Forms: 4–6 apoint(e, apoynt(e, 4–7 appoynt(e, 5 ap(p)unct, appoynct, apoinct, 5– appoint. Aphet. 5–7 point. [a. OFr. apointe-r, -ier, f. à point to the point, into condition: see POINT. Sometimes refashioned after med.L. appunctāre, whence also some of the senses were taken. The chief senses were already developed in OF., and did not appear in logical order in Eng.]
I. To come, or bring matters, to a point; agree, arrange, settle.
† 1. intr. (and pass.) usually with inf. or subord. cl.: To come to a point about a matter in discussion, to agree, settle, arrange definitely. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 405. Apoyntedyn ful warly … how ferre they wold procede.
1462. Paston Lett., 461, II. 115. Sir John Fastolff and your seid besecher comenauntyd and apoynted be writyng for the seid mater.
1488. Act. Dom. Conc., 93 (Jam.). It is apunctit and accordit.
1528. More, Heresyes, IV. Wks. 282/1. Theyr intent and purpose that they appoynt vpon.
1604. Sir W. Cope, in Shaks. C. Praise, 62. Thys ys apointed to be playd to Morowe night.
1660. T. M., C. Walker’s Hist. Independency, IV. 50. They appointed to sell ten brace of Buckes.
b. To make an appointment. arch. (This and the two following senses were evidently influenced by the earlier II. 7.)
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXIX. At xi. of the clocke, in the nyght … They did appoynt for to fulfyll this worke.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 77, ¶ 9. The very place where he had appointed to be.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. 199. Gentlemen, who had appointed to meet him at … Berlin.
2. trans. To fix by arrangement the time or place of (a meeting); to arrange. arch.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. iv. 102. Appoint the meeting, Even at his father’s house.
1633. Heywood, Eng. Trav., III. Wks. IV. 54. Heere all the Countrey Gentlemen Appoint A friendly meeting.
3. trans. To make an appointment for a meeting with (a person). (Cf. disappoint, to break an appointment with.)
1528. Gardiner, in Pocock, Rec. Ref., I. l. 99. Appointing us to the repair again the next day.
1601. Manningham, in Shaks. C. Praise, 45. Shee appointed him to come that night.
1728. Gay, Beggar’s Op., II. x. I appointed him at this hour.
1797. W. Taylor, in Month. Rev., XXIII. 582. She then appoints him deceptiously in the bath house.
† 4. trans. To bring to a point, settle, decide (a thing disputed). Obs. rare.
a. 1614. Donne, Βιαθανατος (1644), 79. Almost all the points controverted … may be decided and appointed by it [this law].
† 5. refl. and pass. To bring oneself to the point or resolution; to make up one’s mind, resolve, determine. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. T., 351. He at the last appointed him on on. Ibid., 372. He was appoynted [v.r. apoynted, -ointed] ther he wold abyde.
1513. More, Rich. III., Wks. 54/1. Yf you appoint your selfe to tary here.
1550. Crowley, Waie to Wealth, 273. Apointe thy selfe therfore to beare it.
6. intr. To determine, resolve, purpose. arch.
c. 1440. Generydes, 2120. Of euery ward to make a capteyn Ffirst he appoynted in especiall.
1529. More, Comf. agst. Trib., III. Wks. 1214/2. And appointe in his heart … that … he would rather dye than forsake ye faith.
1611. Bible, 2 Sam. xvii. 14. The Lord had appointed to defeate the good counsell of Ahithophel.
1722. De Foe, Hist. Plague, 11. To appoint to go away.
II. To determine authoritatively, prescribe, decree, ordain.
7. trans. To determine authoritatively, prescribe, fix (a time, later a place) for any act.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 67. He wolde his time kepe As he, whiche hath his houre apointed.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., I. ii. 190. We wil … appoint them a place of meeting.
1625. Bacon, Ess. (Arb.), 576. Pointing Dayes for Pitched Fields.
1722. De Foe, Moll Fl. (1840), 317. The time appointed for execution.
8. To ordain authoritatively, prescribe, establish, fix: a. that it shall be; b. a thing.
1538. Starkey, England, 53. Thus hyt was … appoyntyd by wysdome and pollycy, that ever … they schold be [so] gouernyd.
1611. Bible, Gen. xxx. 28. And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will giue it.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. i. 74. Why… tooke he vpon him … t’appoint Who should attend on him?
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., II. x. Strangely … it is appointed that Sound … should be the most continuing of all things.
1850. McCosh, Div. Govt., II. i. (1874), 139. The laws … are appointed by God.
† 9. To decree, assign, or grant, authoritatively or formally (a thing to a person). Obs.
1494. Fabyan, I. iv. 11. He beset or apoynted to hym the Countre of Walys.
1540. Househ. Ord., 211. That there be one chamber appointed for two Masters of the household.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., IV. i. 30. I do appoint him store of Prouender.
1764. Priestley, Ess. Educ., in Lect. Hist., 28. Let him appoint rewards to those who shall handle the subject in the most judicious manner.
10. Law. To declare, in exercise of an authority conferred for that purpose, the destination of specific property. Cf. APPOINTMENT 7.
