sovran, a. and n. Chiefly poet.
(ˈsɒvrən)
Also 7 soveran.
[Milton's spelling of sovereign, after It. sovrano.]
A. adj. = sovereign a.
| 1634 Milton Comus 41 By quick command from Soveran Jove I was dispatcht for their defence. 1648 ― Tenure Kings 10 The titles of Sovran Lord, naturall Lord, and the like. 1751 G. West Educ. xxxix, While Senates, Priests and Kings his sovran Sceptre own. Ibid. liii, His sovran Sway. 1794 Coleridge Relig. Musings 19 Nor high grove,..Nor the starred azure, nor the sovran sun. 1802 ― Hymn Sunrise Chamouni 3 So long he seems to pause On thy bald awful head, O sovran Blanc! a 1834 Lamb Misc. Poems, Lines on Picture by Leonardo da Vinci, He..had read all the sovran schemes and divine riddles there. 1887 Mahaffy & Gilman Alexander's Empire xxxii. (1890) 300 When circumstances, as it were, thrust upon them sovran authority. |
B. n. = sovereign n.
| 1648 Milton Tenure Kings 20 Yet Eglon by the Jewes had bin acknowledged as thir Sovran. 1667 ― P.L. i. 246 Since hee Who now is Sovran can dispose and bid What shall be right. 1802 Coleridge Hymn Sunrise Chamouni 29 Thou first and chief, sole Sovran of the Vale! 1824 Landor Imag. Conv. Wks. 1853 I. 2/1 The scrip across my saddlebow contains a full receipt for the discharge of my sovran. 1887 Mahaffy & Gilman Alexander's Empire vi. (1890) 57 By armed interference, which was not unfrequent under these sovrans. |
Hence ˈsovranly adv.
| 1833 Tennyson Œnone Poems 56 The imperial Olympian With archèd eyebrow smiling sovranly. 1880 W. Watson Prince's Quest 14 To see that royal maiden..Unto her palace riding sovranly. |