Sufficiency

Also 5–7 -encie, 8 -entcy. [ad. L. sufficientia (see prec. and -ENCY). Cf. It. soffic(i)enza, -ia, Sp. suficiencia.]

  † 1.  Sufficient means or wealth; ability or competence to meet pecuniary obligations. Obs.

1495.  Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 24 § 3. Iffe ther be not persones of suche sufficiencie within the Shire.

1601.  F. Tate, Househ. Ord. Edw. II., § 1 (1876), 5. This stewarde shall be a man of good sufficiency.

1611.  Bible, Lev. v. 7, marg. His hand cannot reach to the sufficiencie of a lambe. Ibid., Job xx. 22. In the fulnesse of his sufficiencie, he shalbe in straites.

1682.  Scarlett, Exchanges, 48. The one as well as the other [viz. the drawer and the remitter], must be careful, and enquire into each others Sufficiency.

1747.  Act 20 Geo. II., c. 43 § 36. The Clerk of Court shall be answerable for the Sufficiency of such Cautioner.

  b.  A sufficient supply; a competence.

1608.  D. T[uvill], Ess. Pol. & Mor., 50 b. The powerfull hand of irreprooueable wisdom, hath divided our sufficiencie into little portions.

1645.  Cromwell, Lett. to Lenthall, 14 Sept. (Carlyle). The same spirit of faith by which we ask all our sufficiency, and have received it.

1682.  W. Penn, in Life, Wks. 1782, I. p. lxxx. Let your industry … go no farther than for a sufficiency for life.

1728–46.  Thomson, Spring, 1157. An elegant sufficiency, content, Retirement, rural quiet.

1898.  ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, viii. 78. Holland suggests … an elderly gentleman … who, having laid by a small sufficiency, sits peaceably by the fire.

  c.  Adequate provision of food or bodily comfort.

1796.  Charlotte Smith, Marchmont, I. 169. [He] could not afford to repair or to live in it [sc. the house] with any degree of comfortable sufficiency for years before his death.

1837.  Ht. Martineau, Soc. Amer., III. 139. She and her daughter … kept the house, which might vie with any nobleman’s for true luxury; perfect sufficiency and neatness.

1848.  Mill, Pol. Econ., IV. ii. § 4. 256. There is … sufficiency everywhere when anciently there would have been scarcity in some places and superfluity in others.

  2.  The condition or quality of being sufficient for its purpose or for the end in view; adequacy.

1565.  Stapleton, trans. Staphylus’ Apol., 161 b. The sufficiency of only faith to saluation.

1589.  Hay any Work, 27. We know the sufficiencie of it [sc. a book] to be such, as the Puritans are not able to answere it.

c. 1650.  Bradford, Plymouth Plant. (1856), 75. Perceiveing y^e mariners to feare y^e suffisiencie of y^e shipe.

1661.  Pepys, Diary, 15 July. I read over the will, and had their advice therein, who as to the sufficiency thereof confirmed me.

1726.  Ayliffe, Parergon, 116. The Competency or Sufficiency of an Ecclesiastical Benefice, ought to be considered … in respect of the … Charges incumbent on such a Benefice.

1755.  Young, Centaur (1757), IV. i. 112. The sufficiency of human reason.

1839.  Hallam, Lit. Eur., II. viii. § 8. Montuela calls him the model of commentators for the pertinence and sufficiency of his notes.

1863.  H. Cox, Instit., III. v. 658. Surveyors, who report on the sufficiency of river steam-vessels before they are entitled to ply for passengers.

1884.  Law Rep., 27 Chanc. Div. 630. There is a doubt about the sufficiency of the assets.

1912.  Oxf. Univ. Gaz., 6 Nov., 149/1. The Board shall in writing report to the Regius Professor of Divinity as to the sufficiency of the Candidate’s work.

  3.  (A) sufficient number or quantity of; enough.

