0

Here is a line from Sir Walter Scott's journal:

We expect a raid of folks to visit us this morning, whom we must have dined before our misfortunes. Save time, wine, and money, these misfortunes—and so far are convenient things.

I'm not sure of the whole meaning of the first sentence. Did he mean "have dined with" instead of just "have dined"? Surely cannibalism is out of the question?

I guess Sir Walter Scott is expressing a certain impatience with these folks, and wishing that he was ill so as to avoid dining with them. And in that case would "whom we will have to dine with before our misfortunes" be more clear?

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4

Used transitively as here, it means, in the OED’s definition:

To furnish or provide (a person) with a dinner; to entertain at dinner; to accommodate for dining purposes.

This use is very old. The OED’s earliest citation is from 1399.

Improve this answer
5
  • 2
    +1 We still speak of 'wining and dining' guests.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 10:51
  • 1
    We do indeed, and the classicial scholar Maurice Bowra claimed that he was a man more dined against than dining.
    – Barrie England
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 11:01
  • 1
    Day Lewis said that Bowra was like strychnine, best taken in small doses.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 11:08
  • But rather funnier.
    – Barrie England
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 11:12
  • @StoneyB If we happen to be Alanis Morrisette, we may even speak of ‘wining, dining, sixty-nining’ someone (but not hearing a damn words they say).
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Commented Oct 25, 2015 at 4:09
2

"whom we must have dined"

Who we must have invited for dinner or entertained, before misfortune struck us.

He is further saying that, misfortune is a blessing in disguise as it is saving him money, time and wine, as because of the 'excuse' of misfortune he is no longer obligated to entertain these people.

Improve this answer
3
  • The "dinner party" had been postponed because of misfortunes thus "we expect... this morning" clearly infers that guests are arriving that same day.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 10:22
  • 3
    @Mari-LouA This is April of 1826, shortly after Scott's publishing house collapsed and he himself was financially ruined. I don't think the dinner is postponed; rather, because his 'misfortunes' are widely known his guests will no longer expect him to offer them dinner.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 10:50
  • 1
    The meaning is right, but that ‘to’ in the beginning of the quote is nonsensical—you dine someone, you do not dine to them.
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 10:50

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .