented to here counseilyng, and fully affermed here sentence.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 257. The lawe was confermed In due form and all affermed.
1628. Coke, On Littleton, I. iii. § 32 (1633), 28/1. This iudgement was affirmed in a Writ of Error.
1825. J. Wilson, Wks., 1855, I. 38. Well then—appeal to posterity … and posterity will affirm the judgement with costs.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 388. Twenty-three peers voted for reversing the judgment; thirty-five for affirming it.
† 3. To confirm or maintain (a statement made by another); to maintain or stand to (a statement of one’s own). Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 172. And alle tho Affermen that, which he hath tolde.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xx. 68. He shalle afferme my word, and sey as I seid.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., V. ii. 117. I said so, deare Katherine, and I must not blush to affirme it.
1611. Bible, Acts xii. 15. But she constantly affirmed that it was euen so.
1670. Baxter, Cure of Ch.-div., III. Pref. § 4. When one hath said it the rest will affirm it.
4. Hence, To make a statement and stand to it; to maintain or assert strongly, to declare or state positively, to aver. Const. subord. cl., inf., simple obj.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boethius, II. ii. 34. I dar wel affermen hardyly, þat ȝif þo þinges … hadde ben þine, þou ne haddest not lorn hem.
1382. Wyclif, Wisd., Prol. Thys booc the Jewis afermen [1388 affermen] to ben of Filon.
c. 1400. Apol. for Loll., 29. It semiþ to me þat is foly to a ferme in þis case oiþer ȝie or nay.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xlvii. 501. Holy chirche afermeth also, How long King Mordreins lyvede þere.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. ix. 8. For this that ye say and affirme me I thanke you a thousande tymes.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 43. Yet their owne Authors faithfully affirme, That the Land Salike is in Germanie.
1616. Purchas, Pilgr. (1864), 2. None of credit … hath affirmed himselfe to haue seene this Vnicorne, but in picture.
1702. Pope, Jan. & May, 160. Nay, if my Lord affirm’d that black was white, My word was this, your honour’s in the right.
1850. T. T. Lynch, Theoph. Trinal, ii. 19. Let us often affirm the clearness that is in God.
1877. Lytteil, Landmarks, III. i. 104. That such a report existed in Claudian’s time cannot now be affirmed.
b. absol.
1366. Maundev., xiv. (1839), 159. As thei beyonde the See seyn & affermen.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Tim. i. 7. Not vndirstondinge … of what thingis thei affermen [Tindale, Genev., 1611 whereof they affirme].
1657. Trapp, Ezra i. 3, II. 4. Many there were—who affirmed deeply of being the people of God.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 107. Not that I so affirm.
c. To make a formal declaration or affirmation. Const. as in 4, and absol. See AFFIRMATION 5.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XIX. 7999. He affyrmit with faithe & with fyn chere, All þo couenaundes to kepe.
1424. Paston Lett., 4, I. 13. The seyd William … affermyd a pleynt of trespas.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Affirmation, Anno 1721, the following form was settled … I, A. B. do sincerely, solemnly, and truly, declare and affirm.
1863. Cox, Inst. Eng. Govt., I. viii. 129. Quakers and others, now permitted by law to affirm instead of swearing.
5. Logic and Gram., trans. and intr. To make a statement in the affirmative (as opposed to the negative). See AFFIRMATIVE A 4, B 1.
1581. Sidney, Astrophel, Wks. 1622, 552. For Grammer sayes … That in one speech two Negatiues affirme.
1628. T. Spencer, Logick, 172. An Axiome is Affirmed when the band of it is affirmed.
1870. Bowen, Logic, vii. 210. To affirm the Reason or the Condition is also to affirm the Consequent or the Conditioned; and to deny the Consequent is also to deny the Reason.
