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Webster 1913 Edition

Address

Ad-dress′

(ăd-drĕs′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Addressed
(-drĕst′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Addressing
.]
[OE.
adressen
to raise erect, adorn, OF.
adrecier
, to straighten, address, F.
adresser
, fr.
à
(L.
ad
) + OF.
drecier
, F.
dresser
, to straighten, arrange. See
Dress
,
Verb.
]
1.
To aim; to direct.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
And this good knight his way with me
addrest
.
Spenser.
2.
To prepare or make ready.
[Obs.]
His foe was soon
addressed
.
Spenser.
Turnus
addressed
his men to single fight.
Dryden.
The five foolish virgins
addressed
themselves at the noise of the bridegroom’s coming.
Jer. Taylor.
3.
Reflexively: To prepare one's self; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
These men
addressed
themselves to the task.
Macaulay.
4.
To clothe or array; to dress.
[Archaic]
Tecla . . .
addressed
herself in man's apparel.
Jewel.
5.
To direct, as words (to any one or any thing); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any one, an audience).
The young hero had
addressed
his players to him for his assistance.
Dryden.
6.
To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to; to accost.
Are not your orders to
address
the senate?
Addison.
The representatives of the nation
addressed
the king.
Swift.
7.
To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit;
as, he
addressed
a letter
.
8.
To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.
9.
(Com.)
To consign or intrust to the care of another, as agent or factor;
as, the ship was
addressed
to a merchant in Baltimore
.

Ad-dress′

(ăd-drĕs′)
,
Verb.
I.
1.
To prepare one's self.
[Obs.]
“Let us address to tend on Hector's heels.”
Shak.
2.
To direct speech.
[Obs.]
Young Turnus to the beauteous maid
addrest
.
Dryden.
☞ The intransitive uses come from the dropping out of the reflexive pronoun.

Ad-dress

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
adresse
. See
Address
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
Act of preparing one's self.
[Obs.]
Jer Taylor.
2.
Act of addressing one's self to a person; verbal application.
3.
A formal communication, either written or spoken; a discourse; a speech; a formal application to any one; a petition; a formal statement on some subject or special occasion;
as, an
address
of thanks, an
address
to the voters
.
4.
Direction or superscription of a letter, or the name, title, and place of residence of the person addressed.
5.
Manner of speaking to another; delivery;
as, a man of pleasing or insinuating
address
.
6.
Attention in the way one's addresses to a lady.
Addison.
7.
Skill; skillful management; dexterity; adroitness.
Syn. – Speech; discourse; harangue; oration; petition; lecture; readiness; ingenuity; tact; adroitness.

Webster 1828 Edition

Address

ADDRESS'

,
Verb.
T.
[This is supposed to be from L. dirigo.]
1.
To prepare; to make suitable dispositions for.
Turnus addressed his men to single fight.
2.
To direct words or discourse; to apply to by words; as, to address a discourse to an assembly; to address the judges.
3.
To direct in writing; as a letter; or to direct and transmit; as he addressed a letter to the speaker. Sometimes it is used with the reciprocal pronoun, as, he addressed himself to the speaker, instead of, he addressed his discourse. The phrase is faulty; but less so than the following. To such I would address with this most affectionate petition.
Young Turnus to the beauteous maid aldrest.
The latter is admissible in poetry, as an elliptical phrase.
4.
To present an address, as a letter of thanks or congratulation, a petition, or a testimony of respect; as, the legislature addressed the president.
5.
To court or make suit as a lover.
6.
In commerce, to consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor; as, the ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore.

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