Forms: 4–5 sours, 5–6 surs, 5–7 sourse; 4– source (6 sowrce). [a. OF. sors, *surs, *sours masc., and surse, sourse, source (mod.F. source) fem., substantival uses of the pa. pple. of sourdre to rise or spring: see SOURD v.]
† 1. ‘A support or underprop’ (Gwilt). Obs.
1346. in J. T. Smith, Antiq. Westm. (1807), 209. [In the works of the said chapel for sources to the images under the tabernacles…. The columns placed … under the aforesaid sources.]
1359–60. Ely Sacr. Rolls, II. 194. In stipend. Roberti Burwelle facientis Garguyles et ymagines pro sources ad le blakrode.
† 2. a. Hawking. The act of rising on the wing, on the part of a hawk or other bird. Obs.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, 544. Me fleynge in a swappe he hente, And with hys sours a-yene vp went. Ibid. (c. 1386), Sompn. T., 230. Right as an hauk upon a sours Upspringeth into thaer, right so prayeres … Maken her sours to Goddis eeres tuo.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, V. v. 91. [Ganymede] Quham, with a surs, swiftlie Jovis squyer Caucht in his clukis, and bair up in the air.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 127. The Sparowhawkes do vse to kill the fowle at the Sowrce or Souse as the Goshawkes do.
1613. Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Polyolb., v. D.’s Wks. 1876, I. 145. But the Goshawk, taken at the source by the Falcon, soon fell down at the King’s foot.
† b. The rising of the sun. Obs.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 1978. In-to Sessoyne he soughte … And at the surs of the sonne disseuerez his knyghttez.
† c. An assault or attack. Obs.
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., IX. 179. He gallantlie receavinge bothe theire sourse, and theie as resolutelie quittinge force.
3. The fountain-head or origin of a river or stream; the spring or place from which a flow of water takes its beginning.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s Prol., 49. Wher as the Poo out of a welle smal Takith his firste springyng and his sours.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 21838. Ryht as a welle hath hys sours Vpward, with water quyk and cler.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Nov., 126. The flouds do gaspe, for dryed is theyr sourse.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXXI. iii. 408. The head or source therof ariseth at the foot of the utmost mountains of the Pelignians.
1673. Temple, Observ. United Prov., Wks. 1720, I. 7. He that would know the Nature of the Water,… must find out its Source, and observe with what Strength it rises.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 46. That River … takes its source about four days Journey from Mardin.
1738. Gray, Tasso, 51. Of many a flood they view’d the secret source.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1824), I. 86. All rivers have their source either in mountains or elevated lakes.
1808. Pike, Sources Mississ., III. App. 6. The river … may be about 1000 miles in length, from its sources to its discharges.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), I. 9. Near the sources of the South Tyne and the Tees.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 20. The streams and springs from which a river is popularly said to take its rise are in truth only its proximate sources.
transf. 1605. Shaks., Macb., II. iii. 104. The Spring, the Head, the Fountaine of your Blood Is stopt, the very Source of it is stopt.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., III. ix. The billow … That far to seaward finds his source.
attrib. 1881. Rep. Geol. Explor. New Zealand, 135. The middle part of the Buckler Burn, before breaking up into its source-branches.
1899. Athenæum, 28 Oct., 585/1. To control the source-region of the Nile.
b. With a and pl. A spring; a fountain.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 102 b. Hit semed that hit had ben a sourse or sprynge rennyng oute of his body.
1596. Drayton, Legends, iii. 451. Like those that strive to stop some swelling Sourse.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VI. 292. A source [printed scource] or standing Well. Ibid., VIII. 373. Their Bestiall are watered with sources.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Mandelslo’s Trav., 199. There is, among others, a source of hot-water which hath the taste of Tin, and issues out of a Cave.
1735. Somerville, Chase, II. 24. Where trickling Streams distil From some penurious Source.
1820. Byron, Juan, IV. lvi. Though sleeping like a lion near a source.
1855. Tennyson, The Letters, v. Like torrents from a mountain source.
1856. Merivale, Rom. Emp., xl. (1871), V. 19. In the time of Augustus seven aqueducts brought water from distant sources to Rome.
transf. 1589. Greene, Menaphon, Wks. (Grosart), VI. 43. Yet kissing the pretie infant, shee lightened out smiles from those cheekes that were furrowed with continual sources of teares.
c. In fig. contexts.
