candidating
- 1Present participle and gerund of candidate.
She is candidating at three congregations before deciding where to settle.
The pastor has been candidating across the state for several weeks.
Note
Behind this form stands an uncommon verb, used mostly of standing for a religious office. In that use it takes no object: a pastor is candidating at a church, not candidating anything. A rarer, nonstandard transitive use, naming something as a candidate, also exists. An obsolete figurative verb meaning "to whitewash" once shared the spelling. When the -ing word names the activity as a whole, it overlaps with the noun for trial preaching.
- 2The act of taking on the role of a candidate, especially a clergyman preaching at a church with a view to being settled there as its pastor.
Like auditioning for a role, where the trial performance decides whether you get the part.
The committee invited three pastors for candidating before choosing a new minister.
His candidating impressed the deacons, who recommended an immediate call.
Note
An American word, colloquial in register, built simply from candidate plus -ing. It names the whole trial period in which a minister preaches before a congregation that may then call him to stay. Treat it as uncountable: a pastor is in the middle of candidating, never on "a candidating." Because it is colloquial, it suits church conversation better than formal writing.
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Origin
Formed from "candidate" with the suffix "-ing".