Wiktionary

concentre

See also: concentré

English

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WOTD – 2 September 2015

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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(late 16th century) From a Romance language, see French concentrer, Italian concentràre, Spanish concentrar; alternatively from Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrō. By surface analysis, con- +‎ centre. Doublet of concentrate.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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concentre (third-person singular simple present concentres, present participle concentring, simple past and past participle concentred) (British spelling, dated)

  1. (intransitive) To come together at a common centre.
    • 1613, Henry Peacham, “To the Buried Prince” in The Period of Mourning, London: John Helme, signature D2, recto:
      As from each angle of the Vault / Wherein thou lyeſt, a line is brought / Vnto the Kingly founders heart; / So vnto thee, from euery part, / See how our loues doe runne by line, / And dead, concenter in thy Shrine.
    • 17th–18th century (reprinted 1850), William Beveridge, “The Sacerdotal Benediction in the Name of the Trinity”, reprinted in Twenty-six Sermons on Various Subjects Selected from the Works of the Right Rev. William Beveridge, D.D. Lord Bishop of St. Asaph, London: Printed for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, OCLC 697897263, page 80:
      Hence, […] whatsoever perfections or properties (except such as are purely personal) are attributed to any of these divine Persons, are the same in all, and may equally be attributed to every one; they being all and every one the same God, in whom all perfections concentre, or, rather, who is all perfection itself.
    • 1759, [Laurence Sterne], chapter XIX, in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, 2nd (1st London) edition, volume II, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 170:
      [T]he medulla oblongata, wherein it was generally agreed by Dutch anatomiſts, that all the minute nerves from all the organs of the ſeven ſenſes concentered, like ſtreets and winding alleys, into a ſquare.
    • 1804, William Clark, The Journals of Lewis and Clark:
      Capt. Lewis walked on Shore above this Creek and discovered a high moun from the top of which he had an extensive view, 3 paths Concentering at the moun
  2. (intransitive) To coincide.
  3. (transitive) To bring together at a common centre.
    • 1648, Robert Herrick, “To the Most Accomplisht Gentleman, Master Edward Norgate, Clark of the Signet to His Majesty. Epig[ram].”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 139:
      For one ſo rarely tun’d to fit all parts; / For one to whom eſpous’d are all the Arts; / Long have I ſought for: but co’d never ſee / Them all concenter’d in one man, but Thee.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature [Ee3], recto, lines 104–107:
      [T]hir bright officious Lamps, / Light above Light, for thee alone, as ſeems, / In thee concentring all thir precious beams / Of ſacred influence: […]
    • 1750 October 27 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. [61]. Tuesday, October 16. 1750.”, in The Rambler, volume III, Edinburgh: [[…] Sands, Murray, and Cochran]; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1750, →OCLC, pages 69–70:
      Whatever has diſtinguiſhed the hero; whatever has elevated the wit; whatever has endeared the lover, are all concentered in Mr Frolick; whoſe life has, for ſeven years, been a regular interchange of intrigues, dangers, waggeries; […]
    • 1795, Helen Maria Williams, Letters Containing a Sketch of the Politics of France, London: G. G. and J. Robinson, Letter 8, page 230:
      […] for he never on any occaſion diſplayed his ſenſibility to mortifications, which was in proportion to his exceſſive vanity, but concentred within his vindictive ſoul his diſgrace, his reſentment, and his projects of vengeance.
  4. (transitive) To focus.
  5. (transitive) To condense, to concentrate.
    • 1805, Walter Scott, “Canto Fifth”, in The Lay of the Last Minstrel: A Poem, London: […] [James Ballantyne] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], and A[rchibald] Constable and Co., […], →OCLC, stanza I, pages 161–162:
      Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, / Who never to himself hath said, / This is my own, my native land! […] The wretch, concentered all in self, / Living, shall forfeit fair renown, / And, doubly dying, shall go down / To the vile dust, from whence he sprung, / Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.
    • 1829, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], “In which the Hero Shews Decision on More Points than One—More of Isora’s Character is Developed”, in Devereux. A Tale. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, book III, page 83:
      Ah, I wish you were of my humble temper: the more we limit and concentre happiness, the more certain, I think, we are of securing it—they who widen the circle, encroach upon the boundaries of danger; […]
    • 1917, Frank Dilnot, chapter 11, in Lloyd George: The Man and His Story, New York: Harper, page 163:
      As new discoveries were made incidental difficulties connected with the filling of shells occupied the concentered study of the manufacturers.

Synonyms

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  • (come together at a common centre): converge

Derived terms

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Anagrams

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French

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Verb

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concentre

  1. inflection of concentrer:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Anagrams

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Portuguese

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Verb

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concentre

  1. inflection of concentrar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

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Verb

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concentre

  1. inflection of concentrar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative
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