Obs. Also 4–5 -yne, -yn, -ene. [a. F. termine-r (in Wace, 12th c.), ad. L. termināre to TERMINATE.]
1. trans. To determine, decide, settle. (With simple obj. or obj. cl.; also absol.)
a. 1325. MS. Rawl. B., 520, lf. 30 b. Þat alle þe quo warantes ben … iplaited ant itermined in Eyre of Iustises.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xx. 33. Jonathas vnderstood, that it was fulli termyned of his fader, that Dauyd shulde be slayn.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3979. Lat vs twa termyn þe taite be-twene vs alane.
1423. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 256. May inquere, here, and termine all the defautes.
1496. Dives & Paup. (W. de W.), IV. xxvii. 194/2. They wyll entermete them of euery cause … & termine euery cause by ther wytt.
1628. T. Spencer, Logick, 47. By the forme the essence is termined vnto some speciall kinde.
2. To state finally or definitely; to declare, affirm. (Const. as in 1.)
c. 1420. Lydg., Thebes, III., in Chaucer’s Wks. (1561), 370/2. Thus selde is sen, the trouthe to termine That age and youth drawe by O line. Ibid. (1426), De Guil. Pilgr., 22599. And off my ffyle to termyne, It is I-called Dyscyplyne.
1429. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 144. Folwe discrecioun Of thy fader,… plainly to termyne, Late hym by thy myrour and thy guyde.
c. 1475. Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls), VIII. 521. The fifthe Henry, of knyȝhtehode the lodesterre, Wyse and fulle manly, pleynly to termyne.
3. trans. To cause to end in or at something; intr. to end in or at something: = TERMINATE v. 3, 8.
1634. Bp. Hall, Contempl., N. T., IV. v. How absurd had these guests been, if they had termined the thanks in the servitors; and had said, ‘We have it from you; whence ye had it, is no part of our care.’
1639. N. N., trans. Du Bosq’s Compl. Woman, I. 18. The other goodly qualities … all termine in Conversation, as in their Center. Ibid., II. 38. All their travell termines at voluptuousnesse.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., I. 26. Arising from the Cæcum, is termined in the Rectum.
4. trans. To set bounds to, bound; to define, outline; usually in pass. to be bounded, have its limit or end: = TERMINATE v. 6.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. ii. (1495), 862. Clere thynge well termined [Bodley MS. lf. 291/1 ytermyned] is the matere of colour.
1555. Eden, Decades, 269. Towarde the west & north it is termined with an vnknowen ende of landes & seas.
1625. N. Carpenter, Geog. Del., I. v. (1635), 99. An imaginary point, conceiued in a magnitude deuoyde of all quantity, yet bounding and termining all Magnitudes.
b. To confine or enclose within something.
1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., v., in Ashm., Theat. Chem. Brit. (1652), 66. The shining of Gould is caused … Of pure and subtile Water termined full well. Ibid. For of a Mirrour the cause none other is, But moisture termined, as all Clerks gesse.
1631. J. Done, Polydoron, 51. I find in the most centrall and Terrestriall (that is) the Metalline bodies their life is termined, shut, imprisoned within themselues.
5. To bring to an end; to end, finish, conclude: = TERMINATE v. 4.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 168. Which to mi ladi stant enclined, And hath his love noght termined.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 9629. The trewes is passed and alle termened, And alle ben redy.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxviii. 207. When he had termynd that fight he skypt outt of his wede.
c. 1500. Melusine, xxii. 149. Before my dayes be termyned.
a. 1618. Sylvester, New Hierusalem, 75. For, Death is dead, Time termined, Corruption conquer’d clean.
b. To form the end or termination of: cf. TERMINATE v. 4 b.
c. 1532. Du Wes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 933. They [verbs] be all termined with the above sayd termination.
1552. Huloet, Poynte terminynge a sentence, comma.
Hence † Termining vbl. sb.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, IV. lxiii. (1869), 206. Deth … which is þe ende of alle eerthliche thinges, and þe termininge.
