toov.
/tuː/, U.S. /tu/ U.S.
Variant of tew v.1 6, to bustle round.
ΚΠ
1876 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers Introd. in Poet. Wks. (new ed.) 224/2 ‘Ther's sech a thing ez bein' tu’..hence the phrase tooin' round, meaning a supererogatory activity like that of flies.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
tooadv.
/tuː/, U.S. /tu/ I. In addition, moreover.
1.
a. In addition (cf. to adv. 5); furthermore, moreover, besides, also.The use of too in this sense at the beginning of a clause, formerly common, was rare or obsolete by the nineteenth cent. It was revived in the twentieth cent., at first in the U.S.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > very
tooc888
swith971
wellOE
wellOE
fullOE
rightc1175
muchc1225
wellac1275
gainlya1375
endlyc1440
hard?1440
very1448
odda1500
great1535
jolly1549
fellc1600
veryvery1649
gooda1655
vastly1664
strange1667
bloody1676
ever so1686
heartily1727
real1771
precious1775
quarely1805
murry1818
très1819
freely1820
powerfula1822
gurt1824
almighty1830
heap1832
all-fired1833
gradely1850
real1856
bonny1857
heavens1858
veddy1859
canny1867
some1867
oh-so1881
storming1883
spanking1886
socking1896
hefty1898
velly1898
fair dinkum1904
plurry1907
Pygmalion1914
dinkum1915
beaucoup1918
dirty1920
molto1923
snorting1924
honking1929
hellishing1931
thumpingly1948
way1965
mega1966
mondo1968
seriously1970
totally1972
mucho1978
stonking1990
c888 Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. xli. §5 Þa styriendan netenu..habbað eall þæt ða unstyriendan habbað, and eac mare to.
a1240 Ureisun in Cott. Hom. 183 Tu art se softe and se swote ȝette to swa leoflic.
c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 229 Þe envenomed knyfe [he] out braid, & gaf Edward a wounde. To, I wene, he lauht.
?1400 Arthur 532 Seyþ a Pater noster more to.
1533 T. More Debellacyon Salem & Bizance ii. xvi. f. lxxxiii Wolde not the iudges..geue them the herynge? yes yes I dowte not, and the iury to.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) iii. i. 111 Prettie and wittie; wilde, and yet too gentle. View more context for this quotation
1630 G. Hakewill Apologie (ed. 2) iv. i. 296 Not the bodie only but the minde to..is sickish and indispos'd.
a1643 J. Shute Sarah & Hagar (1649) 156 Too, we profess our selves the Redeemed of the Lord.
1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. iii. 20 Take..this book too.
1821 W. Scott Kenilworth II. viii. 206 I too have sometimes that dark melancholy.
1891 Law Times 90 315/1 If you sell the mansion-house in which the heirlooms are to be kept, you must sell the heirlooms too.
1930 Publishers' Weekly 17 May 2514/2 Too, chain store merchandising tactics are the result..of the keenest..retailing brains in this country.
1956 D. E. Gardner & F. A. Smith Geneal. Res. Eng. & Wales I. iv. 46 Many births and deaths were not recorded in the parish registers of England and Wales. Too, some of the other denominations kept poor records.
1969 Daily Tel. 17 Oct. (Colour Suppl.) 59/1 And, too, is there any future for the Dunebuggy in Britain?
1976 National Observer (U.S.) 7 Mar. 13/2 Too, supermarket officials note, the projected 10 to 20 per cent saving..covers only part of the..bill.
1978 R. Ludlum Holcroft Covenant vii. 89 Too, the windows were not that close to one another.
b. Used after a verb to emphasize a reassertion of a denied statement. Originally and chiefly U.S.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [adverb] > outstandingly > emphasizing reassertion of denied statement
too1913
1913 B. tarkington in Sat. Evening Post 21 June 38/3 ‘No, I didn't.’.. ‘He did too! Didn't he, Sam?’
1936 M. Mitchell Gone with the Wind xlvii. 843 ‘Surely you can't be thinking of marrying a man who wasn't in the army..?’ ‘He was, too, in the army.’
