Middle English Dictionary Entry
superflū̆ǒus adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | superflū̆ǒus adj. Also superfluouse, superfluus. |
| Etymology | From L superfluus & ME -ǒus suf. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Exceeding what is necessary or normal, redundant; ?also, useless, vain [last quot.]; (b) immoderate, excessive; (c) math. ~ ..nombre, a number the sum of whose aliquot parts is greater than the number itself.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1450 Arderne LW (Em 69)125 : Yt fylle so to hyme after that out of the yerd ranne moche superfluous blood often & wolde not lyghtly cese.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)207 : Bochace thought it labour veyne Thies nobyll virgyns to put in his storye Amonge the Gentyls, for it were..But superfluous and no prayse worthy.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)627 : Pallas..First toosyde the woll from all superfluous thynge, Kempt it after and to the rokk didd it brynge.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.459 : We trawe that thynge to be necessary whiche is not superfluous [Trev.: i-now and nouȝt to meche; L non..superfluum]..We ȝiffe not attendaunce to superfluous [L supervacuis] meytes, wherefore we be not seke.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)70/19 : A lytel trauaill yn ridynge, yn goynge, or som-þinge doynge..kyndels hete of þe stomake..superfluous humours to melte.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)113/27 : Þan shul ende all veyn fantasies, wicked conturbacions, and superfluous cures.
b
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)239 : Mesure yowrsylf euer; be ware of excesse; Þe superfluouse gyse I wyll þat ȝe refuse; When nature ys suffysyde, anon þat ȝe sese.
- a1500 Chartier Dial.F.&F.(Sion Arc.L.40.2/E.43)15/3 : We bere broken ores yf we dyssolue temperaunce wyth superfluouse eese and delycacyes.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)327a/b : Som euene nombre is superfluus [L superflui], and som diminutus. Superfluus is þe nombre þat haþ parties þat makeþ a gretter nombre þan it silf, as it fareþ of þe nombre of twelue [Seymour: þat hath fyue parties. Þe twelfth] partye is oon, sixte is tweyne, þe fourþe is thre, þe þridde foure, and haluendele is sixe; & oon and tweyne, þre, foure, and sixe makeþ sixtene þat passeþ by foure.