concernment
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English concernement; equivalent to concern + -ment.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
concernment (countable and uncountable, plural concernments)
- (obsolete) The state or quality of being a concern.
- 1861 October–December, John Stuart Mill, “What Utilitarianism is”, in Utilitarianism […], London: Parker, Son, and Bourn, […], published 1863, →OCLC, page 35:
- Men really ought to leave off talking a kind of nonsense on this subject, which they would neither talk nor listen to on other matters of practical concernment.
- That in which one is concerned or interested; concern; affair; interest.
- 1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC:
- Our everlasting concernments.
- 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 60:
- To mix with thy concernments I deſiſt
- importance; moment; consequence
- 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:
- Let every action of concernment be begun with prayer.
- concern; participation; interposition
- 1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, “(please specify |book=I to XVI)”, in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the Theater, published 1707, →OCLC:
- He married a daughter to the earl of Northumberland without any other approbation of her father or concernment in it, than suffering him and her come into his presence.
- Emotion of mind; solicitude; anxiety
- 1677 (first performance), John Dryden, All for Love: Or, The World Well Lost. A Tragedy, […], [London]: […] Tho[mas] Newcomb, for Henry Herringman, […], published 1678, →OCLC, Act IV, page 56:
- 'Tis not vvell, / Indeed my Lord, 'tis much unkind to me, / To ſhovv this paſſion, this extream concernment / For an abandon'd, faithleſs Proſtitute.