His"to*ry , v. t. To narrate or record. [Obs.]
Shak.
His"to*ry (?), n.;
pl. Histories (#). [L.
historia, Gr. 'istori`a history, information, inquiry, fr. 'istwr, "istwr, knowing, learned, from the root
of &?; to know; akin to
E. wit. See Wit, and cf. Story.]
1. A learning or knowing by inquiry; the knowledge of facts and events, so obtained; hence, a formal statement of such information; a narrative; a description; a written record; as, the history of a patient's case; the history of a legislative bill.
2. A systematic, written account of events, particularly of those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art, and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of their causes; a true story, as distinguished from a romance; -- distinguished also from annals, which relate simply the facts and events of each year, in
strict chronological order;
from biography, which is the
record of an individual's life; and from memoir, which is history composed from personal experience, observation, and memory.
Histories are as perfect as the historian is wise, and is gifted with an eye and a soul.
Carlyle. For aught that I
could ever read,
Could ever hear by
tale or history.
Shak.
What histories of toil could
I declare!
Pope. History piece, a representation in painting, drawing, etc., of any real event, including the actors and the action. -- Natural history, a description and classification of objects
in nature, as minerals, plants, animals, etc., and the phenomena which they exhibit to the senses.
Syn.
-- Chronicle; annals; relation; narration. --
History, Chronicle, Annals. History is a methodical record of important events which concern a community of men, usually so arranged as to show the connection of causes and effects, to give an analysis of motive and action etc. A chronicle is a record of such events, conforming to the order of
time as its
distinctive feature.
Annals are a chronicle divided up into separate years. By poetic license annals is sometimes used for history.
Justly Cæsar scorns the poet's lays;
It is to history he trusts for praise.
Pope. No more yet of this;
For 't
is a chronicle of day by day,
Not a relation for a breakfast.
Shak. Many glorious examples in the annals of our religion.
Rogers.
Hear it pronounced