also 6–7 anti-. [f. prec. sb.; cf. DATE sb. and vb.]
1. trans. To affix an earlier than the true date to (a document).
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 953/1. Counterfeiting and antidating of the kings seale in a signet.
1682. Scarlett, Exchanges, 56. He that Antidates an Endorsement is guilty of fraud and deceit.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), I. 343. He got the king to antedate it, as if it had been signed at Oxford.
1858. Beveridge, Hist. India, II. VI. ii. 587. He drew up a letter which he antedated fifteen days.
2. To assign (an event) to an earlier date.
a. 1631. Donne, Poems (1639), 4. Wilt thou then Antedate some new made vow?
1775. Fielding’s Life, in Wks., I. Pref. 19. Having often ante-dated, and sometimes post-dated, the matter which he found in the Spanish history.
1872. E. Robertson, Hist. Ess., 193. The struggle … began in the reign of Edgar and was antedated long afterwards … to throw odium upon Edwy.
3. To carry back to an earlier date or time.
a. 1600. Quaternio, 262. Wisedome … could in some sort antidate their dayes, and giue them an essence and being with the Holy Patriarkes.
1697. J. Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., II. (1702), 97. By Reading a Man does as it were Antedate his Life.
c. 1850. Mrs. Browning, Vision of Poets. That rage Barbaric, antedates the age.
4. To bring about at an earlier date, accelerate.
1640. T. Carew, Poems, Wks. 1824, 132. If you let her goe, she may Antedate the latter day.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, II. 67. A fright of his Mother … accelerated, or rather antedated his nativity.
1712. Spect., No. 437, ¶ 1. Sorrow, and private Anxiety of Mind, which antedate Age and Sickness.
1813. Scott, Triermain, II. xxv. Seem’d … that Fate Would Camlan’s ruin antedate.
5. To come before (something) in date; precede.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., Pref. 1. Neither do their Records furnish us with anything that does Antedate our late discoveries.
1703. De Foe, Elegy on Annesley. As if design’d by Instinct to be Great, His Judgment seem’d to antidate his Wit.
1867. Draper, Amer. Civ. War, I. ii. § 1. 76. The Peruvian empire antedates that of Mexico.
6. To take in imagination before its actual occurrence, to anticipate.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Triumph Hon., iii. Like an obedient servant, antedating My Lord’s command.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit., I. i. Wks. IX. 30. Shame does but antedate the divine anger.
1708. Pope, St. Cecilia’s D., 123. Our joys below it [Music] can improve, And antedate the bliss above.
1810. Coleridge, Friend, VI. xi. (1867), 343. Wisdom forbids her children to ante-date their knowledge, or to act and feel further than they know.
