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subscription|səbˈskrɪpʃən|
[ad. L. subscriptio, -ōnem, n. of action f. subscript-, subscrībĕre to subscribe. Cf. OF. sub-, soubscripcion, mod.F. souscription, (Pr. sotzescriptio), It. soscrizione, Sp. subscripcion, Pg. subscripção.]
1. a. A piece of writing at the end of a document, e.g. the concluding clause or formula of a letter with the writer's signature, the colophon of a book, etc., the note appended to the epistles in the New Testament, etc.
c1450Lydg. Secrees 659 Off his pistil a breef Subcrypcyoun, Set lowly vndir. 1542–3Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, c. 1 §6 Wherunto the same printers shalbe bounde to put the superscripcion and subscripcion in this forme, That is to saie: by the King and his Clergye, with addicion in the ende of the printers name..and yere of the printing of the same. 1586A. Day Engl. Secretorie i. (1625) 12 The manner of Salutation, the order of taking leave or farewell, the Subscription, and the outward direction. 1599B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. iii. vii, How's this? Yours, if his owne?..Belike this is some new kinde of subscription the gallants use. 1642Jer. Taylor Episc. (1647) 80 The subscription to the first Epistle to Timothy. 1727W. Mather Yng. Man's Comp. 104 Subscriptions for Letters. To the King; or To his most Excellent Majesty;..To the Queen, or, To the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. 1748Richardson Clarissa VII. 197 She dictated the farewel part, without hesitation; and when she came to the blessing and subscription, she took the pen, and..wrote the conclusion. 1790Paley Horæ Paul. xv. 378 The subscription of the first epistle to the Corinthians states that it was written from Philippi. 1816Singer Hist. Cards 170 Fust and Schoeffer, in the subscriptions to the books printed by them, lay no claim to the invention..of the art. 1882–3Schaff's Encycl. Relig. Knowl. I. 102/1 The subscription [to the additions to Esther] ..refer to the whole book.
†b. Something written or inscribed underneath, e.g. a number written under another, an inscription or title underneath. Obs.
1631Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 772 These portraitures..with the subscription following. a1682Sir T. Browne Tracts (1683) 206 A large Picture..with this Subscription. 1709–29V. Mandey Syst. Math., Arith. 68 Multiply the whole Subscription by the Quotient. 1814Gentl. Mag. July 51 The..representation of a goat giving suck to the whelp of a wolf, with a subscription, which has been thus rendered.
2. A signature, signed name.
In Sc. sign (or signet) and subscription manual was formerly freq.
1483Sc. Acts (1875) XII. 32/1 Lettrez of securite vndir þar Selis & subscripcions manualis. 1547J. Harrison Exhort. Scottes 226 The seales & subscriptions be so many, so auncient, and so faire, as cannot lightelie be counterfaicte. 1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. vi. xlii. 118 Other epistles of Cyprian in the Romaine tongue with the subscription of diuerse other byshops. 1640Sc. Acts Chas. I (1870) V. 268 Wch wordis he shall subscrybe with his signe and subscriptione manuell. 1690in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874) 27 Before thir witnesses to the subscriptions of the saids Marqueis and Marchiones of Atholl. a1700Evelyn Diary 29 Oct. 1662, The syngraphs and original subscriptions of divers Eastern Patriarchs. 1807Crabbe Par. Reg. ii. 284 All the blurr'd subscriptions in my book. 1831Scott Ct. Rob. vii, Our sacred subscription is duly marked with the fitting tinge of green and purple. 1888Law Times Rep. (N.S.) LIX. 3/2 A probative deed, which they attested by their subscriptions.
3. A signed declaration or statement; Rom. Antiq., a rescript signed by the emperor. Obs. exc. Hist.
1599Queen Elizabeth in Moryson Itin. (1617) ii. 40 Though you think the allowance of that Counsell, whose subscriptions are your Ecchoes, should..satisfie us. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xv. vi. 42 This Athanasius..was by commandement from the Emperour warned by his subscription to depose from his sacerdotall See. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. ii. §115 A Letter from the King, and a subscription from the Lords Commissioners. 1661Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 71 The way of maintenance layd out in your Act is directly opposed by a Subscription sent up to Colonell Gilby and my selfe. 1666in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends Ser. iii. (1912) 259, I have sent you here inclosed a subscription which I have taken vnder his hand. 1773Burke Sp. Relief Prot. Diss. Wks. X. 33 There was no subscription, to which they were to set their hands. 1851Hussey Papal Power ii. 80 It was argued, that they had no subscription from the Pope, nor ecclesiastical authority, to back them. 1864Pomeroy Munic. Law 41 An Annotation or Subscription was written to a private person, in answer to questions of a merely private application.
4. The action or an act of affixing a signature; the signing of one's name or of a document.
1492Earl of Huntly in Thanes of Cawdor (Spalding Club) 156 Writin at Lochcanmor under our signet, and with the subscriptioune of our hand. 1562Sandys in Strype Ann. Ref. (1735) I. 339 Every Bishop by the Subscription of his hand, promiseth, that he shall not..Alienate any of his Manors. 1592Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1814) III. 586/1 Concerning subscriptioun of the signatures of the new infeftmentis of temporalities. 1689Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 268 Vpon his subscription [he] was admitted to take his place in y⊇ Councill. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) IV. 127 The people..flocked to the subscription of this covenant. 1765–8Erskine Inst. Law Scot. iii. ii. §8 A subscription by a cross or mark. 1825Scott Betrothed xvii, The subscription of the contract of marriage had..been just concluded. 1885Law Rep. 14 Q.B. Div. 715 The making and subscription of an oath in the House of Commons. 1912Signatures Jrnl. Bk. Roy. Soc. Pref., The subscription of these signatures.
5. A declaration of one's assent to articles of religion, or some formal declaration of principles, etc. by signing one's name; spec. in the Church of England, assent to the Thirty-nine Articles.
1588Marprel. Epist. (Arb.) 3 Any other of the holy league of subscription. a1620J. Dyke Right Receiving (1640) 8 Now that we have once said we are the Lords, and have subscribed to it, let us..have a care to say, we will be the Lords, and to stand to and make good our subscription. 1654Bramhall Just Vind. vi. (1661) 155 We do indeed require subscription to our Articles. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. 72 The persecuted Church of English in Frankford..demanded subscription to their discipline of every man. 1721[A. A. Sykes] (title) The case of subscription to the 39 Articles considered. 1782Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. i. 141 Application made to parliament..for relief in the business of subscription. 1868M. Pattison Academ. Org. i. 23 The Cambridge Act..abolished all subscription for degrees. a1890Liddon Pusey (1893) I. 148 A check upon insurrectionary thought, such as is exerted by subscriptions to Confessions of Faith.
†6.
a. Assent, approval. Also, an instance of this.
1580G. Harvey Let. to Spenser in S.'s Wks. (1912) 630/1 You shal neuer haue my subscription or consent..to make your Carpēnter our Carpĕnter. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 827 For the excellencie of the Tobacco there found, he should happily haue the smokie subscriptions of many Humorists. 1620Venner Via Recta (1650) 68 To their opinion..I see no reason why I should yeeld my subscription. c1650Bradford Plymouth Plant. (1856) 5 The more y⊇ light of y⊇ gospell grew, y⊇ more yey urged their subscriptions to these corruptions.
†b. Submission, allegiance. Obs. rare.
1605Shakes. Lear iii. ii. 18, I neuer gaue you Kingdome, call'd you Children; You owe me no subscription.
7. The action or an act of subscribing money to a fund or for stock; the raising of a sum of money for a certain object by collecting contributions from a number of people; † a scheme for raising money in this way. Also, an undertaking or agreement to subscribe so much.
1647May Hist. Parl. ii. vi. 122 The Treasurers appointed to receive the Moneys come in upon the Subscriptions for Ireland. c1665Mrs. Hutchinson Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1885) II. 22 They hired him with a subscription of losses, for which they gave him public credit double to what he really had lost. a1692H. Pollexfen Disc. Trade (1697) 105 Without New Subscriptions there can be no way of coming into this Trade under this Charter, but by Buying Shares of the present Adventures. a1700Evelyn Diary 9 Aug. 1682, The Academy which Monsieur Faubert did hope to procure to be built by subscription of worthy gentlemen and noblemen. 1740Cibber Apol. (1756) I. 142 Many people of quality came into a voluntary subscription of twenty..guineas a-piece, for erecting a theatre. 1747Sherlock in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. i. 299, I hear nothing from London of any moment, except the great Subscription for raising money next year. 1748Winter Even. Conv. Club of Jews, etc. in N. & Q. Ser. v. V. 413/1 By stock-jobbers he means dose dat be not able to comply vit dare subscriptions. 1762T. Mortimer Ev. Man own Broker (ed. 5) 21 They will scarce better themselves by any new subscription. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl. (1815) 193 There is a public ball by subscription every night. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. xxvii, A certain hackney, which he..and another honest shopkeeper, combined to maintain by joint subscription. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. v. i, There has been erected, apparently by subscription, a kind of Wooden Tent. 1889W. C. Anderson Dict. Law 986 (Cent. Dict.), Where an advance has been made..by others in consequence of a subscription, before notice given of a withdrawal, the subscription becomes obligatory. 1912World 7 May 698/2, 100,000 cumulative 7 per cent. preference shares will be offered for subscription.
