Appertain

v. Forms: 4–5 apertene, -teyn, 5 appertene, -artene, -urteyn(e, 5–6 appertein, -teyn(e, -teigne, 6 adpertene, apparteyne, -ertayne, 6–7 -taine, 7 -tane, -taigne, apertain, 7– appertain. [a. OFr. aparten-ir, aperten-ir:—late L. adpertinē-re, f. ad- to, completely + pertinēre to belong to, f. per through + tenēre to hold. For change to app- see AP- pref.¹]

  1.  intr. To belong as parts to the whole, or as members to a family or class, and hence, to the head of the family; to be related, akin to.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xxi. 373. These other tweyne … aperteyne to the kynge loot … and be Erles sones.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, VI. xlvii. 719. Of plummes … some apparteyne to the garden, and some are of a wilde kinde.

1611.  Bible, Numb. xvi. 32. All the men that appertained vnto Korah.

1794.  Sullivan, View Nat., I. 454. Disunited particles, which appear to have originally appertained to stones or rocks.

1843.  Mill, Logic, Introd. (1868), 7. To this science appertain the great and much debated questions.

  2.  To belong as a possession to.

1416.  Langley, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 18, I. 5. Withinne youre Churche … ther shulde be certein thyng that to yowe apperteneth.

1564.  Wills & Inv. N. Count. (1835), 219. Dubbletts and all other rayments apperteynyng vnto me.

1667.  E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., II. I. ii. (1743), 294. The Abbey of Deer … appertained to the Cistercian monks.

1790–1.  Dallas’ Amer. Law Rep., 71. Whether all property found in the city … should appertain to the United States.

1809.  Tomlins, Law Dict., Appurtenances … things both corporeal and incorporeal appertaining to another thing.

  3.  To belong as a right or privilege to.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 155/4. This place apperteyneth to no man but to preestes.

1598.  Barret, Theor. Warres, II. i. 16. The punishment … appertaineth to the Campe-maister.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., IV. xliv. 350. Shall not all Judicature appertain to Christ?

1793.  T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), IV. 34. The right of raising troops … appertaining exclusively to the nation itself.

1883.  Law Times, 20 Oct., 410/2. Until the present reign probate jurisdiction appertained solely to the Ecclesiastical Courts.

  4.  To belong naturally or by inherent fitness; to be suited, proper, appropriate to.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pers. T., ¶ 976. To fastyng appurteynen [v.r. -ertenen, -arteyneth, -artenen, partenyth] foure thinges.

c. 1470.  Hors, Shepe, & Ghoos (1822), 5. Hardynesse … apperteyneth to euery manly knyght.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scotl., II. 18. How he fure adpertenis nocht to me To tell.

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, IV. i. 210. Do all rites, That appertaine vnto a buriall.

1756.  C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, II. 13. That appellation seems more properly to appertain to the phlogiston.

1813.  Miss Austen, Pride & Prej., x. 43. The degree of importance which is to appertain to this request.

  5.  To belong as an attribute, function, or affecting circumstance; to pertain, relate.

c. 1391.  Chaucer, Astrol., Prol. 1. A certein nombre of conclusions apertenyng to the same instrument.

1601.  Shaks., Jul. C., II. i. 282. I should know no Secrets That appertaine to you.

1850.  Daubeny, Atom. The., vi. 168. The crystalline form of a body is not always determined by any unalterable property appertaining to its component atoms.

  † 6.  impers. (chiefly in senses 3 and 4.) Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Melib., ¶ 15. It apperteyneth [v.r. aperteneth, -tyneth, -teigneþ, perteyneth] not to a wys man, to make such sorwe.

1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 19. It apparteigneth to euery man … to seke science.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. 23. Further than appertaineth to the degree of a creature.

1623.  Lisle, Test. Antiq., Pref. Unto whom it did first appertaine to exact of Priests … this profession.

  † b.  absol. As appertains: as is proper or due. Obs.

1524.  Wolsey, State Papers (1836), IV. 89. To see theym conduyted in saufetye … as shall appertain.

1611.  Bible, 1 Esdr. i. 12. They rosted the Passeouer with fire, as appertaineth.

  † 7.  trans. (by omission of to.) To belong to, become, befit. Obs. rare.

a. 1420.  Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 4838. It appertenethe a kyng for to be A kyng in verray sothe.

1491.  Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W.), I. clxiv. 173 a/2. It aperteynyth thy dygnytee, for to doo that this poore synfull woman askith.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, 622. The Soule … longing to behold the place that appertains her, Doth loath the bodie.

1601.  Dolman, Fr. Acad. (1618), 657. Have attributed that to their nation which properly appertaineth not them.