suppletory, a. and n.
(ˈsʌplɪtərɪ)
[ad. late L. supplētōrius (neut. sing. as n. = supplement), f. supplēt-: see supplete and -ory2.]
A. adj. Supplying a deficiency; supplementary. Const. to, of. † In first quot., expletive. Now rare.
| 1628 Donne Serm. Christmas Day (1640) 52 Many men have..certaine suppletory phrases, which fall often upon their tongue, and..have certaine suppletory Oathes, with which they fill up their Discourse. 1656 Bramhall Replic. ix. 372 Let him that dare..say that it is a suppletorie Sacrifice, to supply the defects of the Sacrifice of the Cross. 1659 Fuller App. Inj. Innoc. i. 42 A Book..which..will be suppletory of all such defects. 1673 Lady's Call. i. i. §7 As a suppletory ornament to the deckings of gold and pearl and costly aray. 1778 Johnson 15 Apr. in Boswell, His hope of salvation must be founded on..obedience; and where obedience has failed, then, as suppletory to it, repentance. 1802 Paley Nat. Theol. xiv. §1 This double or suppletory provision [of teeth]. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 305 By suppletory or explanatory evidence. 1856 A. Butler Hist. Anc. Philos. I. 114 The genus ‘pronoun’ does not more truly classify the words in a language that are suppletory of nouns. 1874 Stephen New Comm. Laws Eng. v. viii. (ed. 7) III. 446 Equity..a..portion of our juridical system—distinct from and suppletory to the common law. |
b. Law. suppletory oath, an oath (given by a party in his own favour) admitted to supply a deficiency in legal evidence: cf. oath in supplement s.v. supplement n.1 2 b.
| 1726 Ayliffe Parergon [305] If I can only prove the Tenor thereof by one Witness, I shall not be admitted to the Suppletory Oath through a Defect of Evidence. 1768 Blackstone Comm. iii. xxiii. 369 Abroad..a man's own books of accounts..with the suppletory oath of the merchant, amount at all times to full proof. 1802–12 Bentham Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827) V. 563 The suppletory oath is admitted in default of other sufficient evidence. |
† B. n. A supplement. Obs.
| 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. ii. Disc. viii. §20. 70 The rite of confirmation..is an admirable suppletory of an early Baptisme. 1672–5 T. Comber Comp. Temple (1702) 475 A Suppletory for any particular omitted. 1698 Norris Pract. Disc. IV. 86 Force must be made use of as a Suppletory to the defects of Reason. 1707 ― Treat. Humility iv. 162, I look upon grace as the suppletory of corrupt nature. |
Hence † ˈsuppletorily adv., by way of, or as a, supplement.
| 1622 Donne Serm. Christmas Day (1640) 4 This personall name of the Father (It pleased the Father) is but added suppletorily by our Translators, and is not in the Originall. |