| 释义 |
▪ I. † full, n.1 Obs.
[OE. ful = OS. ful, ON. full, str. neut.; perh. originally the neuter of the adj.]
A cup, goblet; a bumper.
Beowulf 616 Þa freolic wif ful ᵹe-sealde ærest Eastdena eþel-wearde. c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 88 Drince ðonne þreo ful fulle..nistiᵹ. c1205Lay. 14325 Oder uul me þider fareð..Þenne þat uul beoð icumen Þenne cusseoð heo þreoien.
▪ II. † full, n.2 Obs. rare—1.
[Identical with Sc. fow (see quot. 1673 below) of which foose seems to be the plural, and fouat a derivative or compound.
It is not clear whether Bullen's full is the original form (? from full a., with reference to the fleshy leaves), or due to his own conjectural identification of the n. fow with fow = full.]
Houseleek.
1562W. Bullein Bk. Simples (1579) 35 It is called Houslike..in the South parts of England, but in the North it is called Full. 1673Wedderburn Vocab., Sedum majus, Fow.
▪ III. full, a., n.3, and adv.|fʊl|
Forms: 1–7 ful, 3–5 fol(le, south. vol(le, 4–5 fulle, 6 Sc. fow, 8 Sc. fou, 1– full.
[Com. Teut.: OE. full = OFris. fol, ful, OS. ful(l (Du. vol), OHG. fol(l (MHG. vol, mod.Ger. voll), ON. full-r (OSw. fuld-er, mod.Sw. full, Da. fuld), Goth. full-s:—OTeut. *follo-, fullo-:—OAryan *pl̥-nó, represented also in Lith. pilna-s, OSl. plŭnŭ; cf. also the synonymous Skr. pūrṇá, L. plēnus, OIr. lán, Welsh llawn(:—pre-Celtic *plāno-, plōno-), which though not formally identical contain the same root and suffix. From the Aryan root *pel-, pol-, -pl̥, and its extended forms plē-, plō-, etc. are derived many words expressing the notion of abounding, filling, etc., as Skr. puru, Gr. πολύς (see fele a.); Gr. πιµπλάναι to fill, πλήρης full, πλῆθος multitude, L. (com-, im-, op-, re-, sup-) plēre to fill, plūs more.
In this and in several other words (Sievers Ags. Gr. §55), the OE. u represents WGer. o; when this is the case a labial consonant is almost always present, but the precise conditions have not been determined.]
A. adj.
1. a. Having within its limits all it will hold; having no space empty; replete. Const. of (in OE. with gen.) Often with intensive phrases, as full as an egg, full to the brim (see brim n.2 4 b), full to overflowing, full up (colloq.), etc. For advbl. phrase full mouth: see mouth.
a1000Judith 19 Þær wæron bollan steape boren..swylce eac bunan and orcas fulle flettsittendum. c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 193/45 A fat þare stod fol of baþe-water. a1300E.E. Psalter cxliii. 14 Cleues ofe þa fulle ere yhite [promptuaria eorum plena]. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 41 Heelde into þe hoole..hoot oile of roses.. til al þe wounde be ful. c1483Caxton Vocab. 12 Hit is of a fulle fatte. 1563W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 56 The ignorant in Philosophy must be admonished, that all things are full, nothing is empty, for nature abhorreth emptinesse. 1590Nashe Pasquil's Apol. i. C ij b, To preache to Gods people vpon a full stomach. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 68 Can a weake emptie Vessel beare such a huge full Hogs-head? 1648Gage West Ind. vi. 19 Filling them [boats] so fast and so full, that some sunke. 1694Acc. Sev. Late Voy. ii. (1711) 175 When many Whales float on the Sea, they [birds] have their Bellies full. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 112 A Board plastered over, which with Cotton they wipe out, when full, as we do from Slates. 1711Budgell Spect. No. 77 ⁋9 When he is playing at Backgammon, he calls for a full glass of Wine and Water. 1712Arbuthnot John Bull iii. iv. 49 When she came into any full assembly. 1764Foote Patron iii. Wks. 1799 I. 353 Full..As an egg. 1786Burns Dream 131, I hae seen their coggie fou. 1823Scoresby Whale Fishery 126 An ancient flying, a signal indicative in the whale fishery of a full-ship. 1866G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. iii. (1878) 32 A few full sacks, tied tight at the mouth. 1870L'Estrange Miss Mitford I. ii. 37 The coach was completely full. 1891E. Peacock N. Brendon I. 131 All the stables were full. 1892Daily News 18 Oct. 5/3 Because they [cemeteries] are full up..this additional one is required.
b. Locutions in which full is in concord with a preceding n. denoting a receptacle are sometimes used transf. to signify either (1) the contents viewed with respect to quantity, or (2) a quantity equal to the capacity of the receptacle. In the latter of these applications, this usage is now almost superseded by the practice of forming derivatives ad libitum with the suffix -ful 2.
c1000Sax. Leechd. II. 268 Sele þonne cælic fulne to drincanne. c1205Lay. 1285 In þære sæ heo funden vtlawen..fifti scipen fulle. Ibid. 6470 A kene sweord and enne koker fulne flan. 1563W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 52 He that hath seene an egges shell full of dew drawn up by the Sunne..in a May morning. 1884G. Moore Mummer's Wife (1887) 179 A theatrefull of people.
c. fig. (see 2 c); esp. of the heart: Overcharged with emotion, ready to overflow.
c1300Cursor M. 19404 (Edin.) Steuin of strenþe and godis grace was fillid ful in ilk a place. 1604Shakes. Oth. v. ii. 175 Speake, for my heart is full. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. i, His heart was so full, he could say no more. 1797Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xii, My heart was never so full in my life.
†d. Of an office: Occupied, not vacant. Const. of. Obs.
1574tr. Littleton's Tenures 38 b, Where a villeyne purchasethe the avowson of a Church full of an incumbent. a1734North Lives (1826) II. 11 He laid his eye on the place of Chief Justice of Chester, which was full of Sir Job Charleton.
e. Of an animal: Pregnant. Of a fish: Charged with roe. † full of (foal): big with.
a1618Rates Merchandize G i b, Hearings white, full, or shotten, the barrell viijs. iiijd. 1722Lond. Gaz. No. 6120/4 A large Black Mare..very full of Foal. 1864Mitchell Herring 114 If the herrings are assorted, namely, the full herrings (herrings full of milt and roe) separated from matjes (herrings with the milt and roe of a small size), and these separated from ‘ylen’, empty or shotten herrings, the fishery officer has authority to apply a brand with the word ‘full’ to the first, and the word ‘maties’ to the second description..in addition to the crown brand.
† f. Having the outline filled in; solid, not open. full flower (= F. fleur pleine) = ‘double flower’.
1597Morley Introd. Mus. Annot., There were..foure maners of pricking, one al blacke, which they tearmed blacke full, another which we vse now which they called black void, the third all red, which they called red ful [etc.]. 1683Robinson in Ray's Corr. (1848) 137 It hath no full, or double flower. 1715Desaguliers Fires Impr. 118 Make three openings in it..the space lm, which is 6 Inches wide, must be left full..leave qc open 6 Inches wide, bc and qy full, being of 6 Inches each.
absol.1703T. N. City & C. Purchaser 128 Let the Doors..be right over one another, that the void may be upon the void, and the full upon the full.
2. a. Containing abundance of; plentifully charged, crowded. † Rarely const. with.
a1000Sal. & Sat. 174 (Gr.) Hateþ ðonne heahcyning helle betynan, fyres fulle. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11 Engelonde is vol inoȝ of frut and ek of tren. 1340Ayenb. 28 Þet corn..is uol of frut and al ripe. c1386Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1288 A wrethe of gold..set ful of stones brighte. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 53 But if þe membre þat was brusid be ful of senewis, as þe hand ouþer þe foot. 1519W. Horman Vulg. xxxi. 257 a, The fylde was strowed full of caltroppis. 1582N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. xl. 94 Great adders, which are very full of poison. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 341 Which the people take with boords bored full of holes. 1621Lady M. Wroth Urania 229 As full of spite and ill nature as a Spider with poyson. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 147 Some Horses will be too full of flesh. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 436 His bedchamber is full of Protestant clergymen. 1878Smiles Robert Dick vii. 76 The sky was full of fire.
†b. Formerly sometimes of a surface: Covered (with). Const. of. Obs.
1563W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 36 b, The lidde will be all full of small drops of water. 1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 54 We..turne him away with his backe full of stripes. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 133 Here be the dice. How full of dust they be. 1657R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 75 The rind of a pure ash colour, full of wrinkles.
c. In non-material sense: Abounding (in), abundantly characterized (by). Const. of, occas. † with (in OE. with gen. or instrumental).
a1000Cædmon's Gen. 1292 (Gr.) He..ᵹeseah unrihte eorðan fulle. c1200Ormin 1784 Crisstnedd þed..iss All full off haliȝdomess. c1250Gen. & Ex. 110 Ouer ðat..An oðer heuene ful o blis. c1320Sir Tristr. 1917 A loghe þai founden made, Was ful of gamen and play. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 551 Þus may a man his bygynnyng se Ful of wrechednes and of caytifté. 1397Rolls of Parlt. III. 379/2 He that hathe ever bene ful of mercy and of grace to all his lyeges. 1513Douglas æneis iii. Prol. 13 Of uncouth dangeris this nixt buik hail is full. 1569Turberv. Trag. T. etc. (1587) 199, I found him full of amours euery where. 1611Bible Acts xiii. 10 O full of all subtilty and all mischiefe. 1650Trapp Comm. Deut. vi. 12 Full with Gods benefits. 1682Norris Hierocles 24 The fuller it is of labour & slavery. 1715Lady M. W. Montagu Lett. (1837) II. 12 Your whole letter is full of mistakes. 1754J. Shebbeare Matrimony (1766) I. 150 Mr. Sharply being retired, full with Self-applause of his deep Cunning. 1857Ld. Houghton in Life (1891) II. xii. 18 M. Guizot is..full of political and literary gossip. 1878Morley Carlyle Crit. Misc., Ser. i. 200 The Protestant cause remained full of vitality.
d. a full man: (After Bacon) one whose mind is richly stored.
1597–8Bacon Ess., Studies (Arb.) 10 Reading maketh a full man. 1868Lowell Dryden Pr. Wks. 1890 III. 105 For, like Johnson, Burke, and the full as distinguished from the learned men, he was always a random reader.
3. Engrossed with or absorbed in; fully occupied with the thought of (something). Now only with const. of. † Formerly also with that or inf.
1607Fenton in Lismore Papers Ser. ii. (1887) I. 116 We are now so full to prouide for the daungers which the tyme doth threaten on all sides, that [etc.]. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts 403 Those that are most full, and most conscious of their owne infirmities. 1657R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 26, I could not go my self about it, being full of other business. 1669Pepys Diary 24 Jan., The king seemed mighty full that we should have money to do all that we desired. 1737Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 79 These Sort of Petit Maitres are so full of themselves, that they reject all wise Counsel. 1765Reid Let. in Wks. I. 43/1 Your friend..was very full of you when he was here. 1853Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 238, I am full of business, owing to the sudden movements. 1866Alger Solit. Nat. & Man iii. 130 The lonely man, if full, is quite likely to be full of himself.
4. a. Having eaten or drunk to repletion. (Cf. fou.) Also full of food, wine, etc. Now arch. (and vulgar).
c1000Ags. Ps. lviii[i]. 15 Gif hi fulle ne beoð [hi] fela gnorniað. 1382Wyclif Acts ii. 13 Thei ben ful of must. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 229 And he schal not, whanne he is ful, slepe anoon þerupon. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 290 Full of wine, and intoxicated with Bacchus berries. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 43 Hast thou no liste to eat? Art thou full? 1611Bible Prov. xxvii. 7 The full soule loatheth an honie combe. 1710Swift Jrnl. to Stella 7 Dec., I..have eaten cold pie..and I am full. 1737Ramsay Scot. Prov. (1776) 33 He's unco fou in his ain house that canna pike a bane in his neighbour's. 1787‘G. Gambado’ Acad. Horsemen (1809) 26 Horses full of grass are very subject to scourings. 1875G. W. Dasent Vikings III. 176 So they ate and drank and drained the mead-horn once more, and, when they were all full, they made a raft.
b. Having one's needs or appetite satisfied; having ‘had one's fill’ of anything. Obs. exc. in the Hebraisms full of days, years, children.
c1175Lamb. Hom. 103 Heo [Auaricia] is helle iliche, forðon þet hi ha habbeð unafillendliche gredinesse, þet hi nefre ne beoð fulle. c1230Hali Meid. 39 Upo hwas nebschaft þe engles ne beoð neauer fulle to bihalden. 1382Wyclif Job xlii. 17 He diede old, and ful of daȝis. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. Ded. ⁋iij, An example of Jacob, an old man, and ful of yeres. 1611Bible Ps. xvii. 14 They are full of children. 1715Tickell Iliad i. 292 Full of Days was He; Two Ages past, he liv'd the Third to see. 1852Thackeray Esmond i. ii, The first Viscount Castlewood died full of years.
c. † Sated, weary of (obs.). Similarly in 19th-c. colonial slang, full up (of).
