pamphlet

plural pamphlets

1. A small, brief printed work, consisting either of a folded sheet of paper, or several sheets bound together into a booklet with only a paper cover, formerly containing literary compositions, newsletters, and newspapers, but now chiefly informational matter.

   "Haven't you any kind of a history of the place? I think there was one written about 1840: a book or pamphlet about its first settlement," he presently said from the farther end of the room.

   1917, Edith Wharton, chapter I, in Summer […], New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC, page 18

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   His gayeſt flooriſhes are but Gaſcoignes Weedes, or Tarletons trickes, or Greenes crankes, or Marlowes bravadoes; his jeſts, but the dregges of common ſcurrilitie, or the ſhreds of the Theater, or the of-ſcouring of new pamflets: […]

   1593, Gabriell Haruey [i.e., Gabriel Harvey], Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. A Preparative to Certaine Larger Discourses, Intituled Nashes S. Fame, London: […] Iohn Wolfe, →OCLC; republished as John Payne Collier, editor, Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. […] (Miscellaneous Tracts. Temp. Eliz. & Jac. I; no. 8), [London]: [s.n.], [1870], →OCLC, page 66

   I happened, I know not how, to ſay that a pamphlet meant a proſe piece. [Samuel] Johnson. "No, Sir. A few ſheets of poetry unbound are a pamphlet, as much as a few ſheets of proſe." [Samuel] Musgrave. "A pamphlet may be underſtood to mean a poetical piece, in Weſtminſter-Hall, that is in formal language; but in common language it is underſtood to mean proſe." Johnson. (and here was one of the many inſtances of his knowing clearly and telling exactly how a thing is) "A pamphlet is underſtood in common language to mean proſe, only from this, that there is ſo much more proſe written than poetry; as when we ſay a book, proſe is underſtood for the ſame reaſon, though a book may as well be in poetry as in proſe. We underſtand what is moſt general, and we name what is leſs frequent."

   1791, James Boswell, “[1778]”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume II, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 243

   The brewing of beer from malt instead of sugar is strongly recommended, and a scale of rewards in grants of land, had been proposed; which however had not been adopted by the Colonial Council, and seems to be objected to by the Governor: but this interesting pamphlet requires to be read to appreciate its value.

   1832 June, “Agricultural and Horticultural Society”, in The Calcutta Magazine and Monthly Register, number XXX, Calcutta, West Bengal: Samuel Smith and Co. […], →OCLC, page 192, column 1

   The librarian should consider the value of the publication compared to its cost. How far will one resource stretch compared with another of the same price? For example, a pamphlet or booklet series is accessible to more people at one time than a bound volume.

   1980 fall, Gail M. Martin, “A Guide to Setting Up a Career Resource Information Center”, in Melvin C. Fountain, editor, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, volume 24, number 3, Washington, D.C.: Occupational Outlook Service, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 15, column 1

2. specificallySuch a work containing political material or discussing matters of controversy.

   So far is it from the kenne of theſe wretched projectors of ours that beſcraull their Pamflets every day with new formes of government for our Church.

   1642 (indicated as 1641), John Milton, “That Church-governement is Prescrib’d in the Gospell, and that to Say Otherwise is Unsound”, in The Reason of Church-governement Urg’d against Prelaty […], London: […] E[dward] G[riffin] for Iohn Rothwell, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 4

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   […] Miniſters are ſo wiſe to leave their Proceedings to be accounted for by Reaſoners at a Diſtance, who often mould them into Syſtems, that do not only go down very well in the Coffee-Houſe, but are Supplies for Pamphlets in the preſent Age, and may probably furniſh Materials for Memoirs and Hiſtories in the next.

   1714 (date written), [Jonathan Swift], Some Free Thoughts upon the Present State of Affairs. […], Dublin; London: […] T. Cooper, […], published 1741, →OCLC, page 3

3. obsoleteA brief handwritten work.

   And heere I cast vnto my purpoos / Out of Frenssh a tale to translate, / Which in a paunflet I radde & sauh but late.

