utmost, a. and n.
(ˈʌtməʊst, ˈʌtməst)
Forms: α. 1 ute-, utmest (Northumb. wut-), 3 ute-, 4 ut-, 5, 6 Sc. vtmest; 5 north. and Sc. vtmast, Sc. 6 vt-, 9 utmaist; 4–7 vt-, 5–6 vtte-, 7– utmost (6 vtmoste, vtmoost). β. 3–4 otemost, 4–5 ottemoste; 4 ot-, ottemeste.
[OE. {uacu}temest, {uacu}tmest (rare, and chiefly northern, variants of the usual {yacu}te-, {yacu}tmest), a double superlative (cf. foremost, inmost) from {uacu}te or {uacu}t oute, out advs. + -m-est: see -most. Cf. the later outmost a.
In Layamon 11023 utemæste prob. represents OE. {yacu}temeste. The ME. forms with ote-, otte-, ot- seem to imply an earlier ŭte- with shortened vowel (as in Icel. ŭtan from ūt). The shortening in utmost may be partly due to the double consonant, and partly to the influence of utter a.]
I. 1. a. Situated farthest from the centre; occupying, lying at, or dwelling in the extreme bound or bounds; most external or remote in position or location; outermost, uttermost; outmost a. 1.
| α c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxii. 13 Sendas hine in ðiostrum ðæm utmestum. c 1100 ælfreds Boeth. xix. (Bodl. MS.), Þeah hit nu ᵹebyriᵹe þæt ða utemestan ðioda eowerne naman up ahebban. c 1320 Sir Orfeo 357 (Auchinleck MS.), Al þe vtmast wal Was..schine as cristal. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5487 Beyten is out in the orient the vtmast syde. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. iii. i. 8 Ane of his tais with The vtmast endis be þe lith Quyt wes smyttyn of þaim. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 106 His ende vttemost toward the tenement of the forsaid Vincente Menge. 1526 Tindale Matt. viii. 12 The children of the Kingdom shalbe cast out in to the vtmoost dercknes. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 12 Corineus had that Prouince vtmost west To him assigned. 1618 Lawson New Orchard (1623) 46 We admit without the fence, of Walnuts in most plaine places, Trees middle-most, and..Elmes vtmost. 1660 Barrow Euclid i. prop. 21 The utmost points of one side of a triangle. 1697 Dryden æneis ix. 221 Where the foes their utmost guards advance. 1729 T. Innes Crit. Ess. (1879) 63 The utmost extremities of the north of Britain. 1798 S. & Ht. Lee Canterb. T. II. 326 The utmost limit of creation! 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. iv. 372 It..doth pass Into the utmost leaves and delicatest flowers. 1859 Tennyson Elaine 525 Knights of utmost North and West. 1877 Ruskin St. Mark's Rest iv. (1894) 50 The entire tablet varied to its utmost edge. |
| fig. 1667 South Serm. (1715) II. 24 Which surely must reach the utmost Thoughts of any Atheist whatsoever. |
| β 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11433 Þe castel hii asailede,..& brake þe otemoste wal. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 303 In þe vttermeste (MS. αotmeste) ende of all þe erþe. a 1390 Wycliffite Bible Num. xxii 36 (MS. Bodl. 959), [A] toun..sette in ye otemost coostys of Arnon. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xv. clv. (Bodl. MS.), Þe ottemoste norþe..of Germania. c 1450 M.E. Med. Bk. (Heinrich) 93 Pile þe barke þe ottemoste [v.r. ottemoste rynde] awey. |
† b. Of garments: Outermost; exterior. Obs.
| 1553 Respublica 1774 Doe of your vtmoste robes eche one. 1584 T. Hudson Du Bartas' Judith iv. (1611) 47 Her vtmost robe was colour blew Cœlest. |
c. Furthest extended; greatest in extent, length, measure, etc.
| 1709 Felton Diss. Classics (1718) 12 To put forth Your Hand to the utmost Stretch, and reach whatever You aspire at. 1746 Francis tr. Horace, Epist. i. xvi. 108 Death is..That utmost Course, where human Sorrow ends. 1791 Cowper Odyss. xi. 454 A night of utmost length. 1844 Kinglake Eothen xvii, All the whole earth that I could reach with my utmost sight and keenest listening was still. |
2. That is of the greatest or highest degree; of the largest amount, number, etc.; extreme.
Somewhat rare before 1590; in freq. use since 1710.
