concernment

English

Etymology

From Middle English concernement; equivalent to concern +‎ -ment.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kənˈsɜː(ɹ)nmənt/

Noun

concernment (countable and uncountable, plural concernments)

1. (obsolete) The state or quality of being a concern.
   • 1861 October–December, John Stuart Mill, “What Utilitarianism is”, in Utilitarianism […], London: Parker, Son, and Bourn, […], published 1863, →OCLC, page 35:

     Men really ought to leave off talking a kind of nonsense on this subject, which they would neither talk nor listen to on other matters of practical concernment.

2. That in which one is concerned or interested; concern; affair; interest.
   • 1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC, paragraph:

     Our everlasting concernments.

   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 60:

     To mix with thy concernments I deſiſt

3. importance; moment; consequence
   • 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:

     Let every action of concernment be begun with prayer.

4. concern; participation; interposition
   • 1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, “(please specify |book=I to XVI)”, in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the Theater, published 1707, →OCLC:

     He married a daughter to the earl of Northumberland without any other approbation of her father or concernment in it, than suffering him and her come into his presence.

5. Emotion of mind; solicitude; anxiety
   • 1677 (first performance), John Dryden, All for Love: Or, The World Well Lost. A Tragedy, […], [London]: […] Tho[mas] Newcomb, for Henry Herringman, […], published 1678, →OCLC, Act IV, page 56:

     'Tis not vvell, / Indeed my Lord, 'tis much unkind to me, / To ſhovv this paſſion, this extream concernment / For an abandon'd, faithleſs Proſtitute.

Synonyms

• concern