| 释义 |
suffice, v.|səˈfaɪs|
Forms: 4 suffische, 4–5 suffich; 4 sofise, 4–5 -ice, 4–6 suffyse, -yce, 4–7 suffise, 5 suffis, -icy, -ys(s, -es, sofyse, 5–6 suffyze, 5–7 -ize, 4– suffice.
[f. OF. suffis-, pres. stem of suffire:—L. sufficĕre, f. suf- = sub- + facĕre to make, do.]
1. intr. To be enough, sufficient, or adequate for a purpose or the end in view.
c1340Hampole Prose Treat. (1866) 19, I haue tolde þe in þis mater a lyttill as me thynke; noghte affermande þat þis suffisches, ne þat þis es þe sothefastnes in þis mater. 1390Gower Conf. II. 138 He..the richesse of gold despiseth, And seith that mete and cloth sufficeth. a1425tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula etc. 28 And þis sufficeþ of þe kuttyng of þe fistule. 1528More Dyalogue iv. Wks. 264/2 Yet yf he lacked charite, all hys fayth suffised not. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. ii. 66 'Twixt such friends as wee, Few words suffice. 1646Hamilton Papers (Camden) 133 This shall suffice from..Your Grace's humblest seruant, R. Moray. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 411 What art can then Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe Through the strict Senteries? 1718Hickes & Nelson J. Kettlewell i. xviii. 41 To omit other Instances..let this which followeth suffice. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 340 So a seisin at one time would suffice; for the statute said ‘seised at any time’. 1847Emerson Poems, Day's Ration Wks. (Bohn) I. 482 Why need I volumes, if one word suffice?
†b. Const. to (a person): To be enough for, satisfy the requirements of; = sense 5. Obs.
1340–70Alex. & Dind. 61 To us silf sofisen þis cauus. 1382Wyclif John xiv. 8 Schewe to vs the fadir, and it suffisith to vs. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxii. 145 Qwhat thing myght suffice to þat man, to wham all þe werld will noȝt suffice? 1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 5206 Swych ten..Wolde nat suffysen vn-to me At O dyner..To fulfylle myn appetyt. 1484Caxton Curiall I b, Late hyt suffyse to the and to me that one of us tweyne be infortunat. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 229 All this suffyseth not to me for I wolde haue parte of y⊇ seygnory.
c. Const. for in the same sense.
c1386Chaucer Knt.'s T. 375 Oonly the sighte of hire whom þat I serue..Wolde han suffised right ynough for me. a1513Fabyan Chron. vi. cciv. (1811) 215 Why is nat this kyngdom suffycyent for twayne yt somtyme suffysed for .vii.? 1791Cowper Iliad iv. 426 Short reprimand and exhortation short Suffice for thee. 1807Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 80 Such all the rules, and they suffice for all.
d. Const. for (a thing): To be of sufficient quantity, capacity, or scope for; to provide enough material or accommodation for.
1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 203 Yf hit sufficith nat for a-seth..Mercy..wil make good þe remenant. 1422Yonge Secr. Secr. xxiii. 151 Suffysid a lytill graue of v⊇ foote for his Pallis, for his halle, and for his roob. 1611Bible 1 Kings xx. 10 If the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. 1703Pope Thebais 216 For crimes like these, not all those realms suffice, Were all those realms the guilty victor's prize! 1847Mrs. A. Kerr t. Ranke's Hist. Servia 115 The Janissaries by whom they were surrounded sufficed not for their purposes. 1866Geo. Eliot F. Holt (1868) 46 The book-shelves did not suffice for his store of old books. 1875Spencer First Princ. ii. v. §59 (ed. 3) 189 note, This mode of conceiving the phenomena suffices for physical inquiries.
†e. Const. to: To be adequate or equal to; to avail for. Obs.
c1325Song of Yesterday 136 in E.E.P. (1862) 136 Al þi wit schal be þorw souȝt To more good þen þou may suffise. 13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 135 Vrþely herte myȝt not suffyse To þe tenþe dole of þo gladnez glade. 1375Barbour Bruce i. 12, I wald fayne set my will, Giff my wyt mycht suffice thartill, To put in wryt a suthfast story. c1400Destr. Troy 6747 All-þof Ector was on, þat odmony slogh,..Hymselfe might not suffise to þat soume hoge. 1496–7Act 12 Hen. VII, c. 13 § 1 The graunt of the seid too xvmes and xmes doth not suffise nor extende to the behoufull chargis and expencis. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 13 He wolde not that his worde onely sholde suffyse to our example of lyuynge.
f. Const. for with a noun of action or gerund.
