compellation

English

WOTD – 27 October 2020

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin compellātiōnem (“act of addressing”) + English -ion (suffix indicating the result of an action or process). Compellātiōnem is the accusative singular of compellātiō (“a rebuke, reprimand, reproof”), from compellō (“to compel; to urge; to drive together”) (from com- (prefix indicating a bringing together of several things) + pellō (“to drive, impel; to strike”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pelh₂- (“to approach; to drive; to strike; to thrust”)) + -tiō (suffix forming nouns relating to actions or their results). Compare appellation.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌkɒmpəˈleɪʃən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌkɑmpəˈleɪʃən/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Homophone: compilation (some accents)
• Rhymes: -eɪʃən
• Hyphenation: com‧pel‧lat‧ion

Noun

compellation (plural compellations)

1. (archaic, rare) An act of addressing a person by a certain name or title.
   • 1645, James Usher [i.e., James Ussher], “[Of Prayer in Generall, and the Lords Prayer in Particular, with the Preamble thereof]”, in A Body of Divinitie, or The Svmme and Svbstance of Christian Religion, […], London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Tho[mas] Dovvnes and Geo[rge] Badger, […], →OCLC, page 353:

     What are the parts of this prayer [the Lord's Prayer]? They are three. 1. A Preface of compellation for entrance into prayer, in the firſt words, Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

2. (archaic, rare) A name or title by which someone is addressed or identified; an appellation, a designation.
   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Democritvs Ivnior to the Reader”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, page 56:

     Like that of the Thruſh and Swallow in Æſope, Inſteed of mutual loue, kind compellations, whore & thief is heard, they fling ſtooles at one anothers heads.

   • 1645, Samuel Rutherfurd [i.e., Samuel Rutherford], “Sermon VII”, in The Tryal & Trivmph of Faith: or, An Exposition of the History of Christs Dispossessing of the Daughter of the Woman of Canaan. […], London: […] John Field, and are to be sold by Ralph Smith, […], →OCLC, page 44:

     Son of David, O Lord thou ſon of David:] In this compellation, conſider why Chriſt is called the ſon of David, never the ſon of Adam, never the ſon of Abraham?

   • 1710, John Chamberlayne, “Of the King of Scotland; […]”, in Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia: Or, The Present State of Great-Britain, with Divers Remarks upon the Antient State thereof. […], London: […] Timothy Goodwin, Matthew Wotton, Benjamin Tooke, Daniel Midwinter, and Jacob Tonson, →OCLC, part II ([Scotland]), book II (Government), page 383:

     The common Compellation of the Scottiſh Kings, was Dominus Rex, and ſometimes Illuſtriſſimus Dominus Ligeus, and about K. James III's time, Metuendiſſimus.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “In which Jones Pays a Visit to Mrs. Fitzpatrick”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume VI, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book XVI, page 70:

     [H]earing from Lady Bellaſton, that Mr. Weſtern was arrived in Town, ſhe went to pay her Duty to him, at his Lodgings in Piccadilly, when ſhe was received with many ſcurvy Compellations too coarſe to be repeated, and was even threatned to be kicked out of Doors.

   • 1786, [Samuel Henley], “Notes”, in [William Beckford, translated by Samuel Henley], An Arabian Tale, from an Unpublished Manuscript: […] [Vathek], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 330:

     Creatures of clay!] Nothing could have been more appoſitely imagined than this compellation.

   • 1794, “The Order for the Administration of the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion”, in The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England. […], Newcastle upon Tyne: […] M. Brown, […], →OCLC, footnote *:

     The name of the Lord's Supper is given to it by St Paul in his Epiſtle to the Corinthians. The other name (the Communion) is likewiſe a compellation which St Paul has given of this holy rite.

   • 1812, William Mudford, chapter XXI, in The Life of Richard Cumberland, Esq.: Embracing a Critical Examination of His Various Writings. […], London: […] Charles Squire, […], for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, […]; and J[ames] Asperne, […], →OCLC, pages 480–481:

     It is a cheap species of wit to call a fearful man Mr. Timid, or a passionate one Sir Furious Frenzy, or a languishing love sick girl Miss Wanton. Such compellations destroy, in some degree, the effect of character, by awakening an anticipation of what it is to be.

3. (obsolete) An act of addressing or speaking to someone; also, the address or speech so made.
   • 1665, [James Heath], Flagellum: Or The Life and Death, Birth and Burial of O. Cromwell, the Late Usurper: Faithfully Described. […], 3rd edition, London: […] W. G. for Randall Taylor, […], →OCLC, page 50:

     [O]ne Cornet [George] Joyce a buſie pragmatical perſon, whom [Oliver] Cromwell his Familiar had tutored in the Method of Boldneſſe and Rebellion, was privately conferred with about it, and after ſome familiar compellations hugged into the Conſpiracy, and immediately diſpatched away with a party of 1000 Horſe on the 4. of June, to Holmby, [...]

   • 1743, Samuel Willard, “Meditation, XXXVII. Complaints of Deadness and Indisposition.”, in Some Brief Sacramental Meditations Preparatory for Communion at the Great Ordinance of the Supper, 2nd edition, Boston, Mass.: […] Green, Bushell, and Allen, for D. Henchman, […], →OCLC, page 163:

     Is it not the Voice of my Beloved [Jesus]? Do I not hear him, with the most inſinuating Compellations, inviting me to his Table, bidding me to come, for all Things are ready; [...]

   • 2011 June 14, Melvin Markell McPhearson, “Introduction”, in The Art of Connectivity: A Call for Unity within a Diverse Society, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, pages 9–10:

     It is drummers and the musician's instrumental compellations, it is those who are adorned with beautiful and vibrant colors of clothing, it is the magnificent and well-crafted jewelry, and the developmental commitment to a spiritual relationship with God, which I believe are evidences of what I call, "The African/ethnic connection," within my experience and personal context.

Translations

act of addressing a person by a certain name or title

• Polish: nazwanie (pl) n

name or title by which someone is addressed or identified — see also appellation,‎ designation

• Dutch: aanspreking (nl), benaming (nl)
• Italian: appellativo (it) m, designazione (it) f
• Polish: nazwa (pl) f

(obsolete) act of addressing or speaking to someone

• Dutch: aanspreking (nl)