Citations:reformist


 * noun


 * 1820 July 31st, The Times, № 10,999, page 2/5:
 * The document we allude to is an official note from the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh to the Spanish Ambassador at that Court, declaratory of his Imperial Majesty’s sentiments on the subject of the Spanish revolution. This paper was published by the Government of Naples just two days before the completion of the revolution there, for the manifest purpose of overawing the reformists, and putting down the effort to relieve their country from oppression.


 * adjective


 * 1849: Edgar Allan Poe, "Marginalia" Part XVI in Southern Literary Messenger, July 1849:
 * The modern reformist Philosophy which annihilates the individual by way of aiding the mass; and the late reformist Legislation, which prohibits pleasure with the view of advancing happiness, seem to be chips of that old block of a French feudal law which, to prevent young partridges from being disturbed, imposed penalites upon hoeing and weeding.

OED entry
reformist One who advocates reform in the Church; a Reformer. (Common in 17th c.) An advocate or supporter of political reform. (Common 1792 to 1830.)
 * 1589, G. Harvey, Pierce's Super 11 Addit. F f, The forward Zeale of dowtie Martin Seniour, &hellip; and some other bragge Reformistes.
 * 1608, H. Clapham, Errour Left Hand 36 He differs much from the most of our Reformistes heere at home.
 * 1693, J. Edwards, Author, O. &amp; N. Test. 310 Among the reformists you will see this more plainly attested.
 * 1791, Mme. D'Arblay, Diary 3 Aug., The winton inhabitants &hellip; ran up a slight wall before it [the altar], and deceived the Reformists.
 * 1826, W. E. Andrews, Crit. Rev. Fox's Bk. Mart. II. 312 Their judges were cold and calculating reformists.
 * 1850, Elder's House 97 So you see that all the Reformists have not given up the doctrine of confession.
 * 1590, Greenwood, Confer. Pref. A ij, Considering the reformist Preachers are now become the BB's trustie actors.
 * 1882, Macm. Mag. XLV 449 Mrs. Ashley &hellip; was put into the Tower, apparently on suspicion of Reformist sympathies.
 * 1641, News from Hell, etc. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) IV. 393 The subtle practices of some parliamentary reformists.
 * 1792, Windham, Speeches Parl. (1812) I. App. C. 155 Yet these [the Jacobins] are the men whom our Reformists are known to correspond with.
 * 1817, Bentham, Parl. Reform Catcch. (1818) 104 By a radical reformist, the Householder plan could not be refused to any Electoral District.
 * 1830, Lady Granville, Lett. (1894) II. 62, I have been to see the Staffords, violent reformists.
 * 1893, Columbus (Ohio) Disp. 10 July. The general policy of the party has been enough to break the strength of the so-called Reformists.
 * attributive a 1849: Poe, Marginalia Wks. 1864 III. 523 The modern reformist Philosophy &hellip; and the late reformist Legislation.

A member of a reformed religious order.
 * 1611, Cotgr., Reformez, an Order of Franciscan Fryers.
 * 1707, Phillips (ed. Kersey), Reformists, Monks, whose Discipline, or Rules have been reformed.