Also 5–6 -myse, (6 -mies, 7 Anglo-Ir. -mishe), 6–8 -mize. [a. AF., OF. surmise, vbl. sb. f. surmettre: see next.]
† 1. Law. A formal allegation or information; spec. in Eccl. Law, the allegation in the libel. Obs.
1451. Rolls of Parlt., V. 218/2. That averment … may be hadde … for every partie … to have or enjoye any of the premisses, by theire surmyse that the seid Londes … were yeven or graunted for other Londes [etc.]. Ibid. (1455), 334/1. That al suche persones … uppon whom any suche surmyse is made, so that it be thought by the Justicez … afore whome suche surmyses is hadde, that suche surmyse is trewe and not doon of malice, remayne and abyde yn youre prisone.
1481. Cov. Leet Bk., 473. A surmyse made to my lorde prynce of diuerse Iniuryes don by hym & oþer persones.
1485. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 327/1. The said John Calcote the Fader, by an untrue surmyse made unto King Edward the fourth … was appeched of high Treason.
1534. Star Chamber Cases (Selden Soc.), II. 317. That the seid henry … exhybyt one other byll of surmyse for the premyssez in to the kynges Courte of Chauncery.
1595. Expos. Terms Law, s.v. Ley, In cases of secrecie where the plaintife cannot proue the surmise of his suit by any deed or open acte.
1713. Gibson, Codex, 1071/2. Prohibition may be granted upon a Collateral Surmise: That is, upon a Surmise of some Fact or Matter not appearing in the Libel.
† 2. An allegation, charge, imputation; esp. a false, unfounded or unproved charge or allegation. Obs. (in later use merged in 4).
1531. Elyot, Gov., II. xi. In them that be constante is neuer mistrust or suspition, nor any surmise or iuell reporte can withdrawe them from their affection.
c. 1540. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden No. 29), 38. After being reserved ix. monthes for that cause, and her surmise founde false, she was burned.
1563. Homilies, II. Almsdeeds, III. (1649), 166. It is the crafty surmize of the divell to perswade us it.
1577. Harrison, England, II. xi. [xviii.] (1877), I. 296. They wage one poore man or other, to become a bodger, and thereto get him a licence vpon some forged surmise.
1582. T. Cartwright, in Nicolas, Mem. Sir C. Hatton (1847), 304. The slanderous surmise of my disloyalty to her Majesty’s estate.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXVIII. xl. 699. I shall incurre the sinister opinion and surmise of two things.
a. 1660. Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.), II. 180. The subdellegation of the provinciall councell of Vlster by the surmishes of My Lord Primat.
3. (A) suspicion. Obs. or merged in 4.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XX. (Percy Soc.), 94. Demeane you so that in no wyse No man perceyve of your love surmyse.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 105. Without any surmise or suspect had of his part of any such kind of deceipt.
1643. Milton, Divorce, 16. Let him not put her away for the meer surmise of Judaicall uncleannes.
1719. Young, Busiris, IV. i. Was ever man thus left to dreadful thought, And all the horrors of a black surmise!
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxx. There was something so extraordinary in her being at this castle,… that a very painful surmise arose concerning her character.
[1862. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., iv. 62. I never even have heard a surmise against the purity of members.]
† b. A ‘suspicion,’ slight trace (of something).
1586. A. Day, Engl. Secretorie, I. (1625), 141. So much as any surmize of that whereof I haue beene thereby aduertised.
1595. Daniel, Civ. Wars, III. lviii. Glad to finde the least surmise of rest.
1736. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., IV. 141. Avoid every Surmise of acting otherwise than the most dutiful Subjects.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. II. vii. Some faintest ineffectual surmise of mercy.
4. An idea formed in the mind (and, often, expressed) that something may be true, but without certainty and on very slight evidence, or with no evidence; a conjecture.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. viii. § 3. Surmises and sleight probabilities will not serue.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., I. 5. The rest, as his giving name to the Ile or ever landing heer, depends altogether upon late surmises.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. xiii. 270. This appeared, by the event, to be an ill-grounded surmise.
1817. Keats, Sonn., Chapman’s Homer, 13.
| All his men | |
| Look’d at each other with a wild surmise. |
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. xiii. 296. Another early surmise was … that the glacier slid along its bed.
1878. Earle, Philol. Engl. Tongue, v. Postscr. (1879), 253. Horne Tooke was, I believe, the first to throw out this surmise.
b. in generalized use.
1590. H. R., Defiance to Fortune, G 4. He was not assured whether he spake vpon surmise, or that he had some secret knowledge of his loue to Susania.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. iii. 23. Coniecture, Expectation, and Surmise Of Aydes incertaine, should not be admitted.
1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., II. 486. Suspicions, and Fantastical Surmise.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, V. iv. II. 453. Allegations which, if they had general surmise … in their favour, were unsupported by particular facts.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 262. The knowledge that I am, and, since I am, can recognize What to me is pain and pleasure: this is sure, the rest—surmise.
1913. Eng. Hist. Rev., Oct., 821. Surmise has often to supply the lack of knowledge.
† 5. The formation of an idea in the mind; conception, imagination. Obs.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxvii. (1612), 180. That Vermen that hath reason, and his owne defects espies, Doth seeme to haue a soule, at least doth thriue by such surmies.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 1579. Being from the feeling of her own griefe brought, By deep surmise of others detriment.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxv. § 15. Pretending that the crosse … is not by them apprehended alone, but hath in their secret surmise or conceipt a reference to the person of our Lord Iesus Christ.
1637. Milton, Lycidas, 153. For so to interpose a little ease, Let our frail thoughts dally with false surmise.
