[ad. Gr. θεομαντεία spirit of prophecy, f. θεός god + μαντεία divination: see -MANCY.] A kind of divination: see quots.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., I. xii. 56. These kinds of foretelling events were accounted Theomancy, or Prophecy.
1807. Robinson, Archæol. Græca, III. xii. 257. Theomancy is distinguished from oracular divination, which was commonly limited to a fixed and stated time, and always to a certain place; whilst the θεομάντεις were free and unconfined, and able to offer sacrifices, and perform other prophetic rites, at any time, and in any part of the world.
1842. Brande, Dict. Sc., etc., Theomancy, a name … given to that species of divination which was drawn from the responses of oracles…, or from the predictions of sibyls and others supposed to be immediately inspired by some divinity.
Hence Theomantic a., pertaining to theomancy.
1620. Middleton & Rowley, World Tost at Tennis, 258. Strike, by white art, a theomantic power, Magic divine.
1684. trans. Agrippa’s Van. Arts, xlvii. 122. This part … is twofold: Arithmantick … and Theomantick, which searches into the mysteries of the Divine Majesty.
