Forms: 3–5 alegg-e, aleg-e, 4–6 allegge, 5–9 alledge, 5–6 adledge, 6–7 alledg, aleage, alleage, alleadg, alleadge, 4– allege. [Though allege answers exactly in sense to L. allēgāre and its Fr. adaptation alléguer, its soft g shows that it is not an adoption of this, which would have given alleague. But there was an OFr. esligier:—late L. *exlītigāre to clear at law, of which the Norm. form was aligier, alegier. This was latinized in England, as adlēgiāre, a word in regular use in the laws of the Norman kings (see Du Cange); and this adlēgiāre (as if f. ad lēgem) was evidently treated also as the equivalent of alcier (as if f. a lei), the true OFr. descendant of L. allēgāre (see ALLAY v.3). Hence, in later AFr., alegier (aleger, alegger), and its Eng. adoption alege, allege, though formally descended from exlītigare, were used as = L. allēgāre. (Cf. the technical use of the latter in Roman Law, in ‘adlēgāre sē ex servitūte in ingenuitātem,’ to release oneself … by adducing reasons.) As in Fr. the forensic alléguer supplanted the popular aleier, so in Eng. allege took the place of ALLAY v.3
Connection of alegier (:—*exlītigare), aleier (:—allēgāre), adlegiāre, and alegge, allege:
Tristan, I. 3217 (Michel). Se devant lui sui alegie, Qui me voudroit ares sordire? Laws of Wm. I., xxxix. § 1 (Schmid). Seit en la forfaiture le rei de XL sols, s’il ne pot aleier [Lat. nisi purgare se possit] que plus dreit faire nel sout. Ibid., II. i. Francigena compellatus adlegiet se in jure jurando [OE. láðiʓe hine mid áðe] contra eum. 13 Rich. II., II. i. Si la chartre de mort de homme soit alegge devant qiconques Justices. Early transl. If a charter of the death of a man be alleadged before any justices.]
1. To declare upon oath before a tribunal, to give testimony for or against; hence, to bring forward as a legal ground or plea, to plead. Obs. exc. fig.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 702. For-þy to corte quen þou schal com … Þer alle oure causeȝ schal be tryed, Alegge þe ryȝt.
c. 1330. Florice & Bl., 689. Ȝif thai ought aȝein wil allegge Hit uer nowt right jugement Withouten answere to acoupement.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, I. ii. (1483), 3. Yf thou canst ought alledgen · that may be ageynst hym · come byfore the Juge.
1540. T. Cromwell in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. II. 170. I haue no merits or good works which I may alledge before thee.
1605. Thynne, in Animadv., App. 112. The arguments alledged agaynst Him by the Advocate.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 293, ¶ 1. It was alledged against him that he had never any Success in his Undertakings.
1773. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 421. All the arguments he alleges for his safety.
b. with clause.
c. 1300. Beket, 1396. And bad him answere for hir stat: and aleggi for him hou hit were.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXXIII. 13072. Þan alleggit the lede to the leue prinses, All þe dere þat he did … Was barly by biddyng of his bright goddes.
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 201. The Clerk holdeth him to his Clergy, alleadging that he ought not before them thereupon to answer.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 256, ¶ 1. The Prosecutor alledged, That he was the Cadet of a very ancient Family.
1779. Johnson, K. Prussia, Wks. 1787, IV. 542. Alledges that his predecessors had enjoyed this grant above a century.
† c. absol. Obs.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1879), 165. And yf we wolle thus alegge ayenste þe devil.
1628. Hobbes, Thucydides (1822), 67. They alleged much to haue him, yet he deliuerd him not.
2. To cite, quote (an author or his authority) for or against. arch.
1366. Maundev., x. 119. Thei knowen alle the Bible, and the Psautere: and therfore Allegge thei so the Lettre.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, 314. Non other auttour a-legge I. Ibid. (c. 1386), Merch. T., 414. And for he wolde his longe tale abregge He wolde noon auctoritee allegge [v.r. alegge].
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 33. And allege holy scripturis aȝenst synnerys.
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 209/2. To whom I aunswered … aleaging Saint Augustine for mee.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle, iii. 885. I can alleadge mine author for it.
1653. Milton, Consid. Hirelings, 59. With what face or conscience can they alleage Moses … for tithes?
1724. A. Collins, Gr. Chr. Relig. To alledge the passages of the Old Testament.
1878. R. W. Dale, Lect. Preaching, v. 118. The greatest names can sometimes be alleged for opinions which are incredible.
3. Hence gen. To plead as an excuse; to adduce or urge as reason.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1879), 56. Whenne þe wise man saw þat, he gan to alegge resons.
1519. R. Pace, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 56. I. 157. The Electors speke agaynst hym and allege reasons whye he schulde nott be electidde.
1560. J. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 107 b. He adledged certen causes, why it ought so to be.
1598. Yong, Diana, 209. I alleaged some excuses to the contrary.
1660. T. Stanley, Hist. Philos., II. III. 16. Tertullian alleadgeth another reason.
1762. Goldsm., Beau Nash, 213. Refused to lend a farthing, alledging a former resolution against lending.
1835. Thirlwall, Greece, I. ix. 344. Sparta did not draw the sword till she had injuries and insults to alledge.
b. with clause.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy., III. Alleadging how much it would be for our credite and profite.
1622. Wither, Philarete (1633), 688. Were she Vaine, she might alledge, ’Twere her Sexes priviledge.
1741. Betterton, in Oldys, Eng. Stage, ii. 27. Alledging the greater the Temptation, the greater the Glory to resist.
1878. Seeley, Stein, II. 450. England would give nothing beyond arms and ammunition, alleging that her Spanish enterprise occupied her wholly.
4. To advance (a statement) as being able to prove it; hence, to assert without proof; to affirm, predicate.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 88. Þei wol allegen also, quod I, and by þe gospel preuen [it].
1494. Fabyan, V. xcv. 69. But Policronica alledgyth yt honour vnto Vter Pendragon his brother.
1586. T. B., trans. La Primaudaye’s Fr. Acad., II. (1594), 27. Wee must not therefore alleadge anie imperfection in the creation of the woman.
1676. Clarendon, Surv. Leviathan, 145. Who … will ever venture to alledg any matter of fact that he is not sure of?
1690. Locke, Hum. Underst., II. i. (ed. 3), 44. But Men in love with their Opinions, may not only suppose what is in question, but alledge wrong matter of fact.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. xlviii. 29. Where much is alleged, something must be true.
1879. H. Spencer, Data of Eth., ii. § 5. 15. In neither case can conduct be alleged.
b. with clause.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, 247. The kyng alegid thei were of his tresour.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VI. viii. 673. Ðe mwnkys … Allegyd þat þat electyoun Fell to þame.
1551. Turner, Herbal, II. 37. Some … alledge … that Cypros is the tre which is called in Italy Ligustrum.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 267, ¶ 1. Those who alledge it is not an Heroick Poem.
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., I. 27. He alleges that there are several elementary bodies.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. § 27. 379. It has since been alleged that ours was unnecessary labour.
