[ad. L. exhibit-um pa. pple. neut. of exhibēre: see EXHIBIT v.]
1. Law. a. (see quot. 1672.) b. Any document (or, more recently, any material object) produced in court and referred to and identified in written evidence.
1626. Impeachm. Dk. Buckhm. (Camden), 40. The exhibite … shewed unto him … is the true … bill of ladeinge.
1636. Divine Tragedie lately Acted, 43. Suppressing the Gentlemans exhibits and defence.
1662. Act 14 Chas. II., c. 14. All the Processes, Exhibites, Writings … and Orders were had, taken, made and done in the said Court of Admiralty.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. II. viii. (1743), 73. The Office of the Register … is … to attend the Court, receive all Libels, or Bills, Allegations and Exhibits of Witnesses.
1672. Cowell, Interpr., Exhibit, Exhibitum, When a Deed, Acquittance, or other writing is in a Chancery-suit exhibited to be proved by Witnesse, and the Examiner writes on the back that it was shewed to such a one at the time of his Examination; this is there called an Exhibit.
1776. Trial of Nundocomar, 46/2. Nagree paper fixed and marked exhibit M.
1798. St. Papers, in Ann. Reg., 288. Eight pages of ciphered exhibits.
1888. Chitty, 5 Rep. Pat., etc. Cases, 673. I have also an exhibit of goods which the Applicants manufacture or sell.
2. A detailed and formal statement of particulars (as debts, liabilities, etc.); orig. one intended for production in court; hence gen.
1702. Lond. Gaz., No. 3778/4. They are desired … to bring or send such their Exhibits of Book Debts, Bonds [etc.].
1864. D. A. Wells, Our Burden & Strength, 6. Having thus presented an exhibit of our present and prospective national liabilities.
3. Eccl. in pl. The documents (letters of orders, institution and induction, etc.) that a beneficed or licensed clergyman may be required to produce at the first visitation after his admission. Hence, the fees payable on presenting these documents.
1629–30. Bp. Bedell, in Ussher’s Lett. (1686), 422. By Fees, he … seeks to take … for Exhibits at Visitations.
1767. Burn, Eccl. Law (1824), IV. 19. None but the bishop, or [his representative] hath right de jure communi to require these exhibits of the clergy.
1863. Blyth, Hist. Notices Fincham, 72. At the Bishop’s primary visitation in 1858 the synodals were 5s. and the exhibits 13s. 4d.
4. Something exhibited or presented to view.
† a. gen. A spectacle, sight. Obs.
1676. Hale, Contempl., I. 449. In the study of a poor Fly, there would be such a confluence of so many wonderful and difficult Exhibits in it.
b. One of the objects composing an ‘exhibition.’
1862. Leader (Melbourne), 8 July. Exhibits for the Geelong and Western District Agricultural and Horticultural Society’s Show.
1876. Fam. Herald, 2 Dec., 79/2. An exhibit … in the Peruvian section … attracted an unusual share of attention.
1884. Graphic, 16 Aug., 166/2. The horses were a grand show of 390 exhibits.
c. The collection of articles sent by any one person, firm, country, etc., to an ‘exhibition.’
1871. Mrs. Lizzie W. Champuey, in Daily News, 7 Dec., 5/6. There is not much the matter … with his exhibit [of cattle].
1881. Harper’s Mag., June, 50/2. The Portuguese exhibit at the last Universal Exposition at Paris was the laughing-stock of the artistic world.
1887. F. E. Chadwick, in Scribn. Mag., I. 517/1. The only French exhibit was that of the Bureau Veritas.
5. A showing, producing in evidence, display.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, III. v. 95. The Play was to be presented to some few friends before the publick exhibit.
1864. Fessenden, in Times, 24 Dec., 8/5. The power to compel an exhibit of books of account.
1886. B. W. Richardson, in Pall Mall Gaz., 27 Sept., 6/2. There was no exhibit in these workers of any deficiency of muscular perception or skill.
