sundry
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsʌndɹi/
Forms: form: sindry
Etymology: The adjective is derived from Middle English sondri, sondry, syndry (“individually; occasionally; separately; variously”) [and other forms], from Old English syndriġ (“alone, distinct, separate, single; sundry, various; concerning a single person, own, particular, peculiar, private; exceptional, remarkable, set apart, special; (distributive) one each”) [and other forms], from sundor (“differently; privately; separate, separately”) (from Proto-Germanic *sundraz (“alone, isolated; separate”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *senH- (“apart; for oneself; without”)) + -iġ (“suffix forming adjectives”). The English word is analysable as sunder + -y.
The noun and pronoun are derived from the adjective.
Cognates
* Dutch zonderlijk (“separate”) (rare), Dutch afzonderlijk (“separate”)
* Low German sunderig (“single; special”)
* Middle High German sunderig (“private; separate; special”)
* Swedish söndrig (“broken; tattered”)
Senses: examples: text: Dearely beloued brethren, the ſcripture moueth vs in ſondrye places, to acknowledge and confeſſe our manyfolde ſynnes and wyckedneſſe, […]
ref: 1552, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, “An Ordre for Morninge Prayer Dayly throughout the Yeare”, in The Boke of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], 2nd edition, London: […] Edwardi Whytchurche […], →OCLC:
text: Ennius an olde auncient Latin poet, & of great authoritee, whom Cicero verie often times citeth in ſondrie his werkes.
ref: 1564 February, Erasmus, “The Saiynges of Marcus Tullius Cicero”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., Apophthegmes, that is to Saie, Prompte, Quicke, Wittie and Sentẽcious Saiynges, […], London: […] Ihon Kingston, →OCLC, book II, folio 229, recto, paragraph 45, marginal note:
text: Sondry & reaſonable be the cauſes vvhy learned men haue vſed to offer and dedicate ſuch vvorkes as they put abrode, to ſome ſuch perſonage as they thinke fitteſt, either in reſpect of abilitie of defenſe, or ſkill for iugement, or priuate regard of kindeneſſe and dutie.
ref: 1570, Margaret Ascham, “To the Honorable Sir William Cecill Knight, Principall Secretarie to the Quenes Most Excellent Maiestie”, in Roger Ascham, edited by Margaret Ascham, The Scholemaster: Or Plaine and Perfite Way of Teaching Children, to Vnderstand, Write, and Speake, the Latin Tong, […], London: […] John Daye, […], →OCLC:
text: VVith this ſtrange vertue, / He hath a heauenly guift of Propheſie, / And ſundry Bleſſings hang about his Throne, / That ſpeake him full of Grace.
ref: c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 147, column 1:
text: The VVater Souldier hath divers and ſundry long narrovv leaves pointed ſet cloſe together ſomevvhat like unto the leaves of Aloes for the forme, […]
ref: 1640, John Parkinson, “Stratiotes sive Militaris Aizoides. Water Souldier.”, in Theatrum Botanicum: The Theater of Plants. Or, An Herball of a Large Extent: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, →OCLC, page 1249:
text: [H]e cleared a ſemi-circular ſpace before her chair, thrice vvith the moſt profound reverence bovved to her, thrice turned himſelf around vvith ſundry grimaces, and then fiercely planted himſelf at her ſide.
ref: 1782, [Frances Burney], “A Masquerade”, in Cecilia, or Memoirs of an Heiress. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Payne and Son […], and T[homas] Cadell […], →OCLC, book II, pages 181–182:
text: "Some liquor here! Be quick, or he'll not stop, even for that. He is a man of such desperate ardour!" said the smooth secretary, whom Mr Dennis corroborated with sundry nods and muttered oaths—"Once roused, he is a fellow of such fierce determination!"
ref: 1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 50.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 227:
text: O woman, for sundry days I have seen thee attend the levée sans a word said; so tell me an thou have any requirement I may grant.
ref: 1887, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Alaeddin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. [Night 547.]”, in Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume III, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 108:
text: The Author sincerely hopes that this volume will clear away some of the mists which surround Mexico at the present time. But he has experienced the utmost difficulty in obtaining news of recent events from the Republic because of the prohibition placed upon correspondence. He feels, however, that he has in a measure overcome this by the piecing together of matter from sundry reliable sources, and hopes that he has been enabled to present his readers with a truthful account of things as they are at the present day, in a land the mighty destinies of which he devoutly and hopefully believes in.
ref: 1917, Lewis Spence, “Preface”, in Mexico of the Mexicans, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons […], →OCLC, page iii:
glosses: More than one or two but not very many; a number of, several.
