adv. (sb.) [f. SUFFICIENT a. + -LY2.] In a sufficient manner.
1. In a manner or to an extent calculated to satisfy the circumstances of the case or adequate to a certain purpose or object; enough for the purpose (expressed or implied).
Formerly also in phr. † sufficiently enough.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 322. Thar wes nane that euir him kend Wald do sa mekill for him, that he Mycht sufficiantly fundyn be.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 386. Þat þe clergy was sufficyently purveyed for lyfelode.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. lxx. (1869), 41. Thouh swiche ten j hadde had to a dyner, j hadde not be fed sufficientliche.
1503–4. Act 19 Hen. VII., c. 19. Many Tanners put their hydes and ledder to sale before they be sufficiantly dryed.
1556. Olde, Antichrist, 108 b. I suppose it be sufficiently ynough declared, that the B. of Rome deserueth this thrid title.
1592. Arden of Feversham, V. iii. 15. His pursse and girdle found at thy beds head Witnes sufficiently thou didst the deede.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 33. Never … to swallow doune our meale, before it be sufficiently chewed.
1658. W. Burton, Itin. Anton., 123. Upon a hill sufficiently enough steep, to which there was no accesse.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 404. Seem I to thee sufficiently possest Of happiness, or not?
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 4 Nov. 1644. The … never to be sufficiently admir’d Torso of Amphion and Dirces.
1769. Junius Lett., ix. (1788), 66. The subject too has been already discussed, and is sufficiently understood.
1878. Lecky, Eng. in 18th Cent., II. vii. 283. The strength of their principles was sufficiently shown by their almost unanimous refusal of the abjuration oath.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ Valerie’s Fate, i. You are not sufficiently clad. I must insist on your taking my shawl again.
b. Const. † to, for (a purpose, etc.).
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 30. Thou aunswerest Luther … not sufficientlye to the matter [non satis ad rem].
1764. Museum Rust., IV. 27. A soil … made sufficiently moist for vegetation.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, I. viii. ¶ 2. A volley, for which I was not sufficiently case-hardened.
1884. F. Temple, Relat. Relig. & Sci., i. (1885), 20. The rule is sufficiently general for all practical purposes.
c. Const. to with inf.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., I. III. 162. Nor were they sufficiently skilful in the art of war to reduce the place by force.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., iii. § 8. 222. Air is … admitted to the distillate, sufficiently slowly to prevent it from taking fire.
1860. Tyndall, Glaciers, I. xxii. 153. The slope … was just sufficiently steep to keep the attention aroused.
1895. Law Times Rep., LXXIII. 702/2. The thing saved was held to be sufficiently like a ship to be not unfairly treated as a ship.
2. Adequately, satisfactorily; hence, fully, completely, quite; now chiefly with adjs., as … as well could be.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vi. (Thomas), 402. Þe tothir ensampil tane ma be sufficiandly be þe wyne-tre.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 336. A clerk þat was wele and sufficientlie letterd.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 10. My wyt and my penne so to enlumyne … that suffycyently Thy legende begunne, I may termyne.
c. 1510. More, Picus, Wks. 2/1. If no man should dooe it, but he that might sufficientlye dooe it, no man should dooe it.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619), 436. There was such a maruellous great earthquake,… that it cannot sufficiently be described.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. ii. 16. Businesses, (which none (without thee) can sufficiently manage).
1621. in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1906), 239. Itt is suffitiently probable a greater prejudice will enforce them to petition for his licence.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 165. We entertained them with certain Gobelets of Aquavitae and sent them sufficiently drunk to the Ship.
1674. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 317. All this has sophytiently vexed me.
1759. Johnson, Rasselas, iv. The old man went away sufficiently discontented.
1845. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 13. The style of Bede, if not elegant Latin, is yet correct, sufficiently classical.
1884. F. M. Crawford, Rom. Singer, I. 3. He is still sufficiently ugly.
1905. R. Bagot, Passport, vxxxiv. 396. The last hour or so has been sufficiently trying to the nerves.
† 3. Of workmanship: Substantially. Obs.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, III. ix. (Skeat), l. 58. No man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddes werke passeth mannes.
1393. Reg. de Aberbrothoc (Bann. Club), II. 42. William Plumer sal theke the mekil quer … wyth lede and guttir yt al abowt sufficiandly with lede.
1460. in Rec. City of Norwich (1910), II. 94. So þt þe cloth which shall be sufficiantely made shall be tokened.
1477. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 180/2. If any of the seid persone or persones … make not the seid pavement sufficienly.
1537. Registr. Aberdon. (Maitl. Club), I. 414. Sir Wilȝame … sall ouphald … þe foirsaid tenment … in all necessar thingis sufficientlie.
1639. in Thanes of Cawdor (Spalding Club), 284. Withe armes names and siferis … weill and sufficientlie wrocht. Ibid. (1699), 394. To finish the said work weel suffeciently neetly and compleetly.
4. Contemptuously. pseudo-dial. (Cf. SUFFICIENCY 6.)
1893. Stevenson, Catriona, viii. I think I was used extremely suffeeciently myself to be set up to fecht with an auld wife.
† 5. As sb. (after uses of late L. sufficienter). Sufficient means; sufficient; enough. Obs.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 123. Gif he had nede, and had nocht sufficiandly to mak were with.
a. 1520. Barclay, Jugurth (ed. 2), 58. From the heven descended … plenty of rayne-water, that it was more than sufficiently to all the army.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. xix. 106 b. There is not brought sufficiently vnto them for the maintenance of their ydle life.
1586. Bright, Melanch., 128. Sufficiently hath bene saide.
1609. Bible (Douay), Nahum ii. 12. The lion hath caught sufficiently [Vulg. cepit sufficienter] for his welpes.
