v. Also 6 supress; see also SUBPRESS. [f. L. suppress-, pa. ppl. stem of supprimĕre, f. sup- = SUB- 2 + premĕre to PRESS.
See note on SUPPRISE v.]
1. trans. To put down by force or authority.
a. To cause (a proceeding, an activity) to cease, e.g., to quell (a rebellion); to put a stop to the use or employment of.
c. 1380. [see SUPPRESSING vbl. sb.].
1538. Starkey, England (1878), 182. The pryncys of our tyme haue thys offyce [sc. of Constable] vtterly suppressyd.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par., Ded. to Q. Katerine 17. A cockesure waie to make al obedient people hate the ghospell, and to prouoke the rulers and magistrates to suppresse it.
1575. Gascoigne, Kenelworth, Wks. 1910, II. 103. You waters wilde suppresse your waves.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, 2. Our Long Bowes … no more to be vsed, but to be vtterly suppressed and extinguished.
1601. in Moryson, Itin., II. (1617), 189. To suppresse the present Rebellion in Mounster, I … haue designed foure thousand foot.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 149. To Discountenance, and Suppress all bold enquiries.
1679–88. Secr. Serv. Money Chas. II. & Jas. II (Camden), 138. To blow up the houses to suppress the fire.
1699. J. Dunton, Acc. Convers. Irel., in Dublin Scuffle, etc., 337. A Nonconformist Meeting was supprest at Gallway.
1705. Addison, Italy, 18. Their Fleet … is now reduced to Six Gallies. When they had made an Addition of but Four new ones, the King of France sent his Orders to suppress them.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 63. The Saxons … found that they could not suppress the language of the fugitive people.
1843. Prescott, Mexico (1850), I. 201. Military expeditions … employed to suppress the insurrections of the natives.
1869. Mozley, Univ. Serm., i. 1. By simple carnage she [sc. the Church] suppressed the Reformation in Italy, Spain, and France.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 30. That blasphemous nonsense … is got at secondhand from the poets and ought to be suppressed.
transf. a. 1862. Buckle, Civiliz. (1864), II. v. 403. If a man suppresses part of himself, he becomes maimed and shorn.
1879. Harlan, Eyesight, vi. 87. Persons with squint learn to use only one eye, and the image on the retina of the other is said to be ‘suppressed.’
† b. To put down or overwhelm by force; to vanquish, subdue. Obs. (Cf. SUPPRISE v. 4.)
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., II. 29 (MS. Cott.). Cam … kynge of Baktranys … Fyrst he [sc. Nynus] suppressit [MS. Wemyss supprisit] wiþe his mycht, And slew hyr syne wiþe fors in fycht.
1566. Q. Eliz., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. III. 361. Yet this we do not conceave of that rebell as of one whom we cannot correct and suppresse.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1595), 47. He caused thirtie of the chiefest men of the cittie … to come into the market place wel appoynted & furnished, to suppresse those that would attempt to hinder their purpose.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. i. 41. In vaine he seeketh others to suppresse, Who hath not learnd him selfe first to subdew.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. iii. § 18. With an Armie [he] made great hast toward Cilicia, hoping to suppresse him before hee should bee able to make head.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., IV. § 60. The Loss of Rochel, by first Suppressing Their Fleet with His Own Royal Ships.
c. 1720. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier, II. 253. Messengers were sent to York for a Party to suppress us.
1794. S. Williams, Vermont, 373. When the war came on, the leaders of mobs, and the mobs which they created, appeared in their true light: The former sunk into contempt, and the latter were soon suppressed.
c. To reduce (a person, a community or corporate body) to impotence or inactivity, as by deprivation of office or dissolution; occas. † to prohibit or restrain from doing something.
a. 1475. [see SUPPRESSING vbl. sb.].
1539–40. Wriothesley, Chron. (Camden), I. 109. The howse of Sion was suppressed into the Kinges handes.
1545. Brinklow, Compl., xxii. (1874), 53. Soch abbeys as thei haue suppressyd.
1573. L. Lloyd, Marrow of Hist. (1653), 23. Fortune … never advanced any to dignity, but she suppressed the same again unto misery.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, V. vi. (1840), 251. Cardinal Wolsey, by leave from the pope, suppressed certain small houses of little value.
1693. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., I. 380. Notwithstanding thereof Wm Powell does ferrie people over the Skuillkill to the petitioner’s damage and yrfor [= therefore] requesting the said Wm Powell may be supprest.
1697. View of Penal Laws, 159. Whosoever shall be lawfully discharged and suppressed touching his making of Mault.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 198. Forestallers certainly raise the price of markets a little, therefore should be suppressed.
1874. Green, Short Hist., iv. § 5. 198. The King was strong enough … to suppress the outlaws by rigorous commissions.
1887. Spectator, 24 Sept., 1265/1. The Government … issued proclamations suppressing the National League.
transf. 1858. C. W. Goodwin, in Cambr. Ess., 271. He exterminated wild beasts and suppressed the crocodiles.
d. To withhold or withdraw from publication (a book or writing); to prevent or prohibit the circulation of.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 310. Ye wryting was suppressed by your captaines and gouernour of your Realme.
1624. Gataker, Transubst., 40. To intercept writings, and seeke to suppresse things published.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 47. Those books … cannot be supprest without the fall of learning.
1738. Birch, Life Milton, M.’s Wks. I. 46. After the Work was ready for the Press, it was near being suppress’d by the Ignorance or Malice of the Licenser.