1531.  Tindale, Expos. 1 John (1537), 88. We ought to aske of God only sufficyency of all worldly thynges.

1598.  Barckley, Felic. Man (1631), 491. That which bringeth forth contentation, is a sufficiency of things.

1623.  Bingham, Xenophon, 93. If we shall finde such sufficiencie of shipping, that not one of vs shall need to be left behinde.

a. 1640.  T. Jackson, Treat. Signs Times, Wks. 1673, II. 380. The daily sacrifice of beasts did cease for want of provision, they having plenty, or sufficiency of nothing but of famine.

1747.  Wesley, Prim. Physick (1755), Pref. p. xiii. There is Sufficiency of other Medicines.

1774.  Goldsmith, Nat. Hist. (1862), I. II. v. 321. When he has eaten a sufficiency, he then retires.

1832.  Lyell, Princ. Geol., II. xv. 244. So as to afford sufficiency of wood for fuel.

1859.  Cornwallis, New World, I. 353. For practical mining purposes it contained no sufficiency of gold.

1901.  Alldridge, Sherbro, xv. 145. None of the women wear any clothes, there is simply a sufficiency of strung beads around their waists.

  4.  Sufficient capacity to perform or undertake something; adequate qualification; ability, competency. Obs. or arch.

1567.  Reg. Privy Council Scot., Ser. I. I. 539. The honestie, habilitie,… and sufficiency of oure said dearest brother to have the cure … of oure said … sone.

1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 54. Their knowledge, discretion, and sufficiencie in their art.

1590.  Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons (title-p.), The great sufficiencie, excellencie and wonderful effects of Archers.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., I. iii. 224. We haue there a Substitute of most allowed sufficiencie.

1627.  Hakewill, Apol. (1630), 220. Well knowne in London for his Sufficiencie in his profession.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., II. xxvii. § 8. So able a Man as he, who had Sufficiency enough to warrant all the Testimonies he gives of himself.

1786.  Burke, Art. agst. W. Hastings, Wks. 1842, II. 200. The nabob’s sufficiency for the management of his own affairs.

1800.  Mornington, in Owen, Wellesley’s Desp. (1877), 653. The state … has already supported them at a considerable expense, under the presumption of their sufficiency to discharge the duties.

1866.  Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, xli. Their sufficiency to judge the men who make love to them.

  † b.  An instance of this; a qualification; also, an accomplishment. Obs.

1590.  Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, Dedic. To set foorthe and beautifie their owne sufficiencies.

1599.  B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., I. iv. I feare I may doe wrong to your sufficiencies in the reporting them. Ibid. (1601), Poetaster, I. ii. 132. I shall neuer put thee to thy Mathematiques, Metaphysiques, Philosophie, and I know not what suppos’d sufficiencies.

1635.  R. N., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., III. 254. The … Privy Councell taking notice of his sufficiencies, made use of his counsaile.

1691.  Wood, Ath. Oxon., I. 85. By recommendations made to the King of his great sufficiencies in … Oratory.

1713.  Steele, Guard., No. 13, ¶ 4. One may have an air, which proceeds from a just sufficiency and knowledge of the matter before him.

  † 5.  = SELF-SUFFICIENCY 1. Obs.

1635.  Swan, Spec. Mundi, iii. § 1 (1643), 42. God … whose sufficiencie and efficiencie is altogether absolute.

  6.  = SELF-SUFFICIENCY 2. arch.

1638.  Rouse, Heav. Acad., ix. 135. They thought their own eyes sufficient to see, and their own eares to heare; and resting in this insufficient sufficiencie [etc.].

1690.  Temple, Ess., Anc. & Mod. Learn., 3. I could not read either of this Strain, without some indignation, which no quality among men is so apt to raise in me as sufficiency, the worst composition out of the pride and ignorance of mankind.

1711.  Shaftesb., Charact. (1737), II. I. ii. 207. I cou’d never have the Sufficiency to shock my Spiritual and Learned Superiours.

1734.  trans. Rollin’s Belles Lettres (1783), I. 280. By this air of sufficiency they think they gain the esteem of others, though they only procure their contempt.

1893.  Stevenson, Catriona, viii. Who effer heard of such suffeeciency as tell a shentlemans that is the king’s officer he cannae speak Cot’s English?