[a. Fr. altération (14th c.), ad. med.L. alterātiōn-em, f. alterā-re to ALTER.]
1. The action of altering or making some change in a thing.
1482. Monk of Evesham, 58. Of these alteracyons of tymes … ther was non ende.
1579. in Heath, Grocers’ Comp. (1869), 81. A mistrust and great dowte of alteracion of religion.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 238. To attempt alteration and change in the church of God.
1605. Shaks., Lear, V. i. 3. He’s full of alteration.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. 55. The inconveniencies that might attend any alteration.
1769. Burke, State Nat., Wks. 1842, I. 106. Good men … take advantage of the opportunity of such derangement in favour of an useful alteration.
Mod. The alteration of the house was a tedious business.
2. A change in the character or appearance of anything, viewed as a fact; an altered or changed condition.
1532. W. Thynne, in Animadv., Pref. 24. The contrarieties and alteracions founde by the collacion of the one [edition] with the other.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Justine, 95. Reioycing in this happy alteration.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 599. Ere long I might perceave Strange alteration in me.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 5. Any known alterations from this statement will be noticed.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 187. Movements of elevation or depression which produce permanent alterations of level.
† 3. A distemper. Obs.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. II. iii. (1651), 77. Strange meats … cause notable alterations and distempers.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xxiii. By which medicine he cleansed all the alteration and perverse habitude of his braine.
1663. Butler, Hudibr., I. i. 575. Death of Great Men, Alterations, Diseases, Battels, Inundations.
† 4. Music. (See quot.) Obs.
1597. T. Morley, Introd. Mus., 24. The note which is to be altered is commonly marked with a pricke of alteration.
1609. Douland, Ornithop. Microl., 57. Alteration … is the doubling of a lesser Note in respect of a greater, or … it is the doubling of the proper value.