1937 P. G. Wodehouse Summer Moonshine (1938) v. 59 ‘Do you know the Princess?’ ‘My stepmother.’ ‘She isn't!’ ‘She is, too. I have documents to prove it.’
1939 Reader's Digest Dec. 25 ‘She hasn't got appendicitis.’ The husband became even wilder, insisting that she did too have appendicitis.
1963 L. Deighton Horse under Water xxi. 92 ‘How do you think she guessed?’ ‘No idea,’ I said. ‘You have too. Please tell me,’ said Jean.
1969 tr. Godard's Masculine Feminine 60 Madeleine: You don't care, but for me my first record is very important. Paul: I do too care.
1978 A. Maling Lucky Devil xxxiii. 181 ‘Well, you can't really believe in both,’ she said. ‘You can too!’ Frances said hotly.
II. Senses relating to excess or superabundance.
2. In excess; more than enough; overmuch, superfluously, superabundantly. (Preceding and qualifying an adjective or adverb.)
a. gen. In excess of what ought to be; more than is right or fitting.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > excessive amount or degree > [adverb] > excessively or immoderately
too971
unimeteOE
unmethelyOE
overmetec1225
un-i-methc1225
unmeetly?c1225
unmethc1225
overgarta1333
outrageouslya1387
outrageousc1390
unreasonablyc1400
outragelya1425
unmoderately?a1425
inordinatelyc1450
unrulilyc1456
dismeasurably1474
immoderately1482
overharda1500
unreasonable1535
furiously1555
intemperately1576
overliberally1578
unconscionably1583
unconscionable1596
exorbitantlya1635
undulya1779
owdaciously1848
971 Blickl. Hom. 41 ge eow ondrædaþ þæt ge onfon to lytlum leanum.
OE Crist III 1567 Ac hy to sið doð gæstum helpe, ðonne þæs giman nele weoruda waldend, hu þa womsceaþan hyra ealdgestreon on þa openan tid sare greten.
a1200 Moral Ode 28 in Lamb. Hom. 161 Al to muchel ich habbe ispent, to litel ihud in horde.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness l. 182 For mon-sworne, & men-sclaȝt, & to much drynk.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Num. xvi. A Ye make to moch a doo.
1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear iv. 252 We that too late repent's. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) v. ii. 353 One that lou'd not wisely, but too well. View more context for this quotation
1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. vi. 54 I delivered this observation with too much acrimony.
1852 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin I. xvi. 264 A fellow's taking a glass too much, and sitting a little too late over his cards.
b. More than enough for the particular case in question; in excess of what is consistent with or required by something expressed by the context.Usually constructed for with noun (cf. for prep. 12c); to with infinitive (cf. to 7b); or for with noun + to with infinitive (cf. for prep. 29).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > excessive amount or degree > [adverb] > superfluously
tooa1300
superfluly1395
superfluously1557
supererogatorily1641
supervacaneously1657
supererogantly1896
a1300 A Sarmun xxxv, in Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) 5 Hit is to late whan þou ert þare To crie ihsu þin ore.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 5024 Of here a-tir for to telle to badde is my witte.
1490 Caxton's Blanchardyn & Eglantine (1962) xlvi. 177 Blanchardyn shal neuer come ayen at thys syde; kyng alymodes is to myghty a lorde in his lande.
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Fiiv All worldly welth for hym to lytell was.
1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing v. ii. 65 Thou and I are too wise to wooe peaceably. View more context for this quotation
1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler vii. 160 This dish of meat is too good for any but Anglers. View more context for this quotation
1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius De Rebus Belgicis 791 The Castle..was too mean a prize for so great an Army to look after.
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 200. ⁋2 Men of Letters know too much to make good Husbands.
