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Revised 2009

informationnoun

Contents

Quotations

  1. I.
    The imparting of knowledge in general.
      1. I.1.a.
        a1387–
        The shaping of the mind or character; communication of instructive knowledge; education, training; †advice (obsolete). Now rare.
        1. a1387
          Fyve bookes com doun from heven for informacioun of mankynde.
          J. Trevisa, translation of R. Higden, Polychronicon (St. John's Cambridge MS.) (1876) vol. VI. 33
        2. 1901
          The community ought to see to it that both free election and the pedagogical information of the teachers were furthered.
          H. Münsterberg, American Traits iii. 44
        education
      2. I.1.b.
        c1405–1760
        † As a count noun: a teaching; an instruction; a piece of advice. Obsolete.
        1. c1405 (c1390)
          Whanne Melibee hadde herd the grete skiles and resons of dame Prudence, & hire wise informacions and techynges.
          G. Chaucer, Melibeus (Hengwrt MS.) (2003) §900
        2. 1760
          A most kind and loving information given by the God of love to his new-born offspring.
          W. Law, Spirit of Prayer i. 12
        education
      3. I.1.c.
        c1450–
        Chiefly Christian Church. Divine influence or direction; inspiration, esp. through the Holy Spirit.
        1. c1450 (?a1422)
          Crist was..First a prophete by holy informacion.
          J. Lydgate, Life of Our Lady (Durham MS.) iv. l. 310 (Middle English Dictionary)
        2. 2000
          A 10th-century carved ivory book cover depicts Pope Gregory the Great receiving information from the Holy Spirit.
          TDR (Cambr., Massachusetts) (Nexis) 22 June
        Christianity
      4. I.1.d.
        1712–93
        † Capacity of informing; instructiveness. Obsolete. rare.
        1. 1712
          A Number of Circumstances of equal Consequence and Information.
          J. Henley in Spectator No. 518. ⁋7
        2. 1793
          A work..of very considerable information upon the constitutional history of that kingdom.
          J. Wilde, Address Soc. Friends of People 126
      1. I.2.a.
        1390–
        Knowledge communicated concerning some particular fact, subject, or event; that of which one is apprised or told; intelligence, news.
        1. 1390
          Robert..through his wrang informatioune has gert skaith the said abbot.
          in J. Slater, Early Scots Texts (Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Edinb.) (1952) No. 18
        2. 2003
          Ray's old self would have been elated to get any shreds and pieces of information that linked Ichokela with SWAPO in Namibia.
          N. Rush, Mortals xxxv. 658
      2. I.2.b.
        a1527–
        As a count noun: a fact or circumstance of which a person is told; a piece of news or intelligence; (in early use) an account or narrative (of something). Now rare.
        1. a1527
          An information of the parts of the world, discouered by him.
          R. Thorne in R. Hakluyt, Divers Voyages (1582) sig. B3v
        2. 1959
          Scientific prediction, in contrast with prophecy, is based on laws and on specific reliable informations regarding the present (or past) state of affairs.
          M. Bunge, Metasci. Queries ii. 52
      3. I.2.c.
        1925–
        As a mathematically defined quantity divorced from any concept of news or meaning (see quots. 1925, 1928, 19481, 19482); spec. one which represents the degree of choice exercised in the selection or formation of one particular symbol, message, etc., out of a number of possible ones, and which is defined logarithmically in terms of the statistical probabilities of occurrence of the symbol or the elements of the message.
        The latter sense (introduced by Shannon, quot. 19482, though foreshadowed earlier) is that used in information theory, where information is usually regarded as synonymous with entropy (entropy n. 3b).
        1. 1925
          What we have spoken of as the intrinsic accuracy of an error curve may equally be conceived as the amount of information in a single observation belonging to such a distribution.
          R. A. Fisher in Proceedings Cambridge Philos. Society vol. 22 709
        2. 1928
          What we have done then is to take as our practical measure of information the logarithm of the number of possible symbol sequences.
          R. V. L. Hartley in Bell System Technical Journal vol. 7 540
        3. 1948
          A reasonable measure of the amount of information associated with the curve f1(x) is: ∞−∞(log2f1(x))f1(x) dx. The quantity we here define as amount of information is the negative of the quantity usually defined as entropy in similar situations. The definition..is not the one given by R. A. Fisher for statistical problems, although it is a statistical definition.
          N. Wiener, Cybernetics iii. 76
        4. 1948
          We shall call H = − Σpi log pi the entropy of the set of probabilities p1…, pn… The quantity H has a number of interesting properties which further substantiate it as a reasonable measure of choice or information.
          C. E. Shannon in Bell System Technical Journal July 394
        5. 2007
          This is a part of the brain responsible for filtering out some of the 400 billion bits of information we receive each second.
          Yoga Magazine October 10/2
        statistics