8. a. A contribution of money for a specified object; spec. the fixed sum promised or required as a periodical contribution by a member of a society, etc. to its funds, or for the purchase of a periodical publication, or in payment for a book published ‘by subscription’ (see 9).
Subscription and donation (to a charitable fund, a society, or the like) are usually contrasted, the former being a recurrent, the latter a single, contribution.
1679in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) II. 367 Had not some of our benefactours been very slow in paying their subscriptions. 1710J. Chamberlayne M. Brit. Notitia ii. 624 The Dean and Chapter have been no less bountiful, and the Clergy of the City are not backward in their Subscriptions. 1729T. Cooke Tales, etc. 120 A Genius form'd like mine will soar at all, And boldly follow where Subscriptions call. a1763W. King Pol. & Lit. Anecd. (1819) 183 Being applied to..for a charitable subscription. 1804Med. Jrnl. XII. 11 That John Drew..and Tilden Sampson..be requested to receive subscriptions for the use of the institution. 1854Poultry Chron. II. 126 Subscriptions and donations to be paid to the secretary. 1886C. E. Pascoe Lond. of To-day xxxiii. (ed. 3) 300 The subscription to Almack's was ten guineas. 1912Nature 26 Dec. 468/1 The temporary address of the society is the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, S.W. There is no subscription.
b. A sum of money subscribed by several parties; a fund: formerly spec. in Stock Exchange language. Now U.S. in phr. to make or take up a subscription, to make a collection.
1730Cheny List Horse-Matches 145 On the 23d Day of June the 120 Guineas Subscription Money (and which Subscription is now expir'd) were run for at Richmond by five Year olds. 1756J. Cox Narr. Thief-takers 15 A gentleman in the Commission of the Peace in that Neighbourhood, and the Treasurer of that Subscription. foot-note, A Reward of 20l. for the taking of Thieves in Tottenham Division. 1762T. Mortimer Ev. Man own Broker (ed. 5) 46 note, A large quantity of any new fund, commonly called Subscription. 1785Grose Dict. Vulgar T. s.v. Scrip, Scrip is also a Change Alley phrase for the last loan or subscription. 1855Poultry Chron. II. 530 A subscription is opened to present Mr. T. B. Wright, of Birmingham, with [etc.]. 1856J. Richardson Recoll. I. iii. 53 The parochial authorities..set on foot a subscription for the purchase of a piece of plate. 1865H. Phillips Amer. Paper Curr. II. 168 To relieve the army a subscription was taken up by the ladies of Philadelphia. 1897Daily News 22 Apr. 6/3 [American sailor loq.] Let's make a subscription.
†c. spec. A share in a commercial undertaking or a loan. Also collect. sing. Obs.
1727Swift Circumcis. E. Curll Wks. 1755 III. i. 166 Sir Gideon Lopez tempted him with forty pound subscription in Ram's bubble. 1728Chambers Cycl., Subscription, in the English Commerce, is used for the Share or Interest, particular Persons take in a public Stock, or a Trading Company, by writing their Names, and the Shares they require, in the Register thereof. a1744Pope Imit. Horace i. vii. 65 South-sea Subscriptions take who please. 1762T. Mortimer Ev. Man own Broker (ed. 5) 108, I would farther recommend to you, by no means to lend your subscription, at the time of the coming out of the receipts:..for they [the Bears] borrow your Scrip to make good their illegal..bargains.
9. Book-trade.
a. A method of bringing out a book, by which the publisher or author undertakes to supply copies of the book at a certain rate to those who agree to take copies before publication. Freq. in phr. by subscription.
