Also 5–6 -cious. [f. L. surreptītius, -īcius = subreptīcius (see SUBREPTITIOUS) + -OUS. Cf. OF. surreptice, It. surrettizio, OPg. sorr-, surre(p)ticio.]
1. Obtained by ‘surreption,’ suppression of the truth, or fraudulent misrepresentation: = SUBREPTITIOUS a.
1443. Proc. Privy Council, V. 297. Þt þei see þe patentes þt þe Kyng hath graunted and see which be surrepticious.
a. 1712. Fountainhall, Decis. (1759), II. 419. That it was surreptitious and obreptitious, containing a plain falsity.
1719. Ld. Herbert’s Hen. VIII., 108/1. If it shall … appear, that any such Apostolical Dispensations shall be … invalid, ineffectual, unsufficient, surreptitious or arreptitious.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., Subreptitious or Surreptitious, a Term applied to a Letter, Licence, Patent or other Act, fraudulently obtain’d of a Superior, by concealing some Truth, which had it been known, would have prevented the Concession or Grant.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr., XIV. i. note f. The Parliament declared the ordinance surreptitious, and contrary to the rights of the Bishops.
2. Taken, obtained, used, done, etc., by stealth, secretly, or ‘on the sly’; secret and unauthorized; clandestine.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. III. xxx. The Hollander hath done him [sc. the King of Spain] more mischief by counterfeiting his Copper Coyns,… bringing it in by strange surreptitious wayes, as in … hollow Masts.
1661. Sir H. Vane’s Politicks, 7. The Pagentry of his [sc. Oliver Cromwell’s] surreptitious state.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 130. In order to prevent the surreptitious discharge of prisoners.
1817. Coleridge, Biog. Lit., I. 265. A surreptitious act of the imagination, which … likewise supplies by a sort of subintelligitur the one central power, which renders the movement harmonious and cyclical.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xlviii. O ladies! how many of you have surreptitious milliners’ bills?
1866. Mrs. H. Wood, St. Martin’s Eve, xvi. Stealing surreptitious glances at him through her veil.
1885. Ruskin, Præterita, I. iv. 13. The surreptitious enjoyments they devised.
b. Of a passage or writing: Spurious, forged. Of an edition or copy of a book: Issued without authority, ‘pirated.’
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 316. Wee conclude that the place aboue vrged is surreptitious.
1648. Boyle, Seraph. Love, Ep. Ded. (1700), 3. To run the risk of a surreptitious Edition of a Discourse.
1728. Pope, Dunc., Let. Publisher. A correct copy of the Dunciad, which the many surreptitious ones have rendered so necessary.
1858. Times, 29 Nov., 6/4. When they give their word that a publication is surreptitious every one yields a ready belief.
1870. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. I. (1873), 167. Plays which they reprinted from stolen and surreptitious copies.
c. transf. Acting by stealth or secretly: † taking by stealth, appropriating secretly (obs.); stealthy, crafty, sly.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., XXI. 296. To take, or touch with surreptitious Or violent hand, what there was left for vse.
1635. Brathwait, Arcadian Princ., 19. Only some surreptitious proctours were there fishing, who know no … Law-Intergatory, but the demand of their undeserved fees.
1683. Barnard, Heylin, 12. I have not been surreptitious of whole pages together out of the Doctors printed volumnes, and appropriated them to my self without any Mark or Asterism.
1856. Miss Mulock, J. Halifax, xxx. The old man’s look,… betraying his surreptitious curiosity.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. ii. 31. He organized a new expedition … with the same surreptitious countenance which had been shown to him.
1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, xxi. 223. Glancing at the clock with a surreptitious eye.