   And here I cast unto my purpose / Out of French a tale to translate, / Which in a pamphlet I read and saw but late.

   [a. 1410?, John Lydgate, “The Churl and the Bird”, in Henry Noble MacCracken, editor, The Minor Poems of John Lydgate […] (Original Series; 192), part II (Secular Poems) (in Middle English), London: […] [F]or the Early English Text Society, by Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press […], published 1934, →OCLC, stanza 5, lines 33–35, page 469

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   Christ now to Thee I crye of mercy and of grace and graunt of Thy goodnes to every maner reder ful understandyng in this leude pamflet to have, and let no man wene other cause in this werke that is verily the soth.

   Christ, now to Thee I cry of mercy and of grace, and grant of Thy goodness to every manner [of?] reader full understanding in this lewed [unlearned] pamphlet to have, and let no man suppose other cause in this work that is verily the sooth [truth].

   [c. 1385, Thomas Usk, chapter IX, in R. Allen Shoaf, editor, The Testament of Love (Middle English Texts) (in Middle English), Kalamazoo, Mich.: […] [F]or TEAMS (The Consortium for the Teaching of the Middle Ages) in association with the University of Rochester by Medieval Institute Publications, Western Michigan University, published 1998, →ISBN, book III, page 302, lines 1088–1091

present singular third person pamphlets · participle present pamphleting · participle present pamphletting · participle past pamphleted · past pamphleted · participle past pamphletted · past pamphletted

1. transitiveTo distribute pamphlets (to someone or some place).

   We are pamphleted on the subject until we are weary.

   1886 June, “Touch and Technic. A Few Stray Thoughts.”, in Theodore Presser, editor, The Etude: A Monthly Publication for Teachers and Students of the Piano-forte, volume IV, number 6, Philadelphia, Pa.: Theodore Presser, →OCLC, page 133, column 1

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   Is not This a Seaſonable and Wholeſome Doctrine, d'ye think, to publiſh to the Multitude at this time of day, when they are Preacht and Pamphletted into Tinder already; And the Leaſt ſpark hazzards the Putting of 'em All in a flame?

   1682 July 15 (Gregorian calendar), Roger L’Estrange, The Observator, number 165, London: […] Joanna Brome […], →OCLC, page [2], column 1

   Being skilled pickpockets and socially invisible, they slip the propaganda into the pockets of the occupiers. They write letters as the ghosts of dead soldiers. They particularly like pamphletting the funerals of dead German soldiers, writing in the voice of the recently deceased.

   2015, Jessa Crispin, “Jersey Island/Claude Cahun”, in The Dead Ladies Project: Exiles, Expats & Ex-countries, Chicago, Ill.; London: University of Chicago Press, →ISBN, page 207

2. archaictransitiveTo write about (someone or something) in a pamphlet; to issue (some material) in the form of a pamphlet.

   I could wish that this article might be pamphletted, and a large edition struck.

   1839 April 6, L. C. B., “‘Review of the Denomination’”, in P. Price, editor, Universalist Union […], volume IV, number 22-I, New York, N.Y.: Universalist Union Press, […], →OCLC, page 349, column 1

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   How many Honourable, and Loyall Gentlemen; Nay the Flower of the Nobility, have been Pamphleted up and down the Nation like ſo many Shrewing-Cocks, for every Cur to lift up his Leg and Piſs againſt; as the Betrayers of the Liberties of the Nation, when, Effectually, they were next under God himſelf, the Preſervers of 'em: […]

   1683 October 27 (Gregorian calendar), Roger L’Estrange, The Observator, number 422, London: […] Joanna Brome […], →OCLC, page [2], column 1

   This Diſcourse being Pamphleted about, to Court, City and Country, open'd a door to the Reformation intended, and ſhut out all thoſe prejudices it might lie under from the State, and Religion of Fore-fathers, &c.

