suffice, v.
(səˈfaɪs)
Forms: 4 suffische, 4–5 suffich; 4 sofise, 4–5 -ice, 4–6 suffyse, -yce, 4–7 suffise, 5 suffis, -icy, -ys(s, -es, sofyse, 5–6 suffyze, 5–7 -ize, 4– suffice.
[f. OF. suffis-, pres. stem of suffire:—L. sufficĕre, f. suf- = sub- + facĕre to make, do.]
1. intr. To be enough, sufficient, or adequate for a purpose or the end in view.
| c 1340 Hampole Prose Treat. (1866) 19, I haue tolde þe in þis mater a lyttill as me thynke; noghte affermande þat þis suffisches, ne þat þis es þe sothefastnes in þis mater. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 138 He..the richesse of gold despiseth, And seith that mete and cloth sufficeth. a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula etc. 28 And þis sufficeþ of þe kuttyng of þe fistule. 1528 More Dyalogue iv. Wks. 264/2 Yet yf he lacked charite, all hys fayth suffised not. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. ii. 66 'Twixt such friends as wee, Few words suffice. 1646 Hamilton Papers (Camden) 133 This shall suffice from..Your Grace's humblest seruant, R. Moray. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 411 What art can then Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe Through the strict Senteries? 1718 Hickes & Nelson J. Kettlewell i. xviii. 41 To omit other Instances..let this which followeth suffice. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 340 So a seisin at one time would suffice; for the statute said ‘seised at any time’. 1847 Emerson Poems, Day's Ration Wks. (Bohn) I. 482 Why need I volumes, if one word suffice? |
† b. Const. to (a person): To be enough for, satisfy the requirements of; = sense 5. Obs.
| 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 61 To us silf sofisen þis cauus. 1382 Wyclif John xiv. 8 Schewe to vs the fadir, and it suffisith to vs. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxii. 145 Qwhat thing myght suffice to þat man, to wham all þe werld will noȝt suffice? 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 5206 Swych ten..Wolde nat suffysen vn-to me At O dyner..To fulfylle myn appetyt. 1484 Caxton Curiall I b, Late hyt suffyse to the and to me that one of us tweyne be infortunat. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 229 All this suffyseth not to me for I wolde haue parte of y⊇ seygnory. |
c. Const. for in the same sense.
| c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 375 Oonly the sighte of hire whom þat I serue..Wolde han suffised right ynough for me. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vi. cciv. (1811) 215 Why is nat this kyngdom suffycyent for twayne y{supt} somtyme suffysed for .vii.? 1791 Cowper Iliad iv. 426 Short reprimand and exhortation short Suffice for thee. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 80 Such all the rules, and they suffice for all. |
d. Const. for (a thing): To be of sufficient quantity, capacity, or scope for; to provide enough material or accommodation for.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 203 Yf hit sufficith nat for a-seth..Mercy..wil make good þe remenant. 1422 Yonge Secr. Secr. xxiii. 151 Suffysid a lytill graue of v⊇ foote for his Pallis, for his halle, and for his roob. 1611 Bible 1 Kings xx. 10 If the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. 1703 Pope Thebais 216 For crimes like these, not all those realms suffice, Were all those realms the guilty victor's prize! 1847 Mrs. A. Kerr t. Ranke's Hist. Servia 115 The Janissaries by whom they were surrounded sufficed not for their purposes. 1866 Geo. Eliot F. Holt (1868) 46 The book-shelves did not suffice for his store of old books. 1875 Spencer First Princ. ii. v. §59 (ed. 3) 189 note, This mode of conceiving the phenomena suffices for physical inquiries. |
† e. Const. to: To be adequate or equal to; to avail for. Obs.
| c 1325 Song of Yesterday 136 in E.E.P. (1862) 136 Al þi wit schal be þorw souȝt To more good þen þou may suffise. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 135 Vrþely herte myȝt not suffyse To þe tenþe dole of þo gladnez glade. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 12, I wald fayne set my will, Giff my wyt mycht suffice thartill, To put in wryt a suthfast story. c 1400 Destr. Troy 6747 All-þof Ector was on, þat odmony slogh,..Hymselfe might not suffise to þat soume hoge. 1496–7 Act 12 Hen. VII, c. 13 § 1 The graunt of the seid too xvmes and xmes doth not suffise nor extende to the behoufull chargis and expencis. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 13 He wolde not that his worde onely sholde suffyse to our example of lyuynge. |
f. Const. for with a noun of action or gerund.
