v. Obs. Also 5–7 expugne. [ad. OF. expugn-er, ad. L. expugn-āre to take by storm, f. ex- out + pugnāre to fight, f. pugna a fight.]
1. trans. To capture by fighting; to take by storm.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 187. The chiefe cite of whom is Cornithus, where kynge Alexander gedrede his hoste, intendenge to expugne alle the worlde, to whom Seynte Paule did wryte.
1555. Eden, Decades, 316 b. The sayde Admirall attempted to expugne the Iland.
1599. Hayward, 1st Pt. Hen. IV., 103. Nabuchadnezzar King of Affiria wasted all Palestine with fire and swoord, and oppugned Hierusalem a long time, and at the last expugned it.
1635. R. N., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., II. xii. 107. Dunbritton should be expugned.
a. 1640. Jackson, Creed, XI. xxxv. Wks. XI. 101. They … use it as a fort … till they can watch an opportunity for expugning a better.
fig. 1569. Crowley, Soph. Dr. Watson, ii. 84. Which … many have assaulted and oppugned with such direct scriptures … that it is by them expugned, and can not be by you propugned.
1579. Twyne, Phisicke agst. Fortune, II. xiii. 184 a. By a golden showre of rayne Danaes virginitie was expugned.
1612–5. Bp. Hall, Contempl. N. T., IV. x. (1634), 151. That their conjoyned forces might expugne that gracious eare.
b. In weaker sense: To assault, attack, storm.
1407. Exam. W. Thorpe, in Arb., Garner, VI. 91. They enforce them to expugn the freedom of Holy Church.
1554. Bradford, in Strype, Cranmer, II. 196. Matters expugned by the Papists.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Gal. i. 23. He … doth now evangelize the faith which sometime he expugned.
1657. Earl Monm., trans. Paruta’s Pol. Disc., 159. Solyman … wasted so much time in expugning the strong Hold of Buda, as it proved the safety of that Country.
2. To overcome or expel by force of arms; to vanquish, overpower.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 244. The pope … stirred up … the young French king … to expugne and extinguish these Albigenses his enimies. Ibid. (1641), III. 666. They could not expugne him by arguments or disputation.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, VIII. (1639), 439. Cancre, and Elephantiasis, which diseases do expugne gentle medicines.
1628. Hobbes, Thucyd., 44. Lest making them desperate, we make them also harder to expugne.
1674. Josselyn, Voy. New Eng., 48. This assertion is not expugned by Geocentricks.
1699. Evelyn, Acetaria, 90. The Nasturtia are singly … the most effectual, and powerful Agents in conquering and expugning that cruel Enemy.
Hence † Expugned ppl. a. † Expugner, one who takes by storm. † Expugning vbl. sb.
1598. Marlowe, Hero & L., III. Wks. (Rtldg.), 292/1. So far’d fair Hero in th’ expugned fort Of her chaste bosom.
1608. Chapman, Byron’s Conspir., Plays, 1873, II. 190. He will prooue Of the yet taintlesse fortresse of Byron A quick Expugner.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng. (1612), 330. The reuengeful flames of Troy … had perfected the more than Ten yeares Siege of the Græcians expugning of the same.
1657. Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 128. The expugning of several affections.