      4. I.2.d.
        1937–
        Separated from, or without the implication of, reference to a person informed: that which inheres in one of two or more alternative sequences, arrangements, etc., that produce different responses in something, and which is capable of being stored in, transmitted by, and communicated to inanimate things.
        Information in this sense may at the same time be, or be regarded as, information in sense I.2c.
        1. 1937
          The whole difficulty resides in the amount of definition in the [television] picture, or, as the engineers put it, the amount of information to be transmitted in a given time.
          Discovery November 329/1
        2. 2002
          This flawed metaphor leads to the equally flawed conclusion that the genome explains the complexity of an organism in terms of the amount of information in its DNA code.
          T. Pratchett et al., Science of Discworld II xviii. 185
      5. I.2.e.
        1970–
        Contrasted with data: that which is obtained by the processing of data.
        1. 1970
          Data is sometimes contrasted with information, which is said to result from the processing of data.
          A. Chandor et al., Dictionary of Computers 99
        2. 2007
          A common distinction within this domain is that data is raw numbers and facts, information is processed data.
          Information & Management vol. 44 600/1
      1. I.3.a.
        a1393–
        The action or fact of imparting the knowledge of a fact or occurrence; communication of news; notification. Now chiefly with modifying word, possessive, or of-phrase.
        1. a1393
          This nyht for enformacion Ye schul have an avision.
          J. Gower, Confessio Amantis (Fairfax MS.) vi. l. 1927
        2. 2001
          For your information, the following list indicates the major religious observances in the Fall Term.
          S. Kane, Virtual Freedom xv. 169
      2. I.3.b.
        1910–
        Originally and chiefly U.S. A telephone service which provides information such as telephone numbers, the time, etc., often free of charge. Cf. information operator n.
        1. 1910
          One side of a conversation which sounds like this. ‘Information.’ ‘Eight-thirty.’
          Sunday Review (Decatur, Illinois) 11 December 9/1
        2. 2007
          He then called Information and was connected to the front desk at the Mark Twain [Hotel].
          M. Connelly in New York Times Magazine 21 January 30/1
        telephonyU.S. English
  2. II.
    The imparting of incriminating knowledge.
    1. II.4.
      1387–1660
      † The action of imparting accusatory or incriminatory intelligence against a person; an instance of this, a charge, an accusation. Obsolete.
      Now only as implied in senses II.5 and II.6.
      1. 1387–8
        Thanne were such proclamacions made..bi suggestion & informacion of suche that wolde nought her falsnesse had be knowen to owre lige Lorde.
        Petition London Mercers in Rotuli Parliamentorum (1767–77) vol. III. 225/2 (Middle English Dictionary)
      2. 1660
        Ordered, That Mr. Attorney General do cause effectual proceedings to be forthwith had, by way of indictment or information, against John Milton, in respect of the two books by him written.
        Commons Journal in J. Milton, Orig. Papers (1859) 57
      law
    2. II.5.
      Law.
      1. II.5.a.
        1467–
        English Law. Originally: a complaint or charge presented to a court or magistrate in order to institute (routine) criminal proceedings without formal indictment (now historical). Later: a statement in which a magistrate is informed that a named person has committed a stated offence and a summons or warrant is requested. to lay an information: to present such a charge or statement (as a common informer: see informer n. 2), in order to establish a claim to a penalty payment.
        The original object of this procedure was to dispense with the previous finding of a grand jury. For a detailed account of the original procedure and the various courts in which it applied, see Tomlin's Law Dict. (1835) at cited word.
        Also used in many Commonwealth countries and other countries formerly under British colonial rule. U.S. Law: an accusation or criminal charge brought before a judge by a district attorney without a grand jury indictment.
        1. 1467–8
          That..every such infourmer..be admitted to sue for the kyng and hym self actions..uppon the same, by enformation to be yeven or made in eny of the seid courtes.
          Rolls of Parliament: Edward IV (Electronic edition) Parl. June 1467 §41. m. 39
        2. 1997
          Any Environmental Health Officer laying an information would be well advised to record the date and time that the information was handed to the office.
          T. Moran, Legal Competence in Environm. Health ix. 259
        English lawhistorical
      2. II.5.b.
        1624–
        English Law. A complaint presented by the Crown in respect of a civil claim, in the form of a statement of the facts by the Attorney General, either ex officio or on the report of a private individual. See quot. 1900. Now historical.
        English information: a proceeding instituting an equity suit by the Crown; originally in the court of Exchequer, later in the Queen's Bench Division.
        1. 1624