| 1475 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 150/2 The somme..wold not suffise for the contentation of the wages. 1577 B. Googe tr. Heresbach's Husb. 19 b, Such store of Poultrie..as the doung of them suffised for the manuring of theyr ground. 1653 W. Ramesey Astrol. Restored 20 This may suffice for the silencing of such simpletons. 1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 627 A lighter harrow..will suffice for covering seed. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) II. vi. 37 The evidence of the most abandoned villains sufficed for their conviction. |
g. Const. to with inf.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 153 Al the world ne may suffise To stanche of Pride the reprise. 1480 Caxton Cron. Eng. cii. 82 The lyuyng peple ne suffysed not to burye the dede bodyes. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxiii. heading, Be mirry and glaid, honest and vertewous, Ffor that suffisis to anger the invyous. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. xxvii. 617 The same occasions sufficed also, to procure the deliuerie of Manasses. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 113 To recount Almightie works What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice? 1741–2 Gray Agrip. 59 The world, you gave him, Suffices not to pay the obligation. 1839 Kemble Resid. Georgia (1863) 259 A very short time would suffice to teach him to read. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xiv. 97 The fog..every trace of which a few minutes sufficed to sweep away. 1883 Manch. Guard. 12 Oct. 5/3 A little thing has sufficed to destroy the balance of a structure that was already tottering. |
† h. to suffice to oneself: to be self-sufficient. Obs.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 109 Þei þat sufficy to hemsilf. 1587 Golding De Mornay iii. 32 The onely one God,..Suffizing to himselfe. |
† 2. impers. It is enough. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Mark xiv. 41 He cam the thridde tyme, and seith to hem, Slepe ȝe nowe, and reste ȝe; sothli it sufficith. c 1386 Chaucer Shipman's T. 52 Na moore of this as now, for it suffiseth. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 245 Whan kinde is dueliche served, It oghte of reson to suffise. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (verse) 1824 Sese! it suffes now. 1530 Palsgr. 743/1 Syth he hath made his confessyon with his awne hande, it suffyseth, I aske no more. |
b. Const. inf. or clause with, or (formerly) without, anticipatory subject it. Now chiefly in the subjunctive, suffice it, sometimes short for suffice it to say.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 14 To studie upon the worldes lore Sufficeth now withoute more. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 6864 Than suffysede, stedefastly To loue god, our creatour. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Publ. Baptism, If the childe be weake, it shall suffice to powre water upon it. 1557 North Gueuara's Diall Pr. ii. xxxiv. (1568) 153 For to be a good captayne, sufficeth only to be hardy, and fortunate. 1692 Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 25 It suffices to say that Xantippus becoming the manager of affairs, altered extreamly the Carthaginians Army. 1779 Mirror No. 8 Suffice it to say, that my parting with the Dervise was very tender. 1898 ‘H. S. Merriman’ Roden's Corner x. 100 Suffice it to say that there are many such reasons. |
| 1422 Yonge tr. Secr. Secr. 178 Hit suffichyth that..we fyndyth y-writte, that oone forcible kynge of grete Pouer, assiget the Cite of Rome. 1552 Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion, It shall suffyse that the bread be suche, as is vsuall to bee eaten. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 64 Sufficeth yt also That Troians misery dyd I liue too testifye mourneful. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. viii. 56 Suffise, that I haue done my dew in place. a 1593 Marlowe Hero & Leander i. 71 Let it suffise, That my slacke muse sings of Leanders eies. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. i. 252 If thou ask me why, Sufficeth my reasons are both good and waighty. 1646 Crashaw Steps to Temple 71 Angels cannot tell; suffice, Thyself shalt feel thine own full joys. 1671 Milton Samson 63 Suffices that to me strength is my bane. a 1764 Lloyd New-River Head Poet. Wks. 1774 II. 68 Suffice it, that my goody's care Brought forth her best, tho' simple fare. 1812 Byron Ch. Har. i. iii, Suffice it, that perchance they were of fame. 1841 Thackeray Gt. Hoggarty Diam. vii, I have passed over a great deal of the religious part of Mr. Brough's behaviour: suffice it, that religion was always on his lips. |
c. With dative pron. added. arch.
