See Also: appoint(dictionary)
appoint(dictionary)
fore-appoint(dictionary)

appoint (iou)



appoint verb. LME.
[Old French apointer, from a point to a point, into condition: see POINT noun1.]
I. Come, or bring matters, to a point.
verb trans. (in pass.) & intrans. Agree, settle, arrange definitely. Usu. with inf. or that. LME-M17.
verb intrans. & refl. Make up one's mind, resolve, determine. arch. LME.
Bible (AV): 2 Samuel 17:14 The Lord had appointed to defeate the good counsell of Ahithophel.
a. verb intrans. Make an appointment to do something. arch. E16.
Dickens Mr. Bentley went away thanking him and appointing to call again.
b. verb trans. Arrange the time or place of (a meeting); arrange to meet (a person). arch. E16.
Shakespeare Titus Andronicus Appoint the meeting Even at his father's house. J. Gay I appointed him at this hour.
II. Determine authoritatively; ordain, decree.
verb trans. Prescribe, fix (a time or place) for an action. Freq. in pass. Cf. APPOINTED 1. LME.
Shakespeare 1 Henry IV We will..appoint them a place of meeting. Defoe The time appointed for execution.
verb trans. Decree, prescribe, fix that a thing shall be; ordain (something). Freq. in pass. LME.
Carlyle Strangely..it is appointed that Sound..should be the most continuing of all things. J. McCosh The laws..are appointed by God.
verb trans. Nominate, ordain (a person) to an office, to act in some capacity; give (a person) an official position; nominate, set up someone as (an officer, trustee, etc.). LME.
C. Merivale The Roman citizens appointed to all the higher magistracies. W. S. Churchill President Davis appointed him Commander-in-Chief. A. S. Neill I appoint teachers and ask them to leave if I think they are not suitable. J. le Carre A committee of enquiry..appointed by the Praesidium to investigate and report upon a certain..subject.
verb trans. Destine, ordain, (to a fate or purpose, to do or suffer something). arch. L15.
Bible (AV): 1 Thessalonians 5:9 God hath not appointed vs to wrath. Defoe Next day I was appointed to be tried.
a. verb trans. Assign or grant authoritatively (a thing to a person). L15-M18.
b. verb trans. & intrans. Law. Declare the destination of (property), in exercise of a power conferred for that purpose. E16.
III.
verb trans. Put into proper order, make ready; esp. equip completely, furnish, accoutre. obsolete exc. as pa. pple. LME.
Burke The house of commons..is miserably appointed for that service. Sir W. Scott Thus appointed..he was in readiness to depart.
IV. verb trans. Point to; point out. Only in M16.
H. Surrey A blazing sterne..By a long tract appointing vs the way. T. Cranmer As well as if you had appointed me with your finger.
verb trans. Attribute to; attribute blame to. rare. Only in 17.
Milton Appoint not heavenly disposition, father. Nothing of all these evils hath befallen me But justly.
appointable adjective M16.
appoin'tee noun (a) [French appointe] a long-serving soldier with a special rate of pay; (b) a person who is appointed or nominated to an office; (c) Law a person in whose favour a power of appointment is executed: E18.
appointer noun a person who ordains or nominates E16.
appointive adjective (orig. N. Amer.) pertaining to appointment; that is filled by appointment: L19.
appointor noun (Law) a person who exercises the power of appointment L19.