▪ I. sad, a. and adv.
(sæd)
Forms: 1–3 sæd, 3 sað, sead, sed, 5–7 sade, 4 saad, zed, 4–5 said, 4–6 sadd(e, 3– sad.
[Com. Teut.: OE. sæd = OS. sad, MDu. sat (Du. zat), OHG., MHG. sat (mod.G. satt), ON. sað-r (rare: superseded by sadd-r, pa. pple. of the derived verb seðja to satiate), Goth. saþ-s (pl. sadai):—OTeut. *sađo- full, satiated:—WIndogermanic *sətó- in *{ncircbl}-səto-s, Gr. ἄ-ατος insatiate (cf. L. sat, satis enough, satur satisfied, full, OIrish sathech satiated); the word is a pa. pple. with suffix -tó- from the root *sā- to satisfy; cf. Gr. ἅδην (:—*sə-dām), enough. A parallel form from the strong grade of the root (with unaccented suffix) is Goth. sōþ (:—pre-Teut. *s{amacacu}to-m) satisfaction, whence gasōþjan to satisfy.]
A. adj. I. Of persons and immaterial things.
† 1. Having had one's fill; satisfied; sated, weary or tired (of something). Const. of (in OE. gen.) or inf.
| a 1000 Riddles vi. (Gr.), Ic eom anhaᵹa iserne wund,..beadoweorca sæd, ecᵹum weriᵹ. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxxvii. 29 Swiðe ætan, and sade wurdan. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 75 Ich nam noht ȝiet sad of mine sinnes, and forþi ne mai ich hie noht forlete. c 1205 Lay. 9345 Claudien þe kæisere Sað wes of þon compe. a 1240 Ureisun 30 in Cott. Hom. 193 Vor heo neuer ne beoð sead þi ueir to iseonne. a 1250 Owl & Night. 452 (Jesus MS.) Ich..skente hi myd myne songe Ac noþeles nouht ouer longe; Hwenne ich iseo þat men beoþ glade, Ich nelle þat hi beon to sade. a 1300 Cursor M. 23436 Þof þat þou euer apon him se, Of him sadd [Edinb. said] sal þou neuer be. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. vii. 29 For selden y am sad that semly forte se. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 324 Yet of that Art they kan nat wexen sadde ffor vn-to hem it is a bitter sweete. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 9 Now men beþ al sad [orig. modernorum saturitatem]. c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 1265 Al our lyf..Ys but a maner exile here, Of which he ought[e] to be sad. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 716 To serve hym was there no man sad. |
† 2. Settled, firmly established in purpose or condition; steadfast, firm, constant.
Obs.| c 1315 Shoreham vii. 298 So þat hyt was god and sad, Al þys world, þat was ymad Of hym þat can. 1340 Ayenb. 83 Non ne is aryȝt preus..þet ne ys..zed and stable uor to uolȝy. c 1350 St. John 349 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 38 When saynt John herd..how sad trowth in þam was set [etc.]. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1371 Al saxoyne was set wiþ wel sadde lawes. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. x. 70 (Camb. MS.) Ther may no man dowte that ther nis som blysfulnesse þat is sad [L. solidam] stydefast and parfyt. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xlii. (Agatha) 36 As quincyane persawing had þat scho wes of wil sa sad. 1382 Wyclif 2 Pet. i. 19 We han a sadder [Vulg. firmiorem] word of the prophet. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 4784 Ther may no prince in his estate endure, Ne ther-yn any while stande sad, But he be loued. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 234 Sho sall be to þe a sadde frende. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 64 Þat her graunt shold be sure & sad, she strengthid hit with her seele. 1493 Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 75 b, Be ye stable & sadde in the fayth. 1553 Becon Reliques of Rome (1563) 175 b, All christen people that will be saued, must haue sad beliefe in the holy Sacrament. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 45 More eath to number with how many eyes High heven beholdes sad lovers nightly theeveryes. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 541 Settl'd in his face I see Sad resolution and secure. |
† 3. Strong; capable of resisting; valiant.
