Fidelity

a. Forms: 5–6 fydelite, -itie, -itye, -yte, -ytie, 6–7 fidelitie, (6 fidelite), 6– fidelity. [a. F. fidélité, ad. L. fidēlitāt-em, f. fidēlis faithful, f. fidēs faith.]

  1.  The quality of being faithful; faithfulness, loyalty, unswerving allegiance to a person, party, bond, etc. Const. to, towards.

1308.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), II. 92.

1520.  Caxton’s Chron. Eng., III. 25/1. They kepte fydelyte to the Romayns.

1553.  Q. Jane, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. App. ii. 4. Our special trust is, in your courage, wisdome and fidelities in this matter to advaunce your self both with power and speed to this enterprise.

1659.  Hammond, On Ps., 520. The hundred and fifth Psalm is a thankful pious commemoration of all Gods mercies and providences, and fidelities to his people.

1683.  Burnet, trans. More’s Utopia (1684), 163. They serve those that hire them, both with much Courage and great Fidelity.

1791.  Bentham, Panopt., Wks. 1843, IV. 225. In the ordinary intercourse of life, fidelity to engagements is a virtue: why? because in the ordinary intercourse of life, among the engagements taken there is not one in a thousand, the execution of which is not beneficial to the community upon the whole.

1839.  Thirlwall, Greece, VI. 279. The report which he brought of the conduct of Arsames raised Alexander’s suspicions of his fidelity.

1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., II. viii. 90. There is at this time on the part of all, men as well as officers, a warm feeling toward myself, and a strict, stanch fidelity to the expedition.

  † b.  To make fidelity: to take an oath of fealty.

1494.  Fabyan, Chron. VII. ccxxxviii. 277. That he and his successours, kynges of Scotlonde, shuld make theyr homage and fydelyte vnto the kynges of Englonde.

1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj. (1774), 79. Ane other fidelitie … sall be … made be the woman, and her heires, in the samine forme and words as homage should be made. Ibid., Table 80. He quha maries ane widow, sould make fidelity to the heire of hir first husband.

  c.  Conjugal faithfulness.

1694.  Acct. Sweden, 70. Some of them [women] are accounted more eminent for Chastity before Marriage, than Fidelity after.

1825.  J. Neal, Brother Jonathan, III. 226–7. If we are not barren, our fidelity is proved.

  † d.  Word of honour, oath, pledge; also to give, break one’s fidelity. By my fidelity: upon my word. Obs.

1531.  in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford, 105. The benche dyd examen the foresayd [persons] uppon theyre fydelities.

1574.  Whitgift, Def. Aunsw., iii. Wks. 1851, I. 306. None is admitted to any degree here in Cambridge, but the same is first presented to the vice-chancellor, and to the university, by some one of that faculty, who giveth his fidelity for them.

1581.  J. Merbecke, A Booke of Notes and Common places, 165. Pharao … was punished for breaking his fidelitie.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., IV. ii. 160. Shal. By my fidelity, this is not well, Master Ford!

  2.  Strict conformity to truth or fact.

  † a.  Of persons: Honesty, truthfulness, trustworthiness, veracity (obs.). b. Of a description, translation, etc.: Correspondence with the original; exactness.

1534.  More, On the Passion, Wks. 1344/2. Ought we to doubte of his fidelitie and testimony?

1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. § 19. 29. The principall thing required in a witnesse is fidelitie.

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., II. vi. § 1. How then can the fidelity of a Prophet be discovered by the event?

1709.  Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xxi. 252. He trusting to their Fidelities, set them down as he received them.

1735.  Pope, Lett., 22 Jan. 1709. Be very free of your Remarks in the margins, not only in regard to the Accuracy, but to the Fidelity of the Translation.

1847.  Emerson, Repr. Men, Shaks., Wks. (Bohn), I. 359. Coleridge and Goethe are the only critics who have expressed our convictions with any adequate fidelity: but there is in all cultivated minds a silent appreciation of his superlative power and beauty, which, like Christianity, qualifies the period.

1872.  Darwin, Emotions, Introd. 26. By this means [photography on wood] almost complete fidelity is ensured.