| a 1325 Prose Psalter lvii. 6 God shal defoulen her teþe..; our Lord shal breke þe uttemast [Dublin MS. ottermast] iuels of þe wicked. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xii. (Mathias) 113 Scho let hym wyt þe vtmast thinge, þat he wes but a fundlynge. 1482 Monk of Evesham xxli. (Arb.) 53 He was takyn..to the vtmest peynys and ponissement of dethe. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 2 b, The vttemost perfeccyon that man may attayne to. 1586 Marlowe 1st Pt. Tamburl. ii. iii, With amitie we yeeld Our vtmost seruice to the faire Cosroe. 1610 Chester's Triumph B 4, What e're our more then strained vtmost-All Can possibly performe, performe we shall. 1628 May Virg. Georg. iii. 84 Her temptations make Two stubborne Bulls..with their Hornes to try their utmost deedes. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 103 His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd In dubious Battel. 1704 Evelyn Diary 7 Sept., This day was celebrated the thanksgiving..with the utmost pomp and splendour. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia v. iv, Her mind was now in a state of the utmost confusion. 1805 Wordsw. Waggoner ii. 73 The utmost anger of the sky. 1833 H. Martineau Brooke Farm iii. 35 The utmost profit of a cow. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. i. vii, His antigropelos, the utmost approach he possessed to a hunting equipment. |
3. Latest in order or time; last, final. Now rare.
| c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxv. 248 Mary, me mynnys, thi moder hight, the vtmast ende of all thy kyn. 1526 Tindale Matt. v. 26 Till thou have payed the vtmost [1611 vttermost] farthing. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. i. 49 In these sad words she spent her vtmost breath. 1591 ― Ruins of Time 45 From their first vntill their vtmost date. 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. 41 Many wise men have miscarried in praising great designe before the utmost event. 1670–1 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 367 Censure..against those who, after an utmost day set, shall persist to absent themselves. 1672 Dryden Conq. Granada ii. i, 'Till I have found the last and utmost Foe. 1691 Swift Ode Athenian Society xi, When the sad melancholy muse Stays but to catch his utmost breath. 1772 Priestley Inst. Relig. (1782) I. 82 They prolong life to the utmost term of nature. 1809–12 M. Edgeworth Absentee iv, He would use it [sc. the power] to obtain the utmost penny of his debt. 1818 Byron Juan i. lxxx, I..hear these freedoms form the utmost list Of all o'er which such love may be a ranger. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xv. 171 Grating it down nicely,..and adding the utmost oil as a lubricant. |
II. absol. and as n.
In Lindisf. Gosp. Mark v. 23 in utmestum is used to render the L. in extremis (= at the point of death).
4. That which is most outward, distant, or remote; the farthest part, district, limit, etc., of an extent or area. Now only arch.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter cxxxviii. 9 In ðem utmestan sæs. a 950 Ritual Dunelm. (Surtees) 55 Oð to vtmeste earðes. 1382 Wyclif Job xxxvi. 30 The vtmost of the se he shal couere. 1382 ― Acts i. 8 Ȝe schulen be witnessis to me..to the vtmeste [v.r. vtermest] of erthe. 1614 W. B. Philosopher's Banquet (ed. 2) 43 The vtmost of the taile is poyson. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 177 A City..on the utmost of the ridge of a hill. 1887 Morris Odyssey xi. 13 At last unto the utmost of the Ocean-stream we came. |
† b. n. pl. Remotest parts of the earth, etc. rare.
| 1382 Wyclif Ps. cxxxiv. 7 Bringende out cloudis fro the vtmostis [v.r. vttermostis] of the erthe. 1382 ― Isaiah vii. 18 The fleȝe, that is in the vtmostes [v.r. vttermostis] of the flodus of Egipt. |
5. That which is greatest or of the highest degree; the most or greatest possible or attainable in respect of force, skill, etc.; the utmost point, extreme limit or degree, of something.