Obs.| 1382 Wyclif Rom. xv. 1 Forsothe we saddere [Vulg. nos firmiores] owen for to susteyne..the feblenesse of syke men. 1388 ― Ezek. xxxiv. 16 Y schal make sad that that was sijk. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3289 The secunde sir..Was sekerare to my sighte, and saddare in armes. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xiv. 159 And it [the diamond] maketh a man more strong and more sad aȝenst his Enemyes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1277 Þan pollux full pertly aprochet in hast With seuyn hundrithe sad men assemblit hym with, ffrochit into þe frount & a fray made. c 1475 Partenay 4876 Noble knightes ten, Stronge, hable, and light, men sad and myghty. |
4. † a. Orderly and regular in life; of trustworthy character and judgement; grave, serious. Often coupled with
wise or
discreet.
Obs.| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvi. (Nycholas) 175 In thewis saddare þane wes he ere. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 37 In Surrye whilom dwelte a compaignye Of chapmen riche and therto sadde and trewe. 1429 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 338/2 Ye Kyng shall..come to sadder yeres of discretion. 1440 in Glew Hist. Walsall (1856) 106 One of the sadest and weldesposed Prest of Saynt John's Gylde. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 98 He shold behote, afore good men and sadde in Wycombe, openly. 1486 Act 3 Hen. VII, c. 4 Twelve sad and discreet Persons, of the Cheque Roll of the King's honourable Houshold. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxix. 113 Sadde of behauoure, and of symple contenaunce. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. ii. xii. (1895) 225 A sad and an honest matrone [orig. grauis et honesta matrona]. 1562 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 292 The..wyseste Baylliffs and other sadd and discreate cytezens. 1579 J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 167 What woman nowe-a-dayes (that is sadde and wyse) will be knowne to haue skill of dauncing, &c.? 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xxiii. §5 Of this wisedome it seemeth some of the auncient Romanes in the saddest and wisest times were professors. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii. 71 The solid, and sad man, is not troubled with the floods and ebbes of Fortune. 1665 Powell in Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 48 An old donation of the College to a sad priest that preaches on that day. |
† b. Of looks, appearance: Dignified, grave, serious.
Obs.| c 1350 Will. Palerne 228 Of lere ne of lykame lik him nas none, ne of so sad a semblant þat euer he say wiþ eiȝyen. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 887, & þe alder-men so sadde of chere, Her songe þay songen neuer þe les. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 860 And whiche eyen my lady had, Debonayre, good, glad, and sad. c 1400 Rom. Rose 4627 She, demurely sad of chere. |
† c. Profoundly or solidly learned (
in).
Obs.| c 1400 Destr. Troy 1485 A philosoffer,..In þe Syense full sad of þe seuyn Artes. 1523 Act 14 & 15 Hen. VIII, c. 5 Those persons that be profounde, sad, & discrete, groundly lerned, and depely studied in Phisicke. |
d. Of thought, consideration: Mature, serious.
Obs. exc. arch. in the phrase
in sad earnest, which as now used belongs rather to sense 5.
| 1485 Surtees Misc. (1888) 43 The said Maire, after sad and mature examinacion of the said recordes..decreed [etc.]. c 1500 Three Kings' Sons 24 And so, aftir sad deliberacion, he answerd the messengere yn this maner. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 42 The said Maistres or Governours..aftre their sadd discretions,..shall [etc.]. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. xcix. 253, I w{supd}. I c{supd}. begin to be a Christian in sad earnest. 1643 J. M. Soveraigne Salve 38 At least they may deigne this last motive the honour of a deep and sad thought or two. 1649 Bp. Hall Confirm. (1651) 73 They are exceeding weighty and worthy of sad consideration. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 5 May, An attack that made me shed tears in sad earnest. |
5. a. Of persons, their feelings or dispositions: Sorrowful, mournful.
| ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 211 She was cleped Avarice... Full sad and caytif [orig. megre et chetive] was she. c 1450 Holland Howlat 187 Ay sorowfull and sad at evin song and houris. c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 188 Malancoly he was of complexioun,..Soroufull, sadde, ay dreidfull but plesance. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 87 Consyderyng some persones to be iocunde and mery, some sadde and heuy. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII 56 This Ambassade was sent..to visite & comforte the kyng, beyng sorowful & sad for the death of so good a quene & spouse. a 1553 Udall Royster D. iii. iii. (Arb.) 43 But why speake ye so faintly, or why are ye so sad? R. Royster. Thou knowest the prouerbe, bycause I can not be had. 1611 Bible Gen. xl. 6 And Ioseph came in vnto them in the morning, and looked vpon them, and behold, they were sad. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 18 Th' Angelic Guards ascended, mute and sad For Man. 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 196, I was very sad, I think sader than at any one time in my life. 1725 Pope Odyss. ix. 72 With sails outspread we fly th'unequal strife, Sad for their loss, but joyful of our life. 1754 Gray Poesy 77 The sad Nine in Greece's evil hour. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xii. 88, I felt a little sad at the thought. a 1878 Princess Alice Mem. (1884) 63, I ought not to make you sadder, when you are sad enough already. |
| absol. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech., Cert. Devout Prayers 39 The hop and comforter of all sad, haue mercie on me. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 665 Behold that figure, neat, though plainly clad; His sprightly mingled with a shade of sad. |
b. phr. (Possibly suggested by the older association of
sad and
wise: see 4.)
| 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. vii. ad fin., A sadder and a wiser man He rose the morrow morn. 1814 Scott Wav. lxiii, ‘A sadder and a wiser man’, he felt [etc.]. 1877 Mrs. Forrester Mignon I. 175 When he takes his way homewards, he is a sadder and a wiser man. |
c. Of looks, tones, gestures, costume, etc.: Expressive of sorrow.
| c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 2127 With a sad visage he siked stille. a 1400–50 Alexander 5052 With sare sighingis & sadd for sake of his wirdis. 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 447 According to my sable weid I mon haif sad maneris, Or thai will se all the suth. 1535 Coverdale Matt. vi. 16 When ye fast, be not sad [1611 of a sad countenance] as y⊇ ypocrytes are. 1634 Milton Comus 235 Where the love-lorn Nightingale Nightly to thee her sad Song mourneth well. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 221 A sad pale countenance. 1671 Milton P.R. i. 43 Them amidst With looks agast and sad he thus bespake. 1792 S. Rogers Pleas. Mem. i. 320 His sad inquiring eye. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxxvi, Two halberdiers, clad in black,..and others, in the same sad livery. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xii, Poor little Amelia, with rather a sad wistful face. |
d. Of times, places, actions, etc.: Characterized by sorrow, sorrowful.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 525 Ne þe swetnesse of somer, ne þe sadde wynter. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 243 We passed a sad night in this place, and never had more need of Job his patience then heere. 1662 J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 252 This was the saddest night we had in all our Voyage. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 478 Immediately a place Before his eyes appeard, sad, noysom, dark, A Lazar-house it seemd. 1722 De Foe Relig. Courtsh. i. i. (1840) 10 'Tis a sad life, for a woman to have no help from her husband in things that are good. 1881 M. E. Herbert Edith 201 His was one of the saddest lots I have ever known in life. 1888 Lowell Heartsease & Rue 149 It gives me a sad pleasure to remember that I was encouraged in this project by my friend the late Arthur Hugh Clough. |
† e. Morose, dismal-looking.
Obs.| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, v. v. 70 And how com'st thou hither? Where no man euer comes, but that sad dogge That brings me food, to make misfortune liue? |
f. Causing sorrow; distressing, calamitous, lamentable. In early use partly
fig. of sense 7, ‘heavy’.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xii. (Mathias) 189, & [of] þat sad ded þe ranowne Sowne rane throw al þe towne. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 33 Him will he scurge with plagues sad and sair. 1637 B. Jonson Sad Sheph. i. ii, A sadder chance hath given allay Both to the Mirth and Music of this day. 1654 Fuller Two Serm. 8 It is not improbable that this Psalm [xi] might be composed on the sad murther of the Priests by Saul. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 135 With sad overthrow and foul defeat. 1688 S. Penton Guard. Instruct. (1897) 22 It quickly appear'd how sad is the condition of a Gentleman without Learning. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 536 ¶2 'Tis sad so considerable a part of the Kingdom..should be of no manner of use. 1793 Cowper To Mary 33 Partakers of thy sad decline, Thy hands their little force resign. 1823 Byron Juan xiii. ix, Of all tales 'tis the saddest—and more sad Because it makes us smile. 1859 Tennyson Guinevere 492 How sad it were for Arthur, should he live To sit once more within his lonely hall! |
6. Deplorably bad; chiefly as an intensive qualifying terms of depreciation or censure. Often
jocular.