1807 W. Wordsworth Poems I. 15 A Creature not too bright or good For human nature's daily food.
1908 R. Bagot Anthony Cuthbert xix Too large an apartment for two people not to feel somewhat lost in it.
c. Expressing, sorrowfully or indignantly, regret or disapproval: to a lamentable, reprehensible, painful, or intolerable extent; regrettably, painfully, esp. as too true. just too bad: see bad adj., n.2, and adv. Phrases 4. Cf. 5c.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > [adverb] > lamentably
ruthfullyc1225
tooc1275
piteouslyc1300
pitifullyc1450
pietously1474
wretchedly1546
lamentably1585
deplorably1653
sadly1655
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2627 To late heom þuste are heo þer comen.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 4618 Ac to prout he was & to fals, þat ssende þis lond alas.
c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 454 & þus ech siche were herde of ech, but þis abusioun were to straunge.
1447 Rolls of Parl. V. 137/1 It apperith to openly in som persones.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 501 The olde prouerbes be to true.
?1593 H. Chettle Kind-harts Dreame sig. D2 Either witles, which is too bad, or wilfull, which is worse.
1648 N. Ward To Parl. at Westm. 15 Which is too well pleasing to the adverse partee.
1721 R. Wodrow Hist. Sufferings Church of Scotl. (1838) I. i. iv. § i. 333/2 Some of them, alas too many, were heard swearing very rudely.
1839 W. M. Thackeray Fatal Boots Aug. This was too cool.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. v. 663 It is indeed but too true that the taste for blood is a taste which..men..may..speedily acquire.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xvii. 87 At best a blunderer, and too probably a traitor.
1900 C. M. Yonge Mod. Broods i. 5 ‘I am considered quite passée——’ ‘My dear! With your art, and music, and all!’ ‘Too true!’
1930 ‘E. Queen’ French Powder Myst. xxxi. 261 ‘The presumption is that he slept home all night and therefore couldn't have committed the crime. Yet physically it was possible.’.. ‘Too true, too true,’ murmured Ellery.
1976 N. Freeling Lake Isle x. 67 ‘Rare, that sort of saint.’ ‘Too true.’
d. Rarely used to qualify a verb: too much, to excess. (See also sense 4b.)
ΚΠ
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. lix Whyle one is ladyd to the others backe is bare.
1833 R. Browning Pauline 937–8 I have too trusted my own lawless wants, Too trusted my vain self.
1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country iii. 196 The causes,..Would too distract, too desperately foil Enquirer.
3. As a mere intensive: excessively, extremely, exceedingly, very. ‘Now chiefly an emotional feminine colloquialism’—N.E.D.; but see also senses 5c, 2d.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > extremely or exceedingly
swithlyc888
micklelyeOE
swith971
hardOE
un-i-fohOE
sevenfoldlOE
unmeet?c1225
innerlyc1330
horribly1340
too1340
sore1474
horriblec1475
vehemently1483
outrageous1487
done?a1513
exquisite1529
strangely1532
exceeding1535
exceedingly1535
angardlyc1540
angerlyc1540
choicec1540
vengeable1542
vengeably?1550
extremelya1554
monstrous1569
thrice1579
amain1587
extremea1591
damnably1598
fellc1600
tyrannically1602
exquisitely1603
damnedly1607
preciously1607
damnablea1616
impensively1620
excellingly1621
main1632
fearful1634
vengeancelya1640
upsy1650
impensely1657
twadding1657
vastly1664
hideous1667
mainly1670
consumed1707
consumedly1707
outrageously1749
damned1757
nation1771
shockingly1777
deuced1779
darn1789
darned1807
felly1807
varsal1814
awful1816
awfy1816
frightfully1816
deucedly1819
dogged1819
awfully1820
gallowsa1823
shocking1831
tremendously1832
everlasting1833
terribly1833
fearfully1835
ripping1838
poison1840
thundering1853
frighteninglyc1854
raring1854
hell's own1863
goldarned1866
goddamned1870
doggone1871
acutely1872
whooping1874
stupidly1878
everlastingly1879
hideously1882
densely1883
storming1883
good and1885
thunderingly1885
crazy1887
tremendous1887
madly1888
goldarn1892
howling1895
murderously1916
rasted1919
goddam1921
bitchingly1923
Christly1923
bitching1929
falling-down1930
lousy1932
appallingly1937
stratospherically1941
Christ almighty1945
effing1945
focking1956
dagnab1961
drop-dead1980
hella1987
totes2006
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 95 The wel greate loue and to moche charite of god þe uader.
