succinct, pa. pple., ppl. a., and a.
(səkˈsɪŋkt)
[ad. L. succinctus, pa. pple. of succingĕre, f. suc- = sub- 2, 26 + cingĕre to gird. Cf. F. succinct, It., Pg. succinto, Sp. sucinto.]
A. pa. pple. and ppl. a.
1. Girt, engirdled.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) II. 369 Thei feyne Scylla to be a woman succincte with the hedes of dogges. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 115 The towne is most beautified by a vast garden of the Kings, succinct with a great towred mud-wall. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Succinct, enuironed, fenced about; girt, compassed. 1830 W. Phillips Mt. Sinai i. 279 The Everlasting Form—If form there were—of lineament, was void, Succinct with shadows. |
| fig. 1706 J. Philips Cerealia 97 Wks. (1781) 140 Soon she shakes Her drowsy wings, and follows to the war With speed succinct. [Cf. quot. 1667 in B. 3.] |
2. a. Of garments, etc.: Girded up; confined by or as by a girdle. Also of persons.
| 1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alph., Succincte..close girt up. 1616–61 B. Holyday Persius (1673) 324 And when my golden boss I newly had Hung up to my succinct house gods. 1726 Pope Odyss. xvii. 200 Aside they lay Their garments, and succinct, the victims slay. 1841 Trench Parables xxvii. 437 The waiting at table with the dress succinct, was a mark of servitude. 1843 R. H. Horne Orion i. 86 The form Succinct..Of Artemis. 1866 J. B. Rose tr. Ovid's Fasti i. 344 The Priest..succinct for sacrificial feast. 1876 Lowell Ode Fourth July i. i. 18 Over her broad brow in many a round,..Succinct, as toil prescribes, the hair was wound In lustrous coils. |
b. Ent. Of certain pupæ: Supported by a silken filament round the middle.
| In mod. Dicts. |
B. adj.
1. a. Of a narrative, etc.: Compressed into small compass; expressed in few words; brief and concise.
| 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xv. 16 b, A succinct description of the yland. 1596 T. Bell Surv. Popery (title-p.) A succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church. 1634 R. H. Salernes Regiment 207 A Succinct and plaine Discourse of the Nature and nourishment of divers kinds of Fish. 1711 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) III. 107 A full, though succinct and sober Narrative. 1760–72 J. Adams tr. Juan & Ulloa's Voy. (ed. 3) I. p. ix, They give us a succinct account of the Creoles. 1781 Cowper Convers. 235 A tale should be judicious, clear, succinct; The language plain, and incidents well link'd. 1839 Hallam Lit. Eur. III. 278 This account of the original of language appears in general as probable as it is succinct and clear. 1864 Bowen Logic vii. 184 We need some more succinct mode than that of severally applying to each Syllogism all these Rules. |
b. transf. Compact.
| 1635 Heywood Hierarchy ii. 83 Hee [sc. man] is stiled a little and succinct world within himselfe. 1800 J. Hurdis Fav. Village 84 Beyond yon humble and succinct abode. |
† c. advb. Concisely, briefly. Obs.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 77 Very largely haue I inueighed against this vice elswhere, wherefore heere I will trusse it vp more succinct [printed surcinct]. |
2. Of persons, their speech, style, etc.: Characterized by verbal brevity and conciseness; terse.
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 203 Apollo himselfe loveth brevitie, and is in his oracles verie succinct and pithy. 1606 ― Sueton. To Rdr., His succinct style and termes. a 1637 B. Jonson Discov. (1641) 119 A strict and succinct style is that, where you can take away nothing without losse, and that losse to be manifest. 1670 Milton Hist. Eng. v. Wks. 1851 V. 223 The Saxon Annalist wont to be sober and succinct..runs..into such extravagant fansies [etc.]. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 468 ¶8, I must grow more succinct. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. (1817) 211 A succinct and dry writer. 1958 S. J. Perelman Most of S. J. Perelman 491 Now, Messieurs, exposition is wearisome, so I will be succinct. |
3. Of garments: Not ample or full, close-fitting, scant. arch. or poet.
| [1667 Milton P.L. iii. 643 His habit fit for speed succinct.] 1712–14 Pope Rape Lock iii. 41 Four Knaves in garbs succinct, a trusty band. 1725 ― Odyss. xiv. 83 His vest succinct then girding round his waste. 1746 Berkeley in Fraser Life viii. 306 If any other [dress] can be contrived yet more succinct and tight. 1755 Monitor No. 21. I. 182 Some novelties of dress, viz. very low stays, and very succinct petticoats. 1831 Scott Cast. Dang. xi, [She] exchanged her stole, or loose upper garment, for the more succinct cloak and hood of a horseman. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. vi. iii. (1872) II. 161 Mere soldier uniform, succinct blue coat, white linen gaiters. 1893 Symonds Life M. Angelo I. ii. 66 Tuscan lads half draped in succinct tunics. |
4. Of short duration, brief, curt.
| 1796 F. Burney Camilla IV. 331 With a succinct bow..he took a hasty leave. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. i. ii, With the rope round their neck, their destiny may be succinct! 1892 Stevenson & L. Osbourne Wrecker xi. 175 Captain Nares acknowledged our previous acquaintance with a succinct nod. |