sufficiently, adv. (n.)
(səˈfɪʃəntlɪ)
[f. sufficient a. + -ly2.]
In a sufficient manner.
1. In a manner or to an extent calculated to satisfy the circumstances of the case or adequate to a certain purpose or object; enough for the purpose (expressed or implied).
Formerly also in phr. † sufficiently enough.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 322 Thar wes nane that euir him kend Wald do sa mekill for him, that he Mycht sufficiantly fundyn be. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 386 Þat þe clergy was sufficyently purveyed for lyfelode. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. lxx. (1869) 41 Thouh swiche ten j hadde had to a dyner, j hadde not be fed sufficientliche. 1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII, c. 19 Many Tanners put their hydes and ledder to sale before they be sufficiantly dryed. 1556 Olde Antichrist 108 b, I suppose it be sufficiently ynough declared, that the B. of Rome deserueth this thrid title. 1592 Arden of Feversham v. iii. 15 His pursse and girdle found at thy beds head Witnes sufficiently thou didst the deede. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 33 Never..to swallow doune our meale, before it be sufficiently chewed. 1658 W. Burton Itin. Anton. 123 Upon a hill sufficiently enough steep, to which there was no accesse. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 404 Seem I to thee sufficiently possest Of happiness, or not? a 1700 Evelyn Diary 4 Nov. 1644, The..never to be sufficiently admir'd Torso of Amphion and Dirces. 1769 Junius Lett. ix. (1788) 66 The subject too has been already discussed, and is sufficiently understood. 1878 Lecky Eng. in 18th Cent. II. vii. 283 The strength of their principles was sufficiently shown by their almost unanimous refusal of the abjuration oath. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ Valerie's Fate i, You are not sufficiently clad. I must insist on your taking my shawl again. |
b. Const. † to, for (a purpose, etc.).
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 30 Thou aunswerest Luther..not sufficientlye to the matter [non satis ad rem]. 1764 Museum Rust. IV. 27 A soil..made sufficiently moist for vegetation. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas i. viii. ¶2 A volley, for which I was not sufficiently case-hardened. 1884 F. Temple Relat. Relig. & Sci. i. (1885) 20 The rule is sufficiently general for all practical purposes. |
c. Const. to with inf.
| 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. I. iii. 162 Nor were they sufficiently skilful in the art of war to reduce the place by force. 1857 Miller Elem. Chem., Org. iii. §8. 222 Air is..admitted to the distillate, sufficiently slowly to prevent it from taking fire. 1860 Tyndall Glaciers i. xxii. 153 The slope..was just sufficiently steep to keep the attention aroused. 1895 Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 702/2 The thing saved was held to be sufficiently like a ship to be not unfairly treated as a ship. |
2. Adequately, satisfactorily; hence, fully, completely, quite; now chiefly with adjs., as{ddd}as well could be.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vi. (Thomas) 402 Þe tothir ensampil tane ma be sufficiandly be þe wyne-tre. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 336 A clerk þat was wele and sufficientlie letterd. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 10 My wyt and my penne so to enlumyne..that suffycyently Thy legende begunne, I may termyne. c 1510 More Picus Wks. 2/1 If no man should dooe it, but he that might sufficientlye dooe it, no man should dooe it. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 436 There was such a maruellous great earthquake,..that it cannot sufficiently be described. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. ii. 16 Businesses, (which none (without thee) can sufficiently manage). 1621 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1906) 239 Itt is suffitiently probable a greater prejudice will enforce them to petition for his licence. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 165 We entertained them with certain Gobelets of Aquavitae and sent them sufficiently drunk to the Ship. 1674 in Verney Mem. (1907) II. 317 All this has sophytiently vexed me. 1759 Johnson Rasselas iv, The old man went away sufficiently discontented. 1845 Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 13 The style of Bede, if not elegant Latin, is yet correct, sufficiently classical. 1884 F. M. Crawford Rom. Singer I. 3 He is still sufficiently ugly. 1905 R. Bagot Passport xxxiv. 396 The last hour or so has been sufficiently trying to the nerves. |
† 3. Of workmanship: Substantially. Obs.
| 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. ix. (Skeat) l. 58 No man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddes werke passeth mannes. 1393 Reg. de Aberbrothoc (Bann. Club) II. 42 William Plumer sal theke the mekil quer..wyth lede and guttir yt al abowt sufficiandly with lede. 1460 in Rec. City of Norwich (1910) II. 94 So þ{supt} þe cloth which shall be sufficiantely made shall be tokened. 1477 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 180/2 If any of the seid persone or persones..make not the seid pavement sufficienly. 1537 Registr. Aberdon. (Maitl. Club) I. 414 Sir Wilȝame..sall ouphald..þe foirsaid tenment..in all necessar thingis sufficientlie. 1639 in Thanes of Cawdor (Spalding Club) 284 Withe armes names and siferis..weill and sufficientlie wrocht. 1699 Ibid. 394 To finish the said work weel suffeciently neetly and compleetly. |
4. Contemptuously. pseudo-dial. (Cf. sufficiency 6.)
| 1893 Stevenson Catriona viii, I think I was used extremely suffeeciently myself to be set up to fecht with an auld wife. |
† 5. As n. (after uses of late L. sufficienter). Sufficient means; sufficient; enough. Obs.
| 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 123 Gif he had nede, and had nocht sufficiandly to mak were with. c 1520 Barclay Jugurth (ed. 2) 58 From the heven descended..plenty of rayne-water, that it was more than sufficiently to all the army. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iii. xix. 106 b, There is not brought sufficiently vnto them for the maintenance of their ydle life. 1586 Bright Melanch. 128 Sufficiently hath bene saide. 1609 Bible (Douay) Nahum ii. 12 The lion hath caught sufficiently [Vulg. cepit sufficienter] for his welpes. |