Forms: α. 1 utera, uterra, utra, 4–6 vter, Sc. 6 vtir, utyr, 6, 9 uter. β. 2 uttera, uttra, 3, 6 uttre, 4–6 vttre, 4– utter (4–6 uttir, 5 uttere); 4–7 vtter (4 otter, 5 outter, vttere, 6–7 Sc. wtter), 4–6 vttur, 5 vtture, vttir, 4 vttyr. [OE. útera, úterra, úttera, úttra, etc. (also ýtera, ýtra, ýttra) adj. (comparative formed on út OUT adv.), = OFris. ûtera, uttera, uttra, MLG. utere, uter (LG. ûter, üter), MDu. utere (Du. ütter-), OHG. ûʓero, ûʓaro (MHG. ûʓer, G. äusser), also ON. ytri, MSw. ytre, etc. (Sw. yttre), Norw. ytre, Da. ydre. Cf. OUTER a.
Shortening of the original ū of the stem is normal before the group ttr, which in OE. was regularly developed from tr.]
I. 1. That is farther out than another (implied or distinguished as inner); forming the exterior part or outlying portion; relatively far out, outward, external, exterior; also, indefinitely remote. Cf. OUTER a. 1. Now only poet.
In very frequent use from c. 1400 to c. 1620. App. in disuse c. 1670–c. 1825, except in utter bar, barrister (see BAR sb.1 24, BARRISTER).
α. a. 901. Ælfred, Laws, c. 44. § 1. ʓif ðæt uterre [v.rr. utre, uttere] þan bið þyrel.
13[?]. [see 1 b].
1507. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., III. 292. The Kingis offerandis in the utir kyrk.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), III. 48. Suppois than of that toun The vter wallis win war and put doun.
1592. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 753/1. Lie uter port de Halyrudhous.
1897. Jamieson’s Suppl., 257/2. The uter door.
β. c. 1125. [see α].
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 664 (Camb. MS.). In þis vttir [v.rr. vtter, outter] hous.
a. 1400–50. Bk. Curtasye, 444, in Babees Bk., 313. For lordys two beddys schalle be made, Bothe vtter and inner.
c. 1435. Chron. London (Kingsford, 1905), 40. By the hemme off the kyngis cote, vndir his vttir garnement.
1471. Paston Lett., III. 20. Opyn the cofyr that standyth in the utter chambyr.
1526. Tindale, Matt. xxv. 30. Cast that vnprophetable servaunt into vtter dercknes.
1542. Boorde, Dyetary, iv. (1870), 239. If there be an vtter courte made.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 752. An ounce of the utter barke taken with wine.
1614. Sylvester, Little Bartas, 432. Earth’s but a Point, compar’d to th’ upper Globe; Yet, who hath seen but half her utter Robe?
1661. P. Gordon, Diary (Spalding Club), 49. Whilst my servants were cleansing the inner room, he breake down the oven in the utter roome.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 716. Drive them out From all Heav’ns bounds into the utter Deep.
1827. Pollok, Course T., IX. 1180. They heard, Afar to left, among the utter dark, Hell rolling o’er his waves of burning fire.
1848. Bailey, Festus (ed. 3), 107. From Time’s last orb which eyes The inner and the utter infinite.
1870. J. Payne, Masque of Shadows, Ded. Whoso is fain To enter in this shadow-land of mine, He must forget the utter summer’s shine.
fig. 1608. B. Jonson, Masques, Wks. (1616), 934. I,… who haue neuer touch’d so much as to the barke, or vtter shell of any knowledge.
1877. L. Morris, Epic Hades, II. 147. So high a strain arose As trembled on the utter verge of being.
b. Freq. with partitive terms, as † deal, end, part, † party, and esp. side. Also fig. Now rare.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9912. Þis castell … es painted a-bute þe vtter [Gött. vter] side.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 4815. Þe world sal bryn on ilk syde,… Until þe utter end of alle helle.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 59. For betynge of veynes is bettre i-knowe in þe vttre parties of bodies þan ynward. Ibid., VI. 251. Þe utter deel of his oost.
c. 1400. Beryn, 3928. [He] had a mantell…; The vttir part of purpill.