sad dog:
cf. dog n.1 3 b, and 5 e above.
| 1694 Echard Plautus 60, I am the saddest shiftless creature upon earth. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1699) 30 His French Sea-men were the saddest creatures that I was ever among; for tho we had bad weather that required many hands aloft, yet the biggest part of them never stirr'd out of their Hammocks, but to eat or ease themselves. 1706 Farquhar Recruit. Officer iii. ii, Sil. You are an ignorant, pretending, impudent Coxcomb. Braz. Ay, ay, a sad Dog. c 1710 C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 71 A sad poore thatch'd place. 1727 Gay Begg. Op. i. viii, Our Polly is a sad slut. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. xvi, I suppose you think me a sad dog,..and I do confess that appearances are against me. 1771 E. Haywood New Present 252 Red brick should not be used [for scouring fire-irons] for it makes sad work. 1819 Shelley Peter Bell 3rd vi. xii, All Peter did on this occasion Was, writing some sad stuff in prose. 1819 Byron Juan ii. cxxvii, Heaven knows what cash he got or blood he spilt, A sad old fellow was he, if you please. 1835 J. MacDonald in Tweedie Life iii. (1849) 249, I am a sad coward. 1836–7 Dickens Sk. Boz, Charact. vii, The sad-dog sort of feeling came strongly upon John Dounce. 1892 Daily News 25 Jan. 5/3 Unpolished granite..is a sad harbourer of soot and dust. |
II. In various physical senses.
7. Of material objects.
† a. Solid, dense, compact; massive, heavy.
Obs. [So early
mod.G.
satt.]
| 13.. K. Alis. 5587 Two grete ymages..of golde sad. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 198 With iren nayles sad..his fete was schod. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 3189 Þe mast veniel syns sal þar bryn langly, Als wodde brinnes, þat es sadde and hevy. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1072 No strengþe him wiþstod of sad stonen walles. 1388 Wyclif Exod. xxxviii. 7 Forsothe thilke auter was not sad [Vulg. solidum], but holowe. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 440/1 Sad, or hard, solidus. c 1450 Cov. Myst. xxiv. (Shaks. Soc.) 236 In feyth it is an holy ston, Ryth sad of weyth and hevy of peys. 1513 Douglas æneis xi. xi. 47 The schaft was sad and sound, and weill ybaik. 1587 Harrison England iii. i. (1878) ii. 2 The flesh of buls..is of sadder substance and therefore much heauier as it lieth in the scale. 1611 Cotgr., Fourmage de taulpe, heauie or sad cheese. 1625 Lisle Du Bartas, Noe 29 This kind of timber..growes so sad and hard that it cannot rot. c 1638 Strafford in Browning Life (1891) 219 To those that..tell you..I am but as a feather, I shall be found sadder than lead. 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 147 Short barley-strawe..is the best for stoppinge of holes..because it is sadder, and not soe subjeckt to blowe out with everie blast of winde, as other light and dry strawe is. |
| fig. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6907 For sadde burdens that men taken Make folkes shuldres aken. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 45 Wo worþ ȝow þat tiȝen mynt, aneis, & comyn, & ilke herbe, & leuen þe sadder þings of þe lawe, dome, feiþ, & mercy. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iv. 1328 The wordes of Andrewe beyn sadd & ponderose. 1611 Beaum. & Fl. Knt. Burn. Pestle iv. i, Damsel right faire, I am on many sad adventures bound, That call me forth into the wildernesse. |
† b. Solid as opposed to liquid.
Obs.| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 259 Þer mete was þer bileve þat þei hadden of sadde þingis, and þer drynke was þer bileve þat þei hadden of moist þingis. 1382 ― Heb. v. 13 To whom is nede of mylk, and not sad mete [Vulg. solido cibo]. |
† c. Firmly fixed.
