attaintment

English

Etymology

attaint +‎ -ment

Noun

attaintment (countable and uncountable, plural attaintments)

1. (archaic, law) Attainder, attainture; conviction.
   • 1553, Hugh Latimer, “The fourth Sermon […]”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, made vppon the lords Prayer […]‎^[1], published 1562, folio 63^v:

     There is that prouokes me to speake against this law of attaintment, they say I am not indifferent.

   • 1613, Cookes Case; republished as John Godbolt, W. Hughes, editors, Reports of […] Severall Courts of Record at Westminster […]‎^[2], 1652, page 207:

     For where the party may have an attaintment, there no damages shall be assessed by the Court, if the same be not found by the Jury; and therefore the Court would be advised of it: […]

   • 1832, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Heath's Book of Beauty, 1833, Theresa, page 165:

     The same day brought him intelligence of his wife's desertion, and of his attaintment as a traitor; and, further, that this accusation had been chiefly brought about by the intrigues of his former partner.

   • 1867 June, “The Founders of Montreal”, in The Atlantic Monthly […], volume 19, number 116, page 724:

     So zealous was he for good morals, that he drew upon himself the imputation of a leaning to the heresy of the Jansenists […] Yet Olier’s catholicity was past attaintment, and in his horror of Jansenists he yielded to the Jesuits alone.

   • 1883, Thomas Hampson, Horwich: Its History, Legends, and Church, page 171:

     Again costly litigation followed, the Crown setting up a prior claim, […] the only legal claimant being Sir Francis Anderton, and he being attainted of high treason was debarred and legally incapable of holding the estates, or of claiming any right as heir by and through such attaintment.

2. Misspelling of attainment.

References

• “attaintment”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.