satisfy

satisfy, v.
  (ˈsætɪsfaɪ)
  Forms: 5–6 satysfy(e, 5–7 satisfye, (6 satisfey, Sc. satisffi, pa. pple. satesfet, -fit), 6–8 satisfie, (7 sattisfy), 6– satisfy. Also satify.
  [a. OF. satisfier (also satifier, satefier), irregularly (see -fy) ad. L. satisfacĕre, orig. two words, satis enough, facĕre to do. Cf. OF., F. satisfaire, Pr. satisfar, Sp. satisfacer, Pg. satisfazer, It. satis-, soddisfare.]
  I. With reference to debt or obligation.
  1. trans. To pay off or discharge fully; to liquidate (a debt); to fulfil completely (an obligation), comply with (a demand). Now somewhat rare exc. in Law.
  In the first quot. perh. intr. = to pay what is due.

c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 43 To satisfye it is but impossible,—It may not be parformed as for me, What eyled me, lord, maryed for to be. 1578 Knaresb. Wills (Surtees) I. 128 After all my dettes are satisfied. 1596 Bacon Max. & Use Com. Law i. viii. (1636) 33, I shall satisfie my contract with a sixpenny piece so raised. 1655 Terry Voy. E. India xxiii. 384 When they cannot satisfie their Debts. 1677 A. Yarranton Eng. Improv. 36 At this day many Gentlemen..have sold Land since they entered into these Bonds, and the Bonds not satisfied. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. 485 Before his [a bankrupt's] debts are satisfied or agreed for. 1784 Cowper Task iii. 783 'Tis finish'd, and yet, finish'd as it seems, Still wants a grace, the loveliest it could show, A mine to satisfy th'enormous cost. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 276 The personal estate was not sufficient to satisfy legacies. 1847–9 Helps Friends in C. (1851) I. 117 Claims which cannot be satisfied, ought not to be satisfied, and which, being unsatisfied, embitter people. 1886 Law Rep., Weekly Notes 196/1 The reserve fixed by the judge was not sufficient to satisfy the first and second mortgage debentures.

  † b. impers. in passive, it is satisfied: full payment has been made (to a person of or for a debt).

c 1450 Godstow Reg. 198 To hold her distresse til þat hyt were satisfiede to þ⊇ foreseyde abbas & couent for all þynges. Ibid. 411 Yf hit were not I-satisfied fully in ony terme to the said mynchons..of the said rent. Ibid. 486, 530.

  † c. With the money paid as object. Obs.

1617 Moryson Itin. i. 199 The one hundred pounds which my brother and I carried in our purses, would not satisfie the five hundred pound we had spent. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxvi, Though I ken my father will satisfy every penny of this siller, whatever there's o't, yet I wadna like to borrow it frae one that maybe thinks of something mair than the paying o't back again.

  d. To pay (a creditor). Const. of (the debt, a sum of money); † formerly occas. with the debt, etc. as second object. Now rare exc. in legal use.

1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 425/1 Ye said Lords..agreed..to make hym to be satisfied and paide of the seid yerly sommes. 1455–6 Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889) 289 Tyll he satysfy the courte of the sayd sowme. 1558 Card. Pole Let. in Strype Ann. Ref. ii. (1709) 50, I thought it my duty before I should depart,..to leave all persons satisfied of me. 1611 Tourneur Ath. Trag. iii. i, That shee [Earth] is satisfied what he did owe, Both principall and use. 1667 in J. Watson Jedburgh Abbey (1894) 89 [The council] ordains James Fall to be satisfied of the sum of {pstlg}200 for timber bought by him. 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables xxix. 28 The Defendant [a sheep] was cast into Costs and Damages, and forc'd to sell the Wool off his Back to satisfie the Creditor. a 1768 Secker Serm. (1770) III. vii. 165 It is very true, that Motives, not at all akin to Pride, frequently induce those of high Rank to neglect or even refuse satisfying their Creditors. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 141 A tenant by the curtesy may also redeem a mortgage, and hold the lands till he is satisfied. 1825 T. Lee Dict. Pract. Civ. Actions (ed. 2) II. 1224 The said ―..acknowledges himself to be satisfied by the said ― of the damages, costs, and charges aforesaid,..therefore the said ― is acquitted of the said damages, costs, and charges.

fig. c 1510 More Picus Wks. 8/2 Compelled him within thre daies to satisfie nature, and repaie her the life which he receiued of her.

