▪ I. † reˈmiss, n. Obs.—1
[Cf. remise n.1]
Relaxation. (But perh. an error for remissnes.)
| 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. xix. 32 Such manner of men as by negligence of Magistrates and remisses of lawes euery countrie breedeth great store of. |
▪ II. remiss, a.
(rɪˈmɪs)
Forms: 5–6 remys, -ysse, (6 -yshe), 5–7 remisse, (6 -is, isshe, 7 -ish), 6– remiss.
[ad. L. remiss-us, pa. pple. of remittĕre to remit.]
† 1. a. Dissolved, liquid. Obs. rare.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 1126 White wax, hard picche, remysse [L. remissum] ammonyake—This iij commyxt therefore is good to take. Or thus: ammoniak remysse and figis. |
† b. Med. Weakened in consistency or colour; dilute. Obs.
| ? a 1412 Lydg. Two Merch. 323 His vryne was remys, attenuat, By resoun gendryd of frigidite. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health lxxiii. 25 b, An uryne that is pale of colour.. yf it be remyshe, then there is great coldnes in the body. 1625 Hart Anat. Ur. ii. iv. 69 The vrine became of a remisse and light colour, such as it was wont to be. |
† c. Of sounds: Weak, soft, low. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. Introd. 16 They gyve..unto theyr consonantes but a sleight and remisshe sounde. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 203 Instruments which have a more acute or treble sound when the strings are stretched, and a lower and more remisse when they are loosened. 1653 R. Sanders Physiogn. 246 The voice acute and smooth, or remiss, with a little trembling. |
† d. Of taste: Faint, slight. Obs. rare—1.
| 1655 Culpepper, etc. Riverius v. iii. 126 The Taste..is lessened when it scarce perceiveth remiss savors and strong savors but a little. |
2. Of persons: Slack in the discharge of a task or duty; careless, negligent.
| c 1450 tr. De Imitatione i. xxiii. 20 Þou shalt gretly sorwe þat þou hast be so remysse [L. remissus] & so negligent. 1472–5 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 155/2 If any Custumer or Comptrollour of any Porte, be necligent or remisse in noon pakkyng of the same Clothes. c 1510 Barclay Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570) D ij, If thou be in office..Be not more remis, do not thy duetie lesse. 1567–8 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 610 Certifeing the personis..that beis fund remysse or negligent in the premissis. 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xii. lxxi. 296 As well as too remisse in choyce, we may be too precise. 1660 Young Table of Statutes 44 Officers remisse to collect rates. 1696 Bentley Boyle Lect. ix. (1724) 346 Who can tell, if..they might not in long tract of time have grown remiss in the duties..of Religion? 1776 C. Lee in Sparks Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853) I. 158 Though I confess I am naturally remiss, I have not neglected my duty in this point. 1838 Thirlwall Greece IV. 55 The satrap..had become as remiss as before in making the stipulated payments. 1893 Academy 10 June 497/1 He was a very remiss correspondent. |
b. Of conduct, actions, etc.: Characterized by carelessness, negligence, or inattention.
| 1502 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione i. xxiii. 173 Than shalte thou repent full sore of thy remysse and neclygent lyfe. 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys 206 b, Idylnes By wayes remys and dranynge neglygence Of all other synne is rote. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. xxxviii. (1674) 50, I, in the beginning of my Principality seemed to be of a remiss spirit, and totally incapable of the great affairs of State. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics 169 To exert almighty power in a remiss and lazy manner, is infinitely base and dishonourable. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 471 ¶6 Hope..keeps the Mind awake in her most Remiss and Indolent Hours. 1817 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. viii. 663 [He] was appointed, under the..expectation that he would supply what had been remiss in the conduct of his predecessor. 1886 Illustr. Lond. News 20 Feb. 194/2 It was remiss in Aunt Louisa not to have offered to be her chaperon. |
† c. Idle; free from labour. Obs. rare—1.
| 1566 W. Adlington Apuleius 45 With great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day. |
3. Characterized by a lack of strictness or proper restraint; lax, loose. ? Obs.
| c 1450 tr. De Imitatione i. xxv. 37 He þat euermore sekiþ þo þinges þat are most laxe and most remisse, shal euer be in anguissh. 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. Pref., By the lasciuiouse and remisse educacion of Varius Heliogabalus, he grewe to be a person moste monstruouse in liuyng. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. i. (1879) 76 This ouer great leuitie and remisse libertie in the education of youthe. 1624 in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1659) I. 160 So dangerous it is for Princes by a remiss comportment, to give growth to the least Error. 1651–3 Jer. Taylor Serm. for Year (1678) 224 A seldom restraint,—a remiss discipline. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 157 ¶3 Many among my fellow-students took the opportunity of a more remiss discipline to gratify their passions. |
† b. Not strict or severe in punishing; lenient.
