a. [f. Gr. ταὐτολόγ-ος repeating what has been said (f. ταὐτό the same + -λογος saying, f. λέγειν to say) + -OUS.] TAUTOLOGICAL 1.
1714. J. Fortescue-Aland, Pref. Fortescue’s Abs. & Lim. Mor., 67. The County of Devon, in the old way of Speaking … called the County of Devonshire, which is the constant Expression in old Deeds, and signifies the same thing tho’ it be tautologous.
1786. H. Tooke, Purley, I. ix. 406. I have been purposely tautologous, that by my indifferent application of the two words of and for … the smallest … opposition between these prepositions might be done away.
1853. Fraser’s Mag., XLVII. 358. The circuitous jargon—the tautologous gabble … of special pleading.
1884. Sir W. B. Brett, in Law Times Rep., 10 May, 315/2. I have come to the conclusion … that the Legislature intended in this case to be verbose and tautologous, and to say the same thing twice over.
Hence Tautologously adv. = TAUTOLOGICALLY.
1865. J. P. Collier, Bibl. Catal., I. 109. It begins thus tautologously: ‘The present plagues that now we fele.’
1904. Westm. Gaz., 22 Oct., 3/2. ‘Fraud-pilfered’—the indictment is tautologously complete.