Obs. exc. dial.| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 305 St[r]ength suld non haf had, to perte þam þorgh oute, So wer þei set sad with poyntes rounde aboute. a 1375 Joseph Arim. 258 Þenne he seos Ihesu crist in a sad Roode. 1382 Wyclif 2 Tim. ii. 19 But the sad foundement [Vulg. firmum fundamentum] of God stondith. a 1400 Leg. Rood (1871) 137 Beo a staf stondeþ sad, Whon ȝe fongen flesch in godes hous, Þat staf is Cristes Crouche. |
d. Of soil: Stiff, heavy. ?
Obs. exc. dial.| 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 912 For to sowe & to sette in þe sad erthe. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. ii. 173 Vynes preueth best yf they Be sette anoon aftir the spade or plough, Er then the lond be woxen sadde or tough. 1600 Surflet Country Farm v. xviii. 702 Nauets and turneps delight in a light and fine mould, and not in a churlish and sad ground. 1707 Mortimer Husb. (1721) I. 66 Chalky Lands are naturally cold and sad. 1712 J. Morton Nat. Hist. Northampt. 44 The Clay-land..is the toughest, or most tenacious, and the most dense of all our Soils; upon this Account, on the Thrapston Side, they call it Sad-land. 1889 N.W. Linc. Gloss. s.v., Land is sad when the frosts of winter have not mellowed it. |
e. Of bread, pastry, etc.: That has not ‘risen’ properly; heavy. Now
dial.| 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 317/1 Bakers Terms in their Art... Sad, heavy, close Bread. 1747–96 H. Glasse Cookery xiii. 191 It makes the crust sad, and is a great hazard of the pie running. 1824–9 Landor Imag. Conv. Wks. 1846 I. 82 Let him place the accessaries on the table lest what is insipid and clammy, and (as housewives with great propriety call it) sad, grow into duller accretion and inerter viscidity the more I masticate it. 1889 Skrine Mem. E. Thring 51 Of what meagre straw and doughy brick was our weekly batch! It was what bakers call ‘sad’. |
† f. Of a number of persons or things: Forming a compact body.
Obs.| a 1400–50 Alexander 2614 Þe multitude ware to me meruaile to reken, Þat sammed was on aiþir side many sadd thousand. Ibid. 5559 Þai sett in a sadd sowme & sailid his kniȝtis. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 119 Of sadde leues of þe wode wrowȝte he hem wedes. |
8. a. Of colour: Dark, deep. In later use, influenced by sense 5: Not cheerful-looking; neutral-tinted, dull, sober.
The
Ger. satt and
MDu. sat (
Du. zat) have the sense ‘dark’ or ‘deep’ as applied to colours, as a direct development from the primary sense ‘full’ (see sense 1 above).
| c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 695 And where be my gounes of scarlet, Sanguyn, murreye, & blewes sadde & lighte. c 1425 Cast. Persev. (Stage direction) in Macro Plays 76 Þe iiij dowteris schul be clad in mentelys;..Trewthe in sad grene, & Pes al in blake. c 1483 Caxton Dialogues 14/38 Yelow, reed, Sad blew [Fr. entrepers], morreey. a 1539 in Archæologia XLVII. 53 Noo more to use rede stomachers but other sadder colers in the same. 1578 Hunnis Hyvef. Hunnye xxxvii. 92 Colours lyght and sad. 1600 Surflet Country Farm vi. xxii. 802 Russet wines: In the number wherof, are contained the red wines, or sad, and light red. 1609 C. Butler Fem. Mon. (1634) 105 The second Summer, this light yellow is changed to a sad. 1658 Rowland tr. Moufet's Theat. Ins. 936 Long and slender shanks of a very sad black colour. 1686 Plot Staffordsh. 201 First of a dark greenish colour, growing sadder by degrees as the plant decays, till it approaches a black. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory II. 311 Dubbing, of the down of a sad grey cat. 1836 Backwoods of Canada 241 The leaves are of a sad green, sharply notched, and divided in three lobes. 1855 G. Brimley Ess., Tennyson 99 Sad greys and browns. 1867 O. W. Holmes Guard. Angel iii, She had always..been dressed in sad colors. 1883 Stevenson Treas. Isl. xiii, The general colouring was uniform and sad. |
† b. Dark-coloured, sober-coloured.
