Also 5 -myssion, -mycion, -missioun, 6 -myssyon. [ad. OF. † submission or its source L. submissio, -ōnem (var. summ-), n. of action f. submittĕre to SUBMIT. Cf. F. soumission, It. sommessione, etc. (see SUMMISSION).]
1. Law. Agreement to abide by a decision or to obey an authority; reference to the decision or judgment of a (third) party; in recent use spec., the referring of a matter to arbitration; in Sc. Law, a contract by which parties agree to submit disputed matters to arbitration; also, the document embodying such a contract.
1411. Rolls of Parlt., III. 650/2. The forsaid Archebisshop, and Chamberleyn … by force of the submission that the said Robert in hem hath maad, haven ordeyned [etc.].
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 367. Next to this folowyth the Submyssion of the abbot and count of Oseney to abide the ordeynyng.
1580. Reg. Privy Council Scot., Ser. I. III. 278. The submissioun maid and aggreit upoun … anent materis questionabill betuix thame.
1587. Sc. Acts Jas. VI. (1814), III. 472/1. Submissioun of the contraversie beuix the erle of angus and lord flemyng.
1628. Sc. Acts Chas. I. (1870), V. 189. The Submission made be the Lords of Erectiones Titulers Tacksmen and Gentrie Heretors of Lands To His Majestie anent their Superiorities and Teinds &c.
1697–8. Act 9 Will. III., c. 15 § 2. Where the Rule is made for Submission to such Arbitration or Umpirage.
1765–8. Erskine, Inst. Law Scot., IV. iii. § 29. Where the day within which the arbiters are to decide is left blank in the submission.
1854. Act 17 & 18 Vict., c. 125 § 17. Every Agreement or Submission to Arbitration by Consent … may be made a Rule of any One of the Superior Courts of Law.
1875. Encycl. Brit., II. 312/2. A verbal submission … cannot be made a rule of court.
b. In wider use, the act of submitting a matter to a person for decision or consideration.
1911. Concise Oxf. Dict., s.v., The submission of the signature to an expert.
1914. Times, 12 June, 8/2. Amending Bill Drafted. Date of Submission to the Lords.
2. The condition of being submissive, yielding or deferential; submissive or deferential conduct, attitude or bearing; deference; † occas. humiliation, abasement. arch.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. x. 207. More deuocioun, and louȝer submissioun thei myȝten not neither couthen araie forto bisette vpon Crist him silf.
1539. Tonstall, Serm. Palm Sunday (1823), 17. The bowynge down of euery knee, is ment the submyssyon of all creatures to theyr maker.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 10. Luther … writeth to the Bishop of Rome letters full of submission. Ibid., 273. Moste humbly and with great submission.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. ii. 52. Tell her, I returne great thankes, And in submission will attend on her.
1643. Baker, Chron. (1653), 234. A Son of such submission.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 110. He had not that … submission and reverence for the Queen as might have been expected.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 310. Subjection … by her … Yeilded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
1720. Swift, Fates of Clergymen, Wks. 1755, II. II. 33. This sort of discretion is usually attended with … servile flattery and submission.
1855. Milman, Lat. Christ., IX. II. xiii. IV. 357. They met, Frederick with dignified submission, the Pope with the calm majesty of age and position.
b. pl. Acts of deference or homage; demonstrations of submissiveness. arch.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 20. He failed not to mingle secretly the greatest Counsels of mischiefe with his humblest submissions.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 317. The Submissions, wherewith they express themselves in their Complements.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time, III. (1724), I. 522. He had really the submissions of a child to me.
1753. Richardson, Grandison, V. xli. 254. To what submissions has your generous repentance subjected you.
1824–9. Landor, Imag. Conv., Wks. 1846, I. 8. Those graceful submissions which afford us a legitimate pride when we render them to the worthy.
† c. Phr. with (great) submission: subject to correction. Also subst. Obs.
1667. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 31. Leaving every one to his own credulity, I shall only (but with submission) give my present apprehension of this Abassin Emperor.
1710. Palmer, Proverbs, 188–9. Out comes two or three If you’ll give me Leave’s; as many Spare Me’s, with Submission’s and I humbly Conceive’s.
a. 1721. Prior, Turtle & Sparrow, 126. With great Submission I pronounce, That People Die no more than Once.
1753. Cibber, Lives Poets, I. 18. With great submission to his judgment, we think [etc.].
1803–12. Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), III. 644. With submission, suppositions of a contrary tendency might be raised in any number.
3. The action of submitting to an authority, a conquering or ruling power; the act of yielding to the claims of another, or surrendering to his will or government; the condition of having submitted; also, an instance of this.
1482. Cov. Leet Bk., 512. That þe seid Laurence shulde make his submission to such Meires as he had offended.
1575. Gascoigne, Glasse Govt., Wks. 1910, II. 20. When the people of Israell provoked him at sundry times, he did yet at every submission stay his hand from punishment.
1584–5. Act 27 Eliz., c. 2 § 13. All such … Submissions as shall be made by force of this Act … shall be certified into the Chancerie.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 19. A submission of the Rebels. Ibid., 279. Hee … made a most humble submission in writing.
1621. Bacon, in Jrnl. Ho. Lords, III. 85/1. My humble Suit to your Lordships is, That my penitent Submission may be my Sentence, and the Loss of the Seal my Punishment.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xx. 105. To save his own life … by submission to the enemy.
1729. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 203. Religion consists in submission and resignation to the divine will.
1831. Scott, Ct. Robt., xxvi. By whose intervention you might have brought his empire to submission.
1833–5. Newman, Hist. Sk. (1876), II. I. viii. 150. The pursuit of gain may be an act of submission to the will of parents.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vii. § 2. 356. Mary was resolved to bring about a submission to Rome.
1878. Encycl. Brit., VIII. 334/2. The Act of Submission on the part of the clergy subordinated all ecclesiastical legislation within the kingdom to the royal will.
b. transf.
1781. Cowper, Charity, 758. All other sorrows virtue may endure, And find submission more than half a cure;… But slav’ry! Ibid. (1790), Mother’s Pict., 44. I learn’d at last submission to my lot.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxiv. He recommends to us submission to our hapless fate.
† 4. Used for: Admission, confession. (Shaks.)
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. i. 76. O calme, dishonourable, vile submission. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., IV. iv. 11. Be not as extreme in submission, as in offence.
5. attrib.: submission bond (see sense 1), an arbitration bond.
1791. Kyd, Law of Awards, 231. The party in whose favour the award was made, having no advantage from the submission being made a rule of court, brought a common action on the submission-bond.
