a. Also 4–5 spaciouse, 5 -yous, 6–7 spatious. [ad. L. spatiōsus (med.L. spaciōsus), f. spatium SPACE sb.1, or OF. spacios, spacieux (F. spacieux, = It. spazioso, Sp. and Pg. espacioso).]
1. Of lands, etc.: Of vast, large, or indefinite superficial extent or area; wide, widely extended, extensive.
1382. Wyclif, Isaiah xxii. 18. He shal sende thee in to a brod lond and spacious. Ibid., xxviii. 2. Sent out vp on the spaciouse erthe.
1480. Caxton, Myrr., III. xx. 179. The firmamente … is so spacyous, so noble and so large.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. i. 20. But faire before the gate a spatious plaine, Mantled with greene, it selfe did spredden wyde.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., I. v. C 1 b. Thats a large lye, as vast as spatious hell.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 571. Commend the large Excess Of spacious Vineyards; cultivate the less.
1748. Gray, Alliance, 22. This spacious animated scene survey.
1784. Cowper, Task, I. 164. Ouse, slow winding through a level plain Of spacious meads.
1884. Marshall’s Tennis Cuts, 171. The spacious grounds were looking lovely.
transf. and fig. 1602. Shaks., Ham., V. ii. 90. He hath much Land, and fertile;… ’tis a Chowgh; but as I saw spacious in the possession of dirt. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., II. iii. 261. Thy wisdome, Which … confines Thy spacious and dilated parts.
1821. Shelley, Adonais, xlvii. Dart thy spirit’s light…, until its spacious might Satiate the void circumference.
b. Covering a considerable distance.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 242. It is better to qualifie their rage in long and spacious direct journies then in often windings and turnings.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 226. Mettled horses are best knowne by a spacious race.
1695. Ld. Preston, Boeth., IV. 162. And when this spatious Course is run, She to the outmost Sphere doth come.
† c. Wide-spread; widely spoken. Obs.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., II. lvi. (1892), 463. The High-Dutch or Teutonic Tongue is one of the prime and most spacious maternal Languages of Europe. Ibid., lx. 477. The most spacious Dialect of the Hebrew is the Syriac.
2. Of dwellings, rooms, etc.: Having or affording ample space or room; large, roomy, commodious.
1382. Wyclif, Jer. xxii. 14. I shal bilde vp to me a large hous, and spacious souping places.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xv. § 3. The former buildings which were but of mean and small estate contented them not, spacious and ample churches they erected throughout every city.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 294*. King Stephen erected a spacious Castle.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., A spacious Building…. A spacious Room.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1851), II. 587/1. [He] hid himself in a spacious cave there.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xlii. They presently entered a spacious and ancient chamber.
1832. Lytton, Eugene A., I. v. 26. Though it was summer…, the log burnt on the spacious hearth.
1844. H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, I. 117. Spacious barracks were severally appropriated to the use of the European and native troops.
1880. Miss Braddon, Just as I am, vii. The drawing-room was a spacious and lofty room.
b. Similarly of roads, streets, courts, etc.
1588. Shaks., Titus A., II. i. 114. The Forrest walkes are wide and spacious.
1607. Dekker, Knt.’s Conjur. (1842), 22. The wayes are delicate, euen, spatious, and very faire.
1673. Ray, Journ. Low C., 21. Middleburgh is the capital City of Zealand,… having spatious Streets.
1767. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett., II. xlvi. 33. The court leading into it is very spacious.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 155. The streets are spacious and regular.
1809–10. Coleridge, Friend (1865), 18. The spacious outer court was crowded with men and women.
c. quasi-adv. Spaciously.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 102. Let it speak The Makers high magnificence, who built So spacious.
3. Of things: Presenting, having or covering a comparatively wide surface; large, ample, expansive.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 743. Where this spatious Grauestone lies couched.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. iii. 1303. Or that his snout and spacious Ears Do hold proportion with a Bear’s.
1727. Swift, Market Hill Thorn, Wks. 1755, IV. I. 87. There stood … A spacious thorn before the gate.
1819. Shelley, Peter Bell 3rd, IV. xv. Then Peter … smoothed his spacious forehead down with his broad palm.
1847. C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, i. Thick lineaments in a spacious visage, heavy limbs and large extremities.
b. Of large size; bulky.
1655. H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., II. 153. The comely, spacious whale.
1867. F. H. Ludlow, Little Brother, 44. After sundry hustlings, from hurrying men, spacious lounging ladies and busy workmen.
c. Roomy, capacious.
1819. Byron, Juan, II. clx. They furnish’d him … With a clean shirt, and very spacious breeches.
4. Great, extensive, ample.
1595–7. Daniel, Civ. Wars, IV. xviii. They, being so mightie, and so popular, And their command so spacious as it was, Might … forget [etc.].
1605. Shaks., Macb., IV. iii. 71. You may Conuey your pleasures in a spacious plenty, And yet seeme cold.
1607. Middleton, Michaelmas Term, II. i. 101. It seems … your credit [is] very spacious here i’ th’ city.
1651. trans. De-las-Coveras’ Don Fenise, 280. Charitie was altogether charmed with these spatious consolations.
1704. Swift, Tale Tub, Introd. Being a type, a sign,… bearing analogy to the spacious Commonwealth of writers.
1870. Lowell, Among My Books, Ser. I. (1873), 253. What a subject would that have been for a person of Mr. Masson’s spacious predilections!
† b. That is such on a large scale. Obs.–1
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., I. iii. Is’t possible that such a spacious villaine should live, and not be plagu’d?
5. Characterized by greatness, breadth, or comprehensiveness of views or sympathies.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., cxxxv. Thou whose will is large and spatious.
1635. Shirley, Lady of Pleasure, V. i. They have souls more spacious than Kings.
1697. W. Molyneux, in Locke’s Lett. (1708), 214. Your chapter concerning the conduct of the understanding must needs be very sublime and spacious.
1833. Tennyson, Dream Fair Women, ii. Those melodious bursts that fill The spacious times of great Elizabeth With sounds that echo still.
1875. Lowell, Spenser, Prose Wks. 1890, IV. 307. In this eclogue he gives hints of that spacious style which was to distinguish him.
1894. J. Nichol, in Macm. Mag., June, 160/2. Of the few great men I have known … Kossuth’s [was] the most spacious nature.
6. Prolonged; occupying a considerable time.
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. 1851, III. 254. Neglecting the maine bulk of all that spacious antiquity, which might stunne children, but not men.
1647. Hexham, I. A spacious time, een langen tijdt.
