sperateadj.
? Obsolete.
1. Of debts: Having some likelihood of being recovered; not desperate.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > [adjective] > affording hope
sperate1551
sperable1565
society > trade and finance > management of money > insolvency > indebtedness > [adjective] > types of debt
sperate1551
repayable1582
unrepayable1587
amortizable1845
secured1875
subordinated1922
1551 Will of Richard Studlaye (P.R.O.: PROB. 11/34) f. 75v Sperate debtes.
a1625 W. Cope Apol. R. Cecil in J. Gutch Collectanea Curiosa (1781) I. 122 Which [debts] were good, which were bad, which sperate, which desperate, no man knew.
1697 in New Jersey Archives (1901) 1st Ser. XXIII. 83 A negro maid servant and debts sperate and desperate.
1710 in Ecton St. Q. Anne's Bounty (1721) 108 We have therefore spent much Time..in distinguishing between the sperate and desperate Debts of the Clergy.
1798 B. Washington Rep. Court of Appeals Virginia 1 169 Outstanding debts, distinguishing such as are sperate from such as are supposed to be desperate.
2. In general use: Giving or leaving room for hope; of a promising nature.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > promise, ground of hope > [adjective]
fairc1325
likely1548
sperable1565
hoped1581
propitious1581
promising1594
hopeful1599
auspiciousa1616
flattering1633
promissory1732
sperate1808
likely-looking1827
favourable1828
promiseful1855
1808 Ld. Ellenborough in 10 Rev. Rep. (1893) 718 If you think there is anything sperate in it, I will save the point.
1824 Cowen's Rep. (N.Y. State Supreme Crt.) 106 Every vessel has a point of time at which it passes from a Sperate to a desperate state, or arrives at a situation of unseaworthiness.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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adj.1551