Forms: 5 expediccione, expedision, 5–6 expedicion, -icyon, -ycion, -ycyon, -itioun, 6– -ition. [ad. L. expedītiōn-em, n. of action f. expedīre: see EXPEDITE v. Cf. F. expédition.]
† 1. The action of expediting, helping forward or accomplishing; speedy performance or prompt execution (of justice, a journey); prompt supply (of anything), dispatch. Obs.
1464. Paston Lett., No. 493, II. 166. The Kyng shall … shewe his good grace and favour in the expedision therof.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 13. If hit plese you ye shal gyue me audience and goode expedicion. Ibid. (c. 1489), Blanchardyn, xxxiv. (1890), 127. They retourned wyth-out expedicyon of that wherfore they were goon thyder.
1528. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., I. xiv. 108. Any other Thing that might conduce to the Furtherance, and Expedition of the Cause.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 92. The ambassatouris … returnit but ony expeditioun of thair message.
1543–4. Act 35 Hen. VIII., c. 6 § 2. For reformation wherof, and for the more expedition of iustice hereafter.
1543. W. Clebe, MS. Addit. 4609 f. 409, in Turner, Dom. Archit., III. 79. For puryance and hasty expedition of the necessities aforsaide.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 65 b. Alexander … prepared for reuengfull warre … and for expedition thereof he desired of Demetryus, [etc.].
1649. Answ. Petit. City Oxf., in J. Harrington, Def. Rights Univ. Oxford (1690), 19. There is as quick expedition in our courts as in any other courts.
† b. The condition of being expedited or set in motion; only in phr. in expedition. Obs.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. ii. 191. Let us deliuer our Puissance into the hand of God Putting it straight in expedition.
1667. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 223. A Bill against Pluralityes is committed. Several other things in expedition.
2. A sending or setting forth with martial intentions; a warlike enterprise.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. viii. heading, In this expedicion towardes Colchos.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 59. Notwithstanding, he conquered not in that expedition.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., I. iv. § 11. Strabo confesseth as much [ignorance] of the Western parts of Europe till the Roman expeditions thither.
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 269. This was the best and most successful expedition I was in during this war.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, VII. lviii. 311. Ptolemy, having suppressed an insurrection in Cyrene, made an expedition in person to Cyprus.
b. A journey, voyage or excursion made for some definite purpose.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. iii. 77. You shall be imployd, To hasten on his Expedition.
1667. Milton, P. L., VII. 193. Mean while the Son On his great Expedition now appeer’d.
a. 1716. South, Serm., iii. (1737), I. 81. A hard expedition … to go amongst wolves.
1840. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, viii. It was not a very choice spot for midnight expeditions.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. App. 536. This was not the last begging expedition of Gervinus to our shore.
3. concr. A body of persons, also a fleet, etc., sent out for a warlike or other definite purpose.
1693. Luttrell, Brief Rel., III. 192. A draught is made out of the several regiments … to goe on board the expedition.
1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, I. 11. Mr. … Seton … had accompanied one of the expeditions sent out by Mr. Astor.
1863. Lyell, Antiq. Man, 37. M. Girard, of the French expedition to Egypt.
1880. W. Cory, Mod. Eng. Hist., I. 194, note. An expedition may consist of a single ship.
† 4. The action of issuing or sending out official documents. Hence concr. the documents sent out. Obs.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 2423. Whan they had optayned perfyte expedycyon Of all theyr bulles.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 20 § 3. No person … shall pay any sommes of money … for expedicion of any … bulles, breues, or palles.
1686. F. Spence, trans. Varillas’ Ho. Medicis, 431. Leo did pretty often take pains to examine the Expeditions, which the Penitentiary presented him to Sign.
1706. trans. Dupin’s Eccl. Hist. 16th C., II. V. 81. The Seals … of the Expeditions which he [the Nuncio] had made during his Legation.
b. gen. after Fr. expédition. The sending forth, dispatch (of articles of any kind).
1796. M. Perregaux, in Ld. Auckland’s Corr. (1862), III. 350. The expedition of the ‘Moniteurs’ to the 8th of May.
5. The quality of being ‘expedite’; quick movement; promptness, haste, speed. Also in phr. with expedition; to † make, use, expedition.
1529. Wolsey, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 10. That expedicion be usyd in my persuts.
1590. Marlowe, 2nd Pt. Tamburl., IV. iii. To Babylon, Whither we next make expedition.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. iii. 37. Even with the speediest expedition I will despatch him to the Emperors Court.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1283. With winged expedition, Swift as the lightning glance.
1701. Penn, in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem., IX. 54. With all possible vigilance and expedition.
1747. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., V. 77. He was told to use all the Expedition Possible.
1815. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1830), IV. 265. How can expedition be expected from a body which we have saddled with an hundred lawyers, whose trade is talking?
b. Readiness.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard. (1599), 4. In Alexander the sixt (for so would this new Pope be called) was a subtiltie, sharpenes, and expedition of wit most singular.
6. Rhet. (See quots.)
[1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, II. (1625), 98–9. Expeditio… when many reasons of auerment being numbred together, we make a confutation of them, each one in particular.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xix. (Arb.), 241. Expeditio, or the speedie dispatcher.]
1657. J. Smith, Myst. Rhet., 250. Expedition is a figure when many parts or reasons of an argument being enumerated and touched; all are destroyed, save that only, upon which the speaker intends to conclude, stand to, and rest upon.
7. Comb. expedition-fee, -money, a fee or money paid for hastening the performance of any work; expedition-squadron.
1672. Wycherley, Love in Wood, IV. ii. 60. If you will not let me make an end on’t, I shall lose my expedition fee.
1694. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), III. 366. Sir Clowdesly Shovell, with the expedition squadron, sailed out of the Downs.
1725. Berkeley, Lett., 12 June, Wks. IV. 112. The Charter … hath cost me 130 pounds … besides expedition-money to men in office.
1794. Burke, Sp. agst. W. Hastings, Wks. XV. 41. I next inquired what expedition-money might have been given.
1866. Daily Tel., 20 Jan., 4/1. He claimed a sum of about £26,000 for expedition money.
