[a. F. fréquentation, ad. L. frequentātiōn-em, n. of action f. frequentāre to FREQUENT.]
1. The action or habit of frequenting (a place); a visiting or resorting to frequently; habitual attendance.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy. Turkie, II. iii. 33. Vpon the toppe of a rocke whereof the principall entrie was couered and shut with great bushes, and wilde brambles, which in processe of time and lacke of frequentation, were so growen and multiplyed.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle, II. 73.
| Are these the fruit thy frequentation | |
| Of learned sermons yeilds? Is this the fashion | |
| Of your pure seeming sect? Your meetings tend | |
| Surely vnto some such like holy ende. |
1660. Waterhouse, Arms & Arm., 155. Famous it has been for its Trade, and frequentation of forraigners to her.
1748. Chesterf., Lett. (1792), II. cl. 33. The frequentation of courts checks this petulancy of manners; the good-breeding and circumspection which are necessary, and only to be learned there, correct those pertnesses.
1775. Johnson, West. Islands, Wks. X. 477. A shop in the islands, as in other places of little frequentation, is a repository of every thing requisite for common use.
1807. W. Taylor, in Ann. Rev., V. 571/2. The love of praise is a common propensity; but the art of deserving it will hardly be attained without some frequentation of the theatre.
1847. Grote, Hist. Greece, I. xxviii. (1862), III. 46. Reciprocal frequentation of religious festivals was thus the standing evidence of friendship and fraternity among cities not politically united.
2. The action or habit of frequenting (a person); familiar intercourse with.
1520[?]. Barclay, trans. Jugurtha, xlv. 63. They dwelled seperat in the extreme and vtter partes of the countrey farre from the court & frequentacion of kynges of numidy.
c. 1610. Sir J. Melvil, Mem. (1735), 390. He granted that he had a familiar Spirit, which shewed him sundry Things; but he denied he was a Witch, or had any Frequentation with them.
1652. Cotterell, trans. Cassandra, I. iv. (1667), 82. The all were kept so retired from the commerce, or frequentation of men.
1881. Pall Mall G., 14 Oct., 4. He had however qualities which were derived no doubt from early frequentation with negroes.
1890. The Saturday Review, LXIX. 22 Feb., 216/1. If only frequentation of sovereigns and statesmen could do it, a superficial explanation would be provided; but that is not the fact.
† 3. The act of using or making use of frequently. Also, in early use, a custom, practice. Obs.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. ccii. [cxcviii.] 620. They be herde people, and of rude engyn and wytte, and of dyuers frequentacyons and vsage.
1578. J. Banister, The Historie of Man, VIII. 102. Collumbus reproued such as hitherto haue made description of the eyes, by frequentation of brutish Anathomies.
a. 1678. Woodhead, Holy Living (1688), 56. Frequentation of Prayer is an employment more spiritual, and to which men have much reluctance at the first, till more accustomed to it.
b. Frequent use or celebration (of the sacraments). (So F. fréquentation.)
1626. T. H[awkins], trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 217. The exercise of the presence of God, ioyned with prayer, frequentation of Sacraments, often inuocation of the Mother of purity, and the Angells, Guardians of Chastity, dayly blunt a thousand, and a thousand arrowes shot agaynst the harts of braue, and vndaunted Christian Champions.
1887. C. W. Wood, Marriage, 20. Prayer and the frequentation of the sacraments will be the source of help.