  † e. To remunerate; to pay for services. Obs.

1623 Bingham Xenophon 141 We are ready to depart, as soone as they, by whose meanes you enjoy the land, are satisfied for their pay. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia iv. 126 We thought our selues now fully satisfied for our long toile and labours. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. I. v. 128 These Indians did us good service,..and for this their service we satisfied them to their hearts content. 1771 Luckombe Hist. Print. 388 It is not a Compositor's duty; especially where he has no expectation of being satisfied for it.

  † 2. To make compensation or reparation for (a wrong, injury); to atone for (an offence). Obs.

c 1460 Wisdom 1084 in Macro Plays 71 Yet of my selff I may not satysfye my trespas. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia iii. (Sommer) 319 b, Thy death shall satisfie thy iniury, & my malice. 1590 Greene Mourn. Garm. (1616) 66 Repentance satisfies the deepest offences. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. viii. 28 Why should not that dead carrion satisfye The guilt? 1611 Beaum. & Fl. Knt. Burning Pest. iii. i, Come, by this hand you dye, I must have life and blood to satisfie Your fathers wrongs. 1649 Bp. Hall Cases Consc. (1654) 23 He is bound either to prevent the buyers wrong; or if heedlesly done, to satisfy it. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 343 A complaint of a ship taken was ready to have been satisfied, but Downing hindered it.

  b. To make atonement or reparation to (a person, his honour, etc.).

1602 Earl of Northumberland in Collins Peerage (1779) II. 413 Sir Frauncis Verre was willing to satisfye his Lordshipp [in a duel]. 1674 Brevint Saul at Endor 237 Now it seems he hath satisfied Divine Justice, in case I do satisfie it my self. a 1711 Ken Christophil Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 432 God's Holiness, by Sin defy'd, The Lamb unspotted satisfy'd. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 556 In the way of justice He satisfied for men, delivering Himself for their faults to the pain of death, to satisfy the honour of the Divine Majesty, so that sin should not remain unpunished.

  3. intr. To make satisfaction, full payment, reparation, or atonement. Const. for, to (a debt or offence). Obs. exc. Theol. (said of Christ).

c 1450 Godstow Reg. 45 Vndur the condicion that they satisfye & make good to hym thorow whose londys they make her cundyt for the harmys. 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) i. ix. 14 b/2 If thou wylt promyse tamende thy conscyence & satysfye for thy synnes we shal praye god for the. 1529 More Suppl. Soulys Wks. 326/2 Obiectyng that no men mai satisfy for another. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) N iij, Thinckinge be me selfe where in I mighte doo you service agreable for to satisfye to my fautes. 1562 Cooper Answ. Priv. Masse vii. 47 b, May..an other mans penance satisfy for your sinnes? 1565 in Calderwood Hist. Kirk (1843) II. 303 Persons lying in fornication, under promise of mariage, which they differe to solemnize, sould satisfie publicklie in the place of repentance, upon the Lord's Day, before they be maried. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 205 Wanting otherwise to satisfie for his raunsome, and having good leysure to devise for his deliveraunce. 1590 Marlowe Edw. II, iii. iii. (1598) F 2, For which ere long, their heades shall satisfie: T'appeaze the wrath of their offended king. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 2 Having beene bound in a great summe of money for one of his friends, whom misfortune had made unable to satisfie. c 1660 South Serm. John vii. 17 (1715) I. 219 That he should die and satisfy for the Sins of the World. 1667 Milton P.L. iii. 295 So Man..Shall satisfie for Man, be judg'd and die. 1684 Contempl. St. Man ii. x. (1699) 237 If the malice of Sin be so exorbitant, that nothing can satisfie for it, less than God. 1701 J. Law Counc. Trade (1751) 218 If he have not to satisfy for the theft, then to be condemned for any time, not exceeding six years more. 1732 Wedding Serm. i. Ded. 2 The Son of the Highest died to satisfy for it [sc. sin]. 1860 [see 2 b].