1697 tr. Countess D'Aunoy's Trav. (1706) 79 He..had not lost nothing of whatever made me heretofore fancy him too Lovely.
1825 T. Hook Sayings & Doings 2nd Ser. I. 273 ‘We shall see you at dinner, perhaps,’, said the Colonel... ‘I shall be too happy,’ replied Noel.
1884 Princess Christian tr. Princess Alice Let. in tr. K. Sell Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse 203 How too delightful your expeditions must have been.
4. Reduplicated for emphasis: too too (formerly occasionally written as one word, toto, totoo, tootoo).† b. Qualifying a verb, as in sense 2d; also absol.
a. Qualifying an adjective or adverb; chiefly in sense 2c (Very common c1540–1660.)
ΚΠ
1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 271 It was toto ferre oddes yt a Syrian born should in Roome ouer come a Romain.
1582 in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1599) II. i. 162 Threed..some tootoo hard spun, some tootoo soft spun.
1592 A. Day Eng. Secretorie (rev. ed.) i. sig. C1v Vsed Bona fide, it was too too bad.
1595 Blanchardine & Eglantine liv. 213 Ah ! to to well I suspected..that my captiuitie would bring her callamity.
1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet i. ii. 129 O that this too too sallied flesh would melt. View more context for this quotation
1655 Ld. Orrery Parthenissa IV. ii. vi. 633 Hir fears..were but too-too-well grounded.
1745 Gentleman's Mag. Oct. 550/1 Not apt to toy, and yet not too too nice.
1821 W. Scott Kenilworth III. xi. 211 It is too, too apparent.
1885 Leland Brand-new Ballads (ed. 2) 109 Perishing to find Something which was not too-too-utter-ish To serve for dinner.
1887 Notes & Queries 7th Ser. 3 109/2 The too-too painfully ceremonious manners..of the French.
ΚΠ
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Ciii He doth abuse, hym selfe to to.
1533 J. Heywood Mery Play Iohan Iohan sig. A.iii By my soule I loue thee too too.
1557 Dialoge of Comfort (new ed.) iii. xx, in Wks. Sir T. More 1247/2 I cannot then see, that the feare..shold any thing sticke with vs, & make vs toto shrinke.
?1562 Thersytes sig. D.iv It is to, to, [sic] mother, the pastyme and good chere That we shall see and haue.
c. As adj. in predicative or attributive use: excessive, extreme; extremely good, highly exquisite.An affectation, connected with the ‘æsthetic’ craze of c1880–90. In quot. 1891 = characterized by the use of ‘too too’.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
1881 Punch 26 Mar. 138 (caption) ‘Have you seen the Old Masters at Burlington House?’.. ‘Are they not really quite too too!!’
1891 Notes & Queries 7th Ser. 11 30/2 Let the exclusive too-too æsthetes tolerate the remark that music and painting do not exist for them.
1893 N. H. Kennard Diogenes' Sandals i. 12 The piece is nowhere; but my frocks are too too!
5. In special collocations.† a. too much phr. (besides its ordinary use) was formerly sometimes used instead of the simple too to qualify an adjective or adverb. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > excessive amount or degree > excessively [phrase]
too welleOE
too muchc1449
to faultiness1530
but too‥1639
over and above1732
to a fault1753
only too1817
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 53 Thanne perel is castid forto miche homeli dele with him.
