v. Also 5 -habounde, 7 suprabound. [ad. late L. superabundāre: see SUPER- 9 b and ABOUND v. Cf. obs. F. superabonder (OF., F. surabonder), It. soprabbondare, Sp. sobreabundar, Pg. sobreabundar, superabundar.]
1. intr. To abound beyond something else; to be more abundant. (Always with allusion to Rom. v. 20.)
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 154. Wher wrechydly Synne regnyd grace doth superhabounde.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 140. What shame is this … that where grace doth abounde, sinne shoulde so superabound?
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VI. § 175. If the Mercy, Favour, and Blessing of Almighty God, had not superabounded.
1749. Hartley, Observ. Man, II. i. 15. Though Disorder, Pain, and Death do very much abound … yet Beauty, Order, Pleasure, Life, and Happiness, seem to superabound.
1879. Farrar, St. Paul, II. 219. An apparent paradox—If grace superabounds over sin, why should we not continue in sin?
1907. Month, Nov., 535. Where distress abounds devotedness will superabound.
† b. trans. To abound beyond, be more abundant than, exceed greatly. Obs. rare.
a. 1670. Hacket, Cent. Serm. (1675), 149. Nothing was defective in him, but did exceedingly super-abound all which could be required in any Priest or Prophet.
2. intr. To abound excessively; to be very, or too, abundant.
c. 1520. Nisbet, N. T., 1 Tim. i. 14. The grace of our Lord superaboundit [Wycl. ouer habounde], with faith and lufe that is in Crist Jesu.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, Ded. 1. The vanitie and ouerweening of yong men … haue so exceeded and superabounded.
1601. Dent, Pathw. Heaven, 155. Lying and dissembling are most rife,… but especially it doth ouerflow and superabound in shopkeepers and seruants.
1623. T. Scot, Tongue-Combat, 89. This Sect doth suprabound with you.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 227. Whatsoever doth superabound, issueth out of a full brest.
1827. Steuart, Planter’s Guide (1828), 461. Though no … fermentation can take place without moisture, yet moisture may superabound.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Moral, II. 50. The capitalists do not need to combine when labour superabounds.
b. with in or with: To abound excessively in; to possess or contain in great abundance.
1632. Sir T. Hawkins, trans. Mathieu’s Unhappy Prosperitie, 12. Ægyptm… super-abounded in pratteling, and artificyes to calumniate gouernors.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 13. Cony Ile … also superabounds with Seales. Ibid., 25. They [sea tortoises] superabound in eggs.
1749. Hartley, Observ. Man, II. ii. 101. We do not find that forged or false Accounts of Things superabound in Particularities.
1802. W. Taylor, in Monthly Mag., XIII. 10. The English language superabounds with hissings.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., I. iii. 119. To supply the country with that commodity in which it superabounded.
Hence Superabounding vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1560–1. First Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot., in Knox’s Wks. (1848), II. 186. Yit for ane uniformitie to be keipit, we have thocht gude to adde this as superaboundand.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits (1616), 65. How many differences of wits grow by meanes of the superabounding of each of these three qualities.
1598. Deloney, Jacke Newb., i. (1630), B j b. Maidens ficklenesse proceedes of vaine fancies, but old womens iealousie of superabounding loue.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, II. ii. 93. The superabounding grace of God.
1757. J. Edwards, Orig. Sin, II. iv. § 1. That superabounding of grace.
1883. American, VII. 20/1. Nor are we so superabounding in capital that [etc.].
1884. J. Parker, Apost. Life, II. 197. A superabounding religious spirit and activity.
