ordinary
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɔːdɪnəɹi/
ipa: /ˈɔːdənɹi/
ipa: /ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/
ipa: /ˈɔɹdɪnɛ(ə)ɹi/
Forms: form: ordinaries
form: ordinarie
Etymology: From Anglo-Norman ordenarie, ordenaire et al., Middle French ordinaire, and their source, Medieval Latin ordinarius, noun use of Latin ōrdinārius (“regular, orderly”), from ōrdō (“order”).
Senses: topics: ecclesiastical
law
lifestyle
religion
glosses: A person with authority; authority, ordinance.
A person having immediate jurisdiction in a given case of ecclesiastical law, such as the bishop within a diocese.
examples: text: I […] will lay to till you come within hail […] but pray respond by the first ordinary.
ref: 1819, Lord Byron, Letter, 15 May
glosses: A person with authority; authority, ordinance.
A courier; someone delivering mail or post.
topics: law
glosses: A person with authority; authority, ordinance.
A judge with the authority to deal with cases himself or herself rather than by delegation.
examples: text: He died with pious composure and resolution. I have just seen the Ordinary that attended him.
ref: 1791, James Boswell, “(please specify the year)”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC:
glosses: A person with authority; authority, ordinance.
The chaplain of Newgate prison, who prepared condemned prisoners for death.
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
Customary fare, one's regular daily allowance of food; (hence) a regular portion or allowance.
examples: text: In short, Mr. Jolter could give a very good account of the stages on the road, and […] was a connoisseur in ordinaries, from twelve to five and thirty livres […].
ref: 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, chapter XLIII, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
text: Here he recommended me to fix my board, there being an excellent ordinary daily at two o'clock, at which I might dine or not as I pleased.
ref: 1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 169
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
A meal provided for a set price at an eating establishment.
examples: text: Vpon feſtiuall daies he goes to Court, and ſalutes vvithout re-ſaluting: at night in an Ordinarie he confeſſeth the buſineſſe in hand, and ſeemes as conuerſant with all intents and plots, as if he begot them.
ref: 1612 (date written), Tho: Overburye [i.e. Thomas Overbury], “Characters, or Witty Descriptions of the Properties of Sundry Persons. An Affected Traueller.”, in A Wife. Now the Widdow of Sir Tho: Overburye. Being a Most Exquisite and Singular Poem of the Choise of a Wife. […], 4th edition, London: […] G[eorge] Eld, for Lawrence Lisle, […], published 1614, →OCLC:
text: We are most part too inquisitive and apt to hearken after news, which Cæsar, in his Commentaries, observes of the old Gauls, they would be inquiring of every carrier and passenger what they had heard or seen, what news abroad? […] as at an ordinary with us, bakehouse, or barber's shop.
ref: 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 4, member 2:
text: Thus furnished, they come up to town, reckon all their errors for accomplishments, borrow the newest set of phrases ; and if they take a pen into their hands, all the odd words they have picked up in a coffeehouse, or a gaming ordinary, are produced as flowers of style.
ref: 1712 March 4 (date written; Gregorian calendar), J[onathan] Swift, A Proposal for Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue; […], 2nd edition, London: […] Benj[amin] Tooke, […], published 1712, →OCLC:
text: He enjoyed a perpetual port duty of fourteen pence a ton, on vessels not owned in the province, yielding not far from five thousand dollars a year; and he exacted a tribute for licenses to hawkers and peddlers and to ordinaries.
ref: 1899, Richard Garnett, Léon Vallée, Alois Brandl, editors, The Universal Anthology, Bancroft, page 320:
text: it hath been usual with the honest and well-meaning host to provide a bill of fare which all persons may peruse at their first entrance into the house; and having thence acquainted themselves with the entertainment which they may expect, may either stay and regale with what is provided for them, or may depart to some other ordinary better accommodated to their taste.
ref: 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume I, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
text: I was at the Ordinary last fair day, and there was nothing else talked of.
ref: 1919, Stanley J. Weyman, “III. The Lawyer Abroad”, in The Great House:
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
A place where such meals are served; a public tavern, inn.
topics: government
heraldry
hobbies
lifestyle
monarchy
nobility
politics
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
One of the standard geometric designs placed across the center of a coat of arms, such as a pale or fess.
examples: text: Spain had no other wars save those of the Low Countries, which were grown into an ordinary
ref: a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC:
text: water-buckets, waggons, cart-wheels, plough-socks, shuttles, candlesticks, and other ordinaries
ref: 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
An ordinary person or thing; something commonplace.
examples: text: I ſee no more in you than in the ordinary / Of nature's ſalework.
ref: c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
The usual course of things; normal condition or health; a standard way of behaviour or action.
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
A penny farthing bicycle.
topics: Christianity
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
A part of the Christian liturgy that is reasonably constant without regard to the date on which the service is performed.
coordinate_terms: proper
topics: Catholicism
Christianity
glosses: Something ordinary or regular.
A part of the Christian liturgy that is reasonably constant without regard to the date on which the service is performed.
Alternative letter-case form of Ordinary (“those parts of the Mass which are consistent from day to day”).
coordinate_terms: proper
glosses: A book setting out ordinary or regular conduct.
A devotional manual; a book setting our rules for proper conduct.
topics: Catholicism
Christianity
glosses: A book setting out ordinary or regular conduct.
A rule, or book of rules, prescribing the order of a liturgy, especially of Mass.