1297R. Glouc. (1724) 32 Heo [Regan] was al ful of hym [Lear] er þe ȝeres ende. c1320R. Brunne Medit. 993 Ȝyf ȝe be ful of my der sone. c1477Caxton Jason 21 Anone..ye shal be wery and full of her. 1555W. Watreman Fardle Facions App. 322 He maye waxe full of the lawe, and vtterly contempne it. 1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 418 The Athenians being full of him, tooke pleasure to raise slanders and contumelious reproches of him [Themistocles]. 1611Bible Isa. i. 11, I am full of the burnt offerings of rammes. 1625Bacon Ess., Masques, The Alterations of Scenes..feed and relieue the Eye, before it be full of the same Obiect. 1890Boldrewood Miner's Right xxiii. 213 She was ‘full up’ of the Oxley..a rowdy, disagreeable gold⁓field. 1891E. Reeves Homeward Bound 33 The men..get tired, or as the colonial slang goes, ‘full up’, soonest.
d. as full as a tick (see tick n.1). Also, in this and similar comparisons, extremely drunk. Austral. and N.Z. slang.
1892Dialect Notes I. 210 Full as a tick, drunk. 1915Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Mar. 44/2 We both got full as ticks. 1930Ibid. 2 Apr. 51/4 ‘I met Mace down at Cafferty's,’ he told his father... ‘Full as an egg, and inclined to be nasty!’ 1947P. Newton Wayleggo (1949) ix. 103 By the time the dance was under way I was as ‘full as a bull’ and ripe for anything. 1949D. M. Davin Roads from Home i. v. 74 Wasn't he in here this afternoon and as full as a tick? 1960N. Hilliard in C. K. Stead N.Z. Short Stories (1966) 237, I noticed he was full as a bull in no time.
†5. Abounding in wealth; amply supplied with means; also in weaker sense, having sufficient for one's needs. Obs.
1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. iii. 74 b, To have a new [emperor] ful, and ready to give. 1611Bible Phil. iv. 18, I haue all, and abound. I am full. 1681W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 651 He is a full man, omnium rerum affluentibus copiis ditatur. 1683Salmon Doron Med. i. 118 Of the Poor and Needy no recompence can be expected, as of the Rich and Full.
6. a. Abundant, amply sufficient, copious, satisfying, satisfactory. Said both of material and immaterial things.
c1000Ags. Gosp. Luke vi. 38 Syllað and eow byþ ᵹeseald God ᵹemet and full. 1052–1067Charter of Eadweard in Cod. Dipl. IV. 211 Ic wille habban fullne dom of ðam menn. a1300Cursor M. 9560 His witherwin him wroght ful wa. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 37 Of þese mundificatyves þou schalt have a ful techinge in þe laste tretis. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 342 note, He had full experience and proofe of his qualities in freendship. 1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 53 Of diets..that of Germany is full, or rather fulsome. 1638Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. III.) 9 Thus I doe but tast of that whereof you make full meales. 1655Stanley Hist. Philos. i. (1701) 31/2 They who want means Believe themselves of full estates possest. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 756 The falling Mast For greedy Swine provides a full Repast. 1707Floyer Physic. Pulse-Watch 316, I want a full Experience in these low Pulses. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. ii. §7 Suppose you saw a fruit of a new untried kind; would you recommend it to your own family to make a full meal of? 1884Church Bacon ii. 29 He turned his studies to full account.
b. Of an account or report, hence of a writer, etc.: Complete or abundant in detail.
1656Denham Destr. Troy Pref., Where my expressions are not so full as his. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. i. ii. §8 They who were so famed for wisdom and antiquity, should be able to give a full and exact account of themselves through all the ages of the world. 1712Berkeley Pass. Obed. Wks. III. 139, I have endeavoured to be as full and clear as the usual length of these discourses would permit. 1845Graves Rom. Law in Encycl. Metrop. 778/1 For the basis of his Greek text, Contius took, as the best and fullest, the edition of Scrimger. 1866Ld. Blackburn in Hurlstone & Coltman's Rep. IV. 275 The case is reported..by Lord Raymond, whose report is the fullest. 1871Freeman Hist. Ess. Ser. i. iv. 90 We might have expected him [Roger] to be very full on that part of his history. 1882C. Pebody Eng. Journalism xx. 152 You will find in its columns all the latest and fullest telegrams from every part of the world. 1884Sir E. E. Kay in Law Times Rep. 26 Apr. 257/2 The audience are quite at liberty to take the fullest notes they like for their own personal convenience.
7. a. Complete, entire, perfect. † (to be) in full will to: quite ready, eager to. Also full point, full stop, for which see those words.
O.E. Chron. an. 917 Þa land leode..ᵹebrohton hie on fullum fleame. a1000Boeth. Metr. xxi. 8 Sece him eft hræðe fulne friodom. c1205Lay. 29047 We wulleð mid þe uehten mid fullere strenðen. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 2611–2 Þe bodys sal..outher þan have full ioy togyder, Or ful sorow. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 22 Þei were..in fulwille to suffre..for þe love of ihesu Crist. 1399Rolls of Parlt. III. 424/1 Whiche States..gafen hem full auctorite and power. 1417E.E. Wills (1882) 28 This testament is my volle & hole wille. 1551Recorde Pathw. Knowl. ii. xlii, Foure longsquares..and one full square. 1563W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 17 Seen only in the morning and evening, when the light of the Sunne is not in his full force. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 240 Taking a view of ourselves by this looking glasse to make full and just account. 1582N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. lxxvi. 156 b, He gaue them for ful answere, that [etc.]. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. v. i. 399 We shall make full satisfaction. 1622Sparrow Bk. Com. Prayer (1661) 313 For our fuller perswation of this. 1631Gouge God's Arrows iv. xiii. 391 In his time the Gospell shined out in her full brightnesse. 1638Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. III.) 115 When a comely personage comes in place..you shall have all husht..onely to take a full view. 1652C. B. Stapylton Herodian ii. 21 To make the matter full, there souldiers came Unknown unto Perennus. 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. i. 20 That the Prize may receive our full Broadside. 1701Swift Contests Nobles & Com. Wks. 1755 II. i. 33 Entering the scene in the time of a full peace. 1717tr. Frezier's Voy. S. Sea 14 When it was full Day [we spy'd] a very high Land. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. i. §5 We assured him, he was at full liberty to speak his mind. 1822–34Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) II. 132 Full vomiting..has also been very advantageously employed. 1838Thirlwall Greece III. xx. 131 They received each a full suit of armour. 1843Lefevre Life Trav. Phys. I. i. i. 10, I was introduced to him in full form. 1845P. Parley's Ann. VI. 36 White batenbrier often in full flower. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 439 When he declared himself a Roman Catholic, he was in full possession of his faculties. 1849R. T. Claridge Cold Water-cure (1869) 211 The rabbit is now in full health and vigour. 1874Green Short Hist. iv. §4 192 A seven years' apprenticeship formed the necessary prelude to full membership of any trade-gild. 1875Fortnum Majolica xii. 113 The Gubbio fabrique was in full work previous to 1518.
b. Answering in every respect to a description; possessed of all the qualifications, or entitled to all the privileges implied in a designation. full brother, full sister: born of the same father and mother (opposed to half-brother). full man: see quot. 1867.
O.E. Chron. an. 1036 He wæs þæh full cyng ofer eall Engla land. 1508Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 33 Belzebub thy full brothir will clame To be thyne air. 1570Bury Wills (Camden) 156 Agnes my wyfe I doo ordeine and make my full executrix. 1604Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 36 For I haue serv'd him, and the man commands Like a full soldier. 1606― Ant. & Cl. iii. xiii. 87 One that but performes The bidding of the fullest man. 1634Canne Necess. Separ. (1849) 238 Their deacons are not to administer the sacraments, neither any of those which are full priests, but according to a popish liturgy. 1738Swift Corr. Wks. 1841 II. 803 He proved the fullest rogue..in either kingdom. 1760R. Heber Horse Matches ix. 143 Chub is full brother in blood to Mirza. 1810Naval Chron. XXIII. 94 The term ‘full passenger’ is explained..Every person above 16 years of age falls under that description. a1825Fair Annie xxxi. in Child Ballads iii. lxii. (1885) 73/2 ‘Then I'm your sister, Ann’, she says, ‘And I'm a full sister to thee’. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Full man, a rating in coasters for one receiving whole pay, as being competent to all his duties; able seaman. 1883American VI. 125 Mr. Frank Holl has been elected a full Royal Academician. 1891D. Macrae G. Gilfillan 78 One full sister of Dr. Anderson and three full brothers died in youth. 1894Doyle S. Holmes 148 A gallant veteran, who started as a full private.
†c. Of a foe: Avowed, open. Of a friend: Thorough, trusty. (Cf. entire 3 c.) Obs.
972Will of ælflæd in Birch Cartul. Sax. III. 603 Þæt he beo..min fulla freo[n]d & forespreca. c1275Passion 174 in O.E. Misc. 42 Þer him cumeþ iudas, Þat is my fulle i-vo. a1300Cursor M. 14780 Þai him held þair ful fa. c1374Chaucer Troylus i. 1059 Pandarus..desirous to serve His fulle freend, than seyde in this manere.
8. a. Complete in number, quantity, magnitude or extent; reaching the specified or usual limit. Of the moon: Having the disc completely illuminated; cf. full moon. Of the face, or front: Entirely visible to the spectator; advb. phr. (in) full face. full pay (see quot. 1867).
c1000ælfric Gen. l. 10 Ðar hiᵹ wæron seofon daᵹas fulle. a1123O.E. Chron. an. 1013 Bead þa Sweᵹen full ᵹild. Ibid. an. 1031 Whenne þæt flod byþ..ealra fullost. Ibid. an. 1106 Wæron ᵹesewen tweᵹen monan..beᵹen fulle. c1205Lay. 1632 Fulle seouen nihte heo somenede cnihtes. c1315Shoreham 45 So thes beth ordres folle sevene. c1350Will. Palerne 2745 At þe fulle flod þei ferden to sayle. c1410Chron. Eng. 416 in Ritson II. 287 Ahte ant tuenti folle yer. 1463Bury Wills (Camden) 16 Alle other that hath take the ful ordir of preesthod. c1477Caxton Jason 76 b, The whiche deyde assone as it was born for it had not his full time. 1535Coverdale 1 Chron. xxii. 22 For y⊇ full money shalt thou geue it me. 1599W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 98 Whan as the mone unto the world..shining with face both full and round. 1610Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 250 Thou did promise To bate me a full yeere. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 401 And over ten thousands, which made a full regiment. Ibid. 740 One of their ships..happened to strike on a great Whale with her full stemme. 1648Gage West Ind. xii. 43 To visit Mexico (which was not two full miles from us). 1655Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 38/2 He lived to a full Age, about Seventy Years, or (following the account of Suidas for his Birth) Eighty. 1671Milton P.R. i. 287, I knew the time Now full, that I no more should live obscure. 1700S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 6 The full and regular pay begins only after they are passed the Tonnen. 1701Lond. Gaz. No. 3756/15 Irish Usquebagh..to be sold in full Quart Bottles. 1702Addison Dial. Medals Wks. 1721 I. 538 The head of a Roman Emperor drawn with a full face. 1710In full Front [see front n. 5 b]. 1715Lond. Gaz. No. 5351/3 He will be..pleased to allow Full-Pay to such Half-Pay Officers. 1723Sir R. Blackmore Hist. Conspiracy 36 His Lieutenant Colonel, Major, and Captains, being named, and the Troops almost full. 1742Lond. & Country Brew. i. (ed. 4) 11 The Flour of the Grain will remain in its full Quantity. 1750Beawes Lex Mercat. (1752) 250 When the Sea is full, the Admiral hath Jurisdiction there. 1753Scots Mag. Feb. 100/1 The moon was..full. 1784Herschel in Phil. Trans. LXXIV. 262 Measure..of the polar diameter 21{pp} 15{ppp} full measure, that is, certainly not too small. 1805T. Lindley Voy. Brasil (1808) 102 A concert of sacred music was performed by a full band, with vocal parts. 1817W. Selwyn Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4) II. 1252 The plaintiff shall have full costs. 1853Kingsley Hypatia xxix. 360 There Philammon waited a full half-hour. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 355 The muster was not a very full one. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Full pay, the stipend allowed when on actual service. 1876Voyle Milit. Dict. 153 Full Charges, in artillery, are the ordinary charges used with rifled projectiles. 1876Humphreys Coin Coll. Man. vi. 54 The head of Apollo on the gold coin..appears in full face. 1895M. R. James Abbey St. Edmund at Bury 51 At top is Christ in a mandorla seated full-face with a book.
b. Of an assembly, council, etc.: One from which none or few of the members are absent.
