a. [f. SUICIDE sb.2 + -AL.]
1. Of, pertaining to, or involving suicide or self-slaughter; (of persons) having a tendency to suicide.
1804. Hampshire Telegraph, etc., 20 July, 3/2. Their boides were delivered to their friends for that decent interment which, had their suicidal attempt succeeded, the rigour of the law would have denied them.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. III. iv. With such weapons, homicidal and suicidal.
1849. J. W. Warter, Southey’s Comm.-pl. Bk., 252. A Suicidal Maniac through Religious Melancholy.
1855. Dunglison, Med. Lex., Suicidal Insanity.
1886. Fagge, Princ. Med., I. 741. Patients affected with this form of melancholia show suicidal tendencies.
2. fig. Leading to or involving self-destruction; destructive or fatal to those engaged.
1777. Hamilton, Wks. (1886), VII. 529. ’Tis only … misapplying men to employ them in a suicidal parade against New York.
1804. Ann. Rev., II. 234. The Rockingham administration, in every thing a suicidal party, had set aside this right.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xx. The Spaniards, by some suicidal pedantry, had allowed their navy to be crippled.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 35. Though victory makes men insolent and is often suicidal to the victors, education is never suicidal.
Hence Suicidalism = SUICIDISM; Suicidally adv., in a suicidal manner; so as to bring destruction or ruin on the actor; Suicidalwise adv., suicidally.
1833. Lytton, England, I. iii. 48. This gaiety of *suicidalism is not the death à la mode with us.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. I. vii. A Soldiery, which we saw long since fallen all *suicidally out of square.
1841. Emerson, Misc. (1855), 245. Whatever they attempt … reacts suicidally on the actor himself.
1891. Times, 21 Dec., 9/4. To reside in Italy meant to run almost suicidally the risk of a malarial attack.
1859. W. Anderson, Disc., Ser. II. (1860), 73. You … will not permit its aspirations to have scope and expression; but *suicidalwise, suffocate them.