1475Rolls of Parlt. VI. 150/2 The somme..wold not suffise for the contentation of the wages. 1577B. Googe tr. Heresbach's Husb. 19 b, Such store of Poultrie..as the doung of them suffised for the manuring of theyr ground. 1653W. Ramesey Astrol. Restored 20 This may suffice for the silencing of such simpletons. 1815J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 627 A lighter harrow..will suffice for covering seed. 1856Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) II. vi. 37 The evidence of the most abandoned villains sufficed for their conviction.
g. Const. to with inf.
1390Gower Conf. I. 153 Al the world ne may suffise To stanche of Pride the reprise. 1480Caxton Cron. Eng. cii. 82 The lyuyng peple ne suffysed not to burye the dede bodyes. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xxiii. heading, Be mirry and glaid, honest and vertewous, Ffor that suffisis to anger the invyous. 1614Raleigh Hist. World ii. xxvii. 617 The same occasions sufficed also, to procure the deliuerie of Manasses. 1667Milton P.L. vii. 113 To recount Almightie works What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice? 1741–2Gray Agrip. 59 The world, you gave him, Suffices not to pay the obligation. 1839Kemble Resid. Georgia (1863) 259 A very short time would suffice to teach him to read. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xiv. 97 The fog..every trace of which a few minutes sufficed to sweep away. 1883Manch. Guard. 12 Oct. 5/3 A little thing has sufficed to destroy the balance of a structure that was already tottering.
†h. to suffice to oneself: to be self-sufficient. Obs.
c1400Apol. Loll. 109 Þei þat sufficy to hemsilf. 1587Golding De Mornay iii. 32 The onely one God,..Suffizing to himselfe.
†2. impers. It is enough. Obs.
1382Wyclif Mark xiv. 41 He cam the thridde tyme, and seith to hem, Slepe ȝe nowe, and reste ȝe; sothli it sufficith. c1386Chaucer Shipman's T. 52 Na moore of this as now, for it suffiseth. 1390Gower Conf. III. 245 Whan kinde is dueliche served, It oghte of reson to suffise. c1400Rule St. Benet (verse) 1824 Sese! it suffes now. 1530Palsgr. 743/1 Syth he hath made his confessyon with his awne hande, it suffyseth, I aske no more.
b. Const. inf. or clause with, or (formerly) without, anticipatory subject it. Now chiefly in the subjunctive, suffice it, sometimes short for suffice it to say.
1390Gower Conf. I. 14 To studie upon the worldes lore Sufficeth now withoute more. 1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 6864 Than suffysede, stedefastly To loue god, our creatour. 1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Publ. Baptism, If the childe be weake, it shall suffice to powre water upon it. 1557North Gueuara's Diall Pr. ii. xxxiv. (1568) 153 For to be a good captayne, sufficeth only to be hardy, and fortunate. 1692Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 25 It suffices to say that Xantippus becoming the manager of affairs, altered extreamly the Carthaginians Army. 1779Mirror No. 8 Suffice it to say, that my parting with the Dervise was very tender. 1898‘H. S. Merriman’ Roden's Corner x. 100 Suffice it to say that there are many such reasons.
1422Yonge tr. Secr. Secr. 178 Hit suffichyth that..we fyndyth y-writte, that oone forcible kynge of grete Pouer, assiget the Cite of Rome. 1552Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion, It shall suffyse that the bread be suche, as is vsuall to bee eaten. 1582Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 64 Sufficeth yt also That Troians misery dyd I liue too testifye mourneful. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. viii. 56 Suffise, that I haue done my dew in place. a1593Marlowe Hero & Leander i. 71 Let it suffise, That my slacke muse sings of Leanders eies. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. i. 252 If thou ask me why, Sufficeth my reasons are both good and waighty. 1646Crashaw Steps to Temple 71 Angels cannot tell; suffice, Thyself shalt feel thine own full joys. 1671Milton Samson 63 Suffices that to me strength is my bane. a1764Lloyd New-River Head Poet. Wks. 1774 II. 68 Suffice it, that my goody's care Brought forth her best, tho' simple fare. 1812Byron Ch. Har. i. iii, Suffice it, that perchance they were of fame. 1841Thackeray Gt. Hoggarty Diam. vii, I have passed over a great deal of the religious part of Mr. Brough's behaviour: suffice it, that religion was always on his lips.
c. With dative pron. added. arch.