1557Order of Hospitalls C iv, Item That no Lease, alienation..be..done, of Lands or Tenements except at a Full Court. 1604Shakes. Oth. iv. i. 275 Is this the Noble Moore, whom our full Senate Call all in all sufficient? 1834Wallace in Mackintosh Hist. Rev. p. viii, He..kept the academic senate waiting for him in full conclave. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 78 James..in full council declared it to be his pleasure that [etc.].
†c. Of a point in the compass: Exact, due (east, etc.). Cf. C. 3 b. Obs. rare.
1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 77 The Island is situated almost full North. Ibid. 122 On the full East doe the Alps divide it [France] from Italie.
d. In various phraseological combinations: as full flood, full sea, full tide (lit. and fig.) indicating the greatest height of the water, or the time when it is highest. Also full tide, used attrib. and as adv. full summer: the height of summer. Cf. B. 4 b.
c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 5174 It was full se. Ibid. 5178 And so it was full flode. 1574Bourne Regiment for Sea 7 b, The Moone dooth make a full Sea at that place. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 395 Thinke you..that your ebb is so lowe, that you are never like to have a ful tyde? 1648J. Beaumont Psyche xiv. 83 Although the courteous Sun With free and ful-tide Raies about it flows. 1699W. Dampier Voy. II. i. 16 Not so swift near full Sea as at other times. 1708S. Centlivre Busie Body ii. ii, Such Swi-m-ing in the Brain..carries many a Guinea full-tide to the Doctor. 1845G. Murray Islaford 78 Fortune's full-tide flowing Shall bring him back to me. 1865Trollope Belton Est. i. 5 It was full summer at Belton. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Full sea, high water. 1875W. McIlwraith Guide Wigtownshire 140 The surf breaking over the rock at full flood. 1887Spectator 25 June 859/2 At this Jubilee-time, when the whole nation is in the full tide of rejoicing.
9. a. Possessed of, delivered with, or exerting the utmost force. † with a full arm, full eye, full mouth, full soul: with the utmost strength of (the arm, etc.).
c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 86/93 Loude he gradde with folle Mouth. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xvii. 392 He..toke hym wyth a full arme..in lyke wyse in maner of wrastelyng. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 99 It neuer loketh on man with eyes full But euer his heart by furious wrath is dull. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxvii. 230 Whom so euer he strake a full stroke neded after no surgyon. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 121 Was better fixed in the memorie..if I did speake with a full voice. 1609Bible (Douay) Isa. ix. 12 The Philisthims..shal devoure Israel with ful mouth. 1610Shakes. Temp. iii. i. 44 For seuerall vertues Haue I lik'd seuerall women, neuer any With so full soule, but [etc.]. 1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 28 Rush't into the chamber..and..thrust at him a full stocada. 1634–5Brereton Trav. (Chetham) 124 Presently favouring us..with a full gale of wind. 1657R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 29 Bread..has not here that full taste it has in England. 1694Acc. Sev. Late Voy. ii. (1711) 38 If in a brisk Gale of a full Wind the Sails are all full and Round. 1700S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 207 The Javians set up a full Huzza. 1783J. C. Smyth in Med. Commun. I. 142 Pulse 68, full and strong. 1805T. Lindley Voy. Brasil (1808) 21 His pulse full and regular.
b. Of light: Intense. Of colour: Deep, intense.
1657R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 66 These leaves being..of a full green. 1664Power Exp. Philos. i. 26 View her with a full light transmitted through a Burning-glass. 1791Hamilton Berthollet's Dyeing I. i. i. i. 19 The colour of the wool will be much more full and intense. 1842Tennyson Locksley Hall 17 In the spring a fuller crimson comes upon the robin's breast. 1869Phillips Vesuv. xi. 303 Under the application of heat, amounting to a full red in iron.
c. In various phraseological combinations: as full butt, full cry, full drive, full gallop, full jump, full pack, full pelt, full pitch, full retreat, full sail, full scent, full speed, full stretch, full swing, full tilt, etc.: for which see the words.
10. a. Having a rounded outline; large, swelling, plump, protuberant.
c1000Sax. Leechd. III. 268 Ealle eorþlice lichaman beoþ fulran on weaxendum monan. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 115 The hoofe that is ful and fleshy, is not to be liked. 1627Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xi. 54 The longer a ship is, the fuller should be her Bow. 1674N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. ii. (1677) 178 A round Head, somewhat full on the top. 1688Lond. Gaz. No. 2320/1 This Sultan Soliman is of a long, lean and pale Visage, with a full black Eye. 1697W. Dampier Voy. I. iii. 32 Full round Faces, small black Eyes..full Lips, and short Chins. Ibid. vi. 131 It is a high bluff, or full point of Land. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 53 Where we took in fuller and larger Pepper than any yet. 1726Adv. Capt. R. Boyle 125 The Women..fine large full Eyes, round Faces, and every Feature exact. 1803Med. Jrnl. IX. 36 In proportion as the patient was full, robust and vigorous. 1840Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life (1870) III. vii. 109 She is..full enough to prevent the haggard look which comes upon women who grow thin at fifty. c1850Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 152 Its use is to take out the snying edge occasioned by a full bow. 1894J. E. Humphrey in Pop. Sci. Monthly XLIV. 494 The fruit is cut as soon as it is ‘full’.
b. Of portions of dress: Containing a superfluity of material which is arranged in gathers or folds.
1789Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France I. 306 White silk petticoat, exceedingly full and short. 1824Miss Mitford Village Ser. i. (1863) 213 An open gown..whose very full tail..would have formed an inconvenient little train. 1862C. M. Yonge Stokesley Secret ii. 42 Alpaca frocks, rather long and not very full. 1891Leeds Mercury 27 Apr. 4/7 Velvet sleeves, full and high on the shoulders.
11. Naut. (with mixed notion of 1 and 10). Of a sail: Filled. Of the ship: Having her sails filled with wind; and in phrase keep (her, i.e. the ship) full. full and by: see by adv. 1 d; also fig. full for stays: see quot.
1627[see by adv. 1 d]. 1697Occasional Conformity 10 'Tis like a Ship with her Sails hal'd some back, and some full. 1769Falconer Dict. Marine (1789) Z z iij, You are all in the wind; keep her full! 1805Adm. Stirling in Naval Chron. XV. 80 We..had our main-top-sail full. 1838Poe A. G. Pym Wks. 1864 IV. 15 We..kept full, and started boldly out to sea. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Full for Stays! The order to keep the sails full to preserve the velocity, assisting the action of the rudder in tacking ship. 1882Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 148 When the fore sail is full, ‘Let draw’. 1930New Statesman 5 July 412/1 And, take it full and bye, it is one of the very few things to be honoured in our nature.
12. Comb.
a. with ns. forming combinations used attrib.; as full-cream, full-draught, full-dug, full-hand, full-page, full-plate, full-power, full-scale, full-size, full-term, full-top, full-value, full-way, full-weight.
1881Chicago Times 16 Apr., The *full-cream cheese manufactured in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois.
1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. iii. 46, I have manufactured a *full-draught pipe for our smoky stove.
1852Meanderings of Mem. I. 79 Where *full-dug foragers at evening meet In Cow-bell concert.
1593Nashe Christ's T. 22 The..profuse sacrificatory expences of *ful-hand oblationers.
1889Spectator 14 Dec. 849 We may select for notice the *full-page illustrations of ‘Dundee’ and ‘Stirling’. 1911A. Bennett Card xi. 245 The only hotel in the Five Towns seriously pretending to be ‘first-class’ in the full-page advertisement sense. 1954M. Richert Painting in Brit.: Middle Ages iv. 81 The few uncoloured full-page miniatures which precede a copy of the gospels.
1884F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 108 A *full plate watch has a top plate..of a circular form.
1890Times 18 Sept. 4/2 The Skipjack..left Sheerness yesterday for the *full-power official trial of her machinery.
1933Discovery Aug. 257/1 *Full-scale experiments in flight are of necessity difficult and take a long time. 1957Times Lit. Suppl. 20 Dec. 778/1 Since Alexander Henderson..there has been no full-scale monograph on the wines of antiquity.
1832in A. Adburgham Shops & Shopping (1964) iv. 40 *Full-size Paper Patterns. 1957Times Survey Brit. Aviation Sept. 7 A full-size mock-up of the Vanguard's cockpit.
1907W. J. Maloney tr. Budin (title) The nursling: the feeding and hygiene of premature and *full-term infants. 1949M. Mead Male & Female viii. 179 They smother in economic details the memory of their miscarriages, as if these had been full-term children.
1723Lond. Gaz. No. 6206/9 He is..pale fac'd, a *full-top Wig.
1896Daily News 31 Mar. 9/3 Any *full-value gold pieces in circulation will have to be called in.
1882Worc. Exhib. Catal. iii. 49 Excelsior *full-way hot water valves. 1884Knight Dict. Mech. IV, Full Way Valve, a pipe valve which lifts entirely out of the current. Also called a clear-way valve.
1866Crump Banking x. 234 The Bank..would supply new and *full-weight coin.
b. with pres. and pa. pples. forming combinations in which full stands as a complement; as full-built, full-charged, full-crammed, full-farced, full-fed, full-flowering, full-flowing, full-fraught, full-freight, full-freighted, full-gorged, full-made, full-opening, full-pulsing, full-resounding, full-stuffed, full-swelling; also full-feeding vbl. n.
1709Lond. Gaz. No. 4510 The Hoy Burthen 9 or 10 Tun, very *full built forward.
1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. ii. 3, I stood i' th' leuell Of a *full-charg'd confederacie. 1827Keble Chr. Y. 1st Sund. in Lent, Thy full-charg'd vial standing by.
1613Wither Satir. Ess. ii. ii. P j a, Emptying their *full cram'd bags. 1879Huxley Hume i. 56 Unknown to this full-crammed and much-examined generation.
1578Timme Caluine on Gen. 189 The place..so *full-farssed and stuffed up.
1593Shakes. Lucr. 594 The *full-fed hound or gorged hawk, Make slow pursuit. 1887Spectator 5 Mar. 320/1 We..have a notion that full-fed authors do bad work.
1382Wyclif Gen. xli. 20 Other seuen oxen..the whiche..no merke of *fulfedyng Ȝouun. 1577St. Aug. Manual (Longm.) 12 The place of fulfeedyng by the plentifull running streames.
1821Keats Lamia i. 44 The taller grasses and *full-flowering weed.
1605Shakes. Lear v. iii. 74 Lady I am not well, else I should answere From a *full flowing stomack. 1832Tennyson Œnone 67 While I look'd And listen'd.. the fullflowing river of speech Came down upon my heart.
c1606Fletcher Woman Hater i. ii, His tables are *full fraught with most nourishing food.
1694Echard Plautus 103 I'll teach her how t' act..and send her *full-fraight with my Tricks. 1740Somerville Hobbinol iii. 356 A full-freight Ship, Blest in a rich Return of Pearl, or Gold.
a1711Ken Hymnotheo Poet. Wks. 1721 III. 319 His *full-freighted Thought, Back on his Tongue, Hymn and Heroick brought.
1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. i. 194 She [my Faulcon] must not be *full gorg'd, For then she neuer lookes vpon her lure. 1781Cowper Hope 509 The full-gorged savage.
1790Pol. Misc. 58 With *full-made sleeves and pendant lace.
1730–46Thomson Autumn 421 The pack *full-opening various.
1878Morley Carlyle 189 No feeling for broad force and *full-pulsing vitality.