1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Subscription for a Book, is when the Undertakers propose Advantages to those that take a certain Number of Copies at a set Price [Bailey 1730 adds: and lay down Part of the Money, before the Impression is finish'd]. 1715(Advt.) Proposals for Printing by Subscription a new Edition of Marcus Tullius Cicero, by Thomas Hearne. 1728Chambers Cycl. s.v., Walton's Polyglot Bible, which is the first Book ever printed by Way of Subscription. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl. (1815) 151 The Scotchman gives lectures on the pronunciation of the English language, which he is now publishing by subscription. 1791Boswell Johnson (1831) I. 222 In 1766 she published, by subscription, a quarto volume of miscellanies. 1807De Lolme Const. Eng. Advert. p. ii, In defect of encouragement from great men (and even from booksellers), I had recourse to a subscription. 1873Curwen Hist. Booksellers 25 He waited four years before he ventured to publish, and then only by the safe method of subscription. 1890Sprigge Meth. Publ. 81 The system of publishing suggested by that firm..was that of ‘subscription’.
b. (a) The taking up of a book by the trade; (b) The offering of a book to the trade.
1895Bookselling June 163 Where the trade subscription may be..expected to cover the cost of the first edition. 1912Shaylor Fascin. Bks. 145 Each new book when ready for publishing is brought to these establishments for ‘subscription’—that is, to ascertain how many copies will be bought.
c. U.S. The house-to-house sale of books by canvassers. Freq. attrib.
1880Publisher's Weekly (U.S.) 24 Apr. 425 There has been a great deal of grumbling in the retail trade..that so many good books have been taken out of its hands and put into those of subscription ‘agents’. Many writers, such as Mark Twain, confine themselves, in fact, to subscription publishing. Ibid. 22 May 516 The important trade question of the ownership of subscription orders. 1897G. H. P. & J. B. P[utnam] Auth. & Publ. (ed. 7) 51 Books sold by subscription (that is, through canvassers).
10. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 8) subscription-money, subscription-purse, subscription-share; subscription-hunting ppl. adj.; subscription book, (a) a book containing the names of subscribers to any object (with the amounts of their subscriptions); (b) U.S. Book-trade, a book sold from house to house by canvassers; subscription list, a list of subscribers' names (with the amounts of their subscriptions); so † subscription-paper, † -roll; subscription price, (a) the price at which a book is offered before publication to those who promise to take copies, being usually lower than the price at which any unsubscribed copies will be sold on or after publication; (b) the price at which a periodical publication is supplied to those who promise to take so many numbers; † subscription receipt (cf. scrip n.4), a receipt for a share or shares taken up in a loan or commercial undertaking; subscription room, a room (e.g. belonging to a club, an exchange) which is open to subscribers only; † subscription-society, a union of workmen to which each contributes a subscription; subscription television (also T.V.) N. Amer., a television service which provides programmes for subscribers. (See also 9 c.)
1721Amherst Terræ Fil. No. 12 (1726) I. 65 *Subscription-books (by them call'd matriculation-books) were open'd, and most of the nobility and gentry subscribed their sons and their wards into them. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl. (1815) 64, I consulted the subscription-book; and, perceiving the names of several old friends, began to consider the group with more attention. 1784New Bath Guide 65 Each Master has a ball in the winter and spring seasons, and subscription-books are also laid down at the Rooms, that all the company may have an opportunity of shewing those gentlemen marks of their respect. 1819Egan Walks through Bath 97 Ladies and gentlemen disposed to become members, are requested to have their names entered in the society's subscription-book. 1870‘Mark Twain’ Lett. to Publishers (1967) 31 You will make the finest success of it that has ever been made with a subscription book. 1880Publisher's Weekly (U.S.) 24 Apr. 425 (heading) The trade and subscription books. 1897Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 16 Jan. 7/8 The Trustees of the Fenway Garden [Boston, Mass.]..have decided to keep the subscription-books open for the present.
1898Shaw Perf. Wagnerite 134 Energetic *subscription-hunting ladies.
1843–56Bouvier Law Dict. (ed. 6) II. 555/1 *Subscription list, the names of persons who have agreed to take a newspaper, magazine or other publication, placed upon paper, is a subscription list. 1880Publisher's Weekly (U.S.) 22 May 516 That he be enjoined and restrained..from interfering with the subscription-lists of said publications, and from attempting to discharge any subscriber from his subscription thereto. 1887Spectator 6 Aug. 1057/2 His name figured little in subscription-lists.
a1674Clarendon Hist. Reb. ix. §27 (an. 1645) The Letter Money and *Subscription Money being almost exhausted. 1715MS. in Urry Chaucer's Wks. (B. Mus.), Books to be Delivered to the Subscribers Complt in Quires on paymt of their Subscription Money. 1730[see sense 8 b]. 1774Foote Cozeners i. Wks. 1799 II. 146 My expences in..subscription-money to most of the clubs and coteries. 1780New Bath Guide 26 The subscription to the dress-balls is one guinea to each room for the season, or as long as the subscription-money lasts.
