Forms: 1–3 fréondscipe, (1 -scype, 3 freond-, freontschipe, freonscipe), 2–3 frendshipe, 3–4 frenscip, -scep, freinschip, 3–5 frendscip, -schip, frenschip(e, (4 frendischipe, frencipp, -s(c)hepe, 5 -chepe), 4–5 frendeship, (freendshippe), frenship(pe, -shyp, 4–6 frendship(pe, (4 frendshepe, 6 -shype, 4 Sc. freyndschip, 6 Sc. freindship, 6– friendship. [OE. fréondscipe: see FRIEND sb. and -SHIP.]
1. The state or relation of being a friend; association of persons as friends.
Beowulf, 2067.
| Þy ic Heaðobeardna hyldo ne telȝe … | |
| freondscipe fæstne. |
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 33. Alre erest þu most habben mine freonscipe.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 98. Uor no freondschipe nis so vuel ase is fals freondschipe.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 35. Þat bi nom þe myn frenschipe for þi soþnesse al clene?
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. iii. (1495), 553. It is sayd that alabastre … gendryth and kepyth frendshypp.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxiii. 76. He fest me to his frenschippe, so frendly he fared.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 36. Wilde menne, which could by no gentilnes be allured to frendshippe.
1612. Bacon, Ess., Friendship (Arb.), 160. Without friendship, society is but meeting.
1733. Swift, Life & Char. Dean S—t, 43.
| True friendship in two breasts requires | |
| The same aversions, and desires. |
1875. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, v. 125. The love of friendship is the highest, the purest, and the most unselfish, and therefore the most perfect form of love.
b. A friendly relation or intimacy.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 210. Freondscipas niwe.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 7. Knawing weill, na thing micht bring the pepill sonar under ane freindschip and band than sic doingis.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 85. The learned and choice Friendships that you enjoy.
1697. Dampier, Voy., I. vii. 182. It came into his mind to persuade Capt. Wright, upon this occasion, to endeavour a Friendship with those Indians; a thing our Privateers had long coveted, but never durst attempt, having such dreadful apprehensions of their numbers and fiereness.
1842. Tennyson, Will Waterproof’s Lyrical Monologue, 37.
| I kiss the lips I once have kiss’d; | |
| The gas-light wavers dimmer; | |
| And softly, thro’ a vinous mist, | |
| My college friendships glimmer. |
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 361. His friendship with two of the chief actors may have biassed his judgment.
† c. collect. Friends. Obs.
c. 1400. Beryn, 3525.
| And lokid oppon the Steward with a rewful cher | |
| And on othir frendshipp & Neyȝbours he had ther. |
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 1273.
| The duke rekyvered aȝyne, | |
| Hys frenchepys were fayn. |
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., c. 80. Cadwalyn in playne batayll slowe Edwyn and al his frendshippes.
2. Friendly feeling or disposition felt or shown by one person for or towards another; friendliness. † In friendship: on friendly terms.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14359 (Cott.). ‘Mikel frenscip has þou him kidd.’
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 84.
| For that at the king off Ingland | |
| Held swylk freyndschip and cumpany | |
| To thar King. |
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), ii. 7. Þat was giffen me for grete frenschepe.
1596. Spenser, State Irel. Wks. (Globe), 661/2. Yf it be left in the handes of such rawe captaynes as are usuallye sent out of England, being therto preferred onely by frendship, and not chosen by sufficiencye, it will soone fall to ground.
1664. South, Serm. (1737), II. ii. 45. We have here an Account of Christ’s Friendship to his Disciples; that is, we have the best of things represented in the greatest of Examples.
1723–4. in Swift’s Lett. (1766), II. 277. I could never impute it to want of friendship in one, whose goodness to me has always been abundantly more than I could deserve.
1861. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 38. His letter is then only one of ceremoney, to excuse his long silence and to renew the assurance of his friendship, which was not diminished by the sorrowful event.
† 3. A friendly act; a favor; friendly aid. Obs.
1535. Coverdale, Prov. xviii. 24. A frende that delyteth in loue, doth a man more frendshipe, and sticketh faster vnto him then a brother.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. ii. 61.
| Hard by heere is a Houell, | |
| Some friendship will it lend you ’gainst the Tempest. |
1613. Beaum. & Fl., Coxcomb, II. i. You have done me friendships infinite, and often.
† 4. ‘Conformity, affinity, correspondence, aptness to unite’ (J.). Cf. FRIENDLY 6. Obs. rare–1.
1695. Dryden, trans. Du Fresnoy’s Art of Painting, 175. This rule obliges us to know those Colours which have a Friendship with each other, and those which are incompatible.