1737Pope Hor. Epist. ii. i. 268 Dryden taught to join the *full-resounding line.
1613Drayton Poly-olb. xiv. 118 When twixt their burly Stacks and *full-stuft Barnes they stand.
1748Thomson Cast. Indol. i. 297 Each spacious room was one *full-swelling bed.
c. parasynthetic, as full-bagged, full-banked, full-bellied, full-bloomed, full-blossomed, full-bosomed, full-bowed, full-brained, full-busted, full-buttocked, full-cheeked, full-chested, full-clustered, full-eared, full-feathered, full-flanked, full-fleshed, full-flocked, full-foliaged, full-formed, full-fortuned, full-fronted, full-fruited, † full-gaskined, full-haired, full-handed, full-happinessed, full-haunched, full-headed, full-hipped, full-jointed, full-leaved, full-licensed, full-limbed, full-lipped, full-measured, full-minded, full-natured, full-necked, full-paunched, full-personed, full-powered, full-proportioned, full-rayed, full-rigged, full-roed, full-sailed (lit. and fig.), full-shouldered, full-sized, full-skirted, full-souled, † full-speeched, full-sphered, full-statured (lit. and fig.), full-stomached, full-streamed, full-throated, full-timed, full-toned, full-tushed, full-uddered, full-voiced, full-weighted, full-whiskered, full-winged, full-witted, full-wombed.
1613Drayton Poly-olb. xiv. 227 The *full-bagd Cow. 1630J. Taylor (Water P.) Wks. 15 No full bag'd man would euer durst haue entered.
1622Drayton Poly-olb. xxviii. 205 Many a *full-bankt Flood.
1681Lond. Gaz. No. 1638/8 Stolen..a dark Brown Nag..pretty *full-bellied, and reasonable fat. 1909Daily Chron. 2 June 5/6 The full-bellied barges of 600 tons freightage. 1937N. Coward Present Indicative viii. 333 A full-bellied roar of laughter.
1646Crashaw Steps to Temple 21 Lo! a mouth, whose *full-bloom'd lips At two deare a rate are roses.
1840Longfellow Sp. Stud. i. iii, The *full-blossomed trees filled all the air with fragrance.
1603Drayton To Maiestie K. James A iv, The fruitfull and *ful-bosom'd Spring.
1883Harper's Mag. Aug. 376/2 The *full-bowed schooners lean over on the beach at low tide.
1596C. Fitzgeffrey Sir F. Drake (1881) 26 Whose *ful-braind temples deck't with laurell crowne.
1864Tennyson En. Ard. 539 Her *full-busted figure head Stared o'er the ripple feathering from her bows.
1672Lond. Gaz. No. 657/4 A Bay Mare..with..a black List down the Buttock, and *full Buttockt.
1686Ibid. No. 2145/4 Elizabeth Tildel..short and black, *full-cheek'd. a1711Ken Preparatives Poet. Wks. 1721 IV. 92 It chanc'd, just as the full-cheek'd Moon Reach'd her nocturnal Noon.
1681Lond. Gaz. No. 1620/4 A black brown Gelding..short Neck, *full Chested.
1645Quarles Sol. Recant. vii. 19 *Full clusterd Vineyards.
1635― Emblems i. ii. Epig. 2 A *full-ear'd Crop, and thriving. 1845Mrs. Norton Child of Islands (1846) 107 Whose mass of full-eared sheaves the reapers bind.
1806T. S. Surr Winter in Lond. (ed. 3) II. 254 Barton is a *full-feathered pigeon.
1612Drayton Poly-olb. iii. 298 Many a plump-thigh'd moor & *ful-flank'd marsh.
1832Motherwell Poet. Wks. (1847) 48 In *full-fleshed pride, Bright roses burst in June.
1622Drayton Poly-olb. xxvi. 38 The large, and goodly *full-flockd Oulds.
1807–8W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 187 The whispers of the *full-foliaged grove fall on the ear of contemplation.
1727–46Thomson Summer 823 The *full-formed maids of Afric.
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. xv. 24 Th' Imperious shew Of the *full-Fortun'd Cæsar.
1895Daily News 20 Mar. 7/1 A *full-fronted coat.
1853Hickie tr. Aristoph. (1872) II. 543 Shaking the *full-fruited chaplet about your head.
1682Lond. Gaz. No. 1768/4 A white grey Roan Gelding..well Crested..*full gascoign'd.
1689Ibid. No. 2513/4 A grey Mare..only gallops and trots, and a *full haired bob Tail.
1643[Angier] Lanc. Vall. Achor 35 Mercies..have been granted..with *full-handed favours.
1815Lamb. Lett. (1888) I. 294 My *full-happiness'd friend is picking his crackers.
1685Lond. Gaz. No. 2019/8 Stolen..a brown bay Nag..*full Haunched, and small Bodied.
1816Keatinge Trav. (1817) I. 152 *Full-headed trees..have been left at judicious intervals.
1882O'Donovan Merv Oasis I. 343 The..slovenly-looking *full-hipped tunic.
1688Lond. Gaz. No. 2355/4 A dapple grey..*full jointed in both his hinder Legs.
1630Drayton Muses Elysium 199 With *full leav'd lilies I will stick Thy braided hair. 1864G. M. Hopkins Poems (1948) 131 Now while the full-leaved hursts unalter'd stand. 1917J. Masefield Lollingdon Downs 74 The full-leaved summer bore no fruit.
1883Goole Weekly Times 14 Sept. 5/3 To be let, the ‘Royal Oak Inn’.. a *full-licensed House.
1859Tennyson Guinevere 43 Those whom God had made *full-limb'd and tall.
1859Bagehot in National Review IX. 383 Lancelot, the great knight of many exploits and *full-lipped enjoyment. 1932E. Hemingway Death in Afternoon ix. 244 He had a full-lipped face.
a1711Ken Hymnarium Poet. Wks. 1721 II. 114 God oft makes Thunder, Lightning, Storm, Hail, Snows, Pour on full-measur'd Sin, *full-measur'd Woes.
1627–77Feltham Resolves i. xxxiv. 58 To be poor, is to be made a pavement for the tread of the *full-minded man.
1823Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Child Angel, Those *full-natured angels tended it by turns.
1670Narborough Jrnl. in Acc. Sev. Late Voy. i. (1694) 59 They are *full-necked, and headed and beaked like a Crow.
1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 332 To be ministered..when the horse is not altogether *full-panched, but rather empty.
1873Howells Chance Acquaint. i. 14 The *full-personed good-humored looking gentleman.
1742Young Nt. Th. ii. 317 To-day is yesterday return'd..*Full-pow'r'd.
1631Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 762 Two *full proportioned figures in brasse.
1879Geo. Eliot Coll. Breakf. P. 762 *Full-rayed sensibilities which blend Truth and desire.
1830N. S. Wheaton Jrnl. 342 A *full-rigged [French] bagage waggon is a curious spectacle. 1884E. Ingersoll in Harper's Mag. May 869/2 Full-rigged foreign ships.
1895Daily News 26 Jan. 5/5 The *full-roed Norway herrings.
1594Nashe Unfort. Trav. A 3 Mercenarie attendants on his *ful-sayld fortune. 1622Drayton Poly-olb. xix. 178 Arthur's full-sail'd Fleet. 1629Massinger Picture ii. ii, Such is my full-sailed confidence in her virtue. 1808J. Barlow Columb. i. 623 The fullsail'd ship..Dash'd into fragments by the floating rock.
1838Dickens O. Twist xxxix, A *full-sized wine-bottle carefully corked.
1689Lond. Gaz. No. 2416/4 A *full skirted Leather Saddle.
1882Ogilvie, *Full-souled, magnanimous; of noble disposition.
1692Lond. Gaz. No. 2809/4 Timothy Phillips..*full speech'd, in a light grey..Suit..went away..with a..Sum of Money.
1833Tennyson Poems 84 *Fullsphered contemplation.
1691Lond. Gaz. No. 2631/4 A Black named Johanna..*full Statured. 1844Mrs. Browning Lady Geraldine's Courtship lxvii, And my soul..sprang, full-statured in an hour.
1593Nashe Christ's T. 63 Grosse *full-stomacht tautology. 1611Tourneur Ath. Trag. ii. i. Wks. 1878 I. 40 The full-stomack'd Sea.
1593Nashe Christ's T. 38 b, Hearing riche London was the *full-streamed wel-head. 1806J. Grahame Birds Scot. 72 And joins, with opened banks, the full-streamed Clyde.
1820Keats Ode to Nightingale 10 Thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees..Singest of summer in *full-throated ease.
1889Daily News 5 June 6/7 Just preceding or at the time of her death she had been delivered of a *full-timed child.
1827Keble Chr. Y. SS. Simon and Jude, Mild As evening blackbird's *full-ton'd lay.
1611Cotgr., Miré..long-tusked, *full-tushed, as a full-growne Boare.
1727–46Thomson Summer 222 The *full-uddered mother lows around The cheerful cottage.
1632Milton Penseroso 162 There let the pealing organ blow, To the *full-voiced quire below.
1888Daily News 5 Oct. 5/2 The Bank of Germany does not refuse *full-weighted gold to those who can demand it.
1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xvii, Such a *full-whiskered dashing young man.
1611Shakes. Cymb. iii. iii. 21 The *full-wing'd Eagle. c1630Drummond of Hawthornden Poems Wks. (1711) 41/1 Full-winged argoses. 1957Bannerman Birds Brit. Isles VI. 251 There has been a mixed flock of full-winged snow and blue geese at Woburn for fifty years at least.
1884American VIII. 251 Any *full-witted American.
1630Drayton Noah's Flood 34 The *full-womb'd Women very hardly went Out their nine months.
d. Special comb.: full-back (Football), position in the field behind the other ‘backs’; a player in this position; also attrib.; † full-belly, one who has or makes a point of having his belly full; full board, (a) [board n. 2 d] Austral. and N.Z., a full complement of shearers on the board; (b) the provision of a bed and all meals: an arrangement offered by hotels, boarding houses, etc.; full-bodied a., having a full body (esp. of wine: see body n. 25); also fig.; full-bound a. Bookbinding, bound entirely in leather; full-breasted a., having a full breast; also transf.; full-brimmed a., full to the brim, overflowing; full-cell process, Bethell's process (cf. Bethell); full-centre arch [Fr. arc à plein-cintre] (see quot.); full character (see quot.); † full-charge v., to charge to the full (cf. full-charged in 12 b); full-choke, a gun or gun-barrel with the maximum amount of choke-boring; full-circle adv., with the form of a full circle or disc; full-cream attrib., consisting of or made from unskimmed milk; full employment (see quot. 1948); full-eyed, † (a) perfectly visible; seen in the front; (b) having full eyes; full-flavoured a., having a full or strong flavour (said esp. of cigars); also fig.; full-forward, in Australian National Football, one of three players (esp. the centrally positioned one) who constitute the front forward line and stand closest to the opposing goal; full-front v., to present a full front to; full-frontal attrib. phr., (a) full-frontal nudity, complete nudity, in which a person's body is seen from the front; cf. frontal a. 2 c; (b) fig., that reveals everything or holds nothing back; explicit, unequivocal; open, honest; full hand Poker = full house 2; full-mouth, (a) one whose mouth is full (of words), a chatterer; also attrib. = full-mouthed; (b) a full-mouthed animal; full-orbed a. poet. (of the moon), having its disc completely illuminated; also fig.; (hence full-orbedness); full pitch, toss Cricket, a ball pitched right up to the batsman; also as advb. phr., without the ball having first touched the ground; so full-pitched a.; full professor orig. U.S., a professor with the highest ranking position on the staff of a university or college; full score Mus., a score in which the parts for all voices and instruments are given on separate staves; full snipe, a popular name for the common snipe, Gallinago gallinago; † full-trussed a. (of a horse), having full hind-quarters; full word Linguistics, a word that has an independent meaning; also attrib.; spec. in Chinese Grammar (see quot. 1954).
1887Shearman Athletics & Football 324 Last but not least comes the *full back..Two things only are required of him, that he should be an admirable and accurate drop, and a safe and strong tackler. 1893A. H. Harrison in Assoc. Football Handbk. 18 Let the full-backs keep close to their halves. 1896Daily News 29 Oct. 9/4 A splendid little bit of full-back work.
1637R. Humfrey tr. St. Ambrose i. 30 Lazy lubbers, and *full bellyes, drowned in worldly delights.