  II. With reference to feelings or needs.
  4. trans. To meet or fulfil the wish or desire or expectation of; to be accepted by (a person, his taste, judgement, etc.) as all that could be reasonably desired; to content.
  to satisfy the examiners: in English Universities, the technical phrase indicating that a person has ‘passed’ an examination, but is not entitled to ‘honours’.

c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xiv. 348 And yf this can not satysfye your mynde I shall doo yet more. Playseth it to you for to pardonne my bredern and I shall forswere Fraunce for evermore. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. cxc. 193 With whiche fayre speche, the duke..was wele satysfyed & content. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 2 b, My herte good lorde can not be satisfyed in this worlde. 1530 Palsgr. 698/1 It is harde to satisfye all men. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. V 7 b, Muche parte of the common people were therewith right well satisfied. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia ii. (Sommer) 109 These two young Princes to satisfie the king [who had sent for them] tooke their way by sea, towards Thrace. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 351 He was cheerful and seemed fully satisfied with his death. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 154 The sports of children satisfy the child. 1784 Cowper Task i. 199 Nature inanimate employs sweet sounds,..To sooth and satisfy the human ear. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge x, ‘It's well I am easily satisfied,’ returned the other with a smile. 1842 W. C. Taylor Anc. Hist. viii. §7 (ed. 3) 219 The Dorian mountains were ill calculated to satisfy men whose ancestors had inherited the fertile plains of the Peloponnesus. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 548 That every exertion would be made to satisfy him. 1861 J. E. T. Rogers Educ. Oxf. 37 Certain persons who, attempting only to satisfy the examiners, do more than satisfy them, are by the practice of the schools, and under the sanction of the statute, distinguished by having an honorary class..assigned to them. 1878 R. W. Dale Lect. Preach. iii. 68 The theological creed of the Church to which they belong satisfies them perfectly.

  b. with obj. a desire, expectation, etc.

1570 Dee Math. Pref. 2 My sincere endeuour to satisfie your honest expectation. c 1595 Capt. Wyatt R. Dudley's Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.) 40 Albeit the sayd Baltizar had not throughlie satisfied the expectacion of our Captaine, yet did hee wiselie dissemble his conceipte. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. i. 170 Do not satisfie your resolution with hopes that are fallible, to morrow you must die, goe to your knees, and make ready. 1717 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Pope 1 Apr., I have it in my power to satisfy your curiosity. 1823 Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Old Margate Hoy, The incapacity of actual objects for satisfying our preconceptions of them. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xviii. 215 A few names awaken curiosity without satisfying it.

  † c. refl. To make oneself content (with something); to consider it sufficient to do something. Also, to bring or persuade oneself to do something distasteful. Obs.

1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶11 Ioash the king of Israel did not satisfie himselfe, till he had smitten the ground three times. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 2, I..shall satisfie my self for the present to tell you, that..we sailed happily for some few dayes. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 110 Nor could I satisfy myself to eat them, tho' I kill'd several. Ibid. ii. 397 The two English Men were so encourag'd, that they could not satisfy themselves to stay any longer there..but away they went in Quest of the Savages. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia viii. iv, Mr. Delvile, should he find a daughter-in-law descended..from Egbert,..won't be so well off as if he had satisfied himself with you.

  d. In pass., To be content (with); with inf., to find it sufficient, desire or demand no more than to do something (cf. the reflexive use c). Phrase, to rest satisfied. Also in stronger sense, to be well pleased (with, † at).

a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxii. 217 The melodye..was so swete..that euery man was satysfyed with the herynge therof. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxii. §21 God was satisfied with that she did. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. ii. 104 Be satisfied; Your Brother dies to morrow; be content. 1654–66 Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 643 The King seems to be much more satisfied at it, than any other concerned in it. 1686 tr. Chardin's Trav. Persia 41 M. de la Haye bid 'em rest satisfi'd. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 170 We were fain to rest satisfied then, with what we saw of that Monastery from the top of the Mount. 1732 T. Lediard Sethos II. 2 The heroes of Greece..not satisfy'd with making the passage of the seas known. 1784 Cowper Task vi. 394 While he, Not satisfied to prey on all around,..first torments ere he devours. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas iv. vii. ¶15 Not satisfied to humbug a silly old gentleman with a tale of love. 1831 Scott Ct. Rob. xx, She must be satisfied..to know that her husband is under the guidance of a friend. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xix, Can you be satisfied with such a way of spending your probation? 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola xxxix, He had the air of a man well satisfied with the world.

