▪ I. surˈmounting, vbl. n.
[-ing1.]
The action of the verb surmount; also, something that surmounts.
| 14.. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 581/24 Excessus, excesse, passynge oute, or surmountynge. 1812 Examiner 5 Oct. 635/1 On the entablature is an unadorned parapet, or surmounting of the front. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. viii. 60 The steady surmounting of difficulties. |
▪ II. surˈmounting, ppl. a.
[-ing2.]
That surmounts.
† 1. Surpassing, excelling, exceeding. Obs.
| c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 5102 So excellent and so notable, Surmountyng and delytable. 1412–20 ― Chron. Troy i. 4352 Be-cause sche was surmountyng of bewte. c 1500 Proverb in Antiq. Rep. (1809) IV. 393 The sermountynge pleasure, who can expresse, Whiche is in armony of songe? 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. i. (1879) 76 Taking a singular felicity & surmounting pleasure in seeing them to go plumed and decked in the Feathers of deceiptfull vanity. 1593 G. Harvey Pierce's Super. 18 Exceeding Aretine himselfe; that bestowed the surmountingest amplifications at his pleasure. 1627 Lisander & Cal. x. 215 The admirable attractions of her surmounting beauty. 1685 Otway Windsor Castle 137 That good Angel whose surmounting Power Waited Great Charles in each emergent hour. 1752 R. Shirra in Rem. (1850) 188 The absolute freedom and surmounting sovereignty of his grace. |
† 2. Arising or resulting from addition. Obs.
| 1571 Digges Pantom. ii. xvii. O ij, Square the sides..and the productes seuerally multiplie in the number of perches to bee taken away, the surmountyng summes diuide by the Area of the whole triangle. |
3. Situated above or on the top of something.
| 1661 Morgan Sph. Gentry i. iv. 52 A Surmounting Star, is a bearing, denoting Sons of such a father who was advanced by Vertue. 1688 Holme Armoury ii. xix. 472/2 Schepsen of Silisia hath for his Crest seven such [viz. blades of grass], each surmounting and imbowed to the sinister. 1902 Academy 12 Apr. 379/1 His bookcases with their surmounting busts. |