opposement (s.xiii4/4)

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opposement (s.xiii4/4)

[ gdw]

[ FEW: *7,375b opponere /*8,70a pausare; Gdf: ; GdfC: ; TL: ; DEAF:  oposer (oposement); DMF: ; TLF: ; OED: ; MED: ; DMLBS: ]
 

OED (oppose v. distinguishes two semantic branches for the oppos- group of words, both derived from Latin opponere: Branch I has the senses relating to ‘examination or interrogation’, and Branch II those relating to ‘opposition or opponency’. The former is considered the medieval sense of the word (as a synonym for apposer1), whereas the latter (despite being closer to the Latin core sense) is said to be ‘rare in English before the late 16th century’. The MED supports this statement, with all of the senses of opposen v. falling into the Branch I category. The limited material available in Anglo-Norman, on the other hand, suggests not only that both senses seem to have been attested in medieval times, but also that they cannot be easily separated, with many instances expressing an idea of ‘questioning through objection’ or ‘objecting through questioning’.

s.

1probing, questioning
( s.xiii4/4; MS: 1315-25 )  'adeprimes saverai De vus, si jo purrai, Ke eit Bez, e quei il dit E ke est sa force en escrit.' Le mestre respont sant respit: 'E! maveis ribaut petit, Dunt devint tel hardement de fere tel opposement?'  1574
lawprobing, questioning (in interrogation)
( 1355 )  ne savoient respoundre sur meismes les acomptes as opposementz de notre court  845
apposement  opposaille  opposer  opposicioun  opposour 
This is an AND2 Phase 4 (N-O/U-P-Q) entry. © 2013-17 The Anglo-Norman Dictionary. All rights reserved. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom.
opposement