1581. T. Howell, Deuises (1879), 205. Whose strayned hart in sowrce of sorrowe swymmes.
1609. Drayton, Legend Cromwell, 21. This was to me that ouerflowing sourse, From whence his bounties plentifully spring.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 6. No man can shew me a source from whence these waters of bitterness … have more probably flowed.
1754. Gray, Pleasure, 54. Near the source whence Pleasure flows. Ibid. (1754), Progr. Poesy, 94. This can … ope the sacred source of sympathetic Tears.
1835. T. Mitchell, Acharn. of Aristoph., 479, note. The foundation of Megara was in itself a source of hostile feeling, which was never likely to be wholly dried up.
4. fig. The chief or prime cause of something of a non-material or abstract character; the quarter whence something of this kind originates.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 1591. O swerd of knighthod, sours of gentilesse!
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 46. Sche that is the Source and Welle Of wel or wo.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, III. 5469. Of knyȝthod grounde, of manhod sours & wel.
1613. Tapp, Pathw. Knowledge, 322. This Charracter √ signifieth the source, roote or beginning of any number or quantity whatsoeuer.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. i. § 4. This source of ideas, every man has wholly in himself.
1760–2. Goldsm., Cit. W., iv. Pride seems the source not only of their national vices, but of their national virtues also.
1770. Junius Lett., xxxix. (1788), 220. The free election of our representatives … is the source and security of every right and privilege.
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., viii. It is my duty … to leave no stone unturned by which this business may be traced to the source.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., ii. § 3. 77. Gases of an offensive odour, which are the source of annoyance to the neighbourhood.
1875. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, xii. 323. This intellectual perversion is the source of a systematic immorality.
b. With a, this, etc., or pl.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, I. ii. 147. All strength and livelyhood is from this sourse.
1718. Prior, Knowledge, 413. She is oblig’d and forced to see A First, a Source, a Life, a Deity.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., III. Wks. 1813, I. 197. The sixth article remained the only source of contest and difficulty.
1824. ‘R. Stuart,’ Hist. Steam Engine, 195. The many sources of consolation which were afforded, by the circumstances.
1848. Dickens, Dombey, vii. Something or somebody had superseded him as a source of interest.
1861. Buckle, Civiliz. (1873), II. viii. 559. One source of danger to which they had long been exposed was considerably lessened.
c. The origin, or original stock, of a person, family, etc.
1669. Dryden, Tyrannic Love, IV. i. And, thy full Term expir’d, without all Pain, Dissolve into thy Astral Source again.
1738. Gray, Propertius, iii. 58. [To] trace Back to its Source divine the Julian Race. Ibid. (1748), Alliance, 74. Conscious of the source from whence she springs.
1818. Byron, Juan, I. ix. He traced his source Through the most Gothic gentlemen of Spain.
d. The originating cause or substance of some material thing or physical agency.
1803. Med. Jrnl., IX. 257. He enquires into the source of the liquor amnii, and he explains … why this water is accumulated.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xii. (1842), 285. Some of the impure sources of potash and soda used in arts.
1862. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org. (ed. 2), ix. 639. It is largely used in lamps as a source of light.
e. A work, etc., supplying information or evidence (esp. of an original or primary character) as to some fact, event, or series of these.
1788. Robertson, Hist. Amer., Pref. The sources from which I have derived such intelligence.
1828. R. Burns, Dissert., in Wodrow’s Hist. Suff., I. p. ix. The testimony of historians…, and other published sources of evidence.
1848. Wornum, Lect. Painting, 114, note. This celebrated work is said, though not upon very authentic sources, to have been carried to Constantinople.
1882–3. Schaff, Encycl. Relig. Knowl., I. 501. The principal source to his life is Gregory of Tours.
attrib. 1900. Univ. Corresp., 10 Feb., 93/1. We are very deficient in accessible source-books on this side of the Atlantic.
5. Physics. A point or center from which a fluid or current flows.
1878. W. K. Clifford, Elem. Dynamic. Kinem., 214. The point ς is called a source of strength μ when the fluid streams out in all directions; when μ is negative, so that the fluid streams inwards, it is called a sink.
1882. Minchin, Unipl. Kinemat., 258. If a source or a vortex exist at P′, there will be a source or a vortex of equal strength at P.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. Electr. & Magn., I. 216. The given equipotential regions are in such a case generally termed electrodes, and sometimes sources or sinks of electricity, according to the direction of the current flow from or towards them.
