Part 2379

<i>Beau. & Fl.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To be convenient; to serve.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>When that is known and golden time <b>convents</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Convent</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con*vent"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To call before a judge or judicature; to summon; to convene.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Conventical</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con*vent"ic*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Of or from, or pertaining to, a convent.</def> "<i>Conventical</i> wages."

<i>Sterne.</i>

<cs><col>Conventical prior</col>. <cd>See <er>Prior</er>.</cd></cs>

<h1>Conventicle</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con*ven"ti*cle</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>conventiculum</ets>, dim. of <ets>conventus</ets>: cf. F. <ets>conventicule</ets>. See <er>Convent</er>, <tt>n.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A small assembly or gathering; esp., a secret assembly.</def>

<blockquote>They are commanded to abstain from all <b>conventicles</b> of men whatsoever.

<i>Ayliffe.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>An assembly for religious worship; esp., such an assembly held privately, as in times of persecution, by Nonconformists or Dissenters in England, or by Covenanters in Scotland; -- often used opprobriously, as if those assembled were heretics or schismatics.</def>

<blockquote>The first Christians could never have had recourse to nocturnal or clandestine <b>conventicles</b> till driven to them by the violence of persecution. <i>Hammond.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>A sort of men who . . . attend its [the curch of England's] service in the morning, and go with their wives to a <b>conventicle</b> in the afternoon. <i>Swift.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Conventicler</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con*ven"ti*cler</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who supports or frequents conventicles.</def>

<i>Dryden.</i>

<h1>Conventicling</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con*ven"ti*cling</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Belonging or going to, or resembling, a conventicle.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote><b>Conventicling</b> schools . . . set up and taught secretly by fanatics. <i>South.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Convention</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con*ven"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>conventio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>convention</ets>. See <er>Convene</er>, <tt>v. i.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of coming together; the state of being together; union; coalition.</def>

<blockquote>The <b>conventions</b> or associations of several particles of matter into bodies of any certain denomination. <i>Boyle.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>General agreement or concurrence; arbitrary custom; usage; conventionality.</def>

<blockquote>There are thousands now Such women, but <b>convention</b> beats them down. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>