uttermost, a. (n.)
(ˈʌtəməst)
Forms: see utter a.; also 4– -most, 5–7 -moste, 6 -moost; 4–5 -mest, -meste, 4–6 -mast, 5–6 -maste, 6 Sc. -maist; 4–5 vttre-, 5 vttrmest, 6 uttirmuste, Sc. utermost(e, vtermast.
[f. utter a. + -most. Cf. outermost a.]
I. 1. Outermost; farthest out or off; remotest; = utmost a. 1 a, outmost a. 1.
In frequent use c 1385–c 1630. Now somewhat rare.
| 13.. Coer de L. 2911 [He swore] But yff it were i-brought adoun Be noon, the uttermeste wall, He scholde hym hew to peses small. 13.. Prose Psalter cxxxiv. 7 (Dublin MS.), Þe ottermast endes of þerþe. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iii. xx. (1495) 67 The vttermest sydes and partyes of the tongue. 1486 Bk. St. Albans a viij, The vttermest Clees ye shall call the Pety Sengles. 1585 Lupton Thous. Notable Th. (1660) 37 The uttermost or last joint of the tail. 1632 Lithgow Trav. i. 23 It reacheth..to the vttermost bounds of the Dutchy of Ferrara. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxviii. 248 From the uttermost parts of the Earth. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 266 To the uttermost convex Of this great Round. 1819 Shelley Mask of Anarchy lxvii, From the corners uttermost Of the bounds of English coast. 1872 Blackie Lays Highl. Introd. 49 To indulge in the flight to uttermost Unst. |
† b. Of garments or other coverings: = utmost a. 1 b. Obs. rare.
| c 1471 Fortescue Wks. (1869) 452 If it be a pore Cote under their uttermost Garment. 1532–3 Act 24 Hen. VIII, c. 13 Their Gownes, Cootes with Sleves or other uttermost Garmentes. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde i. ii. (1552) 1 b, Of the which [coats] the first and vttermost is called the skyn. |
c. Greatest in extent; longest. rare.
| a 1586 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 63 The vttermost time presupposed in it, should be..but one day. a 1586 ― Arcadia iii. xviii, [He] stood..with..his shield at the utter⁓most length of his arme. |
2. Extreme; = utmost a. 2.
| 13.. [see utmost a. 2]. 1429 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 352/1 To the uttermast distruction and anientisment of the said Merchantz. 1468 Sir J. Paston in Paston Lett. II. 329 The uttermost pryse had not passyd v. mark. 1544 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (Selden) II. 306 As they will answere..for the same att their uttermost perilles. 1556 Olde Antichrist 59 The best..that shoulde lye in his uttermost possible power to doo. 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. iii. 88 You that haue bene here presently sworn to performe your uttermost duties. 1676 Hale Contempl. ii. 212 Thou..may'st most justly expect from the children of Men our uttermost Love, and Fear. 1702 H. Dodwell Apol. §1 in S. Parker Cicero's De Finibus, The time wherein Philosophy..received its uttermost Perfection. a 1796 in Morse Amer. Geog. I. 91 His friendships are..faithful to the uttermost extremity. 1807 Wordsw. White Doe iii. 91 A voice of uttermost joy. 1856 Ruskin Mod. Paint. IV. 74 To speak with uttermost truth of expression. 1890 Hallett Thous. Miles on Elephant 430 It is in the uttermost degree unlikely. |
† b. Of persons: = utterest a. 2 b. Obs.
| 1572 Forrest Theophilus 743 Howe happened thee to goe..Vnto his enemye moste vttermoste..? 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Hist. Ivstine xxii. 82 They were solde..to the vttermost enemy of their estate. |
† 3. Last in time; final. Cf. utmost a. 3. Obs.
| c 1440 York Myst. xxxvii. 232 And Marie me menys þi modir hight, Þe vttiremeste ende of all þi kynne. 1463 Paston Lett. II. 133 For..the Sunday was the uttermest day. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lxxxvi. 567 To the vtter⁓mest dayes of my lyf. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 2 Tim. 20 He..is hable ynoughe to kepe vnto the vttermost daye, the thing that [etc.]. 1593 Sidney's Arcadia iv. (1922) II. 111 The uttermost instant is scope enough for him, to revoke every thing. 1600 Holland Livy v. xxii. 195 b, The finall end and fall of Veij,..which even in this last and utter⁓most [L. ultimus] calamitie shewed her mightinesse. |
b. Last of a series, store, etc. Chiefly in uttermost farthing.
