c1487 J. Skelton tr. Diodorus Siculus Bibliotheca Historica iii. 213 They be in commodities farre passyng all other aswell by reason of the swetenes of theire fruyt as in bignes and lusty recreative moisture of the same.

c1550 Complaynt Scotl. (1979) Table 148 The sext cheptor rehersis ane monolog recreatyue of the actor.

1579 E. K. in E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Gen. Argt. §3 Recreative, such as al those be, which containe matter of love.

1629 tr. S. Pelegromius Descr. S'hertogenbosh 1 This Boscage was an euen and recreatiue place, fruitfull of wild Deere.

1656 T. Blount Acad. Eloquence (ed. 2) 61 Here Cypres Groves, there walks with Statues; Here a Sea of fountains, there Swans, Ostriches, and other recreative creatures.

1695 J. Edwards Disc. conc. Old & New-Test. III. iv. 222 Washing or Bathing..was a Recreative Exercise of the Female Sex.

1729 G. Shelvocke, Jr. tr. K. Siemienowicz Great Art Artillery iv. 207 The form then of the recreative Sort [of crackers] may be much varied.

1765 C. Smart Phædrus iii. xiii. 115 Thus recreative sports and play, Are good upon a holiday.

1799 H. Jones Belmont Lodge II. 241 Anna seldom failed to return from these recreative excursions with additional satisfaction.

1814 F. Burney Wanderer III. 293 They were only recreative little sylphs, amusing themselves with whipping and spurring me on to my own good.

1887 Spectator 9 Apr. 492 His contributions to the recreative literature of the day.

1929 Needlecraft Apr. 6/1 It is a delight to work with fabric-paints, especially for the very busy woman who feels that she can devote but little time to decorative—which is recreative—art.

1997 Nature 8 May 143/2 Here, truly, is an organism that practises recreative rather than procreative sex, with little regard to constraints of gender, age or rank, although the line is drawn at incest.

1615 S. Daniel Hymens Triumph Prol. sig. ¶3 For, these are onely Cynthias Recreatiues Made vnto Phoebus.

1620 Horæ Subseciuæ 382 I know few recreatiues that possesse vs more, then the humour of building.

1853 F. Saunders Salad for Solitary 33 Among the most delightful of mental recreatives may be classed the exhilarating pleasures of intellectual intercourse; they constitute the very life-fluid of our social being.

1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Recreativement, recreatiuely, with recreation.

1702 H. Curson Theory of Sci. Illustr. 364 I hope it cannot be thought improper or offensive to speak somewhat briefly and recreatively.

1842 Times 12 Mar. 7/3 (advt.) The traveller..recreatively enjoying himself by the banks of the ‘lazy Scheldt or the wandering Po’.

1907 Centralia (Washington) News-Examiner 2 Aug. They are benefiting the farmers socially and recreatively. They are teaching the farmers that by intercourse one with another their minds are broadening.

1999 in Buffalo (N.Y.) News (Nexis) 27 June 2 h Today, the vast majority of Americans either gamble recreatively and experience no measurable side effects related to their gambling, or they choose not to gamble at all.