1894E. Wilson In Land of Tui xv. 242 At one side [of the shearing shed], down the whole length of the building, the shearers work, thirteen of whom are called a ‘*full board’. 1910Bradshaw's Railway Guide Apr. 1149/2 Very comfortable rooms from 3/-, and full board from 7/6. 1941Baker N.Z. Slang v. 39 The use of board for the floor of a shearing shed is also slang. Whence comes a full board. 1971Oxford Mail 11 Oct. 11/4 (Advt.), Accommodation urgently reqd for daughter aged 15. North Oxford preferred, bed and breakfast or full board.
1686Lond. Gaz. No. 2162/4 He is about 21 years of age..broad-shoulder'd, *full-bodied. 1688R. Holme Armoury ii. 336/2 A Bleke..is a full bodied little Fish..with red eyes. 1710J. Clarke Rohault's Nat. Phil. (1729) 177, I put in a Quart of full-bodied Red Wine. 1835Willis Pencillings I. ix. 60 It is a ripe, rich, full-bodied liquor. 1890Standard 10 Mar., To the full-bodied humour of..Hogarth.
1880J. W. Zaehnsdorf Art of Bookbinding 171 When the sides and back of a volume are covered with leather it is said to be *full-bound. 1946H. Whetton Pract. Printing & Binding xxxi. 381 The book may be full-bound..that is, the leather may fully cover the boards.
1611Speed Theat. Gt. Brit. (1614) 125/1 A provident and *full-breasted mother. 1657R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 51 The men, they are..full breasted, well filletted. 1677A. Yarranton Eng. Improv. 120 Our Wheat is large, full-brested, and thin-rined.
1622Drayton Poly-olb. xxix. 110 Two faire and *full-brim'd Floods. a1845Hood To Mrs. Fry xiii, I like the pity in your full-brimmed eye.
1915H. F. Weiss Preserv. Struct. Timber v. 57 The Bethell or *full-cell process is considered the standard process of treating timber with creosote. 1940H. Trotter Man. Indian Forest Utiliz. ix. 202 The full-cell process has been known for over 80 years. 1962Full cell process [see Bethell].
1874Knight Dict. Mech., *Full-centre Arch, a semi⁓circular arch or vault. One describing the full amount of 180°.
1863J. Edkins Gram. Chinese Lang. (ed. 2) ii. iii. 105 They call significant words..*full characters, while the auxiliary words or those which are non-significant, they term..empty characters.
1766Spry Locked Jaw in Phil. Trans. LVII. 89, I now..several times *full-charged her with the electric matter.
1881W. W. Greener Gun 387 A *full choke is constricted to the extent of 30 to 40,000ths of an inch. 1892― Breech-loader 134 The 16-bore full⁓choke, with barrels 30 inches in length. 1895Outing (U.S.) XXVII. 65/1, I have ruined too many fine birds with the full-choke to want to use it any more. 1964H. L. Peterson Encycl. Firearms 52/1 Full chokes are used for long-range shooting, modified chokes or cylinder bores for upland birds and skeet shooting.
1879Browning Pheidippides 39 The moon, half-orbed, is unable to take *Full-circle her state in the sky!
1881*Full-cream [see full a. 12 a]. 1929Punch 8 May p. viii, Fresh, full-cream milk. 1970Guardian 14 Apr. 10/3 We needed full cream milk powder for the babies.
1835J. Loudon Philanthropy 107 If the self same cause which gives cheap food, gives *full employment to labour [etc.]. 1846Ld. Beauvale in C'tess of Airlie Lady Palmerston (1922) II. xvi. 102 By God's blessing there is full employment with high wages. 1940Economist 20 Jan. 88/1 Optimistic assumptions of the effect that the attainment of ‘full employment’ will have on the revenue. 1948G. Crowther Outl. Money (ed. 2) v. 138 ‘Full employment’ does not necessarily mean that every man and women has a job. It means only that there are no more supplies of idle labour or idle capital of the sorts that are actually being demanded.
1633G. Herbert Temple, Glance iii, What wonders shall we feel when we shall see Thy *full-ey'd love. 1688Lond. Gaz. No. 2318/4 One of the persons a little Man, full eyed, in a cinnamon colour'd Coat.
1891Duncan Amer. Girl in Lond. 231 A very frank and *full-flavoured criticism.
1965Austral. Encycl. IV. 135 The *full-forward of each team, in particular, is chosen for his ability to take the ball high in the air. 1969Sun-Herald (Sydney) 13 July 48/1 Hawthorn full-forward Peter Hudson kicked five goals although heavily guarded by Essendon's defenders.
1855Browning Saul, Perfection, no more and no less, In the kind I imagined, *full-fronts me.
1970Private Eye 22 May 5/3 Despite outraged reaction from..the Scottish establishment..*full frontal nudity in the theatre will soon strike north of the border for the first time. 1971New Scientist 4 Feb. 272/1 Full frontal facts of life for the pre-pubertal child..is fair enough. 1976R. Quirk in Style & Communication in Eng. Lang. (1982) vii. 92 It could even be argued that dictionaries are now merely pandering to current waves of full-frontal fashion. 1984Times 18 Dec. 17/1 The Chancellor of the Exchequer made a full frontal attack on the Bank of England's competence.
1850Bohn's Handbk. Games 382 *Full hand. 1950Hoyle's Games (ed. 20) i. 118 With Full Hands the higher threes win, e.g. 3 threes and 2 fours are better than 3 twos and pair aces.
1589Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 54 Some propheticall *full mouth. 1646Crashaw Music's Duel 156 A full-mouth Diapason swallowes all. 1950N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Oct. 351/1 No sheep are carried beyond full mouth; at this age the cast ewes are disposed of privately. 1959S. J. Baker Drum ii. 111 Full-mouth, an eight-tooth sheep.
1667Milton P.L. v. 42 Now reigns *Full-orbed the moon. 1851Mayne Reid Scalp Hunt. xxxiv. 260 The moon, full-orbed, is sweeping up towards the zenith. 1871R. B. Vaughan Life Thomas Aquinas II. 644 The steady full-orbed revelation of Jesus Christ.
1895United Presbyt. Mag. 259 We confess to the impression that he lacks somewhat of *fullorbedness.
1843‘Wykehamist’ Pract. Hints Cricket 15 The player being enticed to play to it as to a *full-pitch. 1895H. G. Hutchinson P. Steele i. 29 One or two [balls] went over the wicket altogether, and were taken, full pitch, by the wicket-keeper. Ibid., He..sent..ball after ball full-pitched. 1929Full-pitch [see carry v. 9 b].
1934J. W. Burgess Reminisc. Amer. Scholar iii. 42 The faculty of the college was at that time a strong body of teachers, most of them being *full professors of long experience and high standing. 1947Partisan Rev. XIV. 474 The academic hierarchy, from instructor up to full professor, enforces caution on the imaginative or adventurous thinker. 1966P. Green tr. Escarpit's Novel Computer ix. 116 Statisticians..do a numerical break-down of the full professors..and various other species of academic fauna. 1971Nature 4 June 275/1 Even Berkeley is only able to boast that two per cent of its full professors were women in 1970.
1876Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. Terms, *Full score. 1946Penguin Music Mag. Dec. 15 Purcell never saw an Italian opera... He may just possibly have read a full score—we know that Pepys possessed one.
1885F. S. Mitchell Birds Lancs. 185 Common Snipe... Local names.—*Full Snipe, Lady Snipe. 1887A. C. Smith Birds Wilts. 431 The provincial names of these three species accurately describe their relative size; the Jack or Half Snipe weighing about 2 ozs., the Common, Whole, or Full Snipe 4 ozs., and the Great or Double Snipe 8 ozs. 1913H. K. Swann Dict. Eng. & Folk-Names Brit. Birds 90 The Common Snipe is also sometimes termed Full Snipe to distinguish it from the Jack (or Half) Snipe. 1965Jrnl. Lancs. Dial. Soc. Jan. 15 Snipe,..full snipe, scape snipe: Heywood.
1826Manch. Guardian 5 Aug. 4/3 Barker, the Nottingham bowler,..so far lost his temper, as to give a *full toss, as we thought, at the face of the player, instead of his wicket. 1906A. E. Knight Compl. Cricketer iii. 113 Over-pitch the ball and it presents the easiest of full tosses.
1683Lond. Gaz. No. 1846/4 A *full trust Nag, a good Trot, short Rack.
1892H. Sweet New Eng. Gram. I. 22. §58 When a form-word is entirely devoid of meaning, we may call it an empty word, as opposed to *full words such as earth and round. 1929Grattan & Gurrey Our Living Lang. 98 Words which have an independent meaning of their own. These are known as Full-words. 1933Bloomfield Lang. xii. 199 The parts of speech [in Chinese] are full words and particles. 1934Priebsch & Collinson German Lang. iii. 249 Other full-word suffixes are -bar, -haft. 1954Pei & Gaynor Dict. Linguistics 78 Full word, in Chinese grammar, any word which expresses a concept or idea or designates a person, object, quality, etc.—i.e., verbs, substantives and adjectives. 1966J. E. Buse in C. E. Bazell In Memory of J. R. Firth 53 Full-words consist of a single free morpheme..with or without one or more of the following affixes.
B. quasi-n. and n.
1. The adj. used absol., passing into n. In various adverbial phrases.
a. at (the) full: † (a) In various uses, now chiefly expressed by the other phrases below: Fully, completely; at full length; to the full extent (obs.). (b) At the position or moment of fullness; in the state of fullness (cf. 4 c).
c1340Cursor M. 4008 (Trin.) But who so god helpe wol May sauely go at þe fol. c1380Wyclif Church & Members Sel. Wks. III. 347 Lord! where he were not charged at the fulle as apostlis weren. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xv. cxxvii. (1495) 536 A penne maye not wryte at full the praysynge of this kyngdom. 1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xxxii. 81 They ben wel ioynted and myghtely boned so that they ben strong at the fulle. 1563Homilies ii. Agst. Gluttony (1859) 299 They that use to drinke deeply and to feed at full. 1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 171 Satisfying..the rest of his demands at full. 1662Gerbier Princ. 35 Eight Foote in length, being at full the space which the Horse doth possess when..he lyeth stretcht on his Litter. 1667Milton P.L. i. 641 His regal state Put forth at full. 1705Hearne Collect. 22 Nov., Giving his Reasons at full. 1742Young Nt. Th. v. 878 He drops his mask; Frowns out at full. 1790Burke Fr. Rev. 66 The power of the house of commons..is..great; and long may it be able to preserve its greatness..at the full. 1874J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Par. Churches 186 Having certain jets turned on at full.
b. in († the) full: (a) with reference to a statement, etc.: At full length, in extenso; (b) Of payments, receipts, etc.: To the full amount. in full of: in full discharge or satisfaction of. † a leg in the full: one that is plump and well rounded.
1552J. Caius Sweating Sickness 4 A woorke of Erasmus..I dyd geue..not in the ful as the authore made it, but abbreuiate. 1602Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 36, I have a good head of haire..a legge, faith, in the full. 1679–88Secr. Serv. Money Chas. & Jas. (Camden) 35, 37li 5s 9d, in full of a former bill for that service. 1704J. Pitts Acc. Mahometans 23 The Cause..may be for not paying in full to two or three Shillings. 1741Richardson Pamela II. 368 To assign her Five Hundred Pounds, in full of all her Demands upon her Family. 1754–62Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) IV. liv. 177 Eight hundred and fifty pounds a day, in full of their subsistence. 1781Cowper Convers. 201 A satisfactory receipt in full. 1879Law Rep. 14 Q. Bench Div. 814 A sufficient sum to pay the trade-creditors of my aforesaid sons in full. 1885Manch. Exam. Nov. 3/2 Reproducing in full instead of simply summarising the..documentary material.
c. to the full (also † to full): to the utmost extent, completely, fully, quite. Also † to satiety.
1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 413 May no..presiouse drynkes Moyst me to þe fulle. c1430Freemasonry 682 The angele Gabryelle, Wol kepe hem to the ful welle. 1577St. Aug. Manual (Longm.) 114 Although I cannot do it to the full in this lyfe: yet let me profite from day to day untill it may come to the full. 1611Bible Exod. xvi. 3 When we did eate bread to the full. 1628Gaule Pract. Theorists Paneg. 60 Done, Done to full, whatsoe're he came to doe. 1648Gage West Ind. xxi. 190 We thought our money had satisfied them..to the full. 1701Penn in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem. IX. 53, I must expect my right to the full. 1798G. Washington Lett. Writ. 1893 XIV. 73 To keep them out of it; or which is to the full as likely, to direct them into another course. 1885L'pool Daily Post 1 June 5/4 The University match promises to illustrate to the full the delightful uncertainty of cricket.
