▪ I. surreption1
(səˈrɛpʃən)
Also 5 -tyon, 5–7 -cion, etc.
[ad. L. surreptio, -ōnem, n. of action f. surripĕre to seize or take away secretly, purloin, (in the Vulgate) to make false suggestions, f. sur- = sub- 25 + rapĕre to seize. Cf. OF. surreption, and subreption1.]
† 1. Suppression of truth or fact for the purpose of obtaining something, or the action of obtaining something in this way (cf. subreption 1); more generally, fraudulent misrepresentation, or other underhand or stealthy proceeding. Obs.
| c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. xxxvi. (1859) 40 This lady Misericord..hath caused in this Courte grete annoye..by cause of purchacyng of this letter... But, me semyth..that somme poyntes conteyned therynne ben not to be receyued, for they semyn geten and purchacyd by surreptyon. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 676 He charged that none shold be made abbesse there by violence or wylynesse of surrepcion. c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 148 Marvel it is..the Pope should be abused..by any surreption. 1600 W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 252 The excommunication of Pius 5. [against Q. Elizabeth was] procured vpon false suggestions, and so by surreption. 1609 Bible (Douay) Dan. vi. 6 Then the princes, and governers by surreption suggested to the king [Vulg. surripuerunt regi], and spake unto him. a 1616 B. Jonson Pr. Henry's Barriers 109 Fame by surreption got May stead us for the time, but lasteth not. 1624 Bedell Lett. iii. 71 It occasioned the Arch-Priest here..to thinke those letters forged, or gotten by surreption. 1649 Bp. Hall Cases Consc. (1650) 369 The surreption of secretly-mis-gotten dispensations. 1662 Jesuits' Reasons (1675) 121 You, by Grace or Surreption, have purloyn'd a Command from that Court. 1720 J. Johnson Coll. Eccl. Laws Ch. Eng. i. P v j, We do..forbid the Charter..to be of any Validity, because gotten by Surreption, and unsincere Suggestions. |
2. The action of seizing or taking away by stealth; stealing, theft. by surreption: by stealth, stealthily (cf. next). Now rare or Obs.
| 1603 Owen Pembrokeshire (1892) 274 Leaste by surrepcion the Knappan should be snatched by a borderer of the game. 1610 Carleton Jurisd. 47 Which power in Bishops the Pope hath by surreption drawen to himselfe. 1641 H. L'Estrange God's Sabbath 28 To distinguish truth from fables, which had by surreption intruded. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxx. 179 Fraudulent surreption of one anothers goods. a 1656 Hales Gold. Rem. (1673) i. 82 He which otherwise dies, comes by surreption and stealth, and not warrantably unto his end. 1661 Godolphin View Adm. Jurisd. Introd., Rendring Ship or Lading liable..to a seizure or surreption. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) I. 407 The Dr. was so impatient to try the Experiment solitary, that..he adventured..to invade it by Surreption and Involation. 1860 G. Grove in W. Smith Dict. Bible I. 370 Four soldiers,..whose express office was to prevent the surreption of the body. |
† 3. Something introduced by stealth, an interpolation. Obs. rare—1.
| c 1637 Jer. Taylor Reverence due to Altar (1848) 43 The Missa latina Antiqua..was set forth by protestants to be a redargution of the surreptions, and innovations in the later Missals. |
▪ II. † surreption2 Obs.
(səˈrɛpʃən)
Also 6 -cion, -cyon, etc.
[ad. patristic L. *surreptio, -ōnem, n. of action f. surrēpĕre, f. sur- = sub- 2, 25 + rēpĕre to creep.]
An unperceived creeping or stealing upon one or into one's mind (of evil thoughts or suggestions); hence, a sudden or surprise attack (of temptation, sin): freq. used to describe either the kind of sin or the subjective state of the sinner.
The ultimate source of this use appears to be Deut. xv. 9 (Vulg.) ‘Cave ne forte subrepat tibi impia cogitatio’.
| 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) iv. xxii, Yf by precypytacyon or surrepcyon in worde without consentynge of wyll a man swereth false. 1529 More Suppl. Soulys Wks. 321/2 Some sodayne waueryng of the mynd in time of prayer, or some surrepcion & crepyng in of vain glory. 1557 Edgeworth Serm. 285 Surreption or priuy creping of matters into mens mindes. 1624 Gee Hold Fast 20 The Deuill gaineth ground of vs onely by Surreption. 1625 Ussher Answ. Jesuit 142 The Church..sometimes judgeth by surreption and ignorance, whereas God doth alwayes judge according to the truth. 1645 Hammond Sinnes 4 Satan..assaulting me..on the suddaine, when I have not time, to use those meanes which I might otherwise use, which we call suddaine surreption. c 1650 Jer. Taylor Devotions Occas. Sacram. iii, All surreptions and sudden incursions of temptation. 1680 H. Dodwell Two Lett. (1691) 80 Hypocrisy by Surreption..is both less dangerous, and less imputable than Hypocrisy by design. a 1711 Ken Man. Prayers Wks. (1838) 427 Even the just man falls seven times a day, through sins of ignorance, or sudden surreption, or inadvertency. |
b. A lapse due to such an attack.
| 1536 St. Papers Hen. VIII, I. 509 A lightnes gyven in a maner by a naughtye nature to a commonaltie, and a wonderous sodayne surreption of gentilmen. 1641 M. Frank Serm. (1672) 82 That it was but a slip, or weakness or surreption. 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. i. Disc. ii. 68 Sometimes such surreptions and smaller undecencies are pardoned. |