a. (sb.) [ad. L. tumultuāri-us of or belonging to hurry or tumult, raised hastily (as troops), f. tumultus TUMULT: see -ARY1; cf. F. tumultuaire.]

1

  1.  Of troops: Gathered hastily and promiscuously, without order or system; irregular, undisciplined. Also of warfare, etc., carried on by such troops, or in an irregular way.

2

1590.  Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, Ded. 2 b. The tumultuarie and disordered wars of the Lowe Countries.

3

1600.  Holland, Livy, VIII. ii. 289. A tumultuarie armie in great hast levied … out of all quarters.

4

1759.  Robertson, Hist. Scot. (1817), I. II. 396. With tumultuary … violence, they fell upon the churches.

5

1841.  Elphinstone, Hist. Ind., II. VII. iv. 165. A tumultuary attack, which was repelled by the garrison.

6

  2.  Hurriedly done; irregular, disorderly, confused; haphazard, unsystematic, random.

7

1609.  Holland, Amm. Marcell., 245. In hast and in tumultuarie manner.

8

1613–8.  Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626), 22. Content with a tumultuarie learning.

9

a. 1638.  Mede, Wks. (1672), 772. So tumultuary and confused a Discourse.

10

1771.  Macpherson, Introd. Hist. Gt. Brit., 235. Their resolutions must … have been tumultuary and precipitate.

11

1843.  Church, St. Anselm & Hen. I., ¶ 4. The tumultuary beginnings of society.

12

1879.  Farrar, St. Paul, I. 501. Ashamed of their tumultuary injustice.

13

  † b.  Of a person: Acting, writing, or speaking hastily and at random; unsystematic, disorderly. Obs.

14

1618.  Bolton, Florus, To Rdr. With mathematicall Stadius, Florus is but a tumultuary author.

15

1644.  Bulwer, Chiron., Prælud. Those upstart and tumultuarie Oratours.

16

1648.  Eikon Bas., vi. 40. Whatever tumultuary Patrons shall project.

17

  3.  Disposed to, marked by, or of the nature of tumult; tumultuous, turbulent.

18

1650.  Howell, Giraffi’s Rev. Naples, I. 42. Against the will of a tumultuary people.

19

1661.  Glanvill, Van. Dogm., 13. The tumultuary disorders of our passions.

20

1664.  Power, Exp. Philos., Pref. The … tumultuary motion of the Atoms.

21

1705.  trans. Bosman’s Guinea, 229. This confused Tumultuary Noise.

22

1834.  Tait’s Mag., I. 404/1. The reign of Governor King … was a tumultuary period.

23

1876.  Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., VIII. lviii. Struggling with a tumultuary crowd of thoughts.

24

  B.  sb. in pl. Tumultuary forces: see 1.

25

1654.  Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Warrs Flanders 76. The Tumultuaries expecting … better progress.

26

1830.  G. P. R. James, Darnley, xxxiv. The leader of the tumultuaries.

27