v. Obs. [f. late L. supērsemināt-, pa. ppl. stem of supersēmināre, f. super- SUPER- 2 + sēmināre to sow, SEMINATE. Cf. It. soprasseminare, Sp. sobresembrar, Pg. -semear.]
1. trans. To sow on the top of something previously sown. Also absol. Chiefly fig. with allusion to the parable of the tares (Matt. xiii. 24, 25).
Hence Superseminated ppl. a.
1620. trans. Caussin’s Ang. Peace, 30. Would … that Charity … would suffocate these superseminated tares of contentions.
1637. Reynolds, Sermon 12 July (1638), 17. While there is corruption in our Nature,… and an envious man to superseminate, there will still bee … men that will bee differently minded.
1651. Jer. Taylor, Clerus Domini, 20. That cannot be done with joy, when it shall be indifferent to any man to superseminate what he please.
1690. C. Nesse, Hist. & Myst. O. & N. Test., I. 67. The envious one comes after to super-seminate and sow his tares.
2. To sprinkle with an additional layer.
1699. Evelyn, Acetaria, 135. Laying of Clean … Wheat-Straw upon the Beds, super-seminating and over-strowing them thick with the Powder of bruised Oyster-Shells.