1530 J. Rastell New Bk. Purgatory iii. i. sig. e4 When ye body is to mych hote or to mych cold, or to mych drye, or to mych moyst.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II ii. ii. 1 Your maiestie is too much sad. View more context for this quotation
1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 230 His minde is kept too much busie.
b. too much (as predicate): (a) more than can be endured, intolerable: also too much of a good thing; (b) originally U.S., excellent, first-rate; too much for: more than a match for; such as to overcome or subdue: so too many for (see many adj. 3d), too hard for, etc. Chiefly colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > cause of mental pain or suffering > quality of being unendurable or intolerable > unendurable or intolerable [phrase]
too much1533
too much of a good thing1809
a bit thick1884
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > [phrase] > such as to overcome or overwhelm
too hard for1781
too much for1794
too many for1861
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
1533 J. Heywood Mery Play Iohan Iohan sig. B.iv Shall we al way syt here styll we two. Yt were to mych.
1692 R. L'Estrange Fables xxxv. 35 They come to Vie Power and Expence with Those that are too High and too many for them.
1708 Deplorable State of New-Eng. ii. 16 Your Governour..has been too many for you.
1723 D. Defoe Hist. Col. Jack (ed. 2) 378 We were too many for them, for we run out our Guns..and..they retir'd.
1781 R. B. Sheridan Trip to Scarborough v. ii Don't be frightened, we shall be too hard for the rogue.
1787 ‘G. Gambado’ Acad. Horsemen 13 Should your horse prove, what is properly termed too many for you, and make off.
1794 A. Radcliffe Myst. of Udolpho I. ix. 251 The sight of this poor old woman would have been too much for Emily.
1796 F. Burney Camilla I. ii. v. 233 O too much! too much! there is no standing it!
1809 S. Smith Wks. (1867) I. 175 This (to use a very colloquial phrase) is surely too much of a good thing.
1832 H. Martineau Life in Wilds v The light had been too much for him.
1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations III. ix. 148 Mr. Jaggers was altogether too many for the Jury, and they gave in.
1863 J. C. Jeaffreson Sir Everard's Daughter 113 You can't rob me—I am too many for you..! You're a clever one—but you're no match for me.
1872 C. Hardwick Trad., Superstitions, & Folk-lore 189 On one occasion, however, the fiends were nearly ‘too many’ for the eternal toiler.
1937 Metronome Mar. 55/1 Man, if you didn't you really missed something. That man's too much! What great bass drum work he shows.
1958 G. Lea Somewhere there's Music xviii. 155 I want to make it to the City... Man, like the City is too much—and that's where I want to be.
1966 Melody Maker 15 Oct. 19 I just can't wait for his Spring return with Earl Hines, Budd Johnson and the rest. This could be too much.
1967 J. Morgan Involved 51 You were too much tonight..the way you leaned on Tuttles, that was really something.
1968 Scottish Daily Mail 3 Jan. 6 They got ‘Absolutely divine’; we get ‘Too much’... One day ‘Too much’ will sound as old fashioned as ‘ripping’.
c. but too.., only too: Here too is apparently = ‘more than is desirable’ (cf. 2c), or ‘more than is or might be expected’, while but (but adv. 2) or only (only adv. 2) = ‘nothing but’, ‘nothing else than’, apparently emphasizes the exclusion of any different quality or state of things such as might be desired or expected.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > excessive amount or degree > excessively [phrase]
too welleOE
too muchc1449
to faultiness1530
but too‥1639
over and above1732
to a fault1753
only too1817
1639 P. Massinger Unnaturall Combat ii. i. sig. D I have Discourse and reason, and but too well know I can nor live, nor end a wretched life.
1655 [see sense 4a]. 1817 C. Austen Let. 20 July in J. Austen Lett. (1995) 344 I loved her only too well.
