[ad. L. expulsiōn-em, n. of action f. expellĕre: see EXPEL. Cf. Fr. expulsion.] The action of expelling, or driving out by force (a person or thing); the turning out (of a person) from an office, a society, etc. Also the fact or condition of being expelled.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., II. xxx. 22. Brenne … takyng sore to mynde his expulsion from his naturall countre.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 93 b. Somtyme foloweth thexpulsyon of ye holy goost and his grace.
1557. Paynel, Barclay’s Jugurth, 90. Neyther to acquisicion of vertue nor expulsion of vyce.
1656. B. Harris, Parival’s Iron Age, 214. The total expulsion of the Spaniards.
1661. Cowley, Adv. Exper. Philos., Wks. 48. The perseverance in any enmity shall be punish’d by the Governors with expulsion.
1698. Ludlow, Mem., I. 292. Such extraordinary Expulsions as had been lately used.
1796. Burke, Corr., IV. 336. He forgets … his kind behaviour to me, at the time of my expulsion from the party.
1816. Singer, Hist. Cards, 258, note. It … affords the first precedent of the expulsion of a member from the House of Commons.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. v. 250. The change from white to blue consists in the gradual expulsion of the air.
b. In physiological use. Formerly spec.; now contextual. † Virtue of expulsion = expulsive virtue (EXPULSIVE 1).
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 168 (MS. A). In þe clooþ þat is wiþoutforþ þere ben longe villis and þat makiþ expulcioun. Ibid., 194. In morphea þe vertu of expulcion is strong.
c. 1532. Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 1054. A body … may nat grow by the vertue of such degestion without expulsion.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 353. The Bringing forth of Living Creatures may be Accelerated … if there be some cause from the Mothers Body of Expulsion or putting it down.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 359. Soft Liquors drank plentifully … promote the Expulsion of the Stone Gravel.
1851. Carpenter, Man. Phys. (ed. 2), 392. The alternate admission and expulsion of air … in Insects.
Hence Expulsionist, one who favors the expulsion of any person or persons.
1885. G. Julian Harney, in Athenæum, 20 June, 791/3. The ‘expulsionists’ were ‘nowhere’!
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 11 June, 3/2. All the Prince’s arguments are better than those of the expulsionists.
