a. Also 4–6 sped(e)ful(e, -full(e, 5 spedphull, 5–7 Sc. speidful(l, 5 speyd-), 6 speedeful. [f. SPEED sb. + -FUL.]
† 1. Profitable, advantageous, expedient, helpful, efficacious. Obs.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 623. God is spedful in speche & a spryt clene.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 574. Saylys, ayris, and othir thing, That wes spedfull to thar passyng.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 264. In pouernesse of spyrit is spedfullest hele.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. xix. 111. Of which ech bi him silf is a good and a speedful wey.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 112. Quhilkis thingis ar maist nedefull to the bataill and spedefull.
1509. Fisher, 7 Penit. Ps., xxxviii. Wks. (1876), 70. That they myght vse these holy psalmes as … spedefull prayers for remyssyon and forgyuenes.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 116. Good store howse needfull well ordred speedfull.
† b. Freq. in it is speedful or syntactical variations of this. Obs.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr., 23. Vnto these men itt is nedefulle and spedefulle to vse the werkis of Actife liffe als besili as þei may.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 127. It is nouȝt spedeful to us to knowe þat day.
1414. in Proc. Privy Council (1834), II. 141. That it were spedefulle to sende swiche ambassiatours.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. v. 27. It is profitable and speedful ofte tymes a man forto speke as many vsen forto speke.
c. 1537. De Benese, Measurynge Lande, A iij. It is … not spedefull to mete therewyth a great quantite of lande.
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, III. 909. Do as ȝe think speidfull in this proces.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 170. He … sall assigne to them ane certaine day, to vnderly the law, either in that air, or thereafter quhen he sall think speidfull.
2. Speedy, quick, swift, rapid. Now rare.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 167. Þese men been speedful boþe on hors and on foote.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 80. It gladys þe herte, and makys … þe tonge spedfull.
1545. Raynald, Byrth Mankynde, 59. Geuynge her good hope of a spedeful delyuerance.
1595. Barnfield, Cassandra, D vij b. His sturdie steedes: Whose speedful course the day and night now eeuens.
1615. T. Adams, Lycanthropy, 8. It is not enough to be speedfull; we must also be discreet and faithfull.
1903. L. M. Watt, Communion Table, viii. 65. This speedful fleetingness of all earth’s days.
b. Quasi-adv. Speedily, quickly.
c. 1480[?]. Ragman Roll, 52, in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 71. To moysten ther your appetitys drey, Ful spedful ye rennyn and ful yerne.
† 3. Of time: Passing quickly; short, brief. Obs.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 971. With þat he bloþirs in þe brest … in a spedfull space so þe sprete ȝeldis.
Hence Speedfulness, speed, swiftness.
1386. Almanack for Year (1812), 8 In oþer planetis it hace more spedefulnesse.
