suddenty Chiefly Sc. Obs. exc. dial.
(ˈsʌd(ə)ntɪ)
Forms: see sudden.
[a. OF. sodeinete (mod.F. soudaineté), f. sodein sudden: see -ty.]
1. = suddenness 1; occas. an instance of this, an unexpected attack.
| 1388 Wyclif Wisd. v. 2 Thei schulen wondre in the sudeynte of heelthe vnhopid. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. 23 That he micht, be untraist suddante, the more cruelte exerce. a 1586 Montgomery Misc. Poems xlv. 9 Come, gentill Death, and that with suddentie. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 166 Feiring the suddantie and craftines of the cuntrey men. Ibid. II. 135 The Bartains in respect of that suddentie, resist and defend al tha mycht. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xx. §12 These short dangers and troubles, by reason of their suddainty did worthily make the King wakefull. 1633 Sir A. Johnston Diary (S.H.S.) 15 The sudainte of it confounds me yet. |
b. Phr. of (a) suddenty, on or upon (a) suddenty, in or on a great, in sic a suddenty, etc.: all of a sudden, (so, very) suddenly.
| c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 19 As he was drawand, þer happend of Sodentie a fyssh to com in-to þe bukett. c 1557 Abp. Parker Ps. xc. 254 As early grasse in sodentye doth change hys hue and plight. 1582–8 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 77 The regent thus endit his..dayes in sic suddainty..as ye haue heard. 1587 Reg. Privy Council Scot. Ser. i. IV. 167 The said Maister, upoun suddentie, devisit the secund [device]. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 165 Thairfor vpon Angus he brekis in vpon a suddentie. 1633 Sir A. Johnston Diary (S.H.S.) 13 That it pleased God upon a sudainty..to separat thos saules quhilk he had joined out of his love. 1650 R. Baillie Lett. & Jrnls. (Bannatyne Club) III. 120 He left the west in a great suddentie and demi-disorder. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xviii, It is not likely that he should have joined them on a suddenty. 1824 ― Redgauntlet let. xi, My father's tongue was loosed of a suddenty. 1876 Robinson Gloss. Whitby 189/1 It cam doon amang us all on a suddenty. |
2. (In Sc. legal language.) An unpremeditated outburst of passion. on suddenty, upon suddenty, rarely of, in (a) suddenty: without premeditation.
| 1469 Acts Parl. Scot., Jas. III (1814) II. 95/2 Gret slachteris quhilkes has bene Richt commone..of late baith of fore thocht felony and of suddante. 1496 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 10/1 The slauchter of John Thomsoun committit apon suddante alanerly. c 1575 Balfour's Practicks (1754) 519 Gif..it..out of ane chaud-melle, or suddentie, that ilk ane of thame slay uther. 15.. Aberd. Reg. (Jam.), Spokin in suddanty, in the first motioune of yre. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 46 b (tr. Stat. Dav. II.), Crymes (committed be ane suddentie, or ane chaud-mellee). 1637–50 Row Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) 36 He who slayes any upon suddentie and inadvertence. 1678 G. Mackenzie Crim. Laws Scot. i. xi. §xi. (1699) 64 Chaudmella, or Slaughter committed upon suddenty. 1776 Sir D. Dalrymple Annals Scot. I. 4 If he..committed slaughter of suddenty. 1785 Arnot Crim. Trials (1812) 195 That there is no distinction between..deliberate assassination and killing of a suddenty. |