a., adv. and sb. Also (5 extraordynary, 6 -ordinair), 6–7 -ordinarie. [ad. L. extraordināri-us, f. phrase extrā ordin-em outside (the usual) order: see EXTRA- pref. and ORDER, ORDINARY. Cf. F. extraordinaire.] A. adj.
1. Out of the usual or regular course or order; often in expressed opposition to ordinary. † Also, acting in an unusual manner; partial. Extraordinary tithe: (see quot. 1888).
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 39. The Kyngs yerly expencs stondyn in chargs Ordynarye, and in chargs Extraordynary.
1553. Gardiner, True Obedience, 43 a–b. Do we not se … the chief iudge, when he is required to bee present in extraordinary iudgements.
1592. Babington, Genesis xxxvii. (1596), 271. If God be extraordinarie to Moses, euen Aaron … will be offended.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 728. Thus much may suffice for the ordinary and extraordinary generation of Toads.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. ix. 84. His Sermons are of an ordinary length except on an extraordinary occasion.
1745. De Foe’s Eng. Tradesman (1841), I. vii. 49. Let him … take some extraordinary measures to get in his debts.
1888. J. Williams, in Encycl. Brit., XXIII. 412/1. They [tithes] are … divided … into ordinary and extraordinary,—the latter being a tithe at a heavier rate charged on hop and market gardens.
† b. Not according to rule, ‘out of order.’ Obs.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VIII. (1843), I. 519/1. If they proceeded in a martial, or any other extraordinary way, without any form of law.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. lvii. 587. The Order of Calling and making of Ministers now used in the Church of England, is extraordinary.
† c. Mus. = ACCIDENTAL a. 5. Obs.
1597. T. Morley, Introd. Mus., 157. They will set one ♭, at the beginning of the verses of euerie part, and if there happen anie extraordinarie flat or sharpe they will set the signe before it.
1731. G. Keller, Rules for Playing Thorow-Bass, in W. Holder, Harmony, 192. If the extream Sharp, or an extraordinary sharp Note requires a natural Flat 6th. you [etc.].
d. Optics. Extraordinary refraction: that not following the general law. Extraordinary ray: one influenced by extraordinary refraction. Extraordinary wave: (see quot.).
1830. Sir J. Herschel, Stud. Nat. Phil., I. ii. (1831), 31. The other ray, on the contrary, (which is therefore said to have undergone extraordinary refraction) does quit the plane.
1872–3. Tyndall, Light, iii. (1885), 111. The other [beam] does not obey this law…. It is, therefore, called the extraordinary ray.
1883. Glazebrook, Phys. Optics, xi. 291. An extraordinary wave, [consists] of light which is plane polarised in a plane at right angles to the principal plane.
2. Of officials, persons employed, etc.: Outside of or additional to the regular staff; not belonging to the ‘ordinary’ or fully recognized class of such persons; supernumerary. Often with the notion of being specially employed for a temporary purpose. Now chiefly in official titles, where the sb. usually precedes.
Envoy extraordinary: formerly a minister sent on some special diplomatic business; now, merely the designation of the second class of diplomatic ministers, ranking next to the ‘ambassadors’; the term no longer practically implying a temporary or special mission. The physicians (or surgeons, etc.) extraordinary, in royal households, rank below those styled ‘in ordinary’; similarly an extraordinary professor (L. professor extraordinarius) in a German university is inferior in status to the ‘ordinary’ professor.
1585. J. Higgins, trans. Junius’ Nomenclator, 484/2. Milites aduentitij…. Souldiers of another country that come to serue for paye; extraordinarie souldiers.
1653. Milton, Hirelings (1659), 79.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., VI. v. 203. Upon the first Audience of the Russian Extraordinary Embassadour, at which he made his Emperour’s Presents.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 472, ¶ 9. Her Majesty’s Oculist Extraordinary.
1720. Swift, Mod. Educ., Wks. 1755, II. II. 33. His brother Horace is ambassador extraordinary to France.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. xxiii. III. 351. Another species of extraordinary juries, is the jury to try an attaint.
1890. Dict. Nat. Biog., XXIII. 334/1. He [Sir W. W. Gull] was created a baronet in January 1872, and physician extraordinary to the queen, and in 1887 physician in ordinary.
3. Of a kind not usually met with; exceptional; unusual; singular. Now with emotional sense, expressing astonishment, strong admiration or the contrary.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, I. ii. (1590), 8. The house it selfe was built of faire and strong stone, not affecting so much any extraordinarie kinde of finenes, as an honorable representing of a firme statelines.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. i. 41. These signes haue markt me extraordinarie.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 40. During the Night season here we saw a perfect Rainbow, which was extraordinary.
1703. Dampier, Voy., III. 81. Our English count the Green Turtle very extraordinary Food.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Sat. Antients, Wks. 1730, I. 14. Those extraordinary Men, who have gone before us to be our guides.
1794. S. Williams, Vermont, 126. Several instances … equally extraordinary.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? I. v. She is an extraordinary child.
1875. Hamerton, Intell. Life, II. i. 49. The extraordinary power of representation … of Meissonier.
4. Exceeding what is usual in amount, degree, extent or size. Now with emotional sense as in 3.
1572. Lament. Lady Scot., in Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 251. Zour drinking extraordinair Make oft zour wyfis and bairns euill to fair.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., Ded. ¶ b. Their extraordinary skill in making of obligations.