   1716, Myles Davies, “Of the Pamphlets Writ by and about the Learned Courtiers and Favourites in King Henry the 8th’s Court and Camp, that Deceas’d in His Reign, not Spoken of in the First Part”, in Athenæ Britannicæ: Or, A Critical History of the Oxford and Cambridge Writers and Writings, […], part II, London: […] [F]or the author, and sold by his appointment, […], →OCLC, page 42

   […] I never knew how much in earnest and in sincerity she was my friend till she heard of my infinite frettation upon occasion of being pamphleted; and then she took the trouble to write me a long scolding letter and Dr. [Samuel] Johnson himself came to talk to me about it, and to reason with me; […]

   1779 January, Madame d’Arblay [i.e., Frances Burney], “Miss F. Burney to Mr. Crisp”, in Charlotte Barrett, editor, Diary and Letters of Madame d’Arblay, new edition, volume I (1778 to 1784), London: Bickers and Son, […], published [1870s], →OCLC, page 103

   You are not exhibiting yourſelves here to become the heroes of a newſpaper; and the converſation that is about to take place between us, is not intended to be pamphleted into the world.

   1801 March 25, “History of Jack Smith”, in [J. B. Colvin], editor, The Baltimore Weekly Magazine, Baltimore, Md.: […] J. B. Colvin, at Pechin’s Printing-Office, […], →OCLC, chapter XXVII, page 238, column 2

   The story got abroad, and created great laughter throughout the whole country, and, as might be expected, the little Mayor of C., was ere long caricatured, pamphleted, and paragraphed into resigning, and it was only then that he was allowed to live in peace, and to forget his fatal visit to Valengay.

   1844 February 3, “The Late Prince Tallyrand”, in A. D. Paterson, editor, The Anglo American, a Journal of Literature, News, Politics, the Drama, Fine Arts, etc., volume 2, number 15, New York, N.Y.: E. L. Garvin & Co., […], →OCLC, page 340, column 1

3. intransitiveTo distribute pamphlets.

   Five Swarthmore students, including Wittman, were arrested and fined thirty-four dollars each for pamphleting in February.

   2007, Wesley C. Hogan, “SNCC Teaches SDS How to Act”, in Many Minds, One Heart: SNCC’s Dream for a New America, [U.S.A.]: ReadHowYouWant.com, published 2011, →ISBN, page 249

4. intransitiveobsoleterareTo write or produce pamphlets.

   The advent of legislation to protect wild birds owes a considerable debt to those pioneering individuals who pamphletted and lobbied tirelessly at the turn of the century, many of whom were motivated by welfare considerations rather than the conservation of species per se.

   1989, Stuart Housden, “Bird Conservation in Britain”, in L. A. Batten, C. J. Bibby, P. Clement, G. D. Elliott, R. F. Porter, editors, Red Data Birds in Britain, London: T[revor] & A[nna] D. Poyser, published 2010, →ISBN, page 317

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   […] Had you not beene ſo forvvard in the republiſhing of it, you ſhold haue had certayne Epiſtles to Orators and Poets, to inſert to the later end; As, namely, […] to the Ghoſt of Robert Greene, telling him, vvhat a coyle [tumult] there is vvith pamphleting on him after his death.

   1592, Thomas Nash[e], “A Priuate Epistle of the Author to the Printer”, in Pierce Penilesse His Supplication to the Deuill. […], London: […] [John Charlewood for] Richard Ihones, […], →OCLC

   Two ſorts of mad-men trouble the ſtationers ſhops in Paules Church-yard: they that out of a Meere and Idle vaine-glory will euer be Pamphleting (tho their bookes beeing printed are ſcarſe worth ſo much Browne paper), and this is a very poore, and fooliſh ambition: […]

   1609, Thomas Dekker, “Lanthorne and Candle-light. Or, The Bell-man’s Second Nights-walke. […] The Second Edition, […]: To the Verry Worthy Gentleman Maister Francis Mustian of Peckham”, in Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, editor, The Non-dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker. […] (The Huth Library), volume III, London; Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: […] [Hazell, Watson, & Viney] for private circulation only, published 1885, →OCLC, page 178