Forms: 4 arayne, 4–5 areyne, ar(r)ene, 5 arenȝi, arreyne, 5–6 arreygne, -aynge, 6–7 arrain(e, -eign, 7 araigne, arraigne, 6– arraign. Aphet. 5–6 reyne, reygne. [a. AF. araine-r, areine-r, arene-r, OF. arais-, areis-, aresnier:—L. adratiōnāre, f. ad to + ratiōnāre to reason, talk reasonably, talk, f. ratiōn-em reason, reasoning, discourse. The later F. araisonner was adopted in Eng. as AREASON.]
† 1. trans. To call (a person) to account, or to answer for himself; to interrogate, examine. Obs.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., C. 191. Arayned hym [Jonah] ful runyschly what raysoun he hade … to slepe so faste.
c. 1360. Mercy, 85, in E. E. P. (1862), 121. Þeose are þe werkes of Merci, Of whuche crist wol vs areyne.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. IV. 303. Augustus areyned [interrogavit] hym and seide.
1447. Bokenham, Lyvys of Seyntys, 15. He hyr thus areynyd wyth a pale faas.
2. esp. To call upon one to answer for himself on a criminal charge; to indict before a tribunal. Hence gen. To accuse, charge with fault.
a. 1400. Leg. Rood, 147. To a-rene Wrecches þat wraþþe þi chylde.
1450. Somner, in 4 C. Eng. Lett., 4. He was arreyned upon the appechements and fonde gylty.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 42. The Sheepe againe before the Wolfe arenȝied.
1528. More, Heresyes, III. Wks. 212/2. Yt were arreygned for a felonye.
1542. Brinklow, Complaynt, V. (1874), 18. The day whan ye shal be reygned at the iudgement seate of God.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., III. ii. 14. Thou art here accused and arraigned of High Treason.
1722. De Foe, Moll Fl. (1840), 310. I was carried down to the Sessions house, where I was arraigned.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, IV. xxiv. 177. Lady Olivia is grieved … and arraigns herself and her wicked passion.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xviii. 129. For that crime he was arraigned … before the King and his Witan.
3. To accuse of some fault or imperfection, impeach, call in question, find fault with (actions, measures, statements, opinions).
1672. Dryden, Conq. Granada, I. i. Judge-like thou sit’st, to praise or to arraign The flying Skirmish of the darted Cane.
1772. Junius Lett., Pref. 10. They arraign the goodness of Providence.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. xxiv. 681. He boldly arraigned the abuses of public and private life.
1820. Byron, Mar. Fal., V. i. 269. You do not then … arraign our equity?
b. absol.
1746. Smollett, Reproof, 202. And let me still the sentiment disdain Of him, who never speaks but to arraign.
† 4. To try, judge. Obs. rare.
1623. Heming & Cond., in Shaks. C. Praise, 145. Though you be a Magistrate of wit, and sit on the Stage … to arraigne Playes dailie.
† 5. To sentence, condemn. Obs. rare.
1658. J. Rowland, Mouffet’s Theat. Ins., 1102. When they finde they are arraigned to die.
