† suffisantadj.
Obsolete.
1. = sufficient adj. 1 (with various const.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective]
enoughOE
enowOE
goodOE
suffisanta1340
skilfula1350
sufficientc1380
duea1398
aboundable?1440
competentc1440
suffiand1456
sufficient1539
answerable1551
honourable1590
sufficinga1616
well1673
undeficient1854
a1340 R. Rolle Psalter cxxvi. 2 Bot if oure lord be kepere of oure saulis, all oure besynes is noght suffyssaunt.
c1380 Eng. Wycliffite Serm. in Sel. Wks. I. 85 Cristis reule were fulli suffisant to alle men.
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 153 Me thenketh that this evidence As to this point is sufficant.
c1400 ( G. Chaucer Treat. Astrolabe (Cambr. Dd.3.53) (1872) Prol. 3 Ther folwith a canon, suffisant to teche..the maner of the wyrkyng of þat same conclusioun.
c1400 Rom. Rose 5608 Mete and drynke and esy foode..And also suffisaunt clothyng.
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Miller's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 365 Looke þt they..han ther Inne vitaille suffisaunt But for a day.
1450 in Hist. MSS Comm.: Rep. MSS Var. Coll. (1907) IV. 85 in Parl. Papers (Cd. 3218) LXIV. 1 There vitailes ben not suffisant to serue them for iij wekes.
?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 1300 Halfe a hate lafe and soule he fande, Þat to a male was suffischande.
?1473 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Recuyell Hist. Troye (1894) I. lf. 67 Whan they fonde hem in nombre suffisant for to entre in to bataylle.
a1500 Craft of Deyng (Cambr. Kk.1.5) in R. Girvan Ratis Raving & Other Early Scots Poems (1939) 168 Þocht..he had neuir ben schrewyne befor..sa at thare-of he mycht haf suffissand contriscione, he war sauf.
?1577 F. T. Debate Pride & Lowlines sig. Gvi These for our life we holden suffisaunt.
2. Of things (chiefly immaterial): Satisfactory in quality or efficacy; effective.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > efficacy > [adjective]
frameeOE
goodeOE
mightyOE
vailanta1325
sicker1338
mightful1340
suffisant1340
virtuousa1387
effectivea1398
effectuala1398
worthya1398
availingc1420
effectuous?a1425
operant?a1425
substantialc1449
virtual?a1475
substantious1483
available1502
efficacious1528
energial1528
working1532
operatory1551
operatoriousa1555
stately1567
feckful1568
efficace?1572
shifty1585
operative1590
instrumental1601
efficable1607
speeding1612
effectuating1615
officious1618
availsome1619
prevailable1624
valid1651
perficient1659
affectuous1664
implemental1676
virtual1760
efficient1787
sufficient1831
slick1833
roadworthy1837
practician1863
positive1903
performant1977
1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 3874 If it [sc. a bishop's pardon] be noght swa suffishaunt Als þe papes es.
c1386 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 54 To seche and leere An answere suffisant [v.rr. sufficia(u)nt, sufficant] in this mateere.
1389 in J. T. Smith & L. T. Smith Eng. Gilds (1870) 8 Þat þey leye a suffisaunt wed, or elles fynde suffisaunt borwes of þe broþerhede.
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 81 Thei..token what thei myhten wynne Of such good as was sufficant.
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 250 The tokne was so sufficant That it ne mihte be forsake.
1455 Paston Lett. II. 365 As it apperith by writing suffisaunt.
3. Of persons: = sufficient adj. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > [adjective] > competent
goodc1275
sufficientc1385
suffisantc1385
capable1609
adequate1867
c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Phyllis. 2524 Ye be nat suffisaunt to bere the peyne.
c1386 G. Chaucer Pardoner's Tale 470 That ye mowe haue a suffisant Pardoneer Tassoille yow.
c1400 Pilgr. Sowle (1859) iv. xxix. 61 An vnwyse kyng..lesith his people; but by the wytte of a suffysaunt souerayne, the peple is saued.
c1412 T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum 362 Þe worþi prelacie, And vnder hem þe suffissant clergye.
1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes iii. viii. 184 In his place he wyl leue for hym a suffysaunt man.
a1492 W. Caxton tr. Vitas Patrum (1495) i. Prol. f. i/1 We ben not couenable ne suffisaunt to telle & recompte soo grete thynges.
4. Of persons: = sufficient adj. 4.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > wealth > [adjective] > well-off
wellc1405
sufficient1436
full?1483
suffisant1484
beina1525
warmc1571
well-breeched1571
meaned1605
well-meaned1605
well-lined1611
substanced?1614
well-circumstanced1643
forehanded1658
uppish1678
easy1701
brownstone1780
forehand1784
solid1788
well-to-do1794
snug1801
strong farmer1802
well-fixed1822
unindigent1830
well off1842
fixed1844
comfortably offc1850
heeled1871
well-heeled1871
well in1888
independent1893
1484 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry Bk. Knight of Tower (1971) xii. 25 He sente certayne knyghtes and ladyes of the mooste suffisaunt of his royamme.
1491 Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889) 374 So that he fyn[d]e suffisaunt suertes therto.
5. = sufficient adj. 6.Chiefly after Latin sufficiens (sibi).
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > independence > [adjective] > self-sufficient
suffisanta1340
sufficient for (to) oneself1382
substantive1543
self-suffisant1589
self-sufficient1596
self-sustaining1598
self-contained1605
self-subsisting1608
self-supporting1632
self-dependent1642
self-full1642
self-subsistent1646
self-sufficing1647
self-relying1648
self-depending1669
independent1670
self-sustained1675
unbenefitable1688
self-sufficed1709
self-supported1736
self-containing1826
self-reliant1834
autarkic1883
a1340 R. Rolle Psalter xxii. 1 Na thynge sall me want, þat is, in him i sall be sikere and suffisaunt.
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (1868) iii. pr. iii. 70 Þanne may nat rycchesse maken þat a man nis nedy ne þat he be suffisaunt to hym self.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Prov. xii. 9 Betere is a pore man, and suffisaunt to hymself, than a glorious, and nedi bred.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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