Test Act
Preserved but no longer current.
An Act of Parliament directed against Roman Catholics and Nonconformists, especi- ally that of 1673, which decreed that all holders of public offices must take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, receive the Church of England sacrament, renounce the doctrine of Transubstantiation, etc. It was repealed in 1828.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Test Act” mean?
An Act of Parliament directed against Roman Catholics and Nonconformists, especi- ally that of 1673, which decreed that all holders of public offices must take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, receive the Church of England sacrament, renounce the doctrine of Transubstantiation, etc. It was repealed in 1828.
Is “Test Act” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.