Obs.| 1560 Becon Catech. vi. Wks. I. 536 If they be olde women and maryed: not lyght apparell, but sad raiment pleaseth a godly husband. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. xii. 5 Arayd in antique robes downe to the grownd, And sad habiliments. 1668 Pepys Diary 24 Aug., My wife is upon hanging the long chamber..with the sad stuff that was in the best chamber. 1711 Lond. Gaz. No. 4919/4 A Man..between 20 and 30 years of Age, pale Visage and sad Hair. |
† 9. Of sleep: Sound, deep.
Obs.| a 1350 St. Nicholas 329 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 15 Sodanly he fell on full sad slepe. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 4 Þanne waked I of my wynkynge and wo was with-alle, Þat I ne hadde sleped sadder and yseiȝen more. c 1400 Destr. Troy 679 Medea..Persauyt..Þat all sad were on slepe. c 1450 Mankind 585 in Macro Plays 22 Ȝe may here hym snore; he ys sade a-slepe. 1485 Caxton St. Wenefr. 20, I couerd my hede and fylle in to a sadde slepe. |
† 10. a. Of blows: Heavy, delivered with vigour.
[So early
mod.G.
satt.]
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 2775 He..set hire a sad strok so sore in þe necke, þat sche top ouer tail tombled ouer þe hacches. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1263 One caupet with hym kenely,..And set hym a sad dynt. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xi. iv. 576 And there they dasshed to gyders many sadde strokes. 1503 Hawes Examp. Virt. xi. xix, But I my swerd in my hand had Strykynge at hym with strokes sad. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 222 The strampe of M{supr} Patrickis was so sade wpoun his brotheris footte. |
b. Of a fire: Violent.
Obs.| c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 1911 Hurre thouȝt þat hurre chaufere..Was set ouer a feure bothe gret & sadde. |
c. Of rain: Heavy.
Obs.| 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 30 Heaven it self at that instant weeping so abundantly, that I never saw a sadder raine and of lesse continuance. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) I. 184 In a sad shower of rain. |
III. 11. Comb. in many
adjs., chiefly parasynthetic, as
sad-avised (quasi-
arch. after
black-a-vised),
sad-coloured,
sad-eyed,
sad-faced,
sad-garbed,
sad-hearted,
sad-lidded,
sad-looking,
sad-making,
sad-natured,
sad-paced,
sad-seeming,
sad-tuned,
sad-visaged,
sad-voiced;
sad-ass N. Amer. slang, used
attrib. as a term of abuse; also
sad-assed a.;
sad-cake dial. and
U.S., an unleavened cake.
| 1971 Black World Apr. 63 How is Philadelphia?.. Thats one *sad-ass city..bout to sink into the ground. 1974 D. Sears Lark in Clear Air xiii. 158 A few general comments on sad-assed, puritanical sons-of-bitches individually and collectively. |
| 1878 Besant & Rice Monks Thelema III. 124 She did not writhe as she walked; she was not *sad-avised. |
| 1889 J. Nicholson Folk Sp. E. Yorksh. 79 *Sad keeaks and dip form a favourite breakfast. |
| 1660 Blount Boscobel ii. (1680) 27 His Majesty..cloathed in a short Juppa of *sad coloured cloath. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. iv, A decent suit of sad-coloured clothes. |
| 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. ii. 202 The *sad⁓ey'd Iustice with his surly humme. |
| 1588 ― Tit. A. v. iii. 67 You *sad facde men, people and sons of Rome. c 1893 A. W. Pinero in M. R. Booth Eng. Plays of 19th Cent. (1969) II. 285, I knew her when she was a sad-faced, pale baby. 1947 J. Mulgan Report on Experience xi. 126 In the streets were sad-faced men and women, still hungry and no longer happy. 1971 Where? Oct. 309/1 Indeed, one might argue that there is an urgent and essential need to produce this quality of communal participation and commitment if our society is to survive. Not that this means a sadfaced approach. |