2. a. = fill n.1 1. Now rare.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. vi. 266 Arise vp ar appetit haue eten his fulle. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 187 If they eat Walnuts (and not to their full) unripe. 1648Gage West Ind. xiii. 76 Here is now enough, drink thy full of it. 1862Merivale Rom. Emp. (1871) V. xliv. 281 These flies, he said, have nearly sucked their full. 1874G. W. Dasent Tales fr. Fjeld 152 Tom Toper had eaten his full. Ibid. 178 They had all stared their full.
†b. The quantity that fills (a receptacle). Obs. [app. evolved from -ful 2.]
1799Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1800) III. 7 The full of his hat is the standard of his corn measures.
3. Complete scope, entire range; entire amount or sum total; completeness, fullness. † In adverbial phrase, all the full: in all its fullness or completeness (obs.). Now rare.
c1330Arth. & Merl. 8433 What þou se al þe fulle, Wiche socour don we schulle. c1400Destr. Troy 13855 When the freike had the fulle of xvtene yeres. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. (1812) I. 689 They shulde playnly shewe the full of his entencyon and mynde. 1592Daniel Delia Poems (1717) 409 Her tender Bud doth undisclose That Full of Beauty, Time bestows upon her. 1670Cotton Espernon i. ii. 49 The Lords of Guise had the full of their own demands. 1720De Foe Capt. Singleton x. (1840) 172, I should not be able to recollect the full..of the great variety. 1734W. Snelgrave Guinea & Slave Trade 55 Afterwards we experienced the full of what he told us. 1843J. H. Newman Apologia (1864) 358 With my opinions, to the full of which I dare not confess. 1890W. C. Russell Ocean Trag. II. xix. 134 Sleeping as he did, right in the ‘eyes’, he got the very full of the motion.
4. a. The period, point, or state of the greatest fullness or strength.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vii. lxix. (1495) 287 One manere medicyne nedyth in the begynnynge of the euyll, and a nother in the fulle, and a nother in passynge therof. c1400Destr. Troy 12560 [The] stones at the full of the flode [were] flet all aboue. 1611Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. vii. xxxi. 317 Empires..haue their risings, their fuls, and their fals. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 399 Their [the Romanes'] Empire was growing to the full. c1621S. Ward Life of Faith (1627) 97 Whiles he was..in the full of his prosperity.
b. Of a month or season: The height, the middle.
1658Evelyn Fr. Gard. (1675) 143 The perfect season to sow Melon-seeds, is in the full of february. 1855Browning Another Way of Love i, June was not over Though past the full. 1858Motley Corr. (1889) I. 327 The highest circles of London in the full of the season.
c. the full of the moon (also ellipt. the full and in phr. at full): the period or state of complete illumination of the moon's disc.
c1386Chaucer Frankl. T. 341 Thanne shal she [the moon] been euene atte fulle alway. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. lviii. (1495) 174 Beestes and trees haue passynge plente of humours and of marowe in the fulle of the mone. 1559W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 149 Before the Full, and after the change, she shineth presently, the sonne being set. 1598Yong Diana 309 The fuls and wanes of the Moone. a1652Brome Queene's Exch. ii. i. Wks. 1873 III. 473 Bright Cynthia in her full of Lustre. 1664Butler Hud. ii. iii. 262 He made an Instrument to know If the Moon shine at full or no. 1686Plot Staffordsh. 431 The Paschal Moone, whose Full fell..next after the Vernal Equinox. 1720De Foe Capt. Singleton vii. (1840) 123 The moon was near the full. 1794Trans. Soc. Arts XII. 245 Every full and change of the moon. 1818M. G. Lewis Jrnl. W. Ind. (1834) 28 She is to be at her full to-morrow. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge i, The moon is past the full, and she rises at nine.
fig.1590Nashe Pasquil's Apol. i. C, Heere his wit is at the fullest, and presentlie it beginneth to wane againe.
5. The full grasp (of the hand).
1833Regul. Instr. Cavalry i. 59 The bridoon rein..to be held in the full of the bridlehand.
6. crown fulls: Herrings of the best brand (see quot. 1864 in A. 1. e).
1892Berwick Advertiser 16 Sept. 3/6 Not a single barrel of crown fulls has been branded this summer.
†7. A set (of kettles). Obs. (? Another word.)
1466Mann. & Househ. Exp. 206 My mastyr paid..for iij. kettelles calde a ffulle, iij.s vj.d. 1502Arnolde Chron. (1811) 237 Fullis off ketellis redy bownde, the full, at iij.s'. iiij.d'. 1528Sir R. Weston in Dillon Calais & Pale (1892) 91 Item, of every fulle [printed fulte] of kettles jd. 1660–1Newcastle Merch. Advent. (Surtees) 202 Railph Fell..petitioned for a full of battery seized on.
C. adv.
1. Simply intensive: Very, exceedingly.
a. with adjs. of quality. Now only poet.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xi. §1 Maneᵹe beoþ þeah æᵹþer ᵹe full æþele ᵹe full weliᵹe and beoþ þeah full unrote. c1000Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxxxviii[i]. 3 [4] Ic..ᵹeworhte ful sefte seld, þæt hi sæton on. a1200Moral Ode 75 in Trin. Coll. Hom. 222 Heuene and erðe he ouersihð his eien beð ful brihte. c1300Cursor M. 21061 (Edin.) Ful elde [quen þat] he seich his endedai him neiȝand neich. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 309 Ȝee, ful deer breþeren. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 110 Þese boonys in oon partie ben ful hard. c1420Sir Amadace (Camd.) xxvii, Sir Amadace toke leue atte alle, Un-semand with fulle glad chere. 1450–1530Myrr. our Ladye 7 Praye for oure right poure and full wretched soulle. 1461Paston Lett. No. 416 II. 51 To my full worshipfull..maister. 1482Inv. of W. Pelle (Somerset Ho.) The Full Reverend Fadur in God John Archepysshop of Canterbury. a1550Christis Kirke Gr. i. iii, Fou ȝellow ȝellow wes hir heid. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. viii. 17 Came hurtling in full fierce. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. i. 133 Anger is like A full hot Horse. 1640J. Dyke Worthy Commun. 56 Full faine wilt thou be to have Christ Jesus to receive thy soule. 1741Richardson Pamela I. 70 And I suppose too, she'll say, I have been full pert. 1869J. Ingelow Lily & Lute ii. 104 O, full sweet, and O, full high, Ran that music up the sky.
b. with adjs. of quantity or indefinite numerals. Now only arch. in full many.
a1300Cursor M. 17288 + 39 Ful litel while it was þat he in ioy wald bee. 13..E.E. Allit. P. C. 18 For þay schal comfort encroche in kyþes ful mony. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 40 Fulle fo [printed so] frendes he had. c1400Mandeville (1839) xviii. 198 In that Lond is full mochelle waste. c1450Mirour Saluacioun 1278 [She] lete falle fulle many a tere. 1477Norton Ord. Alch. Proem in Ashm. (1652) 10 Full few Clerks. 1557North Gueuara's Diall Pr. * ij a, Gen. Prol., Q iv b, Ful few are the pleasures which Princes enioy. 1750Gray Elegy xiv, Full many a gem of purest ray serene. 1820Keats St. Agnes v, Old dames full many times declare. 1853Kingsley Hypatia xiv. 168 Philammon would have gone hungry to his couch full many a night.
c. with advbs. Now arch., chiefly in full well.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxviii. §5 Þa men þe habbaþ unhale eaᵹan, ne maᵹon ful eaþe locian onᵹean þa sunnan. a1000Byrhtnoth 311 (Gr.) He ful baldlice beornas lærde. c1175Lamb. Hom. 29 Þa iuguleres and þa oðer sottes alle heo habbeð an þonc fulneh. a1225Ancr. R. 90 ‘Vbi amor, ibi oculus’; wite þu fulewel. a1300Cursor M. 1800 (Gött.) Allas! fule late þai þaim began. c1300Harrow. Hell 100 Jesu, wel y knowe the! That ful sore reweth me. 1382Wyclif 1 Macc. vi. 62 The kyng..brake fulsoone the ooth that he swore. c1450Merlin 25 Full euell haue ye sped that thus haue slayn youre kynge. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 35 He thenne kyssed his childe alle bloody full often. 1529Frith Wks. (1573) 98 Christ full lowly and meekely washed his disciples feete. 1600Holland Livy viii. xxxviii. (1609) 310 Let them buy it full deerly. 1635J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 206 Full litle slept the Duke that night. 1667Milton P.L. i. 536 The imperial ensign..full high advanced, Shone like a meteor. a1711Ken Christophil Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 523 Full well I know my Jesus present there. 1782Cowper Gilpin 79 Full slowly pacing o'er the stones. 1818Wordsw. Had this effulgence iv, Full early lost, and fruitlessly deplored. 1875Helps Ess., Transact. Business 73 Those who can seem to forget what they know full well.
2. Completely, entirely, fully, quite.
a. with adjs., esp. numerals. Also full due (see quots. 1867 and 1895).
a1000Boeth. Metr. xxvi. 33 Aulixes..sæt longe þæs tyn winter full. c1340Cursor M. 9227 (Trin.) Siþ þis world bigon to be Is foure þousonde six hundride fol. c1374Chaucer Troylus i. 378 Thus argumentyd he, in his bygynnyng, Ful unavysed of his wo cominge. 1552Bk. Com. Prayer, Ordination, Full .xxiiii. yeres olde. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 27 It waxeth greater, and..is within fourtie dayes after ful ripe. 1610Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 396 Full fadom fiue thy Father lies. 1653Sir E. Nicholas in N. Papers (Camden) II. 6 Being now not full 13 years of age. c1710C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 11 We were full an hour passing that hill. 1812Examiner 5 Oct. 634/1 New Beans are full 6s. per quarter lower: but old ones fully support their price. 1825Cobbett Rur. Rides 245 A hill of full a mile high. 1863Kingsley Water Bab. 9 He weighed full fifteen stone. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Full due, for good; for ever; complete; belay. 1871Palgrave Lyr. Poems 35 She..Blushed like a full-ripe apple. 1874Stubbs Const. Hist. I. iii. 50 As being a full-free member of the community. 1884Reade in Harper's Mag. Mar. 637/2 ‘I condemned it ten years ago’. ‘Full that..,’ said Pierre. 1895E. Anglian Gloss., Full due, final acquittance, for good and all.
b. with advbs. Now rare.
1382Wyclif Josh. vi. 5 And the wallis of the cyte [Jericho] shulen fuldoun falle. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. clxii. 200 Kynge Johan was that day a full right good knyght. a1550Frere & Boye 134 in Ritson Anc. P.P. 40 Than drewe it towarde nyght, Jacke hym hyed home full ryght. 1746Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. cv. 288 He articulated every word..full loud enough to be heard the whole length of my library. 1833H. Martineau Tale of Tyne vi. 116 Adam, as I told you, I saw full enough of.
c. with advbl. phrases. Also in full as, full as (or † so){ddd}as.
1529More Comf. agst. Trib. iii. Wks. 1215/2 Though menne shoulde neuer stande full out of feare of fallynge. 1670Narborough Jrnl. in Acc. Sev. Late Voy. i. (1711) 52 Some Swans but not full so large as ours. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 215 The Topaz is a Stone very hard, full as hard as the Saphire. 1719De Foe Crusoe ii. vi, They lived, though..concealed, yet full at large. 1752Young Brothers iii. i, To mount full rebel-high. 1762Foote Lyar ii. Wks. 1799 I. 302 You will be full as useful to it by recruiting her subjects at home. 1796H. Glasse Cookery v. 53 Butter put into the dripping-pan does full as well. 1825in Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885) II. 38, I should get full as much by keeping it [the story] to myself. 1837H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 92 To the English reader they are full as interesting as to Americans.
†d. ful iwis, fuliwis, to fuliwis: full certainly, for certain, assuredly. Obs.
c1200Ormin 2529 Þatt witt tu fuliwiss. c1205Lay. 26841 Ich wulle bitachen þe ful iwis minne castel inne Paris. c1220Bestiary 563 Fro ðe noule niðerward ne is ȝe no man like, Oc fis to fuliwis. c1300Harrow. Hell 55 Fore Adames sunne, fol y wis, Ich have tholed al this.
e. full out: to the full, fully, out and out, quite, thoroughly; now esp., at full power, at top speed; also attrib. or as adj.
