soporiferous, a. Now rare.
(səʊpəˈrɪfərəs, sɒp-)
[f. L. sopōrifer (f. sopor sleep + -fer bearing): see -ferous. Cf. F. soporifère, Sp., Pg., It. soporifero.]
† 1. Of a disease, morbid state, etc.: Characterized by unnatural or excessive sleep; soporose; lethargic. Obs.
| 1590 P. Barrough Meth. Physick i. xvii. (1639) 26 Losse of memory..is caused of the Lethargy and other soporiferous diseases. 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 35 b/1 Shee is as if she hadde the soporiferouse dissease, without all strength, clene layed a-longe. 1681 H. More Exp. Dan. v. 141 It made him fall down into a soporiferous swound. |
† b. Affected with numbness or ‘sleep’.
Obs.—1| 1599 A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 209 Bath heer⁓with oftentimes the soporiferous Ioyncte. |
2. a. = soporific a. 1 a.
| 1601 Holland Pliny II. 113 That venomous creature, which by a soporiferous power that it hath..casteth a man into a deadly sleep. 1657 Fuller Comm. Jonah (1868) 202 Supposing there was some opium or soporiferous virtue therein. 1710 T. Fuller Pharm. Extemp. 408 The whole Body of Physicians hath..attributed to this Plant [sc. hounds-tongue] a soporiferous Quality. 1767 J. Penn Sleepy Serm. 7 The preacher who delivers himself in such a spiritless, soporiferous manner. 1803 in Spirit Public Jrnls. VII. 360 The soporiferous and sudorific properties of this truly inestimable opiate. 1825 Scott Talism. viii, The invalid,..resisting no longer the soporiferous operation of the elixir, sunk down in a gentle sleep. |
b. = soporific a. 1 b. ?
Obs. (Common in the 17th c.)
| 1601 Holland Pliny II. 112 Halicacabus..is more soporiferous than Opium, and sooner casteth a man into a dead sleepe. 1626 Bacon Sylva §96 Soporiferous Medecines applyed unto them, provoke sleep. 1678 Gale Crt. Gentiles iv. iii. 91 Some soporiferous stupifying wine, or potion, or medicine, which being given to a man, or sprinkled on him, casts him into a deep sleep. 1732 Arbuthnot Rules of Diet in Aliments, etc. 315 The Air perfum'd with the Smell of Soporiferous Plants, as Poppies. 1785 Arnot Crim. Trials 143 They also applied to Kennedy for intoxicating or soporiferous draughts. |
| fig. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. xx. 75 A lusty draught of that Soporiferous potion that will make him repose himself wholly on the faith of his Priest. 1711 Vind. Sacheverell 17 Soporiferous Draughts of Moderation. |
c. = soporific a. 1 c.
| 1694 Motteux Rabelais v. (1737) Prol. p. lvii, Books..dull, soporiferous. |
† 3. = soporific a. 3.
| 1602 Middleton Phœnix iii. i. 7 Hark, you sluggish soporiferous villains! 1624 R. Skynner in Ussher's Lett. (1686) 349 Awake you sleepers from your sleep, and ye soporiferous sluggards, arise from your drowsiness. |
Hence
sopoˈriferously adv. (Webster, 1847);
sopoˈriferousness, the state or quality of being soporiferous; sleepy or lethargic condition.
| 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 29 b/1 This vayne is opened agaynst the soporiferousnes and payne in the foreheade. 1727 Bailey (vol. II), Soporiferousness, Sleep-causing Quality. 1838 Blackw. Mag. XLIV. 639 A sort of soporiferousness laid hold of me. 1888 Harper's Mag. Aug. 343 The very air seems inimical to thought; it is heavy with soporiferousness. |