| 1848 J. R. Lowell Poems 2nd Ser. 167 He looks a sachem, in red blanket wrapt,..'mid some council of the *sad-garbed whites. |
| 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. v. 123 *Sad-hearted-men, much ouer⁓gone with Care. 1952 C. Day Lewis tr. Virgil's Aeneid i. 16 And spoke these words of comfort to his sad-hearted friends. |
| 1921 D. H. Lawrence Tortoises 35 His black, *sad-lidded eye sees but beholds not. 1961 C. McCullers Clock without Hands iv. 78 The red lamp with ragged fringes, two obviously broken chairs and other pieces of *sad-looking furniture. |
| 1930 E. Waugh Vile Bodies xii. 208 ‘My dear, isn't that rather *sad-making for you?’ ‘I'm desperate about it.’ 1955 J. D. Salinger Franny in New Yorker 29 Jan. 30/3 But just so tiny and meaningless and—sad-making. 1960 J. Stroud Shorn Lamb xxiii. 251 You were watching the end of an epoch; that's always rather sad-making. |
| a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 36 This *sadde natured, and hard witted child. |
| 1599 Marston Sc. Villanie i. Proem., Stay his quick iocund skips, and force him runne A *sad pas't course. |
| a 1633 Austin Medit. (1635) 131 So all is Joy againe; till this *Sad-seeming Tydings come. |
| 1597 Shakes. Lover's Compl. 4 And downe I laid to list the *sad tun'd tale. |
| 1869 ‘Mark Twain’ Innoc. Abr. xxxiv. 370, I never saw such..starving, *sad-visaged, broken-hearted looking curs in my life. |
| 1844 Mrs. Browning Wine of Cyprus vi, I am *sad-voiced as the turtle Which Anacreon used to feed. |
B. adv. Obs. exc. poet. † 1. Firmly, strongly, fixedly.
Obs.| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 353 Loke þat þou be armed sad & hele þy bare scolle. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2078 He þat set is full sad on a soile euyn,..Hym þar not hede to be hurt with no hegh falle. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. vii. 59 Nowe potage ware in askes mynge, & kepe In oil barelles or salt tubbis done; Saad cleyed wel, they saaf beth leyd to slepe. c 1475 Partenay 3859 Adieu, my suete loue prented in hert sad! |
† 2. Heavily, with force.
Obs.| ? a 1400 Arthur 605 Þey fowȝt euer sore & sadde; Men nyst ho þe betere hadde. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxv, He stroke him sadde and sore. 1629 Z. Boyd Balme of Gilead 41 (Jam.) The longer the stroake be in comming it commeth down the sadder. a 1743 Relph Misc. Poems (1747) 4 Up flew her hand to souse the cowren lad, But ah, I thought it fell not down owr sad. |
† 3. Steadfastly.
Obs.| c 1440 Partonope 1863 These covenauntis to holde surely and sadde. a 1450 Myrc Instr. Par. Priests 260 Teche hem alle to leue sadde, Þat hyt þat ys in þe awter made, Hyt ys verre goddes blode. |
† 4. Seriously, soberly, discreetly.
Obs.| 14.. How Gd. Wyfe taught Dau. 198 in Q. Eliz. Acad. (1869) 50 And þus thi frendes wylle be glade Þat thou dispos þe wyslye and sade. |
† 5. Thoroughly, truly, certainly.
Obs.| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 56 Maister, þei seiden, we witen wel þat þou art sad trewe. c 1400 Destr. Troy 3605 In sorow may be sene who is sad wise. c 1475 Partenay 874 Ful wel thay sad knew it the fayry was. Ibid. 950 Merueles,..I se ful sad; Neuer humain ey saw to it egal! |
6. a. Sorrowfully.
| 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 28 Sometimes towards Eden..his grievd look he fixes sad. 1819 Keats Lamia ii. 49 Why will you plead yourself so sad forlorn? |
b. Comb. = sadly-.
| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1590 Which when her sad beholding husband saw. 1613 W. Browne Brit. Past. ii. iv, Their sad-sweet glance. 1909 E. Pound Exultations 12 Ye know somewhat the strain, the sad-sweet wonder-pain of such singing. 1925 J. Gregory Bab of Backwoods iii. 33 He managed to get his one free arm about her, hugging her tight while he said good-bye; Bab would never forget that terribly sad-sweet moment. 1928 Blunden Undertones of War 4 And there, sad-smiling,..were two or three of the convalescent squad. 1933 W. de la Mare Fleeting 17 How sad-serene the abandoned house. 1953 S. Kauffmann Philanderer xiv. 233 A lamp-lighted restaurant table, the distant sad-sweet music, all these flowed together in a comfortable alcoholic haze. |
▸
slang (
depreciative). Esp. of a person: pathetically inadequate or unfashionable; socially undesirable or inept.
Cf. saddo n.,
sad sack n.| 1934 J. O'Hara Appointment in Samarra iv. 102 There were certain sad birds among the girls... But it was also understood by every hostess that a popular, attractive young man should not be designated the escort of any but popular, attractive girls. 1938 I. Edman Philosopher's Holiday 97 If you go in for that kind of thing, they think you're rather sad... Sad is..the opposite of tops. 1989 ‘G. Naylor’ Red Dwarf 232 Do you really think I'm the sort of pathetic, sad, weasly kind of person who could get erotically aroused by looking at paintings of matronly breasts? 1994 Guardian 9 Aug. ii. 12/4 They find that they are communicating with the kind of sad anorak-wearers they would never have encountered in real life. 2001 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 17 Mar. 62, I love rummaging, and used to list jumble sales as one of my hobbies. (Sad I know.) |
▪ II. sad, v. (
sæd)
Forms: see the
adj. [f. sad a. Cf. sade v.] 1. trans. To make solid, firm, or stiff; to compress.
Obs. exc. dial. Cf. sadden v. 1.
| 1382 Wyclif Acts iii. 7 And anoon the groundis and plauntis of him ben saddid to gidere [Vulg. consolidatæ sunt]. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De. P.R. vii. lviii. (1495) 272 The matere is thycked and sadded and not obedyente to dygestyon. 14.. Tretyce in Walter of Henley's Husb. (1890) 47 Sowe your wyntur corne tymely so þ{supt} your lande may be sadid & your corne rotyd afore þ{supt} grete wyntur com. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 440/1 Saddyn, or make sadde, solido, consolido. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) vi. xxi. 268/2 The fende by suffraunce of god may sadde the ayer and make hym a bodye of the ayer. 1807 Hogg Mtn. Bard, Sandy Tod 111 Sandy..Then the hay, sae rowed an' saddit, Towzled up that nane might ken. |
† 2. To make steadfast, establish, confirm (
in).
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 242 Austyn þe olde here-of he made bokes, And hym-self ordeyned to sadde vs in bileue. c 1425 Orolog. Sapient. i. in Anglia X. 333/2 Þe sowle þat is not ȝit fullye saddete and stablete in þe moste parfyte degre of loue. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. l. 120 My mynde is saddid [orig. solidata est] in god, & groundid in crist. |
† 3. To darken (a colour).
Obs.| 1573 Art of Limning 4 Two parts azure and one of cereuse and sadded with the same azure or with blacke incke. 1634 J. B[ate] Myst Nat. 124 You may alay your Orpment with chalke, and sadde it with browne of Spain [etc.]. |
† 4. To make sorrowful; to sadden.
Obs.| 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. iii, May it not sad your thoughts. 1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parl. i. (ed. 2) 24 The Lords hearing of these proceedings were much sadded. 1692 Covt. Grace Conditional 73 The Hearts of your Friends [are] exceedingly sadded. 1810 The Age: A Poem 3 When nature's visage sads the sight. |
† b. To make dull or gloomy.
Obs.| 1610 G. Fletcher Christ's Vict. i. ix, As when a vapour..sads the smiling orient of the springing day. |
† c. intr. to sad it: to talk in a sad manner.
| 1663 Killigrew Parson's Wedd. ii. v. 95 While you sad it thus to one. |
▪ III. sad obs. form of
said,
shed.