[a. OF. lectiun, ad. L. lectiōn-em, n. of action f. lect-, legĕre to read, to choose. (Cf. LESSON.)] I. Reading.
† 1. The act of reading. Obs. rare.
1669. Woodhead, St. Teresa, I. Pref. (1671), a. The frequent Lection of Books of Devotion.
1669. A. Browne, Ars Pict., To Rdr. I am extreamly unwilling any person should … take the trouble of casting his eye here, were not I modestly of the opinion, something may not be impertinent, or unworthy curious mens Lection.
† b. A particular way of reading or interpreting a passage. Obs. Cf. F. leçon.
1540. Coverdale, Confut. Standish (1547), k viij. Now is καθολικος as much to saye as vniuersalis. Which worde like as ye leaue out in youre lection [etc.].
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 10. What magician will account of them so, in his way of lection? Or astrologer, in his way of configuration?
1702. W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, x. 39. To know the different Lections of this Inscription.
c. concr. A reading of a text found in a particular copy or edition. † Various lections, variant readings.
a. 1654. Selden, Table-t. (Arb.), 22. When you meet with several Readings of the Text,… be sure you keep to what is setled, and then you may flourish upon your various lections.
1659. Bp. Walton, Consid. Considered, 114. If they be critical notes they cannot be either in part or in whole Various Lections.
1699. Bentley, Phal., xiv. 461. In the Vossian MS. it’s πάντα for πᾶσα; which may seem the truer Lection.
1715. Pope’s Iliad, I. note I. 47. The grand Ambition of one sort of Scholars is to encrease the number of Various Lections.
1830. De Quincey, Bentley, Wks. 1857, VII. 172. I confess that … I myself am offended by the obtrusion of the new lections into the text.
1837–8. Sir W. Hamilton, Logic, xxxi. (1866), II. 149. Doctrines originating in a corrupt lection … have thus arisen and been keenly defended.
2. Eccl. A portion of a sacred writing appointed to be read in church; a ‘lesson.’
1608. Willet, Hexapla Exod., 179. They write in those parchments certaine sacred lections which they call parashoth.
1695. S. Hooper, Disc. conc. Lent, 355. To this last describ’d Iewish Order of Morning Prayers so far did the Antient Christian agree, as to begin likewise with Lections and Psalmody.
1846. Maskell, Mon. Rit., I. p. xxiij. On Passion Sunday, the first Lections were from Jeremiah.
1861. Beresf. Hope, Eng. Cathedr. 19th C., 157. The ambo or ambones … for the lections of Holy Scriptures.
1885. Pater, Marius the Epicurean, II. 135. Those lections, or sacred readings, which … occurred at certain intervals amid the silence of the assembly.
† 3. A professional or tutorial lecture. Obs. rare.
1563–7. Buchanan, Reform. St. Andros, Wks. (1892), 11. The portar … sal ryng … at sax to the lesson public; before viij, twys to the ordinar lection.
† 4. A lesson to be learnt. Obs.
1621. Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.), 233. I cry in generall, on Spirituall & Temporall, This lectioun that ȝe leir.
II. = ELECTION.
a. 1300. Leg. St. Gregory, 986 (Schulz). Þe cardinals … bisouȝt God,… Her leccioun wele to do.
1462. Burgh Rec. Peebles (1872), 145. Ilke man be his awn vos gaf thair lectioun to the sayd Schyr John.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xlii. 129, heading. Howe pope Vrbane and pope Clement were at grete dyscorde togyder, and howe the crysten kynges were in varyaunce for theyr lectyons.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), II. 698. The haill lectioun that tha had gevin him till.