1382Wyclif Isa. xii. 6 Ful out ioȝe, and preise, thou dwelling of Sion. c1400Prymer, Litany in Maskell Mon. Rit. (1846–7) II. 106 Lord, make saaf the king: and ful out heere thou us in the dai that we shulen inclepe thee. a1500Chaucer's Dreme 2138 Archbishop and archdiacre Song full out the servise. 1600Abp. Abbot Exp. Jonah 624 This number must definitely be taken for so many thousands full out, that [etc.]. 1615Bp. Andrewes Serm. (1629) 485 Sacrilege the Apostle rankes with Idolatrie; as being full out as evill. 1676Halley in Rigaud Corr. Sci. Men (1841) I. 226 Mr. Mercator is full out as obscure in his treatise of Mars. 1699T. C[ockman] Tully's Offices (1706) 201 And Lucius Crassus..was full-out as generous. 1869in Lonsdale Gloss. 1917‘Contact’ Airman's Outings 46 With nose down and engine full out, we raced towards the lines and safety. 1933Jrnl. R. Aeronaut. Soc. XXXVII. 877 On its official trials the machine did a full-out speed, while flying level at 19,000 ft., of 121 m.p.h., its cruising speed. 1938Times 2 Feb. 14/5 It sounded as if the engine was ‘full out’ when the machine struck the ground. 1938Sunday Express 13 Nov., Alvis was working full out to supply the demand. 1942Ann. Reg. 1941 120 The Government [of Canada] had pledged themselves to a full-out war effort. 1971Financial Mail (Johannesburg) 26 Feb. 652/3 A dedicated Mr Botha himself runs the Department full out.
3. a. Of position and direction: Exactly, directly, straight.
1582N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. lxvii. 137 Our Ordinance beeing shot off, did all light full amongst the enimies. 1584R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. ii. v. (1886) 20 [They] dare not looke a man full in the face. 1632Lithgow Trav. vi. 248 An olde Arch of stone..standing ful in the high Way. 1674N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. iii. (1677) 13 Always..shoot..rather side-ways, or behinde the Fowl, than full in their faces. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 25 For which the Winds served them well enough, though full in our Teeth. 1702Pope Jan. & May 456 Full in the centre of the flow'ry ground A crystal fountain spreads its streams around. 1801Southey Thalaba x. xvii, Full in his face the lightning-bolt was driven. 1832H. Martineau Demerara ii. 16 With these principles full in his mind, he began to observe all that surrounded him. 1883E. Ingersoll in Harper's Mag. Jan. 196/1 A sudden escape from curtaining oak branches brought us full upon the summit.
b. With reference to the points of the compass: Due. See due B. 2. ? Obs.
1559W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 146 Untill she commeth to the Meridian Circle, and is full South. 1601Holland Pliny I. 79 Before Zacynthus 35 miles full East, are the two Strophades. 1670Eachard Cont. Clergy Pref. A school that stands full south. 1708Brit. Apol. No. 93. 2/1 The..Wind is..Full East. 1720De Foe Capt. Singleton ix. (1840) 154 The one [way] was to travel full west.
†4. With vbs. or pples.: Fully, completely, entirely, quite, thoroughly. Obs.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. xiv. [xvi.] (1890) 144 Bi fulcuðum strætum. 1154O.E. Chron. an. 1083 Hi comon into capitulan on uppon þa munecas full ȝewepnede. 1340Ayenb. 107 Huer-by we ssolle by zuo uol dronke of þine loue þet [etc.]. 1430–40Lydg. Bochas i. ix. (1544) 17 a, He was brought forth and recured And full made hole of his woundes sore. 1529More Comf. agst. Trib. ii. 1182/2 Then he feareth that he bee neuer full confessed, nor neuer full contrite. 1611Bible John vii. 8 My time is not yet full come. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 508 Our Reader..being before full cloyed with our tedious Narrations. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 319 When once he's broken, feed him full and high. 1807Med. Jrnl. XVII. 237 He had the small-pox..again very full.
5. Comb.
†a. with vbs.: full-bring [cf. OFris. ful-branga, Ger. vollbringen] trans., to accomplish; full-burn intr., to blaze forth, follow hotly; full-forth [+ forth v.] trans., to accomplish, complete; full-make trans., to complete, perfect; full-serve trans., to serve fully; full-sound intr., to sound loudly; full-thrive intr., to thrive to the full; full-timber trans., to build completely; full-work [OE. full-wyrcan = OHG. fol(l)awurchan] trans., (a) OE. to perpetuate; (b) to complete. Obs.
c1200Ormin 16335 Ȝure temmple timmbredd wass, & all *fullbrohht till ende.
1382Wyclif Gen. xxxi. 36 For what my synne, has thow thus *fulbrent [Vulg. exarsisti] after me.
a1175Cott. Hom. 237 His ȝiaf miht and strencþe þurl þe gief of his gaste his hesne to *fulforðie. c1200Ormin 15597 ær þann þiss temmple mihhte ben Fullwrohht & all fullforþedd.
a1300E.E. Psalter xvi[i]. 5 *Ful⁓make mi steppes in sties Þine. 1490Caxton Eneydos xxvii. 104 Fulmake thoblacyon to pluto.
1340Ayenb. 33 And me kan zigge huo þet serueþ and naȝt *uol-serueþ his ssepe he lyest.
1382Wyclif Judg. vii. 18 Whanne the trompe *fulsowneth in myn hoond.
c1200Ormin 5130 Swa *fullþrifenn þatt itt nohht Ne maȝȝ na mare waxxenn.
Ibid. 16321 Godess temmple..wass i sexe ȝeress all and fow⁓werrtiȝ *fulltimmbredd.
a1035Cnut's Laws ii. c. 61 (Schmid) Gif hwa on fyrde griðbryce *fulwyrce. c1200Fullwrohht [see quot. for fullforth above].
b. with pres. and pa. pples. (cf. A. 12 b, to which some of these might be referred), as full-accomplished, full-acorned, full-adjusted, full-armed, full-assembled, full-assured, full-beaming, full-bearing, full-born, full-bound, full-buckramed, full-descending, full-digested, full-distended, † full-drive(n, full-exerted, full-extended, † full-fast, full-fatted, full-fledged, full-glowing, † full-greased, † full-knowing, † full-known, full-levelled, full-manned, full-nerved, full-plumed, full-ripened, full-spread, full-strained, full-trimmed, full-tuned, † full-waxen; † full-begotten, lawfully begotten, legitimate; full-blown1, filled with wind, puffed out (lit. and fig.); see blow v.1 22; full-blown2, in full bloom (lit. and fig.); see blow v.2 1; full-fashioned = fully-fashioned adj.; full-stated (see quot.).
1726–46Thomson Winter 668 Indulge her fond ambition..To mark thy various *full-accomplished mind.
1611Shakes. Cymb. ii. v. 16 Like a *full Acorn'd Boare.
1730–46Thomson Autumn 835 The *full-adjusted harmony of things.
1776Mickle tr. Camoens' Lusiad 31 *Full-arm'd they came, for brave defence prepared.
1735Thomson Liberty iii. 260 Her *full-assembled Youth innumerous swarm'd.
1839Bailey Festus xix. (1848) 220 The *full-assured faith.
1735Somerville Chase ii. 142 Had not her Eyes, With Life *full-beaming, her vain Wiles betray'd.
1896Daily News 17 June 4/5 The thousand acres is never all *full-bearing altogether.
1636Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 182 Your Father counteth you not a bastard: *full-begotten bairns are nurtured.
1615J. Stephens Satyr. Ess. 3 With cheeks *full blowne Each man will wish the case had beene his owne. a1635Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 15 A time in which (for externals) she was full blown. 1635–56Cowley Davideis ii. 735 Some did the Way with full-blown Roses spread. 1693Dryden Persius i. 254 Who at enormous Villany turns pale, And steers against it with a full-blown Sail. 1699Bentley Phal. 414 Full blown with the opinion of his wonderfull Acuteness. 1749Johnson Vanity Hum. Wishes 99 In full-blown dignity, see Wolsey stand. 1878Browning La Saisiaz 20 Flower that's full-blown tempts the butterfly.
1821Keats Lamia i. 172 Whither fled Lamia, now a lady bright, A *full-born beauty new and exquisite.
1766W. Gordon Gen. Counting-ho. 319, 45 barrels *full bound mess-beef. 1851Offic. Catal. Gt. Exhib. II. 545 Bible, 8vo., full-bound in maroon Turkey morocco.
1833H. Martineau Berkeley the Banker i. i. 7 The *full-buckramed fancy dresses of the young gentlemen.
1715–20Pope Iliad xx. 460 The impatient steel with *full-descending sway Forced through his brazen helm its furious way.
1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 419 We shall..partake in the expertness and *full-digested remembrance belonging to that.
1728–46Thomson Spring 185 The *full-distended clouds Indulge their genial stores.
c1386Chaucer Frankl. T. 502 This bargayn is *ful dryue, for we been knyt.
1726–46Thomson Winter 171 Before the breath Of *full-exerted heaven they wing their course.
1730–46― Autumn 1119 The long lines of *full-extended war In bleeding flight commixed.
1883Glasg. Weekly Her. 21 Apr. 8/2 Ladies' *full-fashioned black Lisle thread hose. 1927T. Woodhouse Artificial Silk 92 Originally, the spring beard needles were used in full-fashioned (flat) machines. Ibid. 95 Needles have to be taken out of action when it is desired to decrease the width of any part of the full-fashioned fabric... This possibility of effecting various changes in the width according to the amount of material required for various parts of the human body, gave rise to the term ‘full-fashioned’. 1937Times 29 Nov. 38/2 ‘What does ‘full-fashioned’ mean?’.. ‘It means that a stocking is made to fit the contours of the leg.’
c1175Lamb. Hom. 61 Þa odre weren *fulfeste sone.
1382Wyclif Deut. xxxii. 15 Ful fat maad is the loued, and aȝen wynsed; *ful-fattid, fulgresid, outlargid.
1883‘Mark Twain’ Life on Mississippi 246, I was a pilot now, *full-fledged. 1884Times (weekly ed.) 7 Nov. 8/2 A tutor's pay is only about a third of that of a full-fledged professor. 1895Sir W. Harcourt Sp. in Ho. Com. 14 May, A full-fledged butterfly. 1961Brno Studies III. 92 A ‘full-fledged’ verb.
1863I. Williams Baptistery i. viii. (1874) 89 The sun..Blending them in the golden blazonry Of his *full-glowing orb. 1382*Ful-gresid [see full-fatted].
1612Selden Drayton's Poly-olb. To Rdr., What the Verse oft with allusion, as supposing a *full knowing Reader, lets slip.
1386Rolls of Parlt. III. 225/1 Nichol Brembre..with stronge honde, as it is *ful knowen..was chosen Mair.
1701Norris Ideal World i. i. 6 This is..staring, with a *full-levelled eye, the great luminary of spirits in the face.
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. vii. 52 Our ouer-plus of shipping will we burne, And with the rest *full mann'd, from th' head of Action Beate th' approaching Cæsar.
1839Bailey Festus vii. (1848) 70 Dare with *fullnerved arm the rage of all.
c1630Drummond of Hawthornden Elegy on G. Adolphus Wks. (1711) 54 With *full plum'd wing thou faulkon-like could fly. 1861Thornbury Turner (1862) I. 58 He will be a full-plumed Royal Academy Student.
1878Masque Poets 214 Brings to northern shores *full-ripened tropic fruits.
1660Dryden Astræa Redux 64 With *full-spread sails to run before the wind. 1748Thomson Castl. Indol. i. 209 Slow from his bench arose A comely full-spread porter, swol'n with sleep. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Full spread, all sail set.
1746Exmoor Scolding 405 (E.D.S.) Ya know es kep Challacomb-Moor in Hond; tes *vull stated. Ibid., Full-stated, spoken of a Leasehold Estate that has Three Lives subsisting thereon.
1757Dyer Fleece iii. 169 Sinewy arms of men, with *full strain'd strength, Wring out the latent water.
1826Scott Mal. Malagr. ii. 59 A *full-trimmed suit of black silk, or velvet.
1842Tennyson Love & Duty 40 When thy low voice, Faltering, would break its syllables, to keep My own *full-tuned.
c1200Ormin 10890 He wass *full-waxenn mann.
▸ full-court press n. Basketball a defensive strategy in which intense pressure is applied to the opposing team over the entire length of the court (cf. press n.1 11f); (also in extended use) a vigorous and concerted effort or campaign.