  5. absol. and intr. To cause or give satisfaction or contentment.

1600 Chester Pl. Proëm 44 If the same be likeinge to the comons all, then our desier is to satisfie—for that is all our game. a 1649 Winthrop New Eng. (1825) I. 210 This would not satisfy, but they called him to answer publickly. 1831 Westm. Rev. Jan. 243 What would have satisfied from the Duke will not satisfy from Lord Grey. 1836 Emerson Nature iii. Wks. (Bohn) II. 145 But in other hours, Nature satisfies by its loveliness, and without any mixture of corporeal benefit. 1903 Heart of Heretic vi. 33 The first and last need of an aspect of religious truth is that it shall satisfy.

  6. trans. To cause to have enough; to supply fully the needs of; to put an end to (an appetite, a want) by fully supplying it.

1500–20 Dunbar Poems xvii. 37 Sum wald tak all this warldis breid, And ȝit not satisfeit of thair neid [Maitl. MS. not ȝit can be satisfeid]. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xxii. 66 Yf he were in the gretest famyn.., he sholde be satysfied as well as though he had eten al that he wolde wysshe for. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. ii. iii. 180 So should I rob my sweet Sonnes of their fee, No let them satisfie their lust on thee [Lavinia]. 1593 ― Lucr. 422 As the grim Lion fawneth ore his pray, Sharpe hunger by the conquest satisfied. 1611 Bible Ecclus. xii. 16 Hee will not be satisfied with blood. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 991 So Death shall be deceav'd his glut, and with us two Be forc'd to satisfie his Rav'nous Maw. 1690 Norris Pract. Disc. (1694) I. 88 There are some Appetites of Man which are never satisfied. 1800 Med. Jrnl. IV. 209 He takes a great deal of food without being satisfied. 1857 H. H. Wilson tr. Rig-veda III. 158 Indra..has inundated the dry lands, and (satisfied) the thirsty travellers.

refl. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iv. xv. 129 b, They cannot satisfie them of the pleasure which is there.

  7. To furnish with sufficient proof or information; to assure or set free from doubt or uncertainty; to convince.

1520 Nisbet N.T., Summe Matt. (S.T.S.) I. 6 The angell satisffijs Josephs mynd. 1538 Starkey England i. i. 8 You haue ryght wel satysfyd me in my dowte. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iii. v. 92 No farther halting: satisfie me home, What is become of her? 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶8 If any doubt hereof, he may be satisfied by examples enough. 1628 Earle Microcosm. xlvi. (Arb.) 67 He finds reason in all opinions, truth in none: indeed the least reason perplexes him, and the best will not satisfie him. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §10 Where I cannot satisfy my reason, I love to humour my fancy. 1771 Burke Corr. (1844) I. 275 All I can do is, to satisfy you, and to leave you to satisfy those whom you think worthy of being informed. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 119 These expressions were far from satisfying the Chancellor. 1856 Sir B. Brodie Pyschol. Inq. I. iii. 104 He..cannot comprehend, the arguments which satisfy men of sober sense that his views are erroneous.

absol. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xvii. §7 Methodes are more fit to winne Consent; or beleefe; but lesse fit to point to Action; for they carrie a kinde of Demonstration in Orbe or Circle, one part illuminating another; and therefore satisfie.

refl. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta'a Hist. Indies iii. xiv. 162 For to satisfy my selfe vpon this point and question, I demaunded particularly of the said Pilot, how he found the tides in the straight. 1709 Berkeley Th. Vision §31 Which is the very matter of Fact, as any one that pleases may easily satisfie himself by Experiment. 1769 E. Bancroft Guiana 332 They seem by no means sollicitous to satisfy themselves on this subject.

  b. const. of, † in.

