supplicant, n. and a. Now rare exc. arch.
(ˈsʌplɪkənt)
Also 7 suplicant.
[ad. L. supplicantem, -ans, pr. pple. of supplicāre to supplicate. Cf. It., Pg. supplicante, Sp. suplicante.]
A. n. = suppliant n.
| 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxiv. §1 The Prince and people of Nineueh assembling themselues as a maine army of supplicants. 1650 Row Hist. Kirk Suppl. (Wodrow Soc.) 491 The supplicants [in 1638] gave in a Supplication to his Majestie's Commissioners for a free Generall Assemblie and Parliaments. 1693 tr. Dupin's Hist. Eccl. Writers II. 109 The Third Rank of Catechumens was, that of those that were present at the Prayers, who were called the Supplicants or the Prostrati. 1834 K. H. Digby Mores Cath. v. vi. 184 The pious supplicants, who repair to the churches. 1873 Burton Hist. Scot. VI. lxix. 161 The Supplicants treated the king's person with great reverence. |
b. spec. One who supplicates for a degree: see supplicate v. 3.
| 1649 Lamont Diary (Maitl. Club) 6 Ther was 12 [scholars] in euery colledge, and two supplicants laureat. 1901 Rashdall & Rait New College 220 When a Fellow of New College takes any degree, his name is omitted from the list of supplicants. |
B. adj. = suppliant a.1
| 1597 Shakes. Lover's Compl. 276 All these hearts that doe on mine depend,..supplicant their sighes to you extend. 1605 Camden Rem., Epigr. 16 One did write this suplicant Verse to the Emperour. 1705 Bull Corrupt. Ch. Rome iii. 268 [They] offer'd to this Council their Letters supplicant, confessing that they had sinn'd. 1787 Phil. Trans. LXXVII. 259 Pricking up the ears when anxious,..depressing them when supplicant. 1807 J. Barlow Columb. ii. 338 A sovereign supplicant with lifted hands. 1834 K. H. Digby Mores Cath. v. iii. 85 The supplicant people. |
Hence ˈsupplicantly adv. = suppliantly.
| 1864 in Webster. |