Also 6, 7 aphet. STRAVAGANT. [In the special use A. 2, B. 1, directly ad. med.L. extrāvagant-em, pr. pple. of extrāvagārī (or extrā vagārī): see EXTRAVAGATE. The wider use came late in 16th c. from Fr. extravagant, which appears first in 14th c. The form STRAVAGANT, from It., is somewhat earlier in our quots. Cf. It. estravagante, stravagante (15th c.), Sp. estravagante.]
A. adj.
† 1. That wanders out of bounds; straying, roaming, vagrant. Obs. exc. after Shaks.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. i. 154. At his [the Cocke’s] warning … Th’extrauagant, and erring Spirit, hyes To his Confine. Ibid. (1604), Oth., I. i. 137. An extrauagant, and wheeling Stranger, Of here, and euery where.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 93. Now dispersed into ample lakes, and againe recollecting his extrauagant waters.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Hist., Wks. (Bohn), I. 12. Rare, extravagant spirits come by us at intervals.
† b. Mil. Of an officer: Keeping no fixed place; having a roving function. Obs.
1622. Markham, Bk. War, II. viii. 69. He [the Serieant] hath in the body of the company, no Raunge at all, but is extrauagant and going vp and downe to ouersee all Raunges.
1672. T. Venn, Mil. & Mar. Discip., v. 13. The two other Corporals to be extravagant, that is to view and see each Souldier keep his place.
2. Canon Law. The distinctive epithet of certain papal constitutions.
[The L. adj. seems originally to have been applied casually to denote ‘stray’ decrees not codified or collected in the decretals. They were afterwards added to the decretals, but retained their customary designation, to distinguish them from the older portions of the collection.]
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VIII. 285. A constitucioun þat is not i-putte in þe course of lawes is i-cleped a constitucioun extravagant.
1608. T. Morton, Preamb. Incounter, 109. And for this he citeth the Constitution extrauagant of Pope Bonifacius.
1885. Catholic Dict., s.v., Each title being devoted to one or more ‘extravagant’ Constitutions.
† 3. Spreading or projecting beyond bounds; straggling. Obs.
1605. B. Jonson, Masque of Blacknesse, Wks. (1616), 894. They [the Masquers] were all seene, but in an extrauagant order.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, III. iv. 323. The prominency of this extravagant Tower, hindred the uniformity of the walls.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 204. Cutting the too thick and extravagant Roots a little.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 109. Trimming up such as you spare for Standards, as you go from their extravagant Branches, Water-boughs, &c. that hinder the growth of others.
† 4. Widely divergent or discrepant (from, to); remote from, irrelevant or foreign to a purpose or subject. Obs.
1601. Bp. Barlow, Def. Prot. Relig., 115. A position extrauagant from all learning.
1605. Verstegan, Dec. Intell., x. (1628), 337. Other languages, such as vnto ours are altogether strange and extrauagant.
1650. S. Clarke, Eccl. Hist., I. (1654), 108. He never brake forth into reproaches extravagant from the cause.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 166. They were indeed the more knowing men, but their learning was extravagant to their Office.
1660. Hickeringill, Jamaica (1661), 55. Whose Character … I deem not much extravagant here to insert.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., VI. iii. 199–200. Wondring to find our Customs so extravagant and differing from those of his Country.
† 5. Varying widely from what is usual or proper; unusual, abnormal, strange; unbecoming, unsuitable. Obs.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, V. viii. 157–8. Persons … treacherously slain, which occasioned their hasty tumultuary, and extravagant interment.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., II. vii. 109. The Reasons of all those extravagant Phænomena, which we observed in the first Experiment of Torricellius.
a. 1668. Davenant, Masque, Wks. (1673), 383. In an extravagant posture stood a Tyger.
1689. Luttrell, Brief. Rel. (1857), I. 586. Some … officers, are taken into custody for drinking extravagant healths, and speaking reflectingly of his majestie.
1689. Burnet, Tracts, I. 11–2. Lausanne is situated on three Hills.… This extravagant situation of the Town was occasioned by a Legend of some miracles.
1701. trans. Le Clerc’s Prim. Fathers, 56. A Garment which is not commonly seen, seems Extravagant, though it was Fashionable in former Times.
6. ‘Roving beyond just limits or prescribed methods’ (J.); exceeding the bounds of reason or propriety; excessive, irregular, fantastically absurd. Now with stronger sense: Astonishingly or flagrantly excessive or extreme.
a. of persons. Now rare exc. with agent-noun or Const. in.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., Induct. Shall I be so extrauagant to thinke, That [etc.].
1633. Durie, in Presbyt. Rev. (1887), 305. Those yt were so extrauagant as to maintaine it unlawfull [etc.].
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., I. iii. § 1. For them to have been so extravagant in their accounts of themselves.
1704. Hearne, Duct. Hist. (1714), I. 211. He [Zedekiah] had little or no regard either for Honour, or for Virtue; and his Companions were altogether as impious and extravagant as himself.
1815. W. H. Ireland, Scribbleomania, 73, note. The extravagant panegyrist of various living characters.
1840. Macaulay, Ranke, Ess. 1854, II. 556/1. He [the enthusiast] may be vulgar, ignorant, visionary, extravagant.
b. of dispositions, passions, actions, opinions, conditions, demands, etc.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., IV. ii. 68. This is a gift that I haue: simple, a foolish extrauagant spirit, full of formes, figures, shapes [etc.].