          An Act to admit the Subject to plead the General Issue in Informations of Intrusion brought on the Kings behalf, and to retain his possession till Trial.
          Act 21 James I c. 14 (title)
        2. 1900
          Civil informations are or have been laid: †(a) in Chancery, on behalf of the crown or government, or of those of whom the crown has custody..(obs.); (b) in the Exchequer, under the equitable jurisdiction of the court (called English information from its resemblance to a complaint in equity formerly called an English bill); now transferred to the Queen's Bench Division; (c) at Common Law, for Intrusion or trespass on crown lands; Purpresture or encroachment on crown or public lands; in personam, for money due to the crown; in rem, for goods, derelicts, etc. belonging to the crown, and for default in payment of excise duties.
          New English Dictionary at Information sb. 5b
        3. 2000
          Latin Informations and English Informations were abolished by the Crown Proceedings Act 1947.
          R. Smith, Dictionary Law 140
        English lawhistorical
      3. II.5.c.
        1681–
        Scots Law. †(a) In court actions: a written argument ordered either by a Lord Ordinary in the Court of Session when reporting a case to the Inner House, or by the Court of Justiciary when difficult questions of law or relevancy arise (obsolete); (b) (in criminal cases) a formal written accusation or statement of a charge, upon which a person may be committed to trial (cf. sense II.5a) (now rare).
        1. 1681
          Either Party give their Informations to the Lords containing the deduction and favour of the Cause.
          J. Dalrymple, Modus Litigandi 18
        2. 1904
          In the case of commitment for trial, three things, as a rule, are essential:—1. A signed information which need not be formal.
          A. M. Anderson, Criminal Law of Scotland (ed. 2) 240
        Scottish law
      4. II.5.d.
        1690–
        information quo warranto (also information in the nature of quo warranto and variants). The step by which proceedings are begun to challenge an alleged right to hold an office or to exercise a power.
        In English law, superseding the royal writ of quo warranto: see quo warranto n.
        1. 1690
          Such respective City, Town, Burg or Cinque-port, whereof, or wherein he was a Member, at, or before the time of making such Surrender,..or prosecuting such Scire facias, Quo Warranto, or Information in nature of Quo Warranto.
          R. L'Estrange, Queries conc. Election Members Ensuing Parliament 6
        2. 2001
          The Rules of the High Court of Australia and of the Supreme Court of Western Australia preserve informations in the nature of quo warranto.
          E. Campbell & H. P. Lee, Australian Judiciary iv. 90
        law
    3. II.6.
      1568–
      Used to denote a proceeding similar to that of sense II.5 in other systems of judicature, esp. that of ancient Rome.
      1. 1568
        Whensoeuer any denunciation (as they terme it) or rather information is geuen against any person..the Inquisitors accustomably vse this kind of practise.
        V. Skinner, translation of R. González de Montes, Discouery Inquisition of Spayne f. 1
      2. 1992
        While we know that the Roman system of criminal prosecution was a private process, with individual citizens laying informations, how far was this true of street crime?
        O. F. Robinson, Ancient Rome xii. 195
      law
  3. III.
    The giving of form.
    1. III.7.
      1630–
      The giving of form (form n. I.4a) or essential character to something; the action of imbuing with a particular quality; animation (esp. of the body by the soul). Also: an instance of this. Cf. inform v. III.8. Now rare.
      1. 1630
        The soule or spirit doth giue information, or operation to the whole body, and euery part thereof.
        J. Sharpe, Triall Protestant Priuate Spirit x. 373
      2. 2002
        To ask about how I am made, and so to ponder the information of the soul by that which lies beyond its grasp.
        S. F. Parsons, Cambridge Companion Feminist Theology ii. xii. 217

Phrases

  1. P.1.
    1993–
    more information than (a person) needs (also wants) (to know) (and variants): used to express (humorous) disgust or disapproval in response to a disclosure of an excessively personal or graphic nature.
    1. 1993
      She was..regaling 323 strangers in the audience with the difference between C-section and normal delivery. The bemused Hall turned to the camera and confided, ‘That's more information than I needed.’
      Daily Variety 14 May a4/1
    2. 2015
      ‘He's got a serious case of the squirts!’ ‘Whoa, whoa! That's more information than I need, but thanks for the visual.’
      S. Nobel, Forbidden Entry vi. 83
  2. P.2.
    1996–
    colloquial. too much information: used to express (humorous) disgust or disapproval in response to a disclosure of an excessively personal or graphic nature; frequently with capital initials; cf. TMI n.
    1. 1996
      Too Much Information!..‘I am a vegetarian, so I use Spam only as a form of contraception,’ former Monty Python lunatic Eric Idle said recently.
      Winnipeg Free Press 22 September b9/5 (heading)
    2. 2015
      I left something for you. A photo... With a note on the back... It's gone... Probably for the best. Too Much Information, as you lot say.
      J. Nelson, I'll give you Sun (U.K. edition) 231
    colloquial and slang