c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 573 Suffiseth me thou make in þis manere [etc.]. c1392― Compl. Venus 65 To the hit ought ynogh suffise, that love so highe a grace to yow sent. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop v. xii, Wel hit maye suffyse the to haue had tweyne of them. c1520Nisbet N.T. Matt. x. 25 It sufficis to the discipile that he be as his maistir. 1592Kyd Sp. Trag. iii. xv. 20 Sufficeth thee that poore Hieronimo Cannot forget his sonne Horatio. 1598Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 10 Let it suffice thee (Mistris Page)..that I loue thee. 1667Milton P.L. xi. 88 Had it suffic'd him to have known Good by it self. 1690Locke Hum. Und. ii. ix. §15 It suffices me only to have remark'd here, that [etc.]. 1833Tennyson Two Voices 386 Suffice it thee Thy pain is a reality. 1875Hayward Love agst. World 80 Let it suffice you that I will see you on the subject.
d. Const. for with acc. and inf.
1848Thackeray Van. Fair lxiii, It sufficed for our Minister to stand up for Madame Strumpff.
†3. To have the necessary ability, capacity, or resources for doing something; to be competent or able to do something. Chiefly const. inf. Obs. (in later use coloured by 1 g.)
a1325MS. Rawl. B. 520 lf. 32 b, Ȝif þe lord ne mai noȝt suffisen to uellen þe vnder wode þe contreie him sal helpe. c1383Concl. Loll. in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1911) Oct. 748 In vsinge medeful werkis..as moche as þei suffisen. 1390Gower Conf. III. 21, I schal do, fader, as ye sein, Als ferforth as I mai suffise. c1400Mandeville (1839) xx. 221 The Lordes here han folk of certeyn nombre, als thei may suffise. 1406Hoccleve La Male Regle 400 To recorde it vnnethe I may souffyse. c1450Holland Howlat 96, I may nocht suffyss to se ȝour sanctitud sad. 1523Skelton Garl. Laurel 875 Of all your bewte I suffyce not to wryght. 1743Warburton Ric. Arist. in Pope's Dunc. p. xxxiv, If so many and various graces go to the making up a Hero, what mortal shall suffice to bear this character? 1823Scott Quentin D. Introd., A Frenchman..can..address himself to a variety of services, and suffice in his own person to discharge them all.
†b. trans. To be capable of. Obs.
1390Gower Conf. I. 89 That thou to loves heste obeie Als ferr as thou it myht suffise. 14..Chaucer's H. Fame 1180 (Caxton) My wytt [ne] may it [v.r. me] not suffyse.
†4. intr. Contextually, of a quality or condition: To provide adequate means or opportunity; to allow or admit of a certain thing being done. Also trans. Obs.
c1369Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 1094 As my wytte koude best suffyse..I besette hytte To loue hir yn my beste wyse. 1423Jas. I Kingis Q. cxl, Quhill my yf may suffise. 1425Rolls of Parlt. IV. 296/2 My said Lordes..shall as ferforth as her cunnyng and discretions suffisen, trewely..avise ye Kyng. c1440Generydes 1150 When they came ther they sawe a faire cite, As full a pepill as it cowde suffice. c1450in Aungier Syon (1840) 311 Yf the tyme wylle suffise it, the abbes..may exorte them in thys wyse. 1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 1 As fer as my wrecchednes wold suffyse.
5. trans. To be enough for; to meet the desires, needs, or requirements of (a person); to satisfy. arch. † Also impers.
The object is of datival origin: cf. 1 b. † (it) sufficeth me: I am satisfied, content.
1390Gower Conf. I. 290 Al that mihte him noght suffise, That he ne bad to do juise Upon the child. c1400Rom. Rose 6005 Therfore it suffisith me Her good herte and her beaute. c1400Beryn 1219 The halff of our lyvlode Wold scarsly suffise hym selff aloon. c1440York Myst. xxiii. 18 Þat suffice vs with-outen more. 1481Caxton Godfrey viii. 30 They were so grete plente of peple that no londe myght suffyse them. 1550Crowley Last Trumpet 417 Let this example suffice the. 1583T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. iii. 112 A pound of bread, which oftentimes would scarcly suffice some trauellers to breakfast. 1592Kyd Sp. Trag. iii. xv. 35 Sufficeth me; thy meanings vnderstood. 1794Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxviii, It is my will that you remain here, let that suffice you. 1803–5Wordsw. Rob Roy's Grave 38 The good old rule Sufficeth them. 1854Newman Hist. Sk. (1876) I. i. iv. 173 Barbarian minds remain in the circle of ideas which sufficed their forefathers.
transf.1643J. M. Soveraigne Salve 13 A weak reason may suffice so strong a cause.
