a. Also 5–6 licencious. [ad. med.L. licentiōsus, f. licentia LICENCE: see -OUS. Cf. OF. licentieux (F. licencieux).] Characterized by licence or excessive assumption of liberty.
1. Disregarding commonly accepted rules, deviating freely from correctness, esp. in matters of grammar or literary style; overstepping customary limits.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. viii. (Arb.), 95. Our maker must not be too licentious in his concords.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lix. § 2. This licentious and deluding arte, which changeth the meaning of words.
1667. Denham, Direct. Paint., IV. xiii. 4. Poets and Painters are Licentious Youths.
1680. Roscommon, Horace’s Art Poet., 82. The Tyber (whose licentious Waves, So often overflow’d the neighbouring Fields), Now runs a smooth and inoffensive course.
a. 1701. Sedley, Venus & Ad., Wks. 1722, II. 315. If, Alas! thy too licentious Mind Is still to vig’rous Sylvan Sports inclined.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 86, ¶ 12. The rest are more or less licentious with respect to the accent.
1785. T. Balguy, Disc., 174. It is hard to say whether there be greater inconvenience in too literal or too licentious an interpretation of Scripture.
1837–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., I. I. i. § 34. 30. Verse … somewhat licentious in number of syllables.
1850. Gladstone, Glean., V. cxliv. 256. To speak of a treaty as subsisting between the State … and the Church … appears a licentious use of terms.
1891. Westcott & Hort, Gk. N. T., Introd. § 186. Licentious as distinguished from inaccurate transcription.
2. Unrestrained by law, decorum or morality; lawless, lax, immoral. Now rare on account of the prevalence of the specific use 3.
1535. Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 19. Vpon trust of sainctuaries and the licencious liberties that heretofore haue ben … vsed in the same.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 272. What should I speak of the licentious liberty that divers princes have usurped.
1607. Shaks., Timon, V. iv. 4. You haue … fill’d the time With all Licentious measure, making your willes The scope of Iustice.
1683. Brit. Spec., 61. Rights and Priviledges, which licentious people make their pretence of contesting with their Soveraigns.
1687. T. Brown, Saints in Uproar, Wks. 1730, I. 79. There’s no stopping your licentious tongue.
1715. Pope, Iliad, II. 261. But chief he gloried with licentious style, To lash the great.
1733. Neal, Hist. Purit., II. 161. The licentious printing of Popish books.
1737. Chesterf., Sp. on Licensing Bill, in Hansard, Parl. Hist. (1812), X. 338. The only place where they [Courtiers] can meet with any just reproof is a free though not a licentious stage.
1767. T. Hutchinson, Hist. Mass., II. ii. 147. The licentious practice … of making depredations upon foreign nations.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxvii. (1875), 441/1. A loud and licentious murmur was echoed through the camps and garrisons of the west.
1803. Med. & Phys. Jrnl., IX. 472. Why should we … suffer ourselves to be led astray by the premature illusions of a licentious fancy?
1809. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1830), IV. 127. The lying and licentious character of our newspapers.
1859. J. Cumming, Ruth, x. 160. It leaves not one peg for the Antinomian to hang his licentious crotchets upon.
absol. 1595. Daniel, Civ. Wars, V. lxxvi. In the Licentious yet it bred Despite.
3. Disregarding the restraints of chastity; libertine, lascivions, lewd. In modern usage the prevailing sense.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 53. Dissolute lyuynge, licentious talke, & such other vicious behauours.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. i. 133. How deerely would it touch thee to the quicke, Shouldst thou but heare I were licencious?
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., XII. lxxv. 313. The pompious Prelacie of Rome, and lives lycentious thear.
1682. Burnet, Rights Princes, v. 177. This licentious Prince was, by reason of those scandals of his Life, less able or willing to grapple with the Ecclesiastical Power.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V., VII. Wks. 1813, III. 54. Whose licentious morals all good men detested.
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, I. iv. Seeking occasion for a licentious gallantry among the cowering citizens.
1840. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xvi. A spectre at their licentious feasts.
1864. D. G. Mitchell, Sev. Stor., 226. He indulged freely in the licentious intrigues of Venice.
absol. 1837. Ht. Martineau, Soc. Amer., III. 148. The pleasures of the licentious are chiefly supplied from that class.
† 4. quasi-adv. With licence or liberty; freely.
c. 1425. Found. St. Bartholomew’s, 31. More licencyous we may passe yn-to othir.
