▪ I. profuse, a.
(prəʊˈfjuːs)
[ad. L. profūs-us poured forth, spread out, lavish, immoderate, profuse, prop. pa. pple. of pro-, prōfundĕre to pour forth, f. prō, pro-1 + fund-ĕre to pour. So F. profus (16th c. in Littré).]
1. Of persons or agents: Expending, bestowing, or producing abundantly; lavish, liberal to excess; extravagant, wasteful, prodigal. Const. in, of.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 119 He was myȝhty in batelle, liberalle in ȝiffenge, and profuse in makynge festes. 1575–85 [implied in profuseness]. 1616 Bullokar Eng. Expos., Profuse, wastefull, lauish in spending. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. i. iv. ii, Many againe are in that other extreame too profuse, suspitious and jelous of their health, too apt to take Physick vpon euery small occasion. 1729 Franklin Ess. Wks. 1840 II. 259 Working-men..are thereby induced to be more profuse and extravagant in fine apparel. 1788 Gibbon Decl. & F. xl. (1869) II. 477 Justinian was so profuse that he could not be liberal. 1845 Browning Lett. (1899) I. 245 Mr. Forster came yesterday and was very profuse of graciosities. 1868 E. Edwards Ralegh I. i. 11 He was..somewhat too open-handed and profuse in his ordinary expenditure. |
| fig. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 286 On a green shadie Bank profuse of Flours. |
2. Of actions, conditions, or things: Very abundant; exuberant, bountiful; copious; excessive.
| a 1610 Healey Epictetus' Man. (1636) 66 Let not thy laughter bee profuse, nor be led by every light occasion [cf. quot. 1608 in Profused]. 1728 Young Love Fame vi, This lady glories in profuse expence. 1802 Med. Jrnl. VIII. 207 Profuse sweating, great debility and loss of appetite, had begun to take place. 1876 J. S. Bristowe The. & Pract. Med. (1878) 473 When pulmonary hemorrhage..is profuse..the symptoms and prospects are in the highest degree grave. 1885 Bible (R.V.) Prov. xxvii. 6 The kisses of an enemy are profuse. |
▪ II. † profuse, v. Obs.
(prəʊˈfjuːz)
[f. L. profūs-, ppl. stem of profund-ĕre: see prec. (At first perh. in pa. pple. profused from L. profūsus: see next.)]
trans. To pour forth; to expend, bestow, or produce freely or lavishly; to lavish, squander, waste.
| c 1611 Chapman Iliad xxiv. 295 Mercury, thy help hath been profus'd Ever with most grace in consorts of travellers distress'd. 1615 ― Odyss. xxi. 156 Tender no excuse For least delay, nor too much time profuse In stay to draw this bow. a 1614 Donne βιαθανατος (1644) 58 Man snatch'd..a new way of profusing his life to Martyrdome. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 260 ¶1 If I had laid out that which I profused in Luxury and Wantonness, in Acts of Generosity or Charity. 1771 J. Foot Penseroso ii. 84 With these [waters] profused is drown'd the suff'ring earth. |