examples: text: On the outskirts were various rude booths, in which whiskey and water, and sundry articles of provision, and fodder for horses, were dispensed for a consideration.
ref: 1856, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The Camp-meeting”, in Dred; a Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson and Company, →OCLC, page 297:
synonyms: manifold
glosses: Of various types, especially when numerous; diverse, varied.
examples: text: For vvhat reaſon is there vvᶜʰ ſhould but induce, and therfore much leſſe enforce vs to thinke, that care of diſſimilitude betvveene the people of God & the heathen nations about them, vvas any more the cauſe of forbidding them to put on garments of ſundry ſtuffe then of charging them vvithall not to ſovv their fields with meſline, or that this vvas any more the cauſe of forbidding them to eate Svvines fleſh, then of charging them vvithall not to eate the fleſh of Eagles, Haukes, and the like?
ref: 1594, Richard Hooker, “That the Course which the Wisdome of God doth Teach, Maketh Not against Our Conformity with the Church of Rome in Such Things”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], 3rd edition, London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, book IV, page 139:
text: [I]t is a melancholy of mine ovvne, compounded of many ſimples, extracted from many obiects, and indeed the ſundrie contemplation of my trauells, in which by often rumination, vvraps me in a most humorous ſadneſſe.
ref: c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 200, column 2:
synonyms: word: assorted
word: confused
word: conglomerate
word: desultory
word: deviating
word: different
word: disaccordant
word: discordant
word: discrepant
word: disordered
word: disparate
word: dissimilar
word: divers
word: diverse
word: diversified
word: inaccordant
word: incongruous
word: inconsistent
word: inconsonant
word: indiscriminate
word: inharmonious
word: irregular
word: jumbled
word: manifold
word: many-sided
word: mingled
word: miscellaneous
word: mixed
word: mixed up
word: mosaic
word: motley
word: multifarious
word: multiform
word: multifold
word: multigenerous
word: multiplex
word: nonuniform
word: odd
word: omniform
word: omnigenous
word: omnifarious
word: polymorphous
word: protean
word: sundry
word: unmatched
word: unrelated
word: varied
word: variegated
word: variform
word: various
word: catholic
word: dishomogeneous
word: diverse
word: diversified
word: eclectic
word: heterogeneous
word: liberal
word: manifold
word: miscellaneous
word: mixed
word: motley
word: multifarious
word: multifold
word: sundry
word: variable
word: varied
word: various
antonyms: word: heterogeneous
glosses: Consisting of an assortment of different kinds; miscellaneous.
examples: text: Galene, and Paule conteyne aſcyron vnder androſemo: but [Pedanius] Dioscorides deſcrybeth thes herbes ſeuerally, & ſo maketh them ſondry herbes.
ref: 1551, Wylliam Turner [i.e., William Turner], “Of Great Saint Johnes Wurte, Ascyron”, in A New Herball, […], London: […] Steven Mierdman, and they are to be soolde […] by John Gybken, →OCLC, folio 26, recto:
text: Here I had ended, but Experience finds, / That ſundry VVomen are of ſundry Minds; / VVith various Crochets fill'd, and hard to pleaſe, / They therefore muſt be caught by various VVays.
ref: a. 1701, [John] Dryden, “Book I”, in Ovid, Ovid’s Art of Love. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], published 1709, →OCLC, page 55:
synonyms: other
glosses: Chiefly preceded by a number or an adjective like many: of two or more similar people or things: not the same as other persons or things of the same nature; different, distinct, separate. (Contrast sense 5.2.)
examples: text: For the heathen supposing that the whole word, and all the creatures therein, was too great a diocese to be daily visited by one and the same Deity, they therefore assigned sundry gods to several creatures.
ref: 1640, Thomas Fuller, “How Far Examples are to be Followed”, in Ioseph’s Partie-coloured Coat: Containing, a Comment on Part of the II. Chapter of the I. Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians. […], London: […] Iohn Dawson, for Iohn Williams, […], →OCLC, pages 112–113:
synonyms: personal
single
glosses: Relating to a single person or thing as opposed to more than one; individual, respective.
examples: text: Where as ſome men thynke now yͭ many tranſlacyons [of the Bible] make diuiſyon in yͤ fayth and in the people of God, yͭ is not ſo: for it was neuer better with the congregacion of god, then whan euery church allmoſt had yͤ Byble of a ſondrye trãſlacion.
ref: 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, “A Prologe. Myles Coverdale unto the Christen Reader.”, in Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC:
text: Carduus called in latin Scolimus after Galene, Aetius & Paulus is a