[ad. med.L. successīvus, f. success-, succēdĕre to SUCCEED. Cf. F. successif, It., Pg. successivo, Sp. sucesivo.]
1. a. With pl. or compound sb.: Coming one after another in an uninterrupted sequence; following one another in order.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 117. Yorke hathe but ij. suffraganes subiecte to it oonly,… of the successiue institucions of whom somme thynges ar to be seide here by ordre.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Lives Emp., in Hist. Ivstine, Ll 2. Three successive Bishops, Iohn, Benedict, and Clement … excommunicated him.
1628. Feltham, Resolves, II. lxii. 177. Furie … alwaies deliuers the author into successiue mischiefes.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. xiv. § 6. A constant train of successive ideas.
1719. I. Watts, Bk. Praise, 92. Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Does his successive journeys run.
1788. Priestley, Lect. Hist., III. xvi. 137. A view of the successive changes of the English coin to the present time.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xiii. (1842), 291. These crucibles gradually deteriorate and become injured by successive operations.
1838. De Morgan, Ess. Probab., 15 The multiplication of all the successive numbers from 1 up to some high number.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. ii. 16. By repeated reflection, successive echos are sent to the ear.
1880. Geikie, Phys. Geog., IV. 305. In countries where the winters are severe, ordinary building-stones and mortar are found to peel off in successive crusts.
predicative passing into adv. 1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 614. Since God hath set Labour and rest, as day and night to men Successive.
1716. Pope, Iliad, VI. 184. They fall successive and successive rise.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, IV. 510. So moved the Greeks successive, rank by rank.
b. With sing. sb.: Following another of the same kind in a regular sequence or series. Somewhat rare. Also quasi-adv.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 9 Phi. What is a stroke? Ma. It is a successiue motion of the hand, directing the quantitie of euery note and rest in the song, with equall measure.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, IV. l. And three … he assailes;… each successiue after other quailes.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., IX. xxiv. When he fell, and kist the barren heath, His parent straight inspir’d successive breath.
1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, I. xvi. 101. The Celerity of a Boat is continued by a successive dip of the Oar.
1746. Francis, trans. Hor., Epist., I. vi. 53. Then raise a second Plumb; A third successive be your earnest Care.
1822. Scott, Nigel, vii. He … took his leave, promising to be equipped and in readiness to embark with him on the second successive morning at ten o’clock.
1842. Mrs. Browning, Grk. Chr. Poets (1863), 114. What is this accent but a stroke, an emphasis, with a successive pause to make complete the time?
† c. Of a condition, influence, etc.: Continuous, uninterrupted. Obs.
1586. Warner, Alb. Eng., II. ix. He divers yeares good fortune had, successive in each thing.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 350. Her successive prosperitie.
1652. Feltham, Low Countries (1677), 45. A strong Earth Quake would shake them to a Chaos, from which the successive force of the Sun … hath a little amended them.
2. Characterized by or involving succession; brought about or produced in succeeding stages.
1685. H. More, Lett., in J. Norris, Theory Love (1688), 152. Successive Quantity seems more capable of being infinite then permanent Quantity.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Action, Actions are … divided into Instantaneous, where the whole Effect is produced in the same Moment;… And Successive, where the Effect is produced by degrees.
1786. Gilpin, Mts. & Lakes Cumbrld. (1792), I. viii. 119. The successive fall; in which the water, instead of making one continued shoot, falls through a succession of different stories.
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, II. 11. We might, indeed, make a successive collection of the coins of the western emperors.
1835. Lyell, Princ. Geol. (ed. 4), I. 242. Doctrine of successive development not confirmed by the admission that man is of modern origin.
1842. [see SUBSTITUTION 5].
1900. B. D. Jackson, Gloss. Bot. Terms, Successive Whorl, one whose members did not originate simultaneously, but in succession.
† 3. = HEREDITARY. a. Of things: Descending or transmitted by succession or inheritance. Obs.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 283. This Kenulphus … havynge successyve hate of Offa his predecessor ageyne men of Kente.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., I. i. 4. Pleade my Successiue Title with your Swords. I was the first borne Sonne.
1594. T. Bedingfield, trans. Machiavelli’s Florentine Hist. (1595), To Rdr. To liue in the obedience of a successiue royall Monarchie.
1609. Heywood, Brit. Troy, XVII. lxxvi. Leauing the Crowne successiue to his son.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 752. This function is successiue, and by tradition they teach their eldest sonnes the mysterie of this iniquitie.
1640. Fuller, Joseph’s Party Col. Coat, 175. First for the Hereditarinesse of it, it [sc. leprosy] is a successive disease.
1698. G. Thomas, Pensilvania, 50. Their Government is Monarchical, and Successive.
† b. Of persons: Succeeding by inheritance. Obs.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. i. 14. Your King, By hate depriued of his dearest sonne, The onely hope of our successiue line.
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxvii. 276. Her Pedigrees to show, her right successiue Kings.
1649. Milton, Tenure of Kings, 21. Jehu had special command to slay Jehoram a successive and hereditarie Tyrant.
1683. Creech, Lucretius (ed. 3), Notes 54. Every King whether Elective or Successive, Rules by the same Authority.
† c. Next in order of succession. Also transf.
1595. T. P. Goodwine, Blanchardyn, liv. 212. The princely mariage which now was fully concluded betweene his successiue heire … with the renouned Lady and Queene of Tormaday.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., cxxvii. Blacke … now is blacke beauties successiue heire.
1632. H. Seile, Avgvstus, 212. Hee should resemble old Ianus with the two faces; with th’one looking on the King Regnant; with th’other, on the Prince successive.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XIX. 208. His son Deucalion bore successive sway.
† 4. Attended or fraught with success; successful.
1582. [implied in SUCCESSIVELY 6].
1593. G. Harvey’s Pierce’s Super., To Harvey, If … the doubtlesse successiue benefit thereof … may worke any plausible … motions with you.
1597. Beard, Theatre God’s Judgem. (1612), 347. In this successive battell it is to be noted … how religiously the Emperour both began and finished it.
1620. Brathwait, Five Senses, in Archaica (1815), II. 45. Weak is he in his resolves, unbounded in his desires, and seldom successive in his dispatch.
1659. Lady Alimony, III. i. His prosperous exploits abroad, then which none more successive.