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 573 Suffiseth me thou make in þis manere [etc.]. c 1392 ― Compl. Venus 65 To the hit ought ynogh suffise, that love so highe a grace to yow sent. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop v. xii, Wel hit maye suffyse the to haue had tweyne of them. c 1520 Nisbet N.T. Matt. x. 25 It sufficis to the discipile that he be as his maistir. 1592 Kyd Sp. Trag. iii. xv. 20 Sufficeth thee that poore Hieronimo Cannot forget his sonne Horatio. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 10 Let it suffice thee (Mistris Page)..that I loue thee. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 88 Had it suffic'd him to have known Good by it self. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. ix. §15 It suffices me only to have remark'd here, that [etc.]. 1833 Tennyson Two Voices 386 Suffice it thee Thy pain is a reality. 1875 Hayward Love agst. World 80 Let it suffice you that I will see you on the subject. |
d. Const. for with acc. and inf.
| 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair lxiii, It sufficed for our Minister to stand up for Madame Strumpff. |
† 3. To have the necessary ability, capacity, or resources for doing something; to be competent or able to do something. Chiefly const. inf. Obs. (in later use coloured by 1 g.)
| a 1325 MS. Rawl. B. 520 lf. 32 b, Ȝif þe lord ne mai noȝt suffisen to uellen þe vnder wode þe contreie him sal helpe. c 1383 Concl. Loll. in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1911) Oct. 748 In vsinge medeful werkis..as moche as þei suffisen. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 21, I schal do, fader, as ye sein, Als ferforth as I mai suffise. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xx. 221 The Lordes here han folk of certeyn nombre, als thei may suffise. 1406 Hoccleve La Male Regle 400 To recorde it vnnethe I may souffyse. c 1450 Holland Howlat 96, I may nocht suffyss to se ȝour sanctitud sad. 1523 Skelton Garl. Laurel 875 Of all your bewte I suffyce not to wryght. 1743 Warburton Ric. Arist. in Pope's Dunc. p. xxxiv, If so many and various graces go to the making up a Hero, what mortal shall suffice to bear this character? 1823 Scott Quentin D. Introd., A Frenchman..can..address himself to a variety of services, and suffice in his own person to discharge them all. |
† b. trans. To be capable of. Obs.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 89 That thou to loves heste obeie Als ferr as thou it myht suffise. 14.. Chaucer's H. Fame 1180 (Caxton) My wytt [ne] may it [v.r. me] not suffyse. |
† 4. intr. Contextually, of a quality or condition: To provide adequate means or opportunity; to allow or admit of a certain thing being done. Also trans. Obs.
| c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 1094 As my wytte koude best suffyse..I besette hytte To loue hir yn my beste wyse. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. cxl, Quhill my yf may suffise. 1425 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 296/2 My said Lordes..shall as ferforth as her cunnyng and discretions suffisen, trewely..avise ye Kyng. c 1440 Generydes 1150 When they came ther they sawe a faire cite, As full a pepill as it cowde suffice. c 1450 in Aungier Syon (1840) 311 Yf the tyme wylle suffise it, the abbes..may exorte them in thys wyse. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 1 As fer as my wrecchednes wold suffyse. |
5. trans. To be enough for; to meet the desires, needs, or requirements of (a person); to satisfy. arch. † Also impers.
The object is of datival origin: cf. 1 b. † (it) sufficeth me: I am satisfied, content.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 290 Al that mihte him noght suffise, That he ne bad to do juise Upon the child. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6005 Therfore it suffisith me Her good herte and her beaute. c 1400 Beryn 1219 The halff of our lyvlode Wold scarsly suffise hym selff aloon. c 1440 York Myst. xxiii. 18 Þat suffice vs with-outen more. 1481 Caxton Godfrey viii. 30 They were so grete plente of peple that no londe myght suffyse them. 1550 Crowley Last Trumpet 417 Let this example suffice the. 1583 T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. iii. 112 A pound of bread, which oftentimes would scarcly suffice some trauellers to breakfast. 1592 Kyd Sp. Trag. iii. xv. 35 Sufficeth me; thy meanings vnderstood. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxviii, It is my will that you remain here, let that suffice you. 1803–5 Wordsw. Rob Roy's Grave 38 The good old rule Sufficeth them. 1854 Newman Hist. Sk. (1876) I. i. iv. 173 Barbarian minds remain in the circle of ideas which sufficed their forefathers. |
| transf. 1643 J. M. Soveraigne Salve 13 A weak reason may suffice so strong a cause. |
† b. Const. of (the thing). Obs.
| c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. xxxii. 125 (Harl. MS.), He that pleithe with me, shall neuer be suffisid of my pley. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour c viij, For it suffyseth them ynowe of one masse. 1611 Bible Ezek. xliv. 6 O yee house of Israel, let it suffice you, of all your abominations. |
c. pass. To be satisfied or content. arch.