1676. D’Urfey, Mad. Fickle, III. i. Your Father’s in an extravagant rage.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 160, ¶ 3. There appears something nobly wild and extravagant in great natural Genius’s.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V., V. IV. 372. It was impossible … that the emperor would listen to these extravagant demands.
1809. Med. Jrnl., XXI. 123. A mind poisoned by extravagant opinions.
1821. Craig, Lect. Drawing, iv. 204. The extravagant praise bestowed by some ancient writers on the best pictures of the Greeks.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 164. Both had what seemed extravagant whimsies about dress, diversions, and postures.
1868. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., I. 300. It is not extravagant to suppose … that they had secret instructions.
7. Exceeding the bounds of economy or necessity in expenditure, mode of living, etc.; profuse, prodigal, wasteful. a. Of persons. (Const. of.)
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 243, ¶ 8. An extravagant Man … has nothing else to recommend him but a false Generosity.
1739. R. Bull, trans. Dedekindus’ Grobianus, 55. What need we prove extravagant of Time.
1814. Jane Austen, Mansf. Park (1851), 16. His eldest son was careless and extravagant.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, i. 6. The rich were extravagant, for life had ceased to have practical interest, except for its material pleasures.
b. Of expense, interest, price, etc.: Exorbitant.
1707. Freind, Peterborow’s Cond. Sp., 165. His Lordship gave an extravagant interest of 20 per cent.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 99. The price he made here, was to us indeed extravagant, though to them moderate.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., iv. 106. An extravagant price to pay for the encouragement of sacred learning.
B. sb.
1. Canon Law. An ‘extravagant’ constitution: see A. 2.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W.), IV. viii. 189. Those yt cut … ye body of ony deed persone … ben acursed … by the extrauagant of Bonyface.
a. 1612. Donne, Βιαθανατος (1644), 85. The Canon law, to which the Canonist will stand … are the Decretall letters, and all the extravagants.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 82. Gratian’s decree, Gregory’s decretals, the sixth decretal, the Clementine constitutions, and the extravagants of John and his successors, form the … body of the Roman canon law.
1882. Stubbs, Hist. Lect. (1886), 306. The Extravagants as they were called, that is the authoritative sentences of the Popes which were not yet codified.
† 2. One who strays or wanders from a place; a vagrant, wanderer. Obs.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., I. (1877–9), 172. May you as rogues, extrauagantes, and straglers from the Heauenlye Country, be arrested of … Christ Iesus.
1615. T. Adams, White Devill, 27. I speake to you setled Citizens, not extrauagants.
1630–50. Bradford, Plymouth Plantation, II. (1856), 187. Ordinarie officers are bound cheefly to their flocks … and are not to be extravagants.
fig. 1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 97. [They] are censurable for extravagants from their Commission.
† 3. One who does not keep within ordinary or reasonable limits; an exceptional or eccentric person; a fanatic. Obs.
1627. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess. (1629), 242. Haters of God, wee read more than once in Scripture; perhaps conceiting it the stile of some extrauagants in nature.
1676. Glanvill, Ess., iv. § 4. 20. The Extravagants among us may be really distracted in the Affairs of Religion, though their Brains are untouch’d in other Matters.
1678. Trans. Crt. Spain, II. 147. Whereby it may be seen what the rage of these extravagants was against the Vice-Roy.
1768. Richardson, Clarissa VII. ii. 60. The dear Extravagant takes a delight in oddnesses.
† b. One who exceeds the bounds of moderation in expenditure, expensive living, etc.; a wasteful person, a spendthrift. Obs.
1745. Dodsley, Poems, Pain & Patience, vi. The wild extravagant, whose thoughtless hand, With lavish tasteless pride, commits expence.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., I. i. Charles … that extravagant, that bankrupt in fortune and reputation.
a. 1797. Walpole, Mem. Geo. III. (1859), II. 39. A new club which by the excess of play should draw all the young extravagants thither.
1825. C. M. Westmacott, Engl. Spy, I. 42. A good humoured sporting extravagant.
† 4. An extravagant act, statement, etc.; = EXTRAVAGANCY 3. Obs.
1644. Laud, Wks. (1854), IV. 55. He fell foul upon me again … as that I was the author of all the extravagants in the Government.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 107. Figments of mens brain, monsters of nature, devious extravagants, adventitious fancies, &c.
1700. T. Brown, trans. Fresny’s Amusem. Ser. & Com., 148. Examine well this serious Extravagant. The Fool’s Bawble he makes such a pother with, is his Probity.
† b. (See quots.). Obs.
[Boorde’s use may be transf. from 1.]
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, II. Pref. And bycause that I dyd omyt and leaue out many thynges in the fyrste boke…. In this boke named the Extrauagantes I haue supplied those matters.
1634. J. B[ate], Myst. Nat. & Art, iv. To Rdr. As there were divers experiments that I could not conveniently … dispose in … order…; I thought it would not bee amisse to call them by the names of Extravagants.
† c. (See quot.). Obs.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 129. Certaine Merchants contracts … are called Extrauagants, because the manner either of buying or selling of commodities … is rare and but vsed in some places.