1759. Idler, No. 67, ¶ 3. I leave it to you to publish or suppress it.
1867. Smiles, Huguenots Eng., i. (1880), 9. The government tried to suppress the book [sc. Tindale’s Bible], and many copies were seized and burnt.
2. To subdue (a feeling, thought, desire, habit).
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 12 b. This gyfte suppresseth and putteth downe all carnalytees.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man (1631), 487. Morall vertues are very necessary; for by them our unruly affections and unprofitable desires are bridled or suppressed.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, iii. § 47. 271. We ought … if any such [thoughts], rise, presently to quash and suppresse them.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), II. 70. To the suppressing the very habit and familiar custom of admiring natural beautys.
a. 1721. Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Wks. (1753), I. 8. No cold repulses my desires suppress’d.
1862. Spencer, First Princ., I. iii. § 15 (1875), 49. Our consciousness of Space and Time cannot be suppressed.
3. To keep secret; to refrain from disclosing or divulging; to refrain from mentioning or stating (either something that ought to be revealed, or that was formerly stated or included, or that may be understood from the context).
1533. More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 1023/1. In the rehearsing againe of hys owne wordes … he is fayne to suppresse and steale awai these his own generall wordes.
1555. Bradford, in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), III. App. xlv. 127. Yt wyll not suffer me to suppresse or kepe secret from you suche matters.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 292. The rest I suppresse, in that offensively immodest.
1667. Milton, P. L., VII. 123. Things not reveal’d which th’ invisible King, Onely Omniscient hath supprest in Night.
1681. Conset, Pract. Spir. Crts., I. iii. § 1 (1700), 10. Whether it were surreptitiously obtained, the truth being supprest.
1697. trans. Burgersdicius’ Logic, II. xi. 48. If the Subject of the Consequent be put into the Antecedent, the Major is suppress’d.
1711. [see SUPPRESSING vbl. sb.].
1713. Addison, Guardian, No. 109, ¶ 2. I shall suppress what has been written to me by those who have reviled me … and only Publish those Letters which approve my Proceedings.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Suppression, Words that are necessarily imply’d, may be suppress’d.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 269. She has pronounced his name but once,… and he suppresses it altogether.
1828. Macaulay, Hist., Misc. Writ. 1869, I. 241. What is told in the fullest … annals bears an infinitely small proportion to what is suppressed.
1871. Palgrave, Lyr. Poems, Pro Mortuis, viii. Ah, ’tis but little that the best … Can leave of perfect fruit or flower! Ah, let all else be graciously supprest When man lies down to rest!
b. To leave (something) out in a system or design. rare.
1851. Pugin, Chancel Screens, 39. The monstrous idea … of suppressing the return stalls, and throwing open the whole choir.
4. To restrain from utterance or manifestation; not to express.
1557. N. T. (Genev.), 2 Tim. ii. 16. Suppresse prophane and vayne wordes.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. i. 182. Well didst thou Richard to suppresse thy voice.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. ii. 683. Talgol, who had long supprest Inflamed Wrath, in glowing Breast.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 114, ¶ 1. The Husband … suppressing and keeping down the Swellings of his Grief.
a. 1721. Prior, Pastoral Dial., 66. Suppress thy Sighs.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Sat., II. viii. 83. While Varius with a napkin scarce suppress’d His laughter.
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s, xxxvi. Here Mowbray could not suppress a movement of impatience.
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, I. v. Nor compressed lips, white with what they suppressed.
1888. F. Hume, Mme. Midas, I. i. He suppressed his real tastes till he because the husband of Miss Curtis.
refl. 1755. Warburton, in W. & Hurd’s Lett. (1809), 201. How superior is it to any thing we have had or are like to have in the polite way!—but I suppress myself.
† 5. To press down; to depress; to press or weigh upon. Also absol. Obs.
1542. [see SUBPRESS].
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, cxix. It may come also of a reumatyke humour supressyng the brayne.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iii. 19. That disdainfull beast … Vnder his Lordly foot him proudly hath supprest. Ibid. (1596), VI. viii. 18. He staide his hand … Yet nathemore he him suffred to arize; But still suppressing [etc.].
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., b iij b/1. The plate layede in the mouth, to keepe downe and suppres the tonge.
1620. [see SUPPRESSED ppl. a.].
† b. To ravish, violate. Obs. (Cf. SUPPRISE v. 3.)
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. vi. 40. He it was, that earst would haue supprest Faire Vna.
† 6. fig. To bring or keep low, into or in subjection; to bear heavily upon, weigh down. Obs.
1537. Lett. & Papers Hen. VIII., XII. I. 16. My being here doth but with thought weaken the body and suppress the heart.
1542–5. Brinklow, Lament., 10 b. The parcialyte of iudges, suppressynge the pore, and aidynge the riche.
1588. Greene, Pandosto (1843), 18. Her vital spirits being suppressed with sorrow.
1594. Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, I. i. Poore Troy so long supprest, From forth her ashes shall aduance her head.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Prerog. Parl. (1628), Ep. Ded. Those that are supprest and helpelesse are commonly silent.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Oath Knight, Wks. (1711), 138. Masterful thieves and outlaws, that suppress the poor.
7. To hinder from passage or discharge; to stop or arrest the flow of.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. V. II. 481. If blacke blood issue foorth, bleede on, if it be cleere and good, let it be instantly suppressed.
1716. Pope, Iliad, V. 109. Fate suppress’d his Breath.
1842. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 357. Suppressing the direct channel of the sap.
1854. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., I. iv. 129. Hæmorrhage, which … it was impossible to suppress.