1779Mirror No. 2 ⁋4 The *subscription-paper hung up fronting the door.
1886Perf. Bk. Kepinge Sparhawkes Prospectus, *Subscription price, {pstlg}1 1s; early application is needed to secure a copy. 1891Academy 21 Feb. 185/2 The new publication..will be published monthly at a subscription price of eight rupees per annum, including postage.
1811Sporting Mag. XXXVIII. 221 The *subscription-purse of a hunting club.
1762T. Mortimer Ev. Man own Broker (ed. 5) 172 The *subscription receipts thus paid in full, are called in the Alley, Heavy-Horse. 1780― Elem. Comm. 396 If the second or third purchasers in the course of circulation at market, are holders of the subscription receipts at the time of a payment.
a1676Hale Life P. Atticus (1677) 142 They thought..that his Name should be the first in the *Subscription-Roll.
1812Coleridge Friend (1818) III. 171 The innocent amusement..deserving of all praise as a preventive substitute for the stall, the kennel, and the *subscription-room. 1914Daily Tel. 3 Aug. 5/1 The subscription-room of the Corn Exchange will..be open for the convenience of members.
1856Ann. Reg., Chron. 52/2 The expenses of erecting the theatre are said to have amounted to 150,000l.; of which..50,000l. [was] raised by *subscription-shares of 500l. each.
1769Ibid. 124 [Spitalfields] handkerchief-weavers..entered into a subscription of six-pence on every loom, to support their cause against the masters, one of whom..insisted..that his men should not belong to the *subscription-society.
1955How to unscramble Subscription T.V. (Zenith Radio Corporation, U.S.), *Subscription T.V. can provide you and your family with the best of entertainment..major sports events..education..carefully prepared programs for your children..at a nominal price..when you want it..if you want it..and without ever having to leave the family room of your home. 1962Rep. Comm. Broadcasting 1960 271 in Parl. Papers 1961–2 (Cmnd. 1753) IX. 259 We now recommend that no service of subscription television be authorised. 1973C. Sagan Cosmic Connection viii. 62 An unmanned roving vehicle on Mars could probably be supported by subscription television.
b. in adj. use with the sense ‘supported by subscription, maintained or provided by, open to, subscribers’, as subscription ball, subscription charity-school, subscription club, subscription concert, subscription cricket-match, subscription dance, subscription house, subscription library, subscription masquerade, subscription music, subscription night, subscription school.
1704tr. Moliere's (title) Monsieur de Pourceaugnac... Acted at the Subscription Musick at the Theatre Royal. 1708New View Lond. II. 762 A Subscription School for 50 Girls. 1749H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 268 A subscription masquerade. 1753Scots Mag. XV. 36/2 Sums laid out in..subscription-concerts. 1779C'tess Upper Ossory in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1844) IV. 176 A subscription ball is on foot, one hundred subscribers at twelve guineas each. 1808Scott in Lockhart (1837) I. 37 A respectable subscription library. 1819Egan Walks through Bath 35 The Subscription-House..at York-Buildings. Ibid. 162 The Crescent-Fields,..with the addition of some charming subscription grounds. 1826J. Cook Fox-hunting 149 A manager of a subscription pack. 1851H. Coleridge Ess. I. 305 Suckling of infants will be exploded, as unproductive labour. Pap will be made by contract in subscription soup-kettles. 1859Miss Mulock Life for a Life xi, Charteris is opera-mad... Every subscription-night, there he is, wedged in the crowd. 1886C. E. Pascoe Lond. of To-day vi, Subscription dances, under the patronage of a long list of names.
Hence (nonce-words) subˈscriptionist, one who begs for subscriptions; subˈscriptionless a., without subscriptions.
1853N. Hawthorne Engl. Note-bks. (1870) I. 59, I wish..I had given the poor family ten shillings, and denied it to a begging subscriptionist, who has just fleeced me to that amount. 1897Westm. Gaz. 9 Mar. 2/2 By depriving the school, already subscriptionless, of this aid grant. |