1817 W. Scott Rob Roy I. viii. 170 Stay, then, rash, obstinate girl..you know but too well to whom you trust.
d. only too: (as a simple intensive) = ‘extremely’. (Cf. 3.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > extremely or exceedingly > excessively
cruellyc1385
overa1400
fullc1400
parlouslyc1425
mortalc1440
perilousc1440
spitefulc1450
devilish1560
pestilently1567
spitefully1567
cruel1573
parlous1575
deadly1589
intolerable?1593
fellc1600
perditlya1632
excessively1634
devilishly1635
desperate1636
woundya1639
woundlya1644
desperately1653
wicked1663
killing1672
woundily1706
wounded1753
mortally1759
dreadful1762
intolerably1768
perishing1776
tremendously1776
terrifically1777
diabolically1792
woundedly1794
thundering1809
all-firedly1833
preponderously1835
painfully1839
deadlilya1843
severely1854
furiously1856
diabolish1858
fiendish1861
demonish1867
sinfully1869
fiendishly1879
thunderingly1885
only too1889
nightmarishly1891
God almighty1906
Christ almighty1945
1889 ‘J. S. Winter’ Mrs. Bob (1891) 245 Mrs. Trafford will only be too glad to come and pay you a visit.
1913 N.E.D. at Too Mod. I shall be only too pleased.
e. none too..is used by meiosis for ‘not quite..enough’, ‘somewhat insufficiently’; also rather less than; only moderately; not very.: see also none adv. 3. Also in other negative contexts, esp. not too— (cf. not adv., n., and int. Compounds 1c).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > insufficiency > [adverb]
unsufficiently1398
badlyc1400
over-littlec1440
insufficientlya1530
deficiently1702
incompetently1812
none too‥1885
1842 E. A. Poe in Graham's Mag. Feb. 126/2 The mind of the not-too-acute reader.
a1865 E. C. Gaskell Wives & Daughters (1866) I. xxi. 235 It was also evident to her that Osborne was not too happy at home.
1866 ‘G. Eliot’ Felix Holt I. iii. 86 They were not too hopeful about Protestants who adhered to a bloated and worldly Prelacy.
1885 Manch. Examiner 21 May 5/3 The vast territories of the Dominion have hitherto been none too coherent.
1892 E. G. White Steps to Christ (1908) 108 We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks.
1909 J. Galsworthy Fraternity xxxvii. 313 There were not too many people in London who..would have behaved with such seemliness—not too many so civilised as they!
1912 J. Sandilands Western Canad. Dict. & Phrase-bk. Not too bad, a characteristic Canadian reply to an inquiry regarding one's health or circumstances.
a1913 Mod. Money is none too plentiful with us.
1947 Sun (Baltimore) 5 Nov. 2/7 There is little incentive for him to do more than seek a mere existence for himself and family, without too keen a regard for the plight of others.
1956 English Summer 45 The English Association..having survived half a century and two world wars..has not done too badly.
1967 L. Deighton Expensive Place iii. 19 ‘Can I have a shower?’ she asked. ‘The water's not too warm I'm afraid,’ said Byrd.
1984 A. Brookner Hotel du Lac i. 10 My intervention did not seem to be too welcome.
f. quite too..: see quite adv. 5b.
g. too right: see right adj. and int. Phrases 13c.
ΚΠ
1926 ‘J. Doone’ Timely Tips for New Australians Too right!—A slang term expressing agreement or corroboration.
1934 T. Wood Cobbers v. 76 What I says is, give 'em an axe and send 'em into the bush. Then they'd work, or starve. Too right they would.
1951 J. Fleming Man who looked Back xi. 145 ‘We should have thought of that before we started out.’ ‘Too right,’ Joe agreed.
