formalist (formalist)

[=G. Dan. Sw. for malist, There are in point of wisdome and sufficiencie, that doe nothing or little verie solemnly. It is a ridiculous thing, and fit for a satyre to persons of judgement, to see what shifts these formalists have, and what perspectives to make superficies to see me body, that hath depth and bulke. Bacon, Of Seeming Wise (1612). The cramping influence of a hard formalist on a young child in repre ing his spirits and courage, paralyzing the understanding,.. is a familiar fact explained to the child when he becomes a man. Emerson, History. 2. In philos., one who denies the existence of matter and recognizes the existence of form only; an idealist. formalistic (fôr-ma-lis'tik), a. [ To make forms e ential is the e ence of formalistic ritualism. C. Hodge , quoted in Church Polity, p. 297. formality (fôr-mal'i-ti), n.; pl. formalities (-tiz). [=F. formal ité = Sp. form alidad = Pg. formal i dade It. formal ità ; as formal +-ity.] 1. The condition or quality of being formal; specifically, rigid or undue observance of forms or established rules, as in style, conduct, or procedure; especially, the sacrifice of substance or spirit to form; conventionality. Nor was his attendance on divine offices a matter of for mality and custom, but of conscience. Bp. Atterbury. His heart was a little cold;. his manners decorous even to formality. Macaulay, William Pitt. IMG:content-1713.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1714.png:[blocks in formation] 5t. Customary behavior or dre , or customary ceremony; ceremonial. Civilians attired in blacke gownes, with certaine tippets and formalities that they wear upon pleading days. Coryat , Crudities, I. 31. The pretender would have infallibly landed in our northern parts, and found them all sat down in their formalities , as the Gauls did the Roman senators. Swift . 6. In philos ., external appearance; formal part. To fix on God the formality of faculties or affections is the imposture of our fancies, and contradictory to his divinity. Glanville , Scep. Sci. 7. In the philosophy of Duns Scotus, a formal element of being; a quidditative ens, or anything belonging thereto except an intrinsic mode. Examples of formalities are: humanity, asineity, animality, quantity, quality, entity, unity, truth, goodne . Examples of intrinsic modes are: infinity, potentiality, nece ity, existence, reality, hæcceity. Its parts are said to be formal; as if one should say, which by reason only, which they call formality , are distinguished. Burgersdicius, Monitio Logica (tr. by a Gentleman), [Ι. xiv. 10. 8. The character of the formal in the Kantian sense; universality and nece ity. formalize (fôr'mal-iz), v.; pret. and pp. formal ized, ppr. formalizing. [= F. formaliser = Sp. formal izar = Pg. formal i sar = It. formalizzare; as formal + -ize.] I. trans. 1t. To reduce to form; give a certain form to; model. The same spirit which anointed the ble ed soul of our Saviour Christ doth so formalize , unite, and actuate his whole race, as if both he and they were so many limbs com Hooker . pacted into one body. 2. To render formal. It is curious to see the agency of this [importance attached to] gentility in formalizing even love and hatred. Whipple , Lit. and Life, p. 137. II. in trans. 1. To affect formality; become formal. [Rare.] They turned their poor cottages into stately palaces, their true fasting into formalizing and partial abstinence. Hales, St. Peter's Fall. 2t. To use forms, as of statement. Many times indeed our gallants can formalize in other words, but evermore the substance, and usually the very words are no other but these of Cain's, Let us go out into the field. Hales, Duels. formalizert (formal-i-zér), n. A formalist. The ministers turned formalizers . Roger North , Lord Guilford, II. 144. formally (formal-i), adv. [ O wher hastou ben so long hyde in muwe, That canst so wel and form eliche arguwe? Chaucer, Troilus, iv. 497. You and your followers dost and formally divided against the authorised guides of the church and the rest of the people. Hooker , Eccles. Polity. A judgment is formally right when its predicate is contained in the conception of the subject; formally wrong when it is not. E. Caird , Philos. of Kant, p. 295. The true principle formally stated by Butler, that "probability is the guide of life." Bibliotheca Sacra , XLV. 711. The very devil a um'd thee formally , That face, that voice, that gesture, that attire. Middle ton, A Mad World. [In the Scotist philosophy this adverb was introduced into a proposition to show that it was true by virtue of a definition, or "identically." The effect is said to be contained in the cause either for mally or eminently. When formally , or the effect is of the same nature with the cause, the cause is said to be univocal, and is equal to its effect. Burgersdicius, Monitio Logica (tr. by a Gentleman), [I. xvii. 21. That which formally makes this [charity] a Christian grace is the spring from which it flows. Smalridge .] formate (for'māt), n. [ form -ic + -atel .] A salt formed by the union of formic acid with a base. Also called formiate .