1949Waterloo (Iowa) Daily Courier 16 Jan. 40/1 The Tigers tried a *full-court press at the start of the second half, but for the most part it backfired as the GoHawks began to click with their fast break. 1967Los Angeles Times 13 June c12/3 Nothing so embarrassing as humor which doesn't come off, and John Godey's actor mistaken for a gangster doesn't in spite of a full court press. 1992Forbes 7 Dec. 236/2 It can..put a full-court press on the Federal Reserve to gun the money supply. 2000N.Y. Times 20 Sept. s3/6 Coach Rudy Tomjanovich quickly sicced a full-court press on the defiant Italians with less than nine minutes left.
▸ slang (orig. U.S.). to be full of shit (also crap): to lack credibility; to talk nonsense; to lie or make unfounded claims. Also (euphem.) to be full of it.
1934R. Chandler Finger Man in O. Penzler Black Lizard Big Bk. of Pulps (2007) 535/1 ‘If I talked wrong, they'd be back for my little girl.’ ‘Go on... They're full of crap.’ 1962H. S. Thompson Let. 6 June in Proud Highway (1997) 341 The people at the Embassy and the USIS are so full of shit that the stench floats down to the street and disrupts traffic. 1964Tulane Drama Rev. 9 65 If you feel something's wrong with the scene, and the director says ‘Don't worry, it's fine’—he's full of it. 1968I. Horovitz Indian wants Bronx (1996) 20 Murph. What the hell kind of story's that? Joey. It's a true one, that's all. Yours is full of crap. 1998J. Ambrose I hate you & I hate your Jesus in S. Champion & D. Scannell Shenanigans (1999) x. 189 She knows I think they're fake punks. She knows I think they're politically full of shit. 2000T. Hall To Elephant Graveyard (2001) vi. 146 This bloke's full of it... I've never heard so much baloney in all my life.
▸ full-motion adj. designating, relating to, or involving the reproduction of moving images in a realistic way, without jerkiness, and usually so as to fill the screen displaying them.
1971H. Ohlman Communication Media & Educ. Technol. ii. 45 Any system for transmitting still-picture television programs should be compatible with *full-motion television. 1987T. Forester High-tech Society (1989) iv. 125 A full motion color TV picture can typically be transmitted via Codecs using only 768,000 bits of data per second. 1993D. Shay & J. Duncan Making of Jurassic Park 134 Composited into the Hawaii background plate would be a full-motion CG brachiosaur. 2001N.Y. Times (National ed.) 6 Dec. d9/3 In five years, he added, e-mail may routinely convey full-motion color video with instant click-through to any number of attachments and points of reference.
full-motion video n. moving images of television quality (at least 25 frames per second) reproduced on a computer or television screen, and frequently involving digital compression techniques; abbreviated FMV.
1978Sci. Amer. Apr. 26/1 Using a satellite to transmit data, voice, *full-motion and freeze-frame video, and facsimile documents—all interactively—Satellite Business Systems (SBS) has undertaken a pace-setting experiment in advanced communications. 1981Aviation Week (Nexis) 8 June 322 We want a system with full motion video, open mikes, life-size eye-to-eye interaction and graphic presentations. 1994CD-ROM World Apr. 18/3 There are very few CD titles on the market that use MPEG encoding for full-motion video. 2000N.Y. Times 1 Jan. c2/4 It is nowhere near as fast as T-3, which is needed to transmit full-motion video in real time.
▸ full beam n. chiefly Brit. and Austral. the setting at which a vehicle's headlights are undipped and brightest; a beam from a headlight on this setting; cf. main beam n. (b) at main adj.2 Special uses 2.
1938Portsmouth (New Hampsh.) Herald 9 July 1/3 He looked up into the glare of the lights of the police car which..was parked..with the headlights on at *full beam. 1987Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 9 June Motorcycles with their lights on full beam also drove up from behind the demonstrators, dazzling police. 2006Sunday Times (Nexis) 5 Nov. 33 Badly adjusted lights.., not to mention full beams left on inadvertently.
▸ full ride n. N. Amer. Educ. colloq. a grant funding the total cost of attending a university, including tuition and other expenses; a fully subsidized course of study at a university.
1956Chicago Daily Tribune 1 Aug. iii. 1/4 All Big Ten schools..gave ‘*full ride’ scholarships to one or more football players. 1986Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 27 Sept. c8, I had a full ride there but it meant I couldn't play any football, just track eight months of the year. 2004U.S. News & World Rep. (Electronic ed.) 6 Sept. 72 Jones..had a 3.8 GPA.., not good enough for a full ride to his first-choice school.
▪ IV. full, n.4 local (Kent).
[Prob. a use of full n.3]
A ridge of shingle or sand pushed or cast up by the tide. So full v.4 trans., to form such a ridge on (the beach).
1846F. Drew Geol. Folkestone & Rye 16 The beach is gradually ‘fulled’, that is pebbles are heaped up in front of the breaker, generally forming a small ridge. 1847Proc. Inst. Civil Engin. VI. 476 No certain record has ever been kept of the increase of the coast line; but from the best existing data, it appears to be about two yards annually, and allowing the accumulation to have been rather more rapid at first, say three yards per annum, a period of about nineteen hundred years will have elapsed, since the sea first left the original ‘Full’ at Lydd. 1864Ibid. XXIII. 195 The spit..is formed of parallel ‘fulls’ of beach. 1902Ld. Avebury Scenery of Eng. 163 It [sc. North Weir Point] consists of a series of curved concentric ridges or ‘fulls’..forming a projecting cape or ‘Ness’. 1964V. J. Chapman Coastal Veget. viii. 205 At Dungeness the ridges, known as ‘fulls’, generally bear Curled dock.
▪ V. † full, v.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 ful(l)wian, fullian, 3–4 folle(n, 3 south. volle(n, 3 fulhe(n, vulȝen, fulewen, folewen, 2–4 fulwe(n, fulȝe, 2 fule(h)ȝen, 4 folwen, fologhe, 5 folowe, 4–6 fulle, (4 fully).
[OE. fullian, fullwian, f. full adv. + OTeut. *wîhêjan, wîhjan (OHG. wîhen, mod.Ger. weihen) to consecrate, f. *wîho- (OS., OHG. wîh, Goth. weihs) holy.
The word thus means ‘to consecrate fully’. A convert who was deemed not sufficiently instructed for baptism, or who shrank from assuming the responsibilities which it involved, was frequently prime-signed, i.e. marked with the sign of the cross only, the ‘full consecration’ by baptism being deferred till a later period.]
trans. To baptize.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. i. xv. [xxvi.] (1890) 62 Ongunnon heo somnian & singan..& men læran & fulwian. a1000Martyrol. (E.E.T.S.) 80 He wæs ᵹefullwad æt Rome. c1000Ags. Gosp. John i. 33 Se þe me sende to fullianne on wætere. c1175Lamb. Hom. 101 Heo setteð heoran handan ofer ifulȝede men. c1205Lay. 2402 Þe king heo lette fulwen æfter þon lawen. a1225Leg. Kath. 1391 Hwi ne hihe we for to beon Ifulhet [v.r. ifulhtnet] as he het his. 1297R. Glouc. (1724) 239 As ȝoure fader dude, do, And be yuolled in holy water. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 164 Alle arn laþed luflyly..Þat euer wern fulȝed in font þat fest to haue. c1380Sir Ferumb. 5697 He wolde fully..þan Amyral þat was þere. c1430Chev. Assigne 369 The sixte was fulwedde cheuelere assigne. c1450Myrc 85 To folowe the chylde ȝef hyt be nede. 1483Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 32 b, Cryste..was fulled in water.
▪ VI. full, v.2|fʊl|
Also 4 follen, fulle(n.
[f. full a.
OE. had fullian to fulfil (Cædmon's Gen. 2317), but continuity is doubtful; in the early ME. fullen the u prob. represents |y|, so that the examples belong to fill v.]
†1.
a. trans. To make full. Cf. fill v. 1. Obs.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 184 In couenant that Clement schulde the cuppe fulle. a1400Prymer (1891) 39 Thanne is oure mouth fulled of joye. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop (1889) 72 He was..fulled with sorowe. 1627–47Feltham Resolves i. lxxxvii. 270 Surely travail fulleth the man.
b. intr. To be or become full. Const. of. Obs. exc. dial. and in U.S. of the moon and the tide.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 44 Thei..demeth god in-to the gorge whon heore gottus follen. c1450Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 343 Myn heed dullyth Myn herte ffullyth Of sslepp. 1794E. Drinker Jrnl. 9 Sept. (1889) 237 The moon fulled this morning about 8 or 10 o'clock. 1864Webster, The moon fulls at midnight. 1878B. F. Taylor Between Gates 40 It is as if a poor little aster should full like the moon and be a dahlia. a1898Suffolk dial. (F. Hall) ‘The moon will full to-night’. 1912L. J. Vance Destroying Angel xix, He should be able to catch the tide just as it was nearing high water. Allowing it to swing him north-west until it fulled, he ought to be a third of the way across by the time it slackened. 1938W. de la Mare Memory 32 Fulling moon aloft doth ride.
†2. trans. To fulfil, complete. Obs.
1380[see fulling vbl. n.]. 1492Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 247/1 Þe saidis persons sall mak na payment of the said soume quhill the poyntis of þe said decrett be fullit efter the forme of þe samyn. 1640Brome Antipodes iii. viii. Wks. 1873 III. 290 Before he has given her satisfaction I may not full my suit.
3. Dressmaking. To make full; to gather or pleat. Also with on.
1831Westm. Rev. XIV. 424 The milliner with her fulling, and quilling, and puckering, come[s] in to supply the retiring graces of nature. 1832E. Ind. Sketch Bk. I. 261 A petticoat fulled and stiffened into the dignified rotundity of a hoop. 1884West. Daily Press 2 June 7/2 Plastrons..are composed of a straight piece, fulled into a small band at the top. 1890Daily News 4 Dec. 3/4 Many pretty little jackets..are composed of black lace fulled on over a foundation of silk or gold gauze.
b. intr. To draw up, pucker, bunch.
1889Century Dict., The skirt fulls too much in front.
Hence fulled ppl. a., gathered or pleated; arranged in folds; ˈfulling vbl. n., the action of the vb.; † (a) the action of fulfilling; (b) the action of gathering or pleating; in quots. concr.
c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 257 Her matere schulde be truþe and fullynge of Goddis lawe. 1760Mrs. Delany Life & Corr. Ser. ii. III. App. 504 There was very little fulling, but the whole design was to be seen without many folds. 1877Blackmore Cripps I. ii. 24 She gathered in the skirt of her frock and the fulling of her cloak. 1892Daily News 16 Feb. 6/5 Coats..finished off at the neck with a fulled shoulder cape.
▪ VII. full, v.3|fʊl|
Also 5 ful(le.
[ad. OF. fuler (F. fouler): see foil v.1]
1. trans. spec. To tread or beat (cloth) for the purpose of cleansing and thickening it; hence, to cleanse and thicken (cloth, etc.).
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 445 Cloth that cometh fro the weuyng is nouȝt comly to were, Tyl it is fulled vnder fote or in fullyng-stokkes. c1440Prompt. Parv. 182/1 Fulle clothe, fullo. c1483Caxton Vocab. 15 b, Colard..Can well fulle cloth. 1511–2Act 3 Hen. VIII, c. 6 §1 The Walker and Fuller shall truely walke fulle thikke and werke every webbe of wollen yerne. 1598Florio, Follare, to full, as clothes in a presse. 1643Prynne Open. Gt. Seale 20 One..man should be assigned..to seale the Clothes that shall be wrought and fulled in London. 1695Lond. Gaz. No. 3086/4 A new Invented Engine, which Fulls all sorts of Stuffs by Hand or Mans Labour. 1812Southey in Q. Rev. VII. 63 In this manner a girl can full twenty pair of hose in four or five hours. 1872Yeats Techn. Hist. Comm. 147 English cloths, at the outset were sent to be fulled and dyed in the Netherlands. 1884J. Payne Tales fr. Arabic I. 233, I shall..weave for her and full her yarn.
†2. gen. To beat or trample down; also, to destroy. Obs.
c1400Rowland & O. 112 Fulle the under my horse fete. c1440York Myst. xi. 118 Nowe kyng Pharo fuls thare childir ful faste. 1641Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 78 Hee threw his hey abroad a nights afore hee lette them in, because then they did not runne over it and full it so much. |