1961 Lancet 5 Aug. 311/2 The chairman agreed it was thumbs down for Dr. Y., too right it was.
1978 P. McCutchan Blackmail North viii. 95 ‘He'll see you now sir.’ ‘Too right he will.’
Compounds
In combination.1857 T. De Quincey in ‘H. A. Page’ T. De Quincey: Life & Writings (1877) II. xviii. 142 In midst of too-soonness he shall suffer the killing anxieties of too-lateness.1875 Blackie Let. in Biogr. (1895) II. xviii. 122 An everlasting too-muchness.1904 S. E. White Forest iii. 30 Everything was wrinkled in the folds of too-bigness.
a. With an adjective or adverb, forming a (nonce) noun phrase, as a too-late, a too-little, a too-much.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > excessive amount or degree > [noun] > excess, redundancy, or superfluity
un-i-fohOE
surfeita1393
superfluitya1398
over-micklea1400
overmucha1400
nimiety1542
superfluous1552
redundance1572
overflowing1574
overflush1581
overflow1589
overmeasure1591
redundancy1601
a too-much1604
pleonasm1616
overfloat1619
overmuchnessa1637
supernumerariness1652
plusa1721
supervacaneousness1730
supersaturate1860
too-muchness1875
1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iv. vii. 96 + 5 Goodnes growing to a plurisie, Dies in his owne too much.
1606 W. Warner Continuance Albions Eng. xvi. ci. 399 And rather than in haughtines did fault in too-submis.
1637 C. Dow Answer to H. Burton 158 There may be a too-much even in the best things.
1784 R. Bage Barham Downs I. 346 [One] who complains of the Too-much of things he does not value, and of the Too-little of things he does.
1860 E. B. Pusey Minor Prophets 542 There will be a ‘too late’; not a final ‘too late’,..but..a ‘too late’ to avert that particular judgment.
1905 Daily Chron. 14 Apr. 5/4 We have suffered greatly in our national life from the domination of the ‘too-lates’; political procrastination is the thief of opportunity.
b. With an adjective or adverb, forming an adjectival phrase preceding and qualifying a noun, or an adverbial phrase qualifying an adjective, as too-anxious, too-celebrated, too-familiar, too-fervent, too-near, too-piercing, too-trusting, too-willing, too-wise adjs.; too-early, too-late, too-long, too-much (in quot. 1620 = too great obsolete; see also 5a) adjectives and adverbs. Hence derivatives (nonce-words), as too-bigness, too-lateness, too-muchness, too-soonness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > [adverb] > late or too late
lateOE
behindc1330
overlatea1400
lately?1440
arrear1477
behindhandc1550
tarde1557
lateward1572
tardy1586
too-late1620
out of time1760
tardily1821
not before time1837
postponedly1851
about time1856
belatedly1896
the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > [adjective] > late > late in arriving or overdue
latec1325
too-late1620
tardy1638
overdue1858
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > excessive amount or degree > [noun] > excess, redundancy, or superfluity
un-i-fohOE
surfeita1393
superfluitya1398
over-micklea1400
overmucha1400
nimiety1542
superfluous1552
redundance1572
overflowing1574
overflush1581
overflow1589
overmeasure1591
redundancy1601
a too-much1604
pleonasm1616
overfloat1619
overmuchnessa1637
supernumerariness1652
plusa1721
supervacaneousness1730
supersaturate1860
too-muchness1875
1620 T. Venner Via Recta vi. 100 It..represseth the too-much tenuity..of the bloud.
1624 J. Donne Deuotions ix. 221 Those Sentences, from which a too-late Repenter will sucke desperation.
a1625 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Two Noble Kinsmen (1634) ii. ii. 28 Like a too-timely Spring. View more context for this quotation
1793 T. Holcroft tr. J. C. Lavater Ess. Physiognomy (abridged ed.) xxvi. 127 The gentleness of his voice [will] temper thy too-piercing tones.
1838 E. Bulwer-Lytton Alice I. ii. ii. 134 The good man was greatly shocked at the too familiar manner in which Mrs. Merton spoke.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Day-dream in Poems (new ed.) II. 149 Turn your face, Nor look with that too-earnest eye.
1849 E. C. Otté tr. A. von Humboldt Cosmos II. ii. v. 596 My lamented and too-early deceased friend.
1855 C. Kingsley Heroes (1868) ii. i. 82 Only one walked apart..Asclepius, the too-wise child.
1887 Spectator 16 Apr. 532/1 A too-fervent patriotism.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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