History
History , noun
[Latin historia, Greek 'istori`a history, information, inquiry, from 'istwr, "istwr, knowing, learned, from the root of {not transcribed} to know; akin to English wit. See Wit, and compare 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.
For aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history.
What histories of toil could I declare!
Justly Casar scorns the poet's lays;
It is to history he trusts for praise.
No more yet of this;
For 't is a chronicle of day by day,
Not a relation for a breakfast.
Many glorious examples in the annals of our religion.
Collocations (2)
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.
History , transitive verb
To narrate or record. [Obsolete] — Shakespeare