1634. Brereton, Trav. (1844), 8. No charge in housekeeping extraordinary, nor no entertainment extraordinary.
1656. Bramhall, Replic., i. 6. The extraordinary influence of divine Grace.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 7. We took in a very extraordinary store of provisions.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, iv. 111. An extraordinary nose always carries with it extraordinary greatness.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xi. 84. The sun met us here with extraordinary power.
† 5. Additional to, over and above what is usual; = EXTRA. Often following the sb.; in which case the adj. cannot always be distinguished from the adv. Obs.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr. (1653), 182. To lay out a five shillings or a noble extraordinary in every Acre.
1658. Whole Duty Man, x. § 20. 85. He must … support him, yea, though it be by his own extraordinary labour.
1664. Pepys, Diary (1879), III. 22. I am in good hopes to get two or £300 per annum extraordinary.
c. 1710. Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 110. You pay a penny Extra-ordinary for being brought from tunbridge town.
1767. A. Young, Farmer’s Lett., 67. They may hire a labourer extraordinary.
1777. J. Howard, Prisons Eng. (1780), 99. They have an extraordinary allowance of near a penny a day.
1802–16. Mrs. Sherwood, Susan Gray, 54. Spending a few extraordinary shillings.
1812. Examiner, 30 Aug., 546/2. By the help of a glass extraordinary after dinner.
† B. adv. a. = EXTRAORDINARILY in various senses. b. = EXTRA adv.; cf. A. 5. Obs.
a. 1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 72. Which Countrey … being extraordinarie hilly.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. xiv. 102. Sometimes ordinary scholars make extraordinary good Masters.
1652. Cotterell, Cassandra, V. (1667), 773. Who … rose extraordinary early.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. liii. 538. This Noble Earl had Mary Queen of Scots in Custody. Which … was extraordinary expensive to him.
1778. Hist. Eliza Warwick, I. 241. My jewels were extraordinary fine.
b. 1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 376. The Master turning his key in any of the Servants locks but once extraordinary, the Servants themselves cannot come at their charge.
C. sb.
1. Something extraordinary; an extraordinary quality or bearing; an extraordinary action, incident, etc. † a. sing. (obs.)
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. xx. (Arb.), 58. Princes, whose high estates do require in their countenance, speech and expence, a certaine extraordinary.
1654. Jer. Taylor, Real Pres., xi. ¶ 8. 205. That … every day … the same thing should be done, and yet … be called a miracle, that is, a daily extraordinary.
1753. Richardson, Grandison, VI. l. 304. That made it [her behaviour] look like an extraordinary in her own account.
b. pl. Now rare.
1650. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep. (ed. 2), I. vi. 17. The greater part [of their adages] will … be esteemed no extraordinaries.
1739. J. Trapp, Righteous Overmuch, 9. To be righteous over-much is to place much Religion … in Extraordinaries, in new Inventions, and striking out into Bye-paths.
1809. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., IV. 530. Send two squadrons of hussars to Cevolla, and desire them to report all extraordinaries to you.
1844. R. Wardlaw, Lect. Proverbs (1869), II. 13. His little stock of common-places, and of such extraordinaries as he has chanced to pick up and remember.
1844. Regul. & Ord. Army, 299. The blank lines are left for any extraordinaries that may occur.
c. pl. Extraordinary receipts or payments. The pl. of the sb. occurs where we should expect the adj. simply. Obs. exc. arch.
1599. Life Sir T. More, in Wordsw., Eccl. Biog. (1853), II. 121. His ordinarie alms … amounted yearlie to one thousand pounds; his extraordinaries were as much.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 367. His ordinary Revenues are thus collected…. What his extraordinaries may amount unto, cannot be knowne.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XIX. viii. Not only the king’s ordinary revenues, but the extraordinaries.
2. = EXTRA sb. † a. An extra dish, a delicacy; an extra fee or expense. Chiefly pl. Obs.
1660. Blount, Boscobel, I. (1680), 49. As an Extraordinary … Penderel’s wife made … a Posset.
1664. Pepys, Diary, 30 Sept. A few extraordinaries for the house.
1664. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 408. A salary of £1200 a year … besides Extraordinaries.
1732. Acc. Workhouses, 47. All tradesmen’s bills, and extraordinaries paid by the overseers.
1776. Wesley, Lett., 12 Aug. Desire none of those extraordinaries.
b. Mil. (see quot. 1853).
a. 1797. H. Walpole, Mem. Geo. II. (1847), III. vi. 156. Munchausen … presented an ample bill of extraordinaries for forage, &c.
1816. Gentl. Mag., LXXXVI. I. 257. This estimate was … exclusive of the extraordinaries.
1853. Stocqueler, Mil. Encycl., Extraordinaries (of the army), the allowances to troops beyond the gross pay in the pay-office. Extraordinaries comprehend the expenses for barracks, marches, encampments, staff, &c.
† 3. a. An extraordinary envoy. b. A supernumerary official. Obs.
1616. N. Brent, trans. Sarpi’s Counc. Trent (1676), 585. Whensoever any extraordinaries came to Trent, or departed, the Prelates took occasion to talk.
1622. Donne, To Sir T. Lucy, 16 Aug. Lett. (1651), 188–9. There arrived an Extraordinary from Spain … & he brings the title of Count, to Rodrigo de Calderon.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 139. Besides not a few extraordinaries and such as have no pay or quarter, as they Terme it, attending upon the King and His Officers.
