Obs. [f. SORT v.1 + -MENT. Cf. It. sortimento.]
1. The action or process of sorting, separating or arranging; sortation, classification.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, 69. The due sortement and matching of these weapons to offend, and defend.
1622. F. Markham, Bk. War, V. iii. 170. The iust number of the Army, together with the true sortment and division of euery weapon.
1755. in Johnson.
1778. Pryce, Min. Cornub., 233. When it comes to grass they make a sortment of the larger stones from the smaller.
2. A collection of assorted goods or articles; a sorted set or lot; an assortment.
1621. in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1906), I. 326. To write the bymarke of the sortement of every chest.
1657. in Thurloe’s St. Papers (1742), VI. 56. In March we expected most of our chiefe merchants to come out for their easter sortment, against which tyme I desired you would be pleased to give orders at Freshford.
1719. W. Wood, Survey Trade, 246. Manufacturing and making up proper Sortments of Goods.
1766. T. Brooks, Coins E. Indies, 67. The finest Hysons, and all other Sortments of the Green-Teas.
b. transf. A set or number of persons.
1710. Milbourne, Meas. Resist., 4. When a sortment of priests, as he with a peculiar elegance, expresses it, endeavour to bully us into slavery.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 39. A hundred and fifty visits,… and through such a sortment too, as your mercers say.
c. A kind or class of things.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 8. The Lightness of this Sortment of Matter. Ibid. (1720), in Phil. Trans., XXXI. 76. Thus for all cutaneous Foulnesses … the Cinnabar, the Æthiops, and all of that Sortment are in readiness.