| 1472 Cov. Leet Bk. 377 Thei..seid thei wold abyde with the Maire..to the vtmost of herr goodes in that mater. 1526 Tindale Acts xxiv. 22 When Lisias..is come, I will know the vtmost of youre matters. 1594 1st Pt. Contention C 4, To morrow we will ride to London, And trie the vtmost of these Treasons forth. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. i. 38 Thinking the vtmost of their force to trie. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 346 The Painter..shew'd therein the vtmost of his skill. 1667 Earl of Orrery St. Lett. (1742) 331 The utmost I aimed at..was to tell your grace what others told me. 1752 Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) I. 95 The utmost we have to boast of are a few essays. 1764 Reid Inquiry i. 75 The utmost which the human faculties can attain. 1805 J. Spaulding Universalism 129 That the damned suffer the utmost of their desert. 1838 Thirlwall Greece V. 153 Thebes had accomplished the utmost she could now reasonably aim at. 1855 Bain Senses & Int. i. ii. §23 The utmost that can be said in the present state of our knowledge. |
b. With possessive adjs.: The highest, greatest, or best of one's ability, power, etc.; the very most. Freq. with do.
| c 1611 Chapman Iliad ii. 119 Come then,..and fly to our loved home; for now, nor ever, shall Our utmost take in broad⁓wayed Troy. 1646 Gaule Cases Consc. 118 Their utmost is but to produce a..false species of things. 1660 South Serm. (1715) IV. 23 Nor will it suffice..to rally up all one's little Utmost into one Discourse. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. iv. xix. §15 A Man, having..done his utmost to inform himself in all Particulars,..may [etc.]. 1708 Addison Pres. State of War 26 Let us perform our utmost,..and we shall overwhelm 'em. 1785 Burns To Rev. John M‘Math xvi, [One who] to his utmost would befriend Ought that belang'd ye. 1818 Cobbett Pol. Reg. XXXIII. 633 Will you do your utmost to obtain justice? 1856 C. M. Yonge Daisy Chain i. xviii, His work, after he goes to Oxford, will be doing his very utmost—and you know what an utmost that is. 1887 P. M{supc}Neill Blawearie 136 It taxed to its utmost the ingenuity of the rival wooers. |
c. As n. An extreme amount, degree, or limit.
| 1856 [see prec. sense]. 1863 J. Ingelow Poems 24 Forever yawns before our eyes An utmost—that is veiled. |
6. The end, finish, or issue of something.
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. i. 36 See that Claudio Be executed;..let him be prepar'd, For that's the vtmost of his pilgrimage. 1666 Boyle Orig. Forms & Qual. 264 An Accident robb'd me of my Glasse, before I could see the utmost of the Event. 1674 [see uttermost a. 6]. |
7. to the utmost, to the extreme or uttermost degree, extent, capacity, or limit. Also const. of (one's power, etc.).
| c 1450 Mirk's Festial i. 91 Gracyously he woll þat a man be demed wyth mercy and not to þe vtmast here. 1526 Tindale 1 Thess. ii. 16 For the wrath off God is come on them, even to the vtmost. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. iii. 146 Some of ye..Would trye him to the vtmost, had ye meane. 1685 Boyle Enq. Notion Nat. vii. 266, I grew weary before I had prosecuted it to the utmost. 1738 Wesley Ps. v. vi, Thy wrath on the rebellious Race Shall to the utmost come. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters III. 307 Let us pursue our enquiries to the utmost. 1834 H. Martineau Demerara iv. 46 He was sure to..torment the animal to the utmost. 1860 Motley Netherl. ii. I. 59 He would keep his pledge to the utmost. 1873 F. Hall in Scribner's Monthly VI. 465 The sages..have certainly consulted his comfort to the utmost. |
| (b) 1596 Edward III, iv. v. 86 That same man..keepes it [sc. his word] to the vtmost of his power. 1659 Nicholas Papers (Camden) IV. 147, I shall to the vttmost of my power constantly endeauour to doe him right. 1729 Law Serious C. vi. 90 So sure is it, that we are to do them to the utmost of our power. 1802 E. Parsons Myst. Visit II. 245 The good woman.. fortunately succeeded to the utmost of her wish. 1875 Manning Mission H. Ghost xii. 346 Let us to the utmost of our power, submit our will to the will of God. |
8. at the utmost († at utmost), at the very most in respect of time, quantity, etc. Cf. most a. 6.
| 1619 in Foster Eng. Factories India (1906) I. 143, 15 dayes stay there, or 20 at uttmost. 1643 Trapp Comm. Gen. xi. 7 [He] beautified it, or, at utmost, inlarged it. 1722 Whiston The. Earth iii. iii. 247 The Modern Age of Men at the utmost is not 80. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. App. s.v. Vultur, The head..has, at the utmost, only a downy matter on it. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 418 At the utmost it was in the discretion of the Court. |
Hence † ˈutmostness. nonce-use.
| 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 7 With all that earnestness of threatning, that may beget in man the utmostness of dread. |