†b. Const. of (the thing). Obs.
c1440Gesta Rom. i. xxxii. 125 (Harl. MS.), He that pleithe with me, shall neuer be suffisid of my pley. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour c viij, For it suffyseth them ynowe of one masse. 1611Bible Ezek. xliv. 6 O yee house of Israel, let it suffice you, of all your abominations.
c. pass. To be satisfied or content. arch.
c1430Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 200 Whoos boody may not suffysed been. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour e ij, Therwith she myght haue be pleased and suffised. 1531Elyot Gov. i. xiii. (1880) I. 115 The parentes..being suffised that their children can onely speke latine proprely. 1598Sylvester Du Bartas ii. ii. iii. (1641) 132/1 Whose searching soule can hardly be suffiz'd With Vulgar Knowledge. c1600Shakes. Sonn. xxxvii, I in thy abundance am suffic'd. 1700Dryden Theod. & Honoria 194 Not half suffic'd, and greedy yet to kill. 1850T. T. Lynch Theoph. Trinal v. 71 One half hour, solemnity may fill his heart; the next, pleasantry; by each shall his heart be for the time sufficed.
†d. refl. To satisfy oneself. Obs.
† suffice thee, suffice you: be content.
1484Caxton Fables of æsop iv. ix, Suffyse the, For ther to I shalle put al my dylygence. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxxxv. 268 Suffyce you with the gyft that I haue gyuen you. 1597A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. t v, I suffise my selfe with my accustomed manner. 1601Shakes. All's Well iii. v. 10 Come lets returne againe, And suffice our selues with the report of it.
†6. To provide enough food for, satisfy the appetite of; also, to satisfy (the appetite). Chiefly pass. Obs.
c1450Lovelich Grail xlviii. 428 The tenthe part Of theke Meyne with that fisch suffised not scholde be. 1526Tindale Mark viii. 4 From whence myght a man suffyse them with breed? Ibid. 8 They ate and were suffysed. 1595Shakes. John i. i. 191 And when my knightly stomacke is suffis'd, Why then I sucke my teeth. 1596Spenser F.Q. v. iii. 4 When all men had..Of meates and drinkes their appetites suffiz'd. 1609Man in Moone (1849) 30 He is none of your ordinarie fellowes, which will suffice nature for threepence;..a rabbit is but a bitte with him. 1687Dryden Hind & P. i. 554 When the herd suffis'd, did late repair To ferney heaths. 1791Cowper Iliad i. 577 They feasted, and were all sufficed.
†7. To satisfy, meet the ‘calls’ of (a desire, need, sense, emotion, etc.). Obs.
1533in Leadam Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.) II. 301 What [meat] shulde suffice their necessitie. 1547–64Bauldwin Mor. Philos. (Palfr.) 60 Sleepe no more then shall suffice the sustentation of your bodies. c1585Faire Em i. i. 67 Let my vttermost wealth suffice thy worth. 1598Chapman Iliad xviii. 316 Then Ioue askt Iuno, if at length, she had suffisde her splene. 1651Davenant Gondibert iii. iv, The King has now his curious sight suffis'd With all lost Arts. 1667Milton P.L. i. 148 Strongly to suffer and support our pains, That we may so suffice his vengeful ire. 1725Pope Odyss. ii. 63 Scarce all my herds their luxury suffice. 1737Whiston Josephus, Antiq. xvi. vii. §1 There was..indeed enough to suffice all his wants.
†8. intr. with unto: To be satisfied with. rare.
c1390Chaucer Truth 2 Suffise vnto þyn þyng þow it be smal.
†9. trans. To make or be sufficient provision for; to supply with something. Also, to replenish (a supply). Obs.
c1440Pallad. on Husb. iv. 56, V sester shal suffice an aker lond. Ibid. ix. 191, Xij hundrid pounde of metal shal suffise A thousand feet in lengthe of pipis sure. 1600Hakluyt Voy. III. 381 Oxen,..whereof..they killed fourescore, which sufficed the armie with flesh. 1697Dryden æneid ix. 1085 Nor Juno, who sustain'd his arms before, Dares with new strength suffice th' exhausted store. 1700― Iliad i. 653 The Pow'r appeas'd, with Winds suffic'd the Sail.
†10. To supply, furnish (a product, etc.). Obs.
1626Bacon Sylva §510 The Iuyce, as it seemeth, not being able to suffice a Succulent Colour, and a Double Leafe. 1725Pope Odyss. xiii. 292 The rugged soil..Suffices fulness to the swelling grain. |