remissive, a.
(rɪˈmɪsɪv)
Also 6 remyssyve.
[ad. med.L. remissīvus (Du Cange): see remiss v. and -ive.]
† 1. Of a letter: Sent in reply. Obs. rare—1.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) V. 135 Constantyne did write un to his moder a letter remissive. |
† 2. Careless, negligent, remiss. Obs. rare.
| 1514 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 146 As aft tymes as the seid Maister and kepers..shalbe remyssyve, negligent, and forgitt to syng the seid..obite. 1606 Warner Alb. Eng. xv. c. 396 Taxe England, fertill in good lawes..For that it so remissiue in their Execution is. 1640 O. Sedgwick Christs Counsell 148 You did fall into your decayed estate by remissive operations or actings. |
3. Inclined to, of the nature of, productive of, remission or pardon. Now rare.
| 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. vi. i. §13. 176 Punishing seuerely the poore Souldier for small offences, but remissiue to the faults of their Captaines and Leaders. 1629 N. Carpenter Achitophel iii. (1640) 142 Absolons case was desperate,..Davids remissive pardon unlikely. 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Disc. viii. 79 No contrition alone is remissive of sins. 1852 W. Anderson Expos. Popery (1878) 126, I judicially bestow on thee..grace remissive of all thy sins. |
† 4. Producing or allowing decrease of something.
| 1686 Goad Celest. Bodies i. xii. 56 Fog..doth betray a Cause remissive of Cold. 1718 Pope Iliad xiii. 887 A train of heroes..bore by turns great Ajax' sev'nfold shield, Whene'er he breath'd, remissive of his might. |
5. Characterized by remission or abatement.
| 1686 Goad Celest. Bodies ii. ix. 285 [They] brought more days of excessive Heat, than of remissive Warmth. 1822 Good Study Med. III. 585 Remissive lethargy. With short remissions or intervals of imperfect waking. |
Hence † reˈmissively adv., leniently; laxly.
| 1537 Bp. Lee in Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) III. 417 If your lordship will that I shall deal remissively herein..I shall gladly follow the same. a 1628 Preston Breastpl. Love (1631) 147 Trust not in Christ by halves, remissively and imperfectly, and weakely, but trust perfectly. |