a. and sb. [a. Fr. absurde, ad. L. absurd-us inharmonious, tasteless, foolish, f. ab off, here intensive + surdus deaf, inaudible, insufferable to the ear.]
A. adj.
† 1. Mus. Inharmonious, jarring, out-of-tune. Obs. rare.
1617. Janua Ling., 773. A harpe maketh not an absurd sound.
2. Out of harmony with reason or propriety; incongruous, unreasonable, illogical. In modern use, esp. plainly opposed to reason, and hence, ridiculous, silly.
a. Of things.
1557. Recorde, Whetst., Bb iij b. 8–12 is an Absurde nomber. For it betokeneth lesse then nought by 4.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. ii. 103. Fye, ’tis a fault to Heauen, A fault against the Dead, a fault to Nature, To reason most absurd.
1671. J. Webster, Metallogr., i. 5. That they had no other skill but onely to embalm, were absurd to imagine.
1781. Cowper, Hope, 65. ’Tis grave philosophy’s absurdest dream, That heaven’s intentions are not what they seem.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 249. That such reverence may be carried to an absurd extreme is true.
1878. Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., 36. It would be quite absurd if a dozen travellers in one party were to light a dozen separate fires, and cook a dozen separate meals.
b. Of persons.
1597. Bacon, Ess., Negociating (1862), 196. Use also, such Persons, as affect the Businesse, wherin they are Employed … Froward and Absurd Men for Businesse that doth not well beare out it Selfe.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Rebel., I. III. 178. The next day after that Argument, Sir Arthur Haslerig, an absurd, bold man … preferr’d a Bill in the House of Commons.
1765. Harris, Three Treat., III. I. 161. Is not Education capable of … making us greatly Wise or greatly Absurd.
1874. Black, Pr. Thule, 16. ‘My dear fellow,’ said Ingram at last, ‘don’t be absurd.’
† B. sb. An unreasonable thing, act, or statement. Obs., now ABSURDITY.
1610. Histrio-mastix, II. 264. Our heavenly poesie, That sacred off-spring from the braine of Jove, Thus to be mangled with prophane absurds.
1635. Heywood, Hierarch., V. 292. Of which Absurds, I’le make no more narration.