1457. Cov. Leet Bk., 298. The newe Crosse vppon the heth at the vtter syde of theyre fraunchice.
1508. Bk. Keruynge, A iv. The vtter ende of the clothe on the vtter syde of the table.
1526. Tindale, Matt. xxiii. 25. Ye make clene the vtter side off the cuppe, and off the platter.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. 21 b. A little rayne falling, hath but wette the vtter part, and not gone deepe.
1629. Sir W. Mure, True Crucifixe, 485. Like painted Tombs who clense the vtter side. [Cf. Matt. xxiii. 27].
1637. Rutherford, Lett. (1671), 183. For two feathers or two straws of the devil’s painted pleasures, onely lustred in the utter side.
1848. Bailey, Festus (ed. 3), 59. I have looked down upon the utter side of such thoughts from the leeming room of reason.
† 2. = OUTER a. 2. Obs.
c. 900. trans. Baeda’s Hist., IV. xiii. (1890), 304. Þæt heo seolfe wæron ʓe on þæm nearran [v.r. inneran] godum, ʓe on þæm utteran [v.r. uttran] mid heofonlice ʓife ʓewelʓade.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Thorpe), xv. 7. Þeah he me þara uterrena ʓewinna ʓefreode, þeah winnað wið me þa inran unrihtlustas.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 92. Hwo se ȝemeleasliche witeð hire uttre eien,… heo ablindeð in þe inre eien.
1357. Lay Folks’ Catech. (L.), 330. The be-houys to know þy fyue wyttys þe vttyr and þe ynnyr.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sec. Nun’s T., 498 (Camb. MS.). Teere lakkyth no thyng to thyn vtter Iyen.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. ix. (1495), 54. The vtter wytte conteyneth the syghte,… taastynge and towchynge.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. xiv. 82. For þe utter enemy is sonner ouercomen, if þe ynner be destroied.
† b. Utter man, = OUTWARD a. 2 c. (Cf. OUTER a. 2 b.) Obs.
a. 1050. Liber Scintill., x. (1899), 53. Þæt ys fullfremed & ʓesceadwislic fæsten þænne ure mann uttra fæst, se inra ʓebitt.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, ix. 20. Þat … þe utter man haf noght maistry of þe inere.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 53. Þis is bifore spiritual joy, as utter man is bifore spiritual. Ibid. (1388), 2 Cor. iv. 16. Thouȝ oure vtter man be corruptid.
1565. Jewel, Reply Harding, 430. Simple folke, beinge not hable to discerne, what thinges they be in the Holy Scriptures, that are to be applied to the Inner Man, and what to the Vtter.
† 3. = OUTWARD a. 4. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 4. Ye schullen alles weis … wel witen þe inre & þe uttre [sc. riwle] vor hire sake. Ibid. (a. 1275), 420, note (Cotton MS.). Understondeð þet of alle þeose þinges nis nan hest ne forbot; for alle ha beoð of þe uttere riwle, þet is lute strencðe of.
1526. Tindale, John vii. 24. Judge not after the vtter aperaunce.
1548. Hoby, in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), II. App. Y. 80. He … is even now … as content to the utter shew, as he was at any time of his most prosperity.
1558. Bp. White, Ibid., III. App. lxxxi. 279. You in time of divine service, do … both in heart and utter gesture … adore the same flesh.
1563. Homilies, II. Place & Time of Prayer, 282. Strayghtly to obserue and kepe the vtter ceremonyes of the Saboth-day.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., R 4 b. Lyke the Geometritians, they square about poynts and lyues, and the vtter shew of things.
II. 4. Going to the utmost point; extreme, absolute, complete, entire, total.
In very frequent use from c. 1515.
c. 1430. Generides (Roxb.), 3040. This wer to vs … an vttir shame for euermore.
14[?]. Lydgate’s Thebes, 4122 (MS. Laud Misc. 557, fol. 58). It were to hem a perpetuall shame, An vtter [v.r. outre] hyndryng vnto Grekes name.
a. 1511. Fabyan, Chron., VI. clxxxix. 191. To the … vtter displeasure of the Kynge.