1601. Act 43 Eliz., iv. § 1. Uses and intents … for whiche they were given, limited, assigned, or appointed.
1874. Davidson, Concise Preced., 310. A power to appoint to ‘issue’ includes all issue, however remote.
1883. Daily News, 16 Nov., 2/1. He should not allow any power to the wife to appoint by will in favour of the husband.
11. To ordain, destine, devote (a person or thing) a. to or for a fate or purpose. arch.
1526. Tindale, 1 Thess. v. 9. God hath not apoynted us unto wrath [so in 1611 and 1881 Revised].
1605. Rowlands, Hell’s Br. Loose, 47. To their deserued deaths they are appoynted.
1625. Bacon, Ess. (Arb.), 550. If you doe not point, any of the lower Roomes, for a Dining place of Seruants.
1712. Budgell, Spect., No. 404, ¶ 1. The Creator … has appointed every thing to a certain Use.
b. to do or suffer something. arch.
1496. Ld. Bothwell, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 12, I. 23. He has na wach bot ye kings, apoinctit to be about him.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxvii. 2. A ship … apoynted to sayle by the costes off Asia.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. xliv. 22. As shepe apoynted to be slayne.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 426. [They] do appoynt the Patient to lie long vpon his backe.
1722. De Foe, Moll Fl. (1840), 310. Next day I was appointed to be tried.
1736. Butler, Anal., II. 410. Assistance, which nature … appoints them to afford.
12. To ordain or nominate a person a. to an office, or to perform functions.
1557. Ord. Hospitalls, D v. The Clerke … is appointed to many Recepts and Payments.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 50, ¶ 4. The Queen of the Country appointed two Men to attend us.
1859. Merivale, Rom. Emp. (1865), IV. xxxii. 4. The Roman citizens appointed to all the higher magistracies.
b. with complement: (for obs.) to be an official.
1611. Bible, 2 Sam. vi. 21. To appoint me ruler ouer the people of the Lord.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., III. xl. 253. He appointed Joshua for the Generall of their Army.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scotl., I. II. 117. Bonot was appointed governor of Orkney.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 40. Cranmer, who was appointed to be her [Queen Anne’s] confessor, had visited her the day before.
c. simply.
1526. Tindale, Luke x. 1. The Lorde apoynted other seventie also.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 808. Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints.
Mod. Who appointed you, then?
13. To ordain, set up, nominate, establish (an officer; and in Law a trustee, guardian, etc.).
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 110. A cheffe Ruler … chosyn and appointyd by the Kyng.
1529. Petit., § 6, in Froude, Hist. Eng., I. 194. The said prelates … appointed … appraysers, and other ministers for the approbation of Testaments.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 1, ¶ 9. We have appointed a Committee.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., I. 462. This he may do [choose his own guardian] unless one be appointed by the father.
1875. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., ix. 152. Henry deposed them all, and appointed their successor.
1883. F. Pollock, Land Laws, 61. The father was empowered to appoint persons of his own choice to be his children’s guardians.
III. To put into proper state or condition. (Cf. APPOINT sb. 2, and Fr. en bon point.)
† 14. trans. To put in suitable order or condition; to prepare, make ready. Obs. in gen. sense.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 151. Yet shuld he nought apoint his herte With jelousy.
1540. Hyrde, Vives’ Instr. Chr. Wom. (1592), N viij. Appoint thy self, that thou maiest in such wise binde him unto thee with love.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 54. They brandish weapons sharp edgde, to slaghter apoincted [L. neci parata].
1615. Heywood, Four Prent., I. Wks. II. 240. Prepare to meet them and appoint our powers.
15. esp. To equip completely, fit out, furnish; to accoutre. Obs. exc. in pa. pple.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xv. 55. Thus appoynted she mounted on horsebacke.
1526. Tindale, Luke xvii. 8. Apoynt thy selfe and serve me.
1590. Marlowe, Edw. II., IV. ii. To see us there, appointed for our foes.
1660. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Urania, II. (1682), 193. Their several Lodgings, which were as well appointed as such a season would permit.
1770. Burke, Pres. Discont., Wks. II. 288. The house of commons … is miserably appointed for that service.
1823. Scott, Peveril, II. iv. 96. Thus appointed … he was in readiness to depart.
IV. Isolated uses after Fr. and L.
† 16. To put a stop or limit to. Obs. rare.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), F f iv. Great is that couetyse, whiche the shame of the worlde doth not repreue … nor reason appoynt.
† 17. To point to or at, to point out. Obs.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, II. (920). A blazing sterne … By a long tract appointing vs the way.
1554. Philpot, Exam. & Writ. (1842), 113. He … fetched Cyprian and appointed out these words in one of his Epistles.
a. 1556. Cranmer, Wks., I. 10. As well as if you had appointed me with your finger.
† 18. To assign or impute blame to; to stigmatize, arraign. Obs. rare.
a. 1612. in Harington’s Nugæ Ant., I. 48 (Halliw.). If anye of theise wants be in me, I beseeche your lordshipp appoint them to my extreme state.
1674. Milton, Samson, 373. Appoint not heavenly disposition, father. Nothing of all these evils hath befallen me But justly.
