CONGE, noun [Latin]

1. Leave; farewell; parting ceremony.

2. The act of respect performed at the parting of friends. Hence, the customary act of civility, on other occasions; a bow or a courtesy.

The captain salutes you with conge profound.

CONGE, verb intransitive To take leave with the customary civilities; to bow or courtesy. The preterite congeed is tolerable in English; but congeing will not be admitted, and congeeing is an anomaly.

CONGE delire, in ecclesiastical affairs, the kings license or permission to a dean and chapter, to choose a bishop; or to an abbey or priory of his own foundation, to choose their abbot or prior. The king of Great Britain, as sovereign patron, had formerly the appointment of all ecclesiastical dignities; investing by crosier and ring, and afterwards by letters patent. But now the king, on demand, sends, his conge delire to the dean and chapter, with a letter missive, containing the name of the person he would have them elect, and if they delay the election twelve days, the nomination devolves on the king, who may appoint by letters patent.

CONGE, noun In architecture, a mold in form of a quarter round, or a cavetto, which serves to separate two members from one another; such as that which joins the shaft of the column to the cincture, called also apophyge. Also, a ring or ferrule, formerly used on the extremities of columns to keep them from splitting; afterwards imitated in stone-work.