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 200 Whoos boody may not suffysed been. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour e ij, Therwith she myght haue be pleased and suffised. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. xiii. (1880) I. 115 The parentes..being suffised that their children can onely speke latine proprely. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. ii. iii. (1641) 132/1 Whose searching soule can hardly be suffiz'd With Vulgar Knowledge. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxxvii, I in thy abundance am suffic'd. 1700 Dryden Theod. & Honoria 194 Not half suffic'd, and greedy yet to kill. 1850 T. T. Lynch Theoph. Trinal v. 71 One half hour, solemnity may fill his heart; the next, pleasantry; by each shall his heart be for the time sufficed. |
† d. refl. To satisfy oneself. Obs.
† suffice thee, suffice you: be content.
| 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iv. ix, Suffyse the, For ther to I shalle put al my dylygence. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxv. 268 Suffyce you with the gyft that I haue gyuen you. 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. t v, I suffise my selfe with my accustomed manner. 1601 Shakes. All's Well iii. v. 10 Come lets returne againe, And suffice our selues with the report of it. |
† 6. To provide enough food for, satisfy the appetite of; also, to satisfy (the appetite). Chiefly pass. Obs.
| c 1450 Lovelich Grail xlviii. 428 The tenthe part Of theke Meyne with that fisch suffised not scholde be. 1526 Tindale Mark viii. 4 From whence myght a man suffyse them with breed? Ibid. 8 They ate and were suffysed. 1595 Shakes. John i. i. 191 And when my knightly stomacke is suffis'd, Why then I sucke my teeth. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. iii. 4 When all men had..Of meates and drinkes their appetites suffiz'd. 1609 Man in Moone (1849) 30 He is none of your ordinarie fellowes, which will suffice nature for threepence;..a rabbit is but a bitte with him. 1687 Dryden Hind & P. i. 554 When the herd suffis'd, did late repair To ferney heaths. 1791 Cowper Iliad i. 577 They feasted, and were all sufficed. |
† 7. To satisfy, meet the ‘calls’ of (a desire, need, sense, emotion, etc.). Obs.
| 1533 in Leadam Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.) II. 301 What [meat] shulde suffice their necessitie. 1547–64 Bauldwin Mor. Philos. (Palfr.) 60 Sleepe no more then shall suffice the sustentation of your bodies. c 1585 Faire Em i. i. 67 Let my vttermost wealth suffice thy worth. 1598 Chapman Iliad xviii. 316 Then Ioue askt Iuno, if at length, she had suffisde her splene. 1651 Davenant Gondibert iii. iv, The King has now his curious sight suffis'd With all lost Arts. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 148 Strongly to suffer and support our pains, That we may so suffice his vengeful ire. 1725 Pope Odyss. ii. 63 Scarce all my herds their luxury suffice. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Antiq. xvi. vii. §1 There was..indeed enough to suffice all his wants. |
† 8. intr. with unto: To be satisfied with. rare.
| c 1390 Chaucer Truth 2 Suffise vnto þyn þyng þow it be smal. |
† 9. trans. To make or be sufficient provision for; to supply with something. Also, to replenish (a supply). Obs.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. iv. 56, V sester shal suffice an aker lond. Ibid. ix. 191, Xij hundrid pounde of metal shal suffise A thousand feet in lengthe of pipis sure. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. III. 381 Oxen,..whereof..they killed fourescore, which sufficed the armie with flesh. 1697 Dryden æneid ix. 1085 Nor Juno, who sustain'd his arms before, Dares with new strength suffice th' exhausted store. 1700 ― Iliad i. 653 The Pow'r appeas'd, with Winds suffic'd the Sail. |
† 10. To supply, furnish (a product, etc.). Obs.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §510 The Iuyce, as it seemeth, not being able to suffice a Succulent Colour, and a Double Leafe. 1725 Pope Odyss. xiii. 292 The rugged soil..Suffices fulness to the swelling grain. |