adv. Also 5 sussessiffly, successevely, 5–6 -yvely. [-LY2.]
1. By successive stages (of increase or decrease); † by degrees. Now rare.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 58. When þe pacientes felen þamself more heuy … þan is þe flwyng ouer mych; wherfor it is alsone successyuely to be restreyned and turned away.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron. Hen. VI., 105 b. A pestilent humor, which successively a litle and litle corrupteth all the membres.
1620. E. Blount, Horæ Subs., 262. To doe that at once, which must bee done successiuely, is an argument of a rash, and intemperate man.
1715. Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 23. The Air goes into the Hollows, is warm’d, and then successively warms the whole Air of the Room.
1743. Emerson, Fluxions, Pref. p. vii. What a continual and successively variable Velocity can produce.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xx. (1842), 545. Now and then the stoppers of bottles become fixed…, in which case means of loosening them, successively increasing in power … must be resorted to.
1862. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org. (ed. 2), iii. § 1. 152. The higher terms of the series becoming successively more viscid and oily.
2. In succession.
1439. E. E. Wills (1882), 114. The wardeyns of Seynt Austyns chirch … sussessiffly beyng.
1462. Rolls of Parlt., V. 489/1. Henry the Vth … and Henry the VIth … successevely Kynges of Englond. Ibid. (1503), VI. 522/2. They … and their successours, and the successours of every of them, shall have successyvelye for ever, lyke auctorite.
1521. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. I. 258. [He] opennyd the boke … and begynning the prohem, redde therof successyvely v. lefes.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 44. Fiue sonnes he left begotten of one wife, All which successiuely by turnes did raine.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 170. It was subject to the Emperour Otho the first, by right of his wife, and successively to the Emperours.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., III. xxxviii. 245. Everlasting Fire,… (into which men may be cast successively one after another for ever).
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 9 Feb. 1671. The famous play call’d ‘The Siege of Granada,’ (Dryden) two days acted successively.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 400, ¶ 9. The Disappointment of four or five Passions which she has successively had for different Men.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xiii. I. 356. Diocletian was successively promoted to the government of Mæsia, the honours of the consulship, and the important command of the guards of the palace.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., l. The lad … fetched an earthen jar and a horn cup,… and offered them successively to the lady and to the boy.
1854. Brewster, More Worlds, x. 163. If we suppose ourselves placed successively on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, the Sun will appear smaller and smaller.
1874. Green, Short Hist., ix. § 1 (1882), 593. He became successively Solicitor and Attorney-General.
† 3. Continuously or without interruption (for a certain period). Obs.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. ii. And so successiuely one kynge gouerned all the people of Israell unto the time of Roboaz.
1550. Hall’s Chron. (title-p.), Beginnyng at the tyme of kyng Henry the fowerth, the first aucthor of this deuision, and so successively proceading to ye reigne of … kyng Henry the eyght.
1627. W. Bedell, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 136. It begins much about the Conquest … and continues successively to Calixtus the 3rd.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, i. 5. And there [sc. Oxford] the excercise of Printing hath continued successively to this day.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 107, ¶ 14. Repeat this every Day for a Month successively.
1748. Washington, Jrnl., 7 April, Writ. 1889, I. 5. Raind successively all last night.
c. 1790. Encycl. Brit. (1797), VI. 739/2. For 18 years successively.
† 4. In the course of events, subsequently, eventually. Obs.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, I. xxiv. What to this howre successiuely is donne Was full of perill.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., ii. 156. And all that there-vpon successiuely befell.
1654. Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Wars Flanders, 277. Which they … were not long adoing, as we shall successively relate.
† 5. By succession or inheritance. Obs.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., II. vii. 135. Not as Protector … But as successiuely, from Blood to Blood. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., IV. v. 202. So thou, the Garland wear’st successiuely.
† 6. Successfully, propitiously. Obs.
1582. Munday, Disc. E. Campion, F iij. Howe all thinges went successivelie foreward.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 54/2. Beinge verye successivelye cured of Mr. Martel, Chyrurgiane to the Kinge.
1630. Brathwait, Engl. Gentlem., 62. Any exploit, how successively or prosperously soever managed.
1683. Kennett, trans. Erasm. on Folly, 29. A Battle shall be more successively fought by Serving-men, Porters, Bayliffs, Padders, Rogues, Jail-birds, and such like tag-rags of mankind, than by the most accomplished Philosophers.
