▪ I. ample
obs. form of ampul.
▪ II. ample, a.
(ˈæmp(ə)l)
[a. Fr. ample:—L. ampl-us large, capacious, abundant. Compared ampler, -st, also with more, most.]
1. Extending far and wide; broad, wide, spacious. (Now always eulogistic: abundantly, excellently wide.) a. Of large superficial dimensions. Of persons: of large proportions; esp. in euphemistic use, of stout or well-covered women.
| 1548 Hall Hen. VIII, an. 31 (R.) All busshes and fyrres cutte downe, and a large and ample waye made. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. i. 82 This ample third of our faire Kingdome. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 258 And gazed a while the ample sky. 1751 Gray Elegy xiii, But knowledge to their eyes her ample page..did ne'er unroll. 1769 Robertson Charles V, II. ii. 111 The order acquired ample possessions in every catholic country. 1814 Byron Corsair iii. xv, An ampler canvass woos the wind from high. 1826 Scott Woodst. 179 The depths of some ample and ancient forest. 1860 G. J. Whyte-Melville Mkt. Harb. 60 Mrs. Dove, an ample lady, with the remains of considerable beauty. 1900 ‘Sarah Grand’ Babs (1901) iii, She was already more ample than a woman of thirty-eight need be in active life. 1959 Times 23 Feb. 12/3 Drawings of..blowsily ample girls undressing. |
b. of the wide range of an action.
| 1485 Caxton Chas. the Gt. 214 To gyue hym bataylle more ample & large. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. ii. 226 There wee'l sit, Ruling in large and ample Emperie. 1815 Scott Ld. of Isles vi. vii, This ample right o'er tower and land Were safe in Ronald's faithful hand. 1837 Disraeli Venetia i. xi. (1871) 53 At one ample swoop. |
2. Of large capacity or volume, roomy, capacious; copious.
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 49 All the people in that ample hous. 1605 Shakes. Lear iv. iii. 14 Now and then an ample tear trill'd down Her delicate cheek. 1718 Pope Iliad ii. 10 To Agamemnon's ample tent repair. 1815 Southey Roderick iii. 192 Where Minho rolled its ampler stream. 1847 J. Wilson Chr. North (1857) II. 13 All assembled in the ample kitchen. 1857 H. Reed Brit. Poets v. 170 A high patriotic fervour kindling and filling each true and ample heart. |
3. Of things immaterial: Large in extent or amount, extensive, abundant, excellent.
| 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. xiii. 42 Ther is ynough here of tofore made ample mencion. 1542 Henry VIII Declar. in Compl. Scotl. 196 The ambassadours..vpon pretence to send for a more ample and large commission..obteined a delay. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iv. 415 He has his health, and ampler strength, indeede, Then most haue of his age. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 16 A very ample and very pleasing subject for history. 1850 Longfellow Sonnet, Leaving us heirs to amplest heritages Of all the best thoughts of the greatest sages. 1858 Neale Bern. de Morlaix 20 The fouler was the error, The sadder was the fall, The ampler are the praises Of Him Who pardoned all. |
4. a. esp. Large enough to satisfy all demands, abundant, full, complete.
| 1592 tr. Junius on Rev. xxi. 10 A type of that Church which is one, ample, or Catholike. 1671 J. Webster Metallogr. i. 15 Doth give most ample and full satisfaction. 1719 Young Revenge i. i, I..groan'd for an occasion Of ample vengeance. 1770 Junius Lett. xli. 208 Ample justice has been done. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 40 She had, it is true, no fortune, but that of my friend was ample. 1834 H. Martineau Demerara vi. 66 The ample provision of meat, bread and vegetables he had stored at hand. 1825 Macaulay Milton, Ess. (1851) I. 17 Ample apologies indeed for 15 years of persecution. 1849 ― Hist. Eng. I. 43 Ample securities had been provided against despotism. |
b. Hence, Liberal, unsparing, unstinted.
| 1536 Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Convoc. I. 33 He..giveth unto us in most ample wise his benediction. 1607 Shakes. Timon i. i. 45 A man, Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hugge With amplest entertainment. 1738 Wesley Hymn ‘To Thee, O Lord’, iv, With ample Blessings still reward The labour of your Love. 1846 Keble Lyra Innoc. (1873) 48 Till He with ampler grace their youthful hearts endow. |
5. Of a writing or speech: Treating of matters at full length; copious.
| 1592 tr. Junius on Rev. i. 5 A most ample and grave commendation of Christ first from his offices. 1623 B. Jonson in Shaks. Cent. Praise 147 Am I thus ample to thy Booke, and Fame? 1670 G. H. Hist. Cardinals i. iii. 67 An ampler description, to satisfie..the curiosity of the Reader. 1771 Franklin Autobiog. Wks. 1840 I. 39 The Governor gave me an ample letter. 1807 Crabbe Newsp. 316 That ample list the Tyburn herald gives. 1833 I. Taylor Fanat. vi. 179 The subject..well deserves more ample treatment. |
† 6. quasi-adv. Obs.
| 1549 Compl. Scotl. xiv. 116 Send ane of thy maist familiaris, to communicat mair ample of this byssynes. 1607 Shakes. Timon i. ii. 136 You see, my Lord, how ample y' are belou'd. |
7. Comb. in synthetic adjs., as ample-eyed, etc.
| 1624 Chapman Hymn to Hermes (1858) 52 Apollo's ample-foreheaded herd. 1790 Cowper Iliad i. 711 Him answered then the goddess ample-eyed. |
▪ III. † ˈample, amply, v. Obs. rare.
[a. OFr. ampli-er, ample-er, ad. L. ampliā-re to make ample.]
= ampliate, amplify.
| 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle v. vi. (1859) 77 An huge assemble..ben comen..for to amplye this feste with ioye. 1533 Bellendene Livy iv. (1822) 312 Thare power is ekit and amplit ilk day mair and mair. |