| 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 927 They were gentle and remisse to a great number, and specially to such as offended by cohercion and feare. 1613 Edict agst. Priv. Combats title-p., Straitly charging all officers and other His Majestie's subjects to use no conniuencie, or remisse proceedings toward such offenders. 1651 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. xxii. (1739) 102 Coming in by the people's favour, he was obliged to be rather remiss than rigorous. |
4. Free from vehemence or violence; also, defective or lacking in force or energy.
| 1550 T. Nycolls Thucidides 14 The one is more vehemente for to moue mens hartes, the other more remys and gentle. 1586 B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 189 Euen so after meate,..our will prone to wickednesse, is become more remisse and temperate. 1644 Bulwer Chiron. 32 The Hand restrained and kept in is an argument of modesty..sutable to a milde and remisse declamation. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth iv. (1723) 210 Its Motion becomes more languid and remiss. 1707 Floyer Physic. Pulse-Watch 364 A remiss Pulse, is when it is small and slow. 1752 Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) I. 179 The passion must neither be too violent nor too remiss. 1837 Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. xlv. (1870) II. 493 Pain or dissatisfaction experienced, when the energy elicited is either inordinately vehement or too remiss. |
† b. Not intense or strong; moderate, mild. Obs. (common in 17th c., esp. of heat and cold).
| 1573 P. More Almanack E vj, But all euills shall seeme more remisse and tolerable than they were the laste yere. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 2 The cold with us is much more remisse than in some parts of France and Italie. 1654 H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 123 The King fell sick of the Small-Pocks, but the malignity was very remisse, and gentle. 1686 Goad Celest. Bodies i. ix. 28 Her Warmth is so remiss and slack, that she seemeth to befriend a Cold Influence. |
† c. Moderate, low, slight (degree). Obs.
| 1620 T. Granger Div. Logike 104 Note that these middles haue contrariety in them in the remisse, or remote degree. 1657 Austen Fruit Trees ii. 18 Distinct and severall works of Nature, in moderate and remisse degrees, are all promoted at the same time. 1670 W. Simpson Hydrol. Ess. 104 Retaining the same..properties in a remiss degree. |
† 5. Diminished in tension; slack, loose, relaxed.
| 1623 Jas. I in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1659) I. 115 Not alwayes to use his spurs and keep strait the rein, but sometimes to use the spurs and suffer the reins more remiss. 1644 Bulwer Chiron. 37 The turned up Hand, (the Thumbe bent in, and the other Fingers remisse). 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 458 What availes Valour or strength,..quelld with pain Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands Of Mightiest. |
▪ III. remiss, v. rare.
(rɪˈmɪs)
[f. L. remiss-, ppl. stem of remittĕre to remit; cf. remise v.1]
trans.
† 1. trans. To remit; to resolve or dissolve; to mitigate; to let go, pass over. Obs.
| c 1500 Melusine 335 Al that ye shal doo with good wyll I remysse it to your penaunce. 1541 R. Copland Galyen's Terap. H h iij b, It behoueth asmoche to intende & augment the vertue of the said medycament, as it shulde be remyssed & dymynysshed in y⊇ depth of the body. 1573 P. More Almanack F j b, Oftentymes the drought shall be remyssed and tempered with shoures. 1605 Daniel Philotas iv. ii, Words, if they proceed of leuity Are to be skornd,..or of injury To be remiss'd or vnacknowledged. 1656 S. H. Gold. Law 103 Once, yea twice have I spoken, but for future wil be wiser, and so compress and remiss it. |
† 2. To assign, adjudge. Obs. rare—1.
| 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. ccix. [ccv.] 643 The herytage was remyssed and iudged into the handes and possessyon of the Erle of Brayne. |
† 3. To send back (an answer). Obs. rare—1.
| 1633 Stafford Pac. Hib. i. xix. 113 Answere was remissed by the President, that the State was well perswaded of his loyaltie. |
4. Law. = remise v.1 2.
| 1809 R. Langford Introd. Trade 108, I, A. B...having remissed, released, and for ever quit claim to C. D...of all..debts, dues, duties. |
Hence † reˈmissable a., remissible. Obs.—1
| a 1550 Image Hypocr. in Skelton's Wks. (1843) II. 425/1 It is..synne..Ageynst the Holy Gost, That is not remissable. |