1596 Shakes. Merch. V. v. i. 296, I am sure you are not satisfied Of these euents at full. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. III. 304 That the kings Maiestie..shall in part be satisfied of the diligence which I haue vsed in his seruice. 1614 Sir R. Dudley in Fortesc. Papers (Camden) 11 This for the present is as much as I can saye to satisfye his Majestye in this point. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. i. §16 This I would willingly be satisfy'd in. 1736 Butler Anal. Advert., No one can..be satisfied of the contrary. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones v. vi, When Sophia was well satisfied of the violent passion which tormented poor Jones, and no less certain that she herself was its object. Ibid. xviii. vi, You need be under no Apprehension, Sir, I shall satisfy Mr. Allworthy very perfectly of that Matter.

refl. 1663 Bp. Patrick Parab. Pilgr. xxxvi. (1668) 461 The Young man..soon satisfied himself in the truth of what he said.

  c. with subord. clause. Also parenthetically, I am (he is, etc.) satisfied.

1621 H. Elsing Debates Ho. Lords (Camden) 32 Desyres to be satisfyed whether sylke may be so dyed or noe. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 205 Two good deep ditches built about with Free-stone, which satisfy'd us they were the ruins of an impregnable Fortress. 1758 S. Hayward Serm. iv. 125 We are satisfyed the foundation upon which we build is safe. 1766 Compl. Farmer s.v. Surveying, Being satisfied what shall be the distance between the center and every angle, with that distance describe a circle. 1851 Mayhew Lond. Lab. I. 324/2 It's a great thing, I'm satisfied, in a street-trade,..to understand the goods you're talking about. 1884 Manch. Exam. 22 May 5/2 The success of the French at Sontay..had no doubt satisfied the Chinese that their troops were no match for those of France.

refl. a 1687 Petty Pol. Arith. Pref. (1690) a 3 b, Having satisfied myself, that the..Affairs of England are in no deplorable Condition. 1860 Tyndall Glac. ii. xxvi. 370 We have at all events satisfied ourselves that [etc.]. 1892 T. W. Erle in Law Times XCIII. 417/1 Information..to enable anybody to satisfy himself as to how things are done.

  8. To answer sufficiently (an objection, a question); to fulfil or comply with (a request); to solve (a doubt, a difficulty).

1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 108 If I should throughlie satisfie your request, this daie would not be inough to doe it. a 1626 Bacon New Atl. (1626) 10 And I shall gladly, and briefly, satisfie your demaund. 1650 Fuller Pisgah 420 Many shrewd objections may be alleadged to the contrary, which we shall endevour to satisfie in order. 1765 H. Walpole Otranto v, Thou hast not satisfied my question. 1784 Cowper Task ii. 527 'Tis revelation satisfies all doubts. 1834 J. H. Newman Par. Serm. I. xviii. 264 Revelation was not given us to satisfy doubts, but to make us better men. 1862 H. Spencer First Princ. i. i. §4 (1875) 16 They are liable to forget that information, however extensive it may become, can never satisfy inquiry.

  9. To answer the requirements of (a state of things, a hypothesis, etc.); to accord with (conditions). † Also rarely of a person: To fulfil the requirements of.

1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxiv. 208 Where none of these can satisfie the sense of that word in Scripture. 1665 Glanvill Def. Van. Dogm. 47, I met an ingenious Account, among some excellent Geometricians of this Probleme, which perhaps may satisfie the difficulty. a 1754 Sir J. Strange Reports (1782) I. 58 Pratt J. This man has fully satisfied the words of the act of Parliament. 1855 Bain Senses & Int. iii. iv. 4 When there are four or five different conditions to satisfy, the range of choice must be so much the wider. 1883 Chrystal in Encycl. Brit. XV. 244/1 The assumption of uniform magnetization will enable us to satisfy the law of induction. In point of fact, substituting..and transposing, we get three linear equations to determine A1, B1, C1 in terms of α0, β0, γ0.

  b. Algebra. Of a known quantity: To fulfil the conditions of, to be an admissible solution of (an equation).

c 1826 Encycl. Metrop. (1845) I. 544/1 A value of the unknown quantity, which thus converts the equation into an identity, is said to satisfy the equation. 1842 Colenso Elem. Algebra vi. (ed. 3) 53. 1878 Gurney Crystallogr. 25 Any three numbers which will satisfy this equation.

Oxford English Dictionary