proposaln.

1597 Bp. J. King Lect. Ionas xxxviii. 511 Although this sentence which I haue in hand, be the last of the mandate, in order and disposition of wordes, yet is it first in proposall.

1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. viii. 492/1 By proposall of conditions exceeding either Reason or Possibility, hee dammed vp all passages to peaceable agreement.

1638 W. Chillingworth Relig. Protestants i. iii. §57. 165 You must..believe the Church infallible in all her proposalls, be they foundations, or be they superstructions.

1667 R. Allestree Causes Decay Christian Piety i. 16 This clear proposal of the promises is most proper to encourage and inspirit our endeavours.

1699 P. Gordon Geogr. Anatomized (ed. 2) Pref. sig. A4 As a strange and unheard-off Phenomenon, suddenly appearing in the Natural World,..raiseth a Curiosity in some to enquire into the Reason of it; even so is the Proposal of a Paradoxical Truth to the Intellectual.

a1640 T. Jackson Μαραν Αθα (1657) 3641 The proposal of others miseries, makes souls so affected, cleek the faster hold.

1673 R. Allestree Ladies Calling i. v. §4 God's Laws..are inforced upon us by the proposals both of punishments and rewards.

1692 R. South 12 Serm. I. 610 He will dazle his Eyes..with the luscious Proposal of some gainfull Purchase.

a1629 T. Goffe Raging Turke (1631) iv. iv. sig. I^v The cause why they deny This iust proposall, riseth from an vse And customary licence long obseru'd.

1670 in Minutes & Accts. Feoffees Peterborough (Northants. Rec. Soc.) (1937) 175 It is ordered by the Governoures vpon Mr. Mortimers request and proposall to give security to ye Governoures to saue them harmelesse that ye same accomptes shalbee by them allowed.

1701 D. Defoe Memorial To direct them to such things as they thihk [sic] fit, either by Petition, Address, Proposal, Memorial, or any other Peaceable way.

1705 Boston News-let. 2 July 2/2 There is this day Printed and to be Sold at the Post-Office, half a Sheet..to Encourage the Sowing of Hemp..several Objections answered, with some proposals for others to promote the same.

1750 Bible (Challoner) IV. 1 Macc. vi. 60 And the proposal was acceptable in the sight of the king, and of the princes.

1759 W. Robertson Hist. Scotl. I. ii. 105 It was not possible to agree to a proposal so extraordinary and unexpected.

1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) II. 382 A proposal of annulling all the taxes.

1832 Graham's Town Jrnl. (S. Afr.) 20 Apr. 66 The mere proposal to confine a Dutch farmer to two hundred and fifty morgen of land, would be scouted as an extravagant absurdity.

1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People viii. §4. 493 The proposal was welcomed with..enthusiasm.

1910 Columbia Law Rev. 10 363 The courts, if restraining submission would probably do so..only because of irregularities in the form or process of proposal.

1957 A. E. Stevenson New Amer. II. ii. 45 We must come forward with proposals which will bear witness to our desire to move toward and not away from disarmament.

1988 M. Seymour Ring of Conspirators viii. 234 James declared himself delighted to take up their proposal of a luncheon at their Brook Street hotel.

2003 Daily Tel. 8 May 1/6 The agency is consulting on a proposal to ban the use and sale of chromium picolinate.

1657 J. Davies tr. H. D'Urfé Astrea I. 113 After many expressions of gratitude and obligations to him for my education, and this proposal of Marriage, I answered him.

1691 Turkish Spy III. xvi. 70 I Formerly acquainted thee, That Uladislaus King of Poland, sought Christina, Queen of Sueden, in Marriage; but, that his Proposal was rejected.

1722 D. Defoe Moll Flanders 87 No Man of common Sense will value a Woman the less, for not giving up herself at the first Attack, or for [not] accepting his Proposal without enquiring into his Person or Character.

1762 S. Scott Descr. Millenium Hall 241 Mrs. Alworth was informed..that Miss Denham had received a proposal from a gentleman of a good estate, but he insisted on a fortune of nine thousand pounds.

1782 F. Burney Cecilia I. ii. vii. 283 Her unaffected aversion to the proposals she had received.

1847 A. Brontë Agnes Grey xiv. 226 If you had seen poor Hatfield's intense eagerness in making his ardent declaration and his flattering proposal.

1900 E. Glyn Visits of Elizabeth (1906) 53 Dearest Mamma,—I have had a proposal! Isn't it too interesting?

1940 W. H. Auden Another Time 84 The first time he made his proposal, She laughed, said: ‘I'll never wed.’

2000 Scotsman (Nexis) 28 Feb. 8 The survey shows just over 50 per cent of men would say ‘Yes’ if their girlfriend got down on one knee for a 29 February proposal.

1701 J. L. Let. Member of Parl. 12 Sir Thomas Cook did..go to the Committee appointed to receive Proposals for paying off the Publick Debts..and made an Offer from the Old East India Company, to pay off [etc.].

1748 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 158 A Committee..to receive proposals for doing the whole work... And that all proposals be given in to them..sealed up.

1797 Diary (N.Y.) 7 Mar. 1/4 To that end [they] will receive Proposals, sealed, at the City-Clerk's office.

1836 Newcastle Courant 24 Dec. 1/1 (advt.) To Plate-layers and others. The Directors of the Stanhope and Tyne Railroad Company wish to receive Proposals for the Up~holding of their Road.

1914 Chicago Tribune 8 May 14 Sealed proposals plainly marked on the outside ‘Proposals for coal’..will be received at the Indian Office.

1994 Canad. Sailings 12 Dec. 19/1 The Montreal Port Corporation is prepared to receive proposals for the renting and operating of Elevator No. 5 for the stevedoring purposes of handling breakbulk cargo.

2002 W. L. Heydt in P. J. Andrisani et al. New Public Managem. xxi. 208 The degree to which local dealerships and repair shops are encouraged to submit proposals to operate the City garage.

1848 J. J. S. Wharton Law Lexicon 550/1 Proposal, a statement in writing of some special matter submitted to the consideration of a chief clerk in the Court of Chancery, pursuant to an order made upon an application ex parte, or a decretal order of the court. It is either for maintenance of an infant, appointment of a guardian, placing a ward of the court at the university, or in the army, or [etc.].