erroneous
(ɛˈrəʊnɪəs)
Forms: 4–7 erronious(e, 5–6 erronyous(e, (5 arronious, eronyous, 6 erreoneous, ironyos, 7 erroneus), 4– erroneous.
[? ad. OF. erroneus, f. L. errōneus (whence mod.F. erroné) vagrant, wandering (post-class. also ‘erroneous’), f. errōn-em vagabond, f. errāre to wander: see -ous.]
† 1. Wandering, roving; moving aimlessly, vagrant. Also quasi-adv. Obs.
| 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 252 The bischoppis..opened no mouth to berk ageyn these erroneous doggis. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 20 On th' Aleian Field I fall Erroneous, there to wander and forlorne. 1704 Newton Optics (1721) 91 This Circle, by being placed here, stopped much of the Erroneous Light. a 1777 Fawkes tr. Halley's Eulogy on Newton, With what proportion'd force The Moon impels, erroneous in her course, The refluent main. |
† b. Straying from the proper course. Obs. rare.
| 1731 Arbuthnot Aliments 165 An erroneous Circulation (that is, when the Blood strays into the Vessels destin'd to carry Serum or Lymph). |
† 2. Straying from the path of right or virtue, morally faulty, criminal. Obs. or arch.
| 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. v. 90 What Stragems? how fell? how Butcherly? Erreoneous, mutinous, and vnnaturall. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 55 The Prophet used to lay this stone on the shoulders of the erronious. 1777 Dodd in Boswell Johnson (1848) 542 My life for some few unhappy years has been dreadfully erroneous. a 1797 H. Walpole Mem. Geo. II (1845) I. vii. 95 The probability was, that himself had been erroneous. 1819 Byron Juan iii. xii, Shut The book which treats of this erroneous pair. |
† 3. Straying from the ways of wisdom or prudence; under the influence of error, misguided. Obs. or arch.
| 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 19 Pream., The seid Frensche kyng..abydyng in his..erronyous mynde. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 55 He..sleeth by confessyon the wormes of the scrupulous and erronyous conscience. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iv. 200 Erroneous Vassals. 1640 Lond. Petit. in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1692) I. 94 The great encrease of..Ignorant and Erroneous Men in the Ministry. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 64 marg., 'Tis difficult getting of good Doctrine in erroneous Times. 1685 Baxter Paraphr. N.T. (1701) Matt. vi. 22 If thy judgment then be blind which must guide thee, what a miserable erroneous wretch wilt thou be. 1759 Goldsmith Miscell. Wks. (1837) III. 246 Leibnitz..being very erroneous himself, cannot be expected to have bequeathed precision to his followers. 1775 Johnson Tax. no Tyr. 87 That erroneous clemency. 1810 Crabbe Borough xx, And should have strengthened an erroneous heart. 1829 Southey Sir T. More I. 133 He who shows himself grievously erroneous upon one important point must look to have his opinions properly distrusted upon others. |
absol.
| 1601 Cornwallyes Ess. ii. xxix. (1631) 42 He will never instruct the erronious for a frowning reply quailes him. 1649 Alcoran 188 God prolongeth the life of the erroneous. |
4. Of doctrines, opinions, statements, etc.: Containing errors; of the nature of error; incorrect, mistaken, wrong.
| c 1400 Test. Love i. 277/2 See ye not everie wight that to these erronious opinions were assentaunt. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 539 [The] erronyouse opynyons of y⊇ sayd heresy [Wyclif's]. c 1530 More Answ. Frith Wks. (1557) 833/1 A letter of sir Thomas More knight impugning the erroniouse wryting of John Frith agaynst the blessed sacrament of the aulter. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (1852) 63 What an ironyos oppynyone is this unto the leye pepulle. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 969 How little weight my words with thee can find, Found so erroneous. 1711 J. Greenwood Eng. Gram. 246 Mr. Ray says this spelling is erroneous and that..flood and blood..ought to be written flud, blud. 1757 Burke Abridgm. Eng. Hist. Wks. (1842) II. 529 His astronomy is..imperfect and grossly erroneous. 1822 J. Imison Sc. & Art II. 2 But modern chemistry has shown that this was an erroneous supposition. 1845 Budd Dis. Liver 53 The erroneous impression that abscesses exist in the liver only. |
b. Of a legal proceeding: Faulty in law, irregular; chiefly, vitiated by ‘error’ in the technical sense: see error 4 c.
| 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 59 Pream., For so muche as the same utlagarie is arronious. 1601–2 W. Fulbecke 1st Pt. Parall. 58 Otherwise the iudgment is erronious. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 109 The same lands were granted to two different persons, which was repugnant and erroneous. 1848 Wharton Law Lex 226/2 Any matter appearing on the face of the record, which shews the judgment to be erroneous. |