Forms: 5–6 awdite, 5–7 audite, 6 -yte, 7 -itt, 6– audit. [ad. L. audītus a hearing, n. of action f. audīre to hear.]
1. gen. A hearing, an audience; esp. a judicial hearing of complaints, a judicial examination. arch.
1598. Florio, Vdita, the sence of hearing. Also an audite.
1649. Milton, Eikon., v. 49. With his orisons I meddle not, for hee appeals to a high audit.
1683. Cave, Ecclesiastici, 90. The death of Arsenius … was not defendable at a fair Audit.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 610. Whoso seeks an audit here Propitious, pays his tribute … and his errand speeds.
1880. Ruskin, in 19th Cent., Nov., 758. Whose last words … gave to Scott’s heart the vision and the audit of the death of Elspeth of the Craigburn-foot.
2. Official examination of accounts with verification by reference to witnesses and vouchers. (Accounts were originally oral: cf. Matt. xxv. 19–30; Luke xvi. 2–7.)
1435. in Heath, Grocers’ Comp. (1869), 417. A dyner maad to the newe maistres and the Companye atte audite.
1589. Pasquil’s Ret., D iij. I meane to be Clarke of their Audit.
1622. Markham, Decades War, V. vi. 2. Many Subtreasurers … skilfull in Audit and matter of account.
1704. J. Blair, in Perry, Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch., I. 98. The Govr. & Council in a solemn audit examined & past the accounts of the revenue.
1860. Froude, Hist. Eng., xxix. V. 474. An annual audit of the books of all collectors.
3. fig. A searching examination or solemn rendering of accounts; esp. the Day of Judgment.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par., Pref. 14. The generall daie of accoumpte and audite to bee made at the throne of God.
1606. Dekker, Sev. Sins, I. (Arb.), 15. Those heapes of Siluer … will be a passing bell … calling thee to a fearefull Audit.
1747. Hervey, Medit., II. 9. One who walks on the Borders of Eternity, and is hasting continually to his final Audit.
1839. De Quincey, Recoll. Lakes, Wks. 1862, II. 179. The awful temper of the times … had summoned to an audit, even the gay.
4. A periodical settlement of accounts between landlord and tenants; a yearly, half-yearly, or quarterly rent-paying; hence, receipts, revenue (obs.).
1489. Plumpton Corr., 87. He will have a generall awdite, where ye, & all other, shall have your lesses out.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., 8. To make a true accompt therof at the lordes audyte.
1616. Pasquil & Kath., I. 62. When the Lord my Fathers Audit comes, wee’l repay you againe.
1625. Bacon, Riches, Ess. (Arb.), 235. A Nobleman … that had the greatest Audits, of any Man in my Time.
1880. Daily News, 13 Dec., 6/5. The audits on his Irish estates had just been held.
5. A statement of account; a balance-sheet as prepared for the auditor; lit. and fig. arch. or Obs.
c. 1550. Lusty Juv., in Hazl., Dodsl., II. 100. Your own secret conscience shall then give an audit.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. ii. 141. You haue scarse time To steale from Spirituall leysure a briefe span To keepe your earthly Audit.
1619. Ld. Doncaster, Lett., in Eng. & Germ. (1865), 174. You may give his Majesty an auditt of the time I have spent.
1654. Fuller, Two Serm., 6. When he casteth up his Audit, he shall finde himselfe a great loser.
6. attrib., as in audit-book, -day, -office; audit ale. ellipt. audit, ale of special quality brewed (at certain Colleges in the English Universities), originally for use on the day of audit; audit-house, -room, a building or room appendant to a cathedral, used for the transaction of business.
1823. Byron, Age of Bronze, xiv. But where is now the goodly audit ale?
1872. ‘Ouida,’ Gen. Matchmaking, 34. Are you going to smoke and drink audit on that sofa all day?
a. 1679. T. Goodwin, Wks. (1863), VI. 487. Their own audit-book, in which losses and gains are written.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 15 b. Behynde hand with their reckenynges at the audite day.
1689. Wheler, Ch. Prim. Chr., x. 115. Sermon at Ten in the Audit-house.
1884. Govt. Offices, Exchequer and Audit Department, Somerset House.
1726. Fiddes, Wolsey, 94. The Chapter-house … is commonly used as the Audit Room of the Canons.
