† Summity

Obs. or arch. Forms: 5–7 summitie, (5 summite(e, -yt(i)e, sumite, 6 sumitie, summitye, sommitie, 8 erron. sumnity), 7–9 summity. [a. OF. sommet(t)e, summite (mod.F. sommité) = It. sommità, Sp. sumidad, Pg. summidade, ad. late L. summitās, -ātem, f. summus highest, the top of (see SUM sb.¹).]

  1.  The topmost part, top; SUMMIT sb. 1.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, III. 706. Quhilum sum wald be Rycht on the wawys summite [edd. 1620, 1670 summitie].

c. 1440.  Pallad. on Husb., IV. 240. Sette hem [sc. seeds] myddel depe in drie Lond and in weet lond in the summyte [v.r. summitee] Aboue.

1571.  Digges, Pantom., I. xiv. E j. The very summitie or vpmost parte of the thing to be measured.

1574.  Newton, Health Mag., 31. The Creame or thicke Summitie of Milke.

1585.  Daniel, Paulus Iouius, To Rdr., Wks. (Grosart), IV. 3. On the sommitie of some high Piller.

1599.  A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 132/2. A qu. of an ownce of redd Roses of the supernalle summityes therof.

1602.  Plat, Delightes for Ladies, II. xi. The oyle … fleeting on the top or summity of your water.

1699.  Evelyn, Acetaria (1729), 165. St. John the Baptist and other religious Ascetics were Feeders on the Summities and Tops of Plants.

1703.  T. N., City & C. Purchaser, 9. The Key-stone, is that which is the very sumnity, or top of the Arch.

1725.  Fam. Dict., s.v. Baroscope, The Summity of the Tube is for a Space void of Quicksilver.

  2.  The topmost point or ridge of a mountain or hill; = SUMMIT sb. 2.

c. 1400.  Sc. Trojan War, II. 1665. Frome hicht of þe sumiteis Descendand amongis þe waleis.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., I. (Wemyss), xi. 972. One est half fra þe Egipt se, Sa rynnand in till summytie.

1598.  Barret, Theor. Warres, III. ii. 90. The summities … and other places of aduantage.

1631.  May, trans. Barclay’s Mirr. Mindes, I. 37. Vpon the summity of the high hill, is a flat of great circuit.

1697.  Potter, Antiq. Greece, II. ii. (1715), 185. Cyrus … sacrificeth … upon the Summities of Mountains.

1704.  Swift, Batt. Bks., 237. The War … between the Learned, about the higher Summity of Parnassus.

1718.  Ozell, trans. Tournefort’s Voy., I. 62. When we reach’d the Summities where we hoped to find very uncommon things, we were forc’d to give over our design by the Fog and Snow.

  transf.  1635.  A. Stafford, Fem. Glory, 95. Whither should this Eagle flie, but to the summity of the world?

  3.  fig. The highest point or degree; = SUMMIT sb. 3: also in particularized use.

  In quot. 1862 prob. after F. sommités sociales.

1588.  J. Harvey, Disc. Probl., 92. Plato and Aristotle in the Summitie of their Ethicall … and Metaphysicall Idees, haue displaied some such philosophicall quiddities.

1600.  G. Abbot, Jonah, 125. When a man groweth to the summitie of such malice against himselfe as that natural affection … is quite exiled out of memory.

1660.  Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit., I. iv. rule 2 § 34. There are summities and principalities of probation proportionable to the ages and capacities of men and women.

1678.  Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. i. § 18. 18. Immaterial or Incorporeal Substance; the Head and Summity whereof is a Deity distinct from the World.

1709.  J. Johnson, Clerg. Vade M., II. p. lxix. They are not in the summity of the Priesthood.

1862.  T. A. Trollope, Marietta, I. iv. 80. In making his approaches towards the social summities.

  b.  A person or thing that is at the head of a body, line, series, etc.

1624.  Heywood, Gunaik., I. 2. Lysis and Philolaus, call it [sc. the supreme deity] … a summity of the greatest or smallest number.

1655.  M. Casaubon, Treat. Enthus., iii. (1656), 153. When once ascended to the Summities, or Originall Firsts, we can go no further.

1680.  H. More, Apocal. Apoc., 130. The two chief summities of this Sacerdotal Hierarchy, the two Patriarchates of Rome and Constantinople. Ibid. (1685), Paralip. Prophet., xlii. 361. So soon as they were two Summities or Preeminences Ecclesiastical.