Also soul-full. [f. SOUL sb. + -FUL 1.]
1. Full of soul or feeling; of a highly emotional, spiritual, or æsthetic nature or character, or marked by this.
Common in recent use and frequently having the sense of ‘affectedly or unduly æsthetic or emotional.’
1863. Gilchrist, Blake, xxii. Very striking and soulful is the general effect [of an engraving].
1882. Lucy C. Lillie, Prudence, 48. Who can be soulful and an athlete?
1882. B. Harte, Flip, iii. The poetic, soulful side of his mission was delicately indicated by a pale blue necktie.
1897. Naturalist, 84. For all who live by it will be manful, soulful, honest, and without fear.
transf. 1869. W. Cory, Lett. & Jrnls. (1897), 263. This bit of the earth’s expression, this soul-full bit of the earth, the quiet bay.
2. Expressive or indicative of deep feeling or emotion.
1868. Tuckerman, Collector, 312. The soulful glow of expression in the inspired countenance of the Apollo.
1869. Mrs. Whitney, We Girls, xix. Mother and Madam Pennington looked at each other with soulful eyes.
1878. The Choir, 16 Nov., 730. One of those soulful tunes which cannot fail to engage attention.
Hence Soulfully adv., Soulfulness.
1880. W. S. Gilbert, Patience, I. 11. I am soulfully intense.
1882. Advance (Chicago), 20 April, 249. She … carried the audience by her dignity, earnestness and soulfulness.
1893. Nation, 9 Feb. LVI. 110/2. Languages vary, as do individuals, in genius or soulfulness.
