Obs. Forms: 4 sobretee, 4–5 -te, sober-, sobirte (5 sobirtee) [a. OF. sobreté, soberté: see SOBER a. and -TY.] Sobriety.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 5972. Þou … madest hym drunk,… And he solde hys þyng to þe More þan he wulde yn soberte.
1340. Ayenb., 248. Sobrete is a traw wel precious.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 217. Þanne had pacience … Sobrete, and symple speche and sothfaste byleue.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. cxx. (1869), 62. Sobirtee it hatteth in this cuntre, and also ouer see.
1483. Caxton, Cato, b vj b. Thus sobrete chaseth the deuyl fro the man.
