[ad. L. articulāt-us jointed: see ARTICLE and -ATE.]
A. adj. I. Jointed, having joints.
1. Jointed on, united by a joint.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. City of God, 526. Our articulate members … our hands, or feete.
1870. Hooker, Stud. Flora, 467. Stipes not articulate with the rootstock.
2. Jointed, composed of segments united by joints; e.g., the vertebral column, some sea-weeds.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 231. Body straight, and articulate.
1869. Mrs. Somerville, Molec. Sc., II. ii. 180. Ceraminacea … are filiform articulate plants with the nucleus naked.
b. Zool. Of the type of the ARTICULATA.
1855. H. Spencer, Psychol. (1872), I. I. ii. 16. The Articulate types, composed of segments bearing limbs.
1876. trans. Haeckel’s Hist. Creat., I. iii. 52. The Articulate animals are characterized by their ventral nerve-chord.
† 3. Of or pertaining to the joints. Obs. rare.
1654. T. Whitaker, Blood of Grape, 75 (T.). The causes internall of these articulate paynes move upon one hinge of Hippocrates, which he calleth humors.
4. Distinctly jointed or marked; having the parts distinctly recognizable.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., Apol. 503. The outward Lineaments thus perfect and articulate in this Glorious Body.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav., II. 254. A miserable horse, whose ribs were as articulate as the bars of a gridiron.
5. Of things immaterial, in same sense.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 223. These Apocalyptick Visions are made so as to seem very trim and express, very complete and articulate in the very outward Cortex.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., I. II. i. 53. Added to the firm land of articulate History.
1877. Mrs. Oliphant, Makers Flor., Introd. 14. The most articulate and important period of Florentine history.
6. Of sound: Divided into distinct parts (words and syllables) having each a definite meaning; as opposed to such inarticulate sounds as a long musical note, a groan, shriek, or the sounds produced by animals. Also fig. speaking plainly or intelligibly.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1589), 120. Speech is made by aire, beaten and framed with articulate and distinct sound.
1642. R. Carpenter, Experience, I. viii. 28. Not in articulate and plaine speech, but in grones.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 557. Beasts … Created mute to all articulat sound.
1726. De Foe, Hist. Devil, II. x. (1840), 325. Who talk … with articulate plain voices, as if men.
1840. Carlyle, Heroes (1858), 270. Truly, it is a great thing for a Nation that it get an articulate voice.
1875. H. E. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, ix. 244. Secret whispers of sorrow … which may never be uttered in articulate and audible words.
b. Articulate-speaking: using articulate speech, speaking articulately, and thus, intelligibly.
1829. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), I. 271. Language of articulate-speaking men. Ibid. (1834), Past & Pr. (1858), 266. Articulate-speaking functionaries.
7. Hence transferred to hearing, and other sensations, and to thought and intelligence: Distinct.
1626. D’Ewes, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 322, III. 217. The Byshopp saied in my articulate hearing.
1662. H. More, Antid. Ath., III. vi. (1712), 100. To clear up this dim and cloudy discovery of Spirits, into more distinct and articulate Apparitions.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., v. (1867), 101. An articulate warning is presented.
1831. Carlyle, Misc., III. 4. The mere upper surface [of our Thinking] that we shape into articulate Thoughts.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., II. ii. § 10 (1864), 187. The discriminative or articulate character of the sense of touch.
II. Articled; consisting of or treated in articles.
† 8. Formulated in articles; e.g., a system of doctrine, a set of regulations, an agreement. Obs.
1579. J. Stubbes, Gaping Gulf, B j b. [Did not] make any precedent pact or articulat condition aforehand with the Idolaters.
1586. T. Rogers, 39 Art. (1607), 175. Neither tie we the Church so strictly to the signs articulate.
1622. Bacon, Hist. Hen. VII., Wks. 1860, 475. His instructions were ever extreme, curious, and articulate.
† 9. Charged or specified in articles. Obs.
1569. Hawkins, in Arb., Garner, V. 231. The articulate Sir William Garrard, Knight … and others joined with them in Society. Ibid., 240. The Ship articulate, called the Swallow, was of the adventure.
1726. Ayliffe, Parerg., 66. If the defendant does not believe the Sum Articulate.
† 10. Consisting of tens. See ARTICLE sb. 15. Obs.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 186. They accounted their digits and articulate numbers unto an hundred. Ibid., 280. Using the full and articulate number, [we] doe write the Translation of Seventy; whereas … the precise number was Seventy two.
B. sb. Zool. An articulate animal, one of the ARTICULATA.
1874. Wood, Nat. Hist., 1. The Articulates, or jointed animals, form an enormously large division.
1878. O. W. Holmes, Motley, 152. Annalists will pile up facts for ever like so many articulates or mollusks or radiates.
