Chiefly Sc. Obs. Also 4 -ice, 4–5 -iss, 4–6 -yse, 5 -is, -yss, (-ese), 5–6 -ys, -eis, 6 -ize, -yis(s; 5 suprise, superyse, 8 suprize. [f. AF., OF. supris-e, var. of sur-, sourpris-e, or souspris-e, pa. pple. of surprendre SURPRISE v., sousprendre SUSPRISE v.
Through variants like suppriss, this vb. became confused with SUPPRESS, of which it has some of the meanings.]
1. trans. To come upon or attack unexpectedly; to surprise.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 11. He assemblyt his men … And come for to suppris the king, That weill wes war of thar cummyng. Ibid., VI. 37. Thai thoucht him for to suppris; And gif he fled on ony vis To follow him vith the hunde.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xl. (Ninian), 876. A gret oste of Ingland, For to supprice hym, var cumand.
1471. Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 676. Aboute the houre of none cam a grete tempeste And supprysed them sodaynly.
b. To ensnare, betray.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 1848. Þe deuel, with his quayntys, Will be aboute ȝow to suppryse, And draw ȝow heyn.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xliv. 26. Wo to the spyis first did suppryis My hairt within ȝour hald!
2. Of a feeling, etc.: To come upon suddenly and forcibly, seize, overtake, affect violently: usually in pa. pple. (const. with the feeling, etc.).
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 1184. This Troilus, with blysse of þat supprised, Put al in goddes hond.
1420–22. Lydg., Thebes, 2017. It scheweth wel that thow were not wis, But supprised with a manere rage. Ibid. (1426), De Guil. Pilgr., 6166. With gret desyr I was supprysed In my thouht & my corage. Ibid. (1430–40), Bochas, VIII. xxvii. (MS. Bodl. 263), 404. Take and supprised he was wt dronknesse.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VI. ccxvi. (1533), 139/1. For thys vyctory Harolde was suppreised [1559 suppressed] wyth pryde.
1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 537. So am I supprysyd with pleasure and delyght To se this howre now.
1592. Breton, C’tess Pembroke’s Love (Grosart), 24/2. A secret ioie that did the soule suprise.
1611. Mure, Misc. Poems, i. 60. Ȝouth then, with courage and desyer … assayed My Sences to suppryse.
b. To affect with surprise.
1775. in Nairne Peerage Evidence (1874), 123. If departed souls can be supriz’d sure hers would be so to meet in the regines of bliss one she thought was still here in this world of woe.
3. To do violence to, injure, outrage; to oppress; to ravish, violate (a woman).
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xlix. (Tecla), 157. Scho … Cryit hye: supprice me nocht Na haf nocht foly in to thocht!
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 75. Austeyn … seiþ þus: Sum supprise wiþ seruil chargis our religioun, þat our Lord Ihu Crist wold to be fre.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2390 (Ashmole MS.). He wald neuire suprise [Dublin MS. sussprise] no sege vndir heuen.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., I. 310 (MS. Wemyss). Sindry spretis … Slepand women wald suppris … That gat þire gyantis ofgret mycht.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 156. The citee sulde be wele punyst that revengis nocht hir burgeis suppresit, or opprest wrangwisly…. I lefully defend me agayne othir that wald suppris me wrangwisly.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron. CXIV. xiii. (MS. Ashm. 34), lf. 89 b. He … his comons never his tyme supprysed [v.r. supprissed].
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xliii. 47. Sic ladyis wyiss, Thay ar to pryis,… Swa can devyiss, And not suppryiss Thame, nor thair honestie.
4. To overpower, overcome, subdue; occas. to put down, suppress.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., 306. Þei shullene dye one a day … Suppriset with a surget [Thornton MS. Supprysede with a sugette].
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VI. 1709 (MS. Cott.). Schir Knowt … Dowttyt to be suppryssit son, Or in þe batel al wndoyn.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 4468. All þe strenth of your enmys I sall schende and sone supprys.
a. 1475. Ashby, Dicta Philos., 396. The kynge hathe the charge theim to supprise, That wolde surmonte, or in vices arise.
1594. Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, I. i. Ay me! the Starres supprisde like Rhesus Steedes, Are drawne by darknes forth Astræus tents.
1601. Chester, K. Arthur, iv. Chaste to her husbands cleare vpspotted bed, Whose honor-bearing Fame none could supprize.
c. 1614. Sir W. Mure, Dido & Æneas, I. 157. His kinde she hates, which should the same supprise.
5. a. To undertake. b. To uphold. rare.
c. 1401. Lydg., Floure Curtesye, 232. Euer as I can supprise in myn herte.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 1912. Demean you al wey in such wise Min honour and worship I may supprise.
Hence † Supprised ppl. a. (a) oppressed (in quot. c. 1400 absol.), (b) appearing suddenly; † Suppriser, ? betrayer; † Supprising vbl. sb., surprise, unexpected attack; † Supprission (-icioun), oppression.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 551. The kyng, That had no dreid of supprising, Ȝeid vnarmyt, mery and blith.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 79. Goddis law biddiþ help þe supprissed, jugiþ to þe fadirles, defendiþ þe wydow.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IV. 2026 (MS. Wemyss). And vnder gret exactioun Haldin in to suppricioun [MS. Cott. 2020 supprission].
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, IV. 37. She … with supprised teares [orig. lacrimis obortis] Bained her brest.
1592. Breton, Pilgr. Parad. (Grosart), 11/2. Thou wicked witch,… To bring a desperate spirit to defame, And by illusion, first the soules supriser, That heares thy wordes, and wil beleeue the same.