| 1553 Latimer Sermon on Lord's Prayer (1562) 51 b, The lord..caste him into prison, there to lye till he had paied the vttermost farthing. 1611 Bible Matt. v. 26 Thou shalt by no meanes come out thence, till thou hast payd the vttermost farthing. 1622 Bacon Hen. VII, 183 Vowing not to leaue him, till the vttermost drop of their bloud were spilt. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 446 The first borne is heire to all, even to the uttermost farthing. 1821–2 Shelley Chas. I, ii. 77 The uttermost Farthing exact from those. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. iii. ii. viii, His accounts lie all ready, correct in black-on-white, to the uttermost farthing. |
II. absol. or as n.
4. External limit, part, etc.; = utmost a. 4.
| 13.. [see utterest a. 4]. 1382 Wyclif Deut. vi. 15 Lest eny tyme the woodnes of the Lord..doo thee awey fro the vttermoost of the erthe. c 1520 M. Nisbet Acts i. 8 In al Judee,..and into the vtermast of the erd. 1563 Shute Archit. D iv, From the vttermost of the Abacus. 1851 Longfellow Gold. Leg. iii. Nativity iii. 43 The Angel of the uttermost Of all the shining, heavenly host. |
b. n. pl. = utmost a. 4 b. Obs. rare.
| a 1390 Wycliffite Bible Isaiah xlii. 10 (MS. Douce 369), Singiþ..his praisynge fro þe vttermostis of þe erþ [L. ab extremis terræ]. (See also utmost a. 4 b.) |
† 5. The very most; = utmost a. 5, 5 b. Obs.
| a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 83 For þe vertu of þam aboute fire is þe vttermoste of strenght. ? 1477 Stonor Papers (Camden) II. 34 You schalle vnderstonde the vttermeste of my stomake. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vii. (1811) 645 For the encrece & augmentacion thereof, to the vtter⁓moost of theyr powers. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 37 He wolde haue done his vttermost. 1578 H. Wotton Courtlie Controv. 40 In doing wherof, you shall bynde me with the vttermoste of my seruice to acknowledge the honoure. c 1590 Marlowe Faustus iii, But be resolute, And trie the vttermost magicke can performe. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iv. 167 Ile moue your suite, And seeke to effect it to my vttermost. 1610 R. Field Fifth Bk. Ch. lvii. 466 The vttermost therefore that our Aduersaries can say, is [etc.]. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 228 The uttermost on either side is vicious. 1668 Sanderson Cases 75 Let the Daughters disobedience deserve all this uttermost of punishment, from the offended Father. |
† 6. a. End; issue; = utmost a. 6. Obs. rare.
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. vii. 223 Aweye wille I not tyl I see the vttermest of this Iourneye. 1593 Sidney's Arcadia iii. (1922) II. 4 Zelmane..had now looked to the uttermoste [ed. 1674 utmost] of it, and established her minde upon an assured determination. |
b. The extreme or furthest limit (in time). Obs.—1
| 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 213 Bru. By the eight houre, is that the vttermost? Cin. Be that the vttermost, and faile not then. |
7. to the uttermost, = utmost a. 7. Now rare or Obs.
| c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iv. xxix. 61 Ne he ne shalle nought ben of power..for to descryuen to the utter⁓most, be it good or badde. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. vii. 128 To doo the bataille to the vttermest. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. 13 b, All the appetites of man shalbe replenysshed with all goodnes, and saciat with glory, to the vttermoste. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 51 The sonne of god..hes sufferit all things to the vttermaist. 1598 R. Bernard tr. Terence (1607) Andria iv. i, To labour to the vttermost with might and maine. 1605 London Prodigal iii. ii, Her loue will then be tried to the vttermost. 1622 R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea 120 The cause that every man forceth himselfe to the vttermost, to doe the labour of two men. 1772 Cook First Voyage iii. i. (1773) III. 493 They..seemed resolved to defend their coast to the uttermost. 1844 Mrs. Browning Lost Bower lxxiii, The prayer preserves it greenly, to the last and uttermost. 1846 Trench Mirac. xxvii. 359 Now the Scribes were pressing the advantage which they had gained..to the uttermost. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. xviii. IV. 139 To withstand the stranger to the uttermost. |
| (b) 1489 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 424 True and faithfull service to the uttermost of his power. 1557 Order of Hospitalls E 4 b, To the best and uttermost of your wits and powers. 1593 Sidney's Arcadia v. (1922) II. 158 To the uttermost of my skill. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. ii. i. §1 That..we defend, to the vttermost of that habilitie which he hath giuen. 1611 Bible Translators to Rdr. ¶3 To haue care of Religion,..yea to promote it to the vttermost of their power. 1638 Hamilton Papers (Camden) 32 The Couenanters haue..labored to the uttermost of ther pouer to procure the rescinding. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 183 The natives..will generally be..kind also to the uttermost of their power. |
8. † a. at the uttermost (also at uttermost), = utmost a. 8. Obs.
| 1530 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 87 For every pott iijs, or at the uttermuste iiijs. 1535 Layton in Lett. Suppress. Monast. (Camden) 72 On Wedinsday by nyght, at utermoste. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. 30 b, Within three monethes, or foure at the vttermost after they are sowen. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. i. ii. 6 b, Not aboue thirtie leagues distaunt from thence at the vttermost. |
b. at one's uttermost, at the utmost point of test or danger. rare—1.
| 1859 Tennyson Marr. Geraint 502 But if I live, So aid me Heaven when at mine uttermost, As I will make her truly my true wife. |