v. [ad. Eccl. L. ēvangeliz-āre, ad. Gr. εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, f. εὐάγγελος: see EVANGEL2.]
† 1. intr. a. To bring or tell good tidings. b. To preach, proclaim the Gospel. Const. to. Obs.
a. 1382. Wyclif, Isa. xl. 9. Thou that euangelisist to Sion.
1609. Bible (Douay), ibid. Thou that evangelizest to Sion.
b. 1382–8. Wyclif, Ps. Prol. [These things] Dauid … so euydentli openede, that more be he seen to euangelisen than to profecien.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), 2 Cor. x. 16. For we are come as farre as to you in the Gospel of Christ … to evangelize.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., II. 115. S. Peter … Euangelized abundantly with his tongue.
1666. J. Smith, Old Age, 256. Conversant in the Word of God; and able to Evangelize.
1782. Porteus, Serm. (1806), xxx. 380 (R.). Thus did our heavenly Instructor most exactly fulfil the predictions of the prophets and his own declarations that he would evangelize to the poor.
† 2. trans. To proclaim as glad tidings; to preach. Const. to, unto. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Luke i. 19. I am sent to thee for to speke, and to euangelise or telle [v.r. or shewe] to thee thes thingis. Ibid., Acts v. 42. Thei ceessiden not in the temple, and aboute housis, techinge and euangelisynge Ihesu Crist.
1579. J. Knewstub, Confut. Heresies, 73 a. The mysterie of the heauenly trueth … becommeth nowe … euangelized and declared vnto you all.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 457. From that time the kingdome of God was evangelized.
1649. Roberts, Clavis Bibl., 278. O all the earth sing praise alway … Evangelize from day to day His glorious salvation.
1698. Christ Exalted, 3. I evangelize to you great Joy, which shall be to all People.
3. To preach the Gospel to; to win over to the Gospel or the Christian faith; rarely, in etymological sense: To announce glad tidings to.
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., vii. 349. There were amongst the Jews some that were evangelized.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 499. His [Messiah’s] Apostles, whom he sends To evangelize the Nations.
1813. Examiner, 2 May, 283/1. Why go to India to ‘evangelize’ the natives…?
1839. Yeowell, Anc. Brit. Ch., xiv. (1847), 165. Aidan, by whose self-denying labours Northumbria soon became evangelized.
1845. J. H. Newman, Ess. Developm., 385. Mary the Virgin, receiving faith and joy, when Gabriel the Angel evangelized her.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. v. 289. A zealous Christian, who evangelized his kingdom at the point of the sword.
1874. Wm. Dawson, in Daily News, 14 Feb., 6/6. Eight incumbents …. have asked … for … lay churchmen to evangelise their parishes on Sunday evenings.
b. absol. or intr. To act as an evangelist.
1882. E. Eggleston, in Century Mag., XXV. 77/1. Psalm-singing, praying, fighting, trading, maneuvering, lying, or evangelizing, as occasion required.
4. To imbue with the spirit of the Gospel; to interpret in an evangelical sense.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. IV. 94. The Divine Law … evangelised and sweetned by evangelic grace.
1857. Baden Powell, Chr. without Judaism, 145. The spirit of allegorising and evangelising all parts of it [the Old Testament].
Hence Evangelized ppl. a. Evangelizer, one who evangelizes (in various senses of the vb.). Evangelizing vbl. sb. and ppl. a. (in quot. 1382 absol. One who brings good tidings).
1816. G. S. Faber, Orig. Pagan Idol., II. 212. He had become contemptible in the eyes of the evangelized Britons. Ibid. (1819), Dispensations (1823), II. 150. When Christianity itself shall be ADDED to evangelized Judaism.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. lxvii[i]. 11. The Lord shal ȝiuen a word, to the euangeliseris.
1883. Jessopp, Coming of Friars, i. (1889), 49. The Friars were the Evangelizers of the towns of England for 300 years.
1862. Goulburn, Pers. Relig., i. (1873), 8. The evangelizing of the heathen.
1382. Wyclif, Nahum i. 15. Loo! on hillis the feet of euangelizinge and tellynge pees.
1631. R. H., Arraignm. Whole Creature, xii. § 5. 140. The Evangelizing Apostles, that in their Epistles writ as they preacht.
