Forms: see the sb. [f. SURFEIT sb.: cf. FORFEIT v.]
1. trans. To feed to excess or satiety; to sicken or disorder by overfeeding († or as unwholesome food). Also absol.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIV. 188. Ich see noone so ofte sorfeten soþliche so mankynde; In mete out of mesure and meny tymes in drynke.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 13. Thay that ar maist furthie in the ingyring and surffetting thame sellffis.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., v. 30. The Fannian Law … allowes a chirping cup, to satiet, not to surffet.
1747–96. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, iii. 17. Pork must be well done, or it is apt to surfeit.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. ii. 311. The few [fish] we caught … having surfeited those who eat of them.
† b. With away: To dissipate by excessive indulgence. nonce-use.
1607. Middleton, Michaelm. Term, II. ii. 23. I … surfeited away my name and state In swinish riots.
2. fig. or gen. To fill or supply to excess; to oppress or disgust with over-abundance of something.
1592. Nashe, P. Penilesse (ed. 2), 4. Hauing … surfetted my minde with vanitie.
1600. Sir W. Cornwallis, Ess., I. xxi. M v. Vpon occasion I would speake, but niggardly, and rather starue then surfet my Auditory.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., II. 582. When sleepe so surfeted Their leaden ey-lids.
1668–9. Pepys, Diary, 6 March. He is weary and surfeited of business.
1683. Apol. Prot. France, Pref. p. ii. By over-stocking those populous Manufactures,… and by surfeiting the Land with people.
1743. Young, Nt. Th., V. 260. With mixt manure she surfeits the rank soil.
1821. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. My Relations. If you are not already surfeited with cousins.
1882. B. D. W. Ramsay, Recoll. Mil. Serv., II. xvi. 140. I … had been surfeited with office-work.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, II. xi. 246. My wife surfeits herself with poetry.
3. intr. To eat or drink to excess of; to feast gluttonously or over-abundantly upon. (In early use more widely, including sensual indulgence in general.)
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., xxxiv. 186. Temporance, by the wiche a man kepyth and holdyth mesure in ettynge and drynkynge, and surfetyth not, as in women. Ibid., lxi. 237. Yf a man do surfete of mette and drynke, the kyndely hette shal be enfebelit.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Owen Glendour, xxvii. Such … as fysh before the net Shal seldome surfyt of the pray they take.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 59. I haue seen him … so … surfit, az he hath pluct of hiz napkin, wyept his knife, & eat not a morsell more.
1632. Sanderson, Serm., 443. Surfetting vpon the delicatest fishes.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., V. x. (1848), 338. Ev’n the wholesomest Meats may be surfeited on.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 789. He never supt in solemn State,… Nor surfeited on rich Campanian Wine.
1819. Shelley, Masque of Anarchy, xliii. Such diet As the rich man in his riot Casts to the fat dogs that lie Surfeiting beneath his eye.
1856. Kane, Arctic Expl., II. xxvi. A merrier set of gourmands … never surfeited in genial diet.
b. fig. To indulge in something to excess; to take one’s fill, ‘feast,’ ‘revel.’ Now rare or Obs.
1586. Warner, Alb. Eng., IV. xx. (1612), 98. Sweetely surfeiting in ioy.
1594. Drayton, Ideas, xxxiii. Whilst yet mine eyes doe surfet with delight.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. i. 2. If Musicke be the food of Loue,… Giue me excesse of it; that surfetting, The appetite may sicken, and so dye.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, Eccles. xi. 8. He shall have no lust to surfet of these things.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. ii. § 26. Piety is most healthful … where it can least surfeit of Earthly Pleasures.
1658. Dekker, etc., Witch of Edmonton, I. i. Wks. 1873, IV. 355. We will surfeit in our embraces, Wench.
1707. Prior, Satire Poets, 153. Starving for Meat, not surfeiting on Praise.
1832. Examiner, 673/2. The laity have done much wrong to the clergy in allowing it to cram, and surfeit, and pall, and hebetate, with forbidden wealth.
4. To suffer the effects of over-feeding; to fall sick in consequence of excess († or by eating unwholesome food). Now rare or Obs.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm., x. § 7. 156. Let vs returne no more to the flesh pots of Egypt, let vs not lust after quailes: for if wee feede vpon them, wo shall surfet of them to our destruction.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. ii. 6. They are as sicke that surfet with too much, as they that starue with nothing.
1624. Capt. J. Smith, Virginia, IV. 148. They spared no vncleane … beast,… but eat them vp also…; and by this meanes their whole Colony well-neere surfeted, sickned and died.
1700. Locke, Hum. Und. (ed. 4), II. xxxiii. § 7. A grown Person surfeiting with Honey, no sooner hears the Name of it, but his Phancy … carries Sickness … to his Stomach.
1760–2. Goldsm., Cit. W., xv. If an epicure … shall happen to surfeit on his last night’s feast.
b. fig. or gen. To suffer from over-abundance; to become disgusted or nauseated by excess of something; to grow sick of. Now rare or Obs.
1605. A. Warren, Poore Mans Passion, cxiii. E iij. Some Vsurer … Whose gorged chests surfet with cramming gold.
1607. Chapman, Bussy D’Ambois, II. i. 15. The slenderest pittance of commended vertue, She surfets of it.
1640. Quarles, Enchirid., III. 2. Be not too fond, lest she surfeit.
a. 1668. Lassels, Voy. Italy (1670), I. Pref. Traveling preserves my yong nobleman from surfeiting of his parents.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 4 Oct. 1683. Surfeiting of this, I … went contented home to my poor, but quiet villa.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (Globe), 321. The Man of Pleasure … surfeited of his Vice.
1814. Cary, Dante, Inf., XIX. 57. So early dost thou surfeit with the wealth.
† 5. To trespass, transgress. (Cf. SURFEIT sb. 2.)
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 484/2. Surfetyn, or forfetyn yn trespace, forefacio, delinquo.