1550. Crowley, Epigr., 1241. Ambition was punished wyth vtter exile.
1562. Winȝet, Cert. Tract., Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 7. Ane manifest confusion and vter exterminion of this realme.
1606. Dekker, News fr. Hell, Wks. (Grosart), II. 143. Burning Riuers In which … are [sic] no vtter danger.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacræ, I. ii. § 1. We have seen already an utter impossibility of having any ancient Records among them.
1718. Prior, Poems, Dedication, b j. Two Things which were his utter Aversion.
1778. Miss Burney, Evelina, xxi. I saw they were in utter amazement.
1812. J. Wilson, Isle of Palms, III. 535. A graceful calm is seen All foreign to this utter solitude.
1849. Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, vii. § 11. 184. Restraint, utter and unrelaxing, can never be comely.
1871. Tylor, Prim. Cult., I. 277. Her utter belief that in her vision she had really seen this bright being.
1889. Clark Russell, Marooned, xii. The arrest of his movements could not have been more spasmodic and utter.
b. Freq. said of destruction, ruin, loss, etc.
1413–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. 2443. He him [Agamemnon had brouȝt in gret distresse, To outter meschef and confusioun.
1456[?]–. [see UNDOING vbl. sb.1 3 c].
1523. Act 14 & 15. Hen. VIII., c. 1 § 1. The utter ruyne, decaye, impoverysshyng and undoyng of a great nombre of the Kynges owne naturall Subjectes.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 40. To the vtter destruction of the common wealthe.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iv. 112. The vtter losse of all the Realme.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 309. Thou hast … quitted all to save A World from utter loss.
1674. Jackson’s Recant., B 1 b. Turn’d out of Doors, to their utter ruin and destruction.
1772. Priestley, Inst. Relig. (1782), I. 408. The utter ruin of their city … was foretold.
1827. Keble, Chr. Y., 11th Sunday after Trinity, v. Full many a soul … To utter death that hour shall sweep.
1841. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life (1870), III. viii. 125. Dark depression and utter failure of intellect.
1846. Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, II. xxi. 359. The utter destruction of all reverence for the unseen.
c. Of answers, decisions, etc.: Given without reserve or qualification; unmodified, decisive, definite. In early use chiefly Sc.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 173. As for utter ansuere to this questioun,… lawe and gude faith avidis that … he is behaldin [etc.].
1472. Stonor Papers (Camden), I. 126. But and [= if] ye … conceyve þat shee hath yoven you an utter nay.
1515. Q. Marg., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. I. 127. Send me ȝour uter mynd and ansuer in all thyng.
1560. Rolland, Seven Sages, 33. This is any vtter minde and will, That ȝe prepair [etc.].
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xxxii. 36. Ȝour vter ansueir courteously I crave.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VIII. § 15. The utter refusal of the auxiliary regiments of London and Kent to march farther.
1828–32. Webster, s.v., An utter refusal or denial.
d. Of darkness, etc.: Complete, absolute.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. iii. 42. But thou … wert indeede, but for the Light in thy Face, the Sunne of vtter Darkenesse.
1814. Wordsw., Excurs., VII. 357. Then, shall the slowly-gathering twilight close In utter night.
1825. Scott, Talism., v. They blew out their lights at once, and left the knight in utter darkness.
1830. Tennyson, Confess. Sens. Mind, 95. What if Thou … seest me drive Through utter dark a full-sailed skiff Unpiloted. Ibid. (1868), Lucretius, 70. Then, from utter gloom stood out the breasts … of Helen.
e. Pure; unalloyed. rare–1.
1875. Morris, Æneis, IX. 262. Two cups of utter silver wrought.
5. Of persons: That is such to an absolute degree; out-and-out, complete, ‘perfect.’
In early use, usu. with ‘enemy’; in 19th c., freq. with ‘stranger.’
c. 1420. Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 594. He hathe be euer myn vtter enemy.
