a. and sb. [a. F. sociable (= Sp. sociable, It. -abile, Pg. -avel), or ad. L. sociābilis, f. sociāre to unite, associate: see -ABLE.]
A. adj. 1. Naturally inclined or disposed to be in company with others of the same species.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 56. Euery societie or companiyng together is delitfull,… for asmuche as Nature hath ordeined vs to be sociable, frendly, and louyng together.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 459. It is a very sociable creature, for they do live together in herds above a thousand in a flock.
1672. Temple, Ess. Govt., Wks. 1720, I. 99. What it is that makes some Creatures sociable, and others live and range more alone, or in smaller Companies.
1707. Sir W. Hope, New Method Fencing, 5. Man being a sociable Creature designed not only for himself, but for … the Community wherein he lives.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 9, ¶ 1. Man is said to be a Sociable Animal.
b. In names of birds (see quots. and cf. SOCIAL 6 c).
1801. Latham, Syn., Suppl. II. 192. Sociable Grosbeak.—Size of a bulfinch;… general colour … rufous brown.
1829. Griffith, trans. Cuvier, VI. 163. The Sociable Vulture, or Oricou.
1864–5. J. G. Wood, Homes without Hands, xxii. (1868), 416. Sociable Weaver Bird is a native of Southern Africa.
1875. Encycl. Brit., III. 772. The Sociable Grosbeak of South Africa.
c. 1880. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., III. 257. The Sociable Vulture (Otogyps auricularis).
1908. Zoologist, April, 122. The Sociable Plovers and other rare birds which showed themselves in Kent.
2. Inclined to seek and enjoy the company of others; disposed to be friendly or affable in company; willing to converse in a pleasant manner.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 5. This is he that accuseth me of not being sociable, him self so sociable as you se.
1602. F. Hering, Anat., 9. The true Phisition is sociable, and readie to communicate.
1656. Duchess Newcastle, True Relation, in Life (1886), 287. I durst neither look up with my eyes, nor speak, nor be any way sociable.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 91. He e’en … turn’d a sociable Sot, like the rest of his Brethren.
1771. Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 54. We had a sociable company in the cabin.
1824. Syd. Smith, America, Wks. 1859, II. 47/1. The great inconvenience of American inns … is one which more sociable travellers must feel less acutely.
1893. Kath. L. Bates, Eng. Relig. Drama, 223. Pity, Contemplation, and Perseverance, sociable old worthies.
transf. and fig. 1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 181. Nicanor … made a vaine attempt to bring the Euxin and this Sea into one, to make it sociable and navigable.
a. 1716. South, Serm. (1744), XI. 8–9. This sociable evil [sc. the body], this treacherous companion, is the enticer and betrayer to all sin.
1852. Hawthorne, Wonder-Bk. (1868), 142. That sociablest of flowers, the little Houstonia.
b. Const. to a person or thing. rare.
1610. Shaks., Temp., V. 63. Mine eyes ev’n sociable to the shew of thine Fall fellowly drops.
1751. Earl Orrery, Remarks Swift (1752), 3. He was sociable only to particular friends, and to them only at particular hours.
3. Characterized by, pertaining to, contact, intercourse, or companionship with others, esp. in a friendly or pleasant manner.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 8. These ar ther sociable and fellouli delings.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 404. The ciuil and sociable nature, in which God hath created them.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., I. 6. Sweet and calme and sociable manners and conversation.
1661. A. Brome, Songs & Poems, 86. A sociable life and free.
1695. Kennett, Par. Antiq., ix. 56. This was a sociable practise of that age.
1781. Cowper, Lett. to J. Hill, 9 Dec. Comfortably situated by a good fire, and just entering on a sociable conversation.
1841. Elphinstone, Hist. Ind., II. 99. He had often similar moments of enjoyment, thanks to his sociable habits.
1898. F. Whitmore, in Atlantic Monthly, April, 506/1. The harvesting of potatoes was a sociable toil.
† b. Sociable coach: (cf. SOCIABLE sb. 2 a). Obs.
1673. Wycherley, Gentl. Dancing-Master, V. 94. I will have no little, dirty, second-hand Charriot new forbish’d, but a large, sociable, well painted Coach.
1772. Town & Country Mag., 17. In high spirits Maria stepped into Mrs. Benwell’s sociable coach.
† c. Of or pertaining to society; social. Obs.
1680. C. Nesse, Church Hist., 39. Peter explains his two sociable duties, Fear God, Honour the King.
1705. Atterbury, Serm. (1726), I. x. 351. Pressing Men to exercise those Graces which adorn the Sociable State.
† 4. a. Capable of being combined or joined together. Obs.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol. (1676), I. 74. Another Law there is, which toucheth them as they are sociable parts united into one body.
1674. Grew, Anat. Pl., Disc. Mixture (1682), 231. To render all Bodies Sociable or Mingleable.
1679. Newton, in Rigaud, Corr. Sci. Men, II. 413. There is a certain secret principle in nature, by which liquors are sociable to some things and unsociable to others.
† b. Capable of being made a companion for others. Obs.
1608. Breton, Divine Consid., Wks. (Grosart), II. 22/1. God … made him like vnto himselfe…, amiable in his sight, sociable for his Angells, and coheire with his blessed Sonne.
B. sb. † 1. A social being. Obs.–1
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife, etc. (1638), 103. One that Nature made a sociable,… and a crazed disposition hath altered.
2. a. An open, four-wheeled carriage having two seats facing each other and a box-seat for the driver. (Cf. SOCIABLE a. 3 b.)
1794. W. Felton, Anc. & Mod. Carriages (1801), II. 87. A Sociable is a phaeton with a double or treble body, and is so called from the number of persons it is meant to carry at one time.
1825–9. Mrs. Sherwood, Lady of Manor, III. 122. The sociable and the travelling-carriage were driven up to the door.
1878. Rep. Carriages Paris Exhib. (ed. C. Saunderson, 1879), 8. This shape is becoming very fashionable in Paris, not only in Broughams, but also in Landaus, Victorias, and Sociables.
b. A tricycle having two seats side by side.
1882. J. Browning, in Knowledge, No. 19. 398/1. Great improvements have been made recently in double tricycles, or, as they are generally called, Sociables.
1888. J. Pennell, in Pall Mall Gaz., 2 Feb., 5/1. For years … we ploughed along on sociables with a young lady at our side.
c. ‘A kind of couch with a curved S-shaped back, for two persons who sit partially facing each other’ (Knight, Dict. Mech., 1875).
3. U.S. An informal evening party; esp. a social church meeting. (Cf. SOCIAL sb. 2.)
1826. Longf., Life (1891), I. vi. 74. I … went with them to a little sociable in the evening, where we had dancing.
1888. T. W. Higginson, Women & Men, 31. She manages the book club and the church sociable.
1895. Sarah M. H. Gardner, Quaker Idyls, vi. 129. Some of their friends had proposed to have a series of ‘sociables.’
Hence Sociablist, one who rides a double tricycle.
1883. Cyclists Tour. Club Gaz., Sept., 343/1. Two sociablists pedalling independently.