1555. J. Bradford, in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), III. App. xlv. 131. That he shoulde be … the Kinges utter enemye.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 82 b. Their moste vtter and mortall ennemie.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Method, vii. Those Who heare not him, but quickly heare His utter foes?
1662. Trenchfield, Chr. Chym., 39. Julius Cæsar having taken … the Cabinets of Pompey and Scypio his utter enemies.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 163. Ye be utter Strangers to me; I know you not.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xiii. Some of them are yet utter heathens.
a. 1845. Hood, Lamia, vi. 80. And thou wilt … say the outer woman is utter woman, And not a whit a snake!
1849. Lever, Con Cregan, xviii. To win some acknowledgment of confidence from an utter stranger.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 70. The persons … are utter rogues.
b. ellipt. (in affected use).
1881. W. S. Gilbert, Patience, II. (The Officers have some difficulty in maintaining their constrained [æsthetic] attitudes.)… Ang. Oh, Saphir, are they not quite too all-but? Saph. They are indeed jolly utter.
1882. H. S. Leigh, Strains fr. Strand, 5. You and I have been together Dining up at Eaton Square. Pretty creature, tell me whether All was not ‘quite utter’ there. Ibid., 131. My wife has gone ‘utterly utter.’
† 6. Uttermost, utmost. Obs.
Freq. in Sc. use in 16th cent., with power.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. ix. 16. Quham to assailȝe,… all the Italianis At vtir power ombeset atanis.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. iv. (S.T.S.), I. 30. Þare husbandis wald gif þare vter besines … to recovir baith [etc.].
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 59. My request, which yt you wold accomplish to my utter expectation, we … beseech you most earnestly.
1590. Hecuba’s Mishaps, in T. Fenne, Frutes, Ff2 b. When that I had … shewed my utter might.
† b. Ultimate, original. Obs.–1
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 144. They haue neuer altered the Dialect [of Persia] from its vtter sence, at this day being cald Pharsee.
† 7. Final; last. Obs.–1
1558. Phaër, Æneid, II. D iii b. Our vtter houre is comen alas, fell destinies death hath brought.
8. The utter, that which is utter or extreme; = UTTERMOST a. 7, UTMOST a. 5, 5 b. rare.
1584. Raleigh, Lett., in Aubrey, Lives (1898), II. 192. Readie to countervaile all your courtesies to the utter of my power.
1894. Athenæum, 29 Sept., 418/1. Nothing suits him but the utter. His heroine is ‘beautifully modelled’ [etc.].
III. † 9. Combs. (hyphened, or as one word): utter-bark, -brass, -court, -deal (DEAL sb.1 1 d), -end, -gate, -room, -shape (see sense 3), -side; utterward (see WARD sb.2 14 c); also fig. (quot. c. 1440); utter-wit, knowledge of things external to one.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxx. (Bodl. MS.). Þe vtterdele þereof is clene and bright.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 222. As þou hast v. watyrgatys in þe vttere-warde, owtward in þe pytt of þi body.
c. 1450. Brut, II. 545. The vtterward of the castell of Chestre.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 309/2. The towne … in the utterende of Dalmace.
1485. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 353. The Uttergate of the Castell of Flynte.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., III. vi. c viij/1. Felynge, bodyly wytte and Ymagynacyon arne sytuate in the soule that he is onid to the body, and yeue it lyfe, & Innerwytte & vtterwytt to perfeccion of the body.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 139. One [bed] … ye vtterbrasses therof were of grene jasper.
1530. Palsgr., 286/1. Utterbarke of a tree, escorche. Ibid., Uttercourt, basse court.
a. 1500. Leland, Itin. (1769), VII. 118. Estward to the utterward of the Chyrch.
1567. Drant, Horace, Sat., iii. G 4. To folow showes, and uttershapes,… Is folie leude.
1577. Harrison, England, II. xii. (1877), I. 236. The vtterside of their mansions.
1603. Daniel, Def. Rhime, H 6. When we heare musicke, we must be in our eare, in the vtter-roome of sense.
1675. Hobbes, Odyssey, XXI. 258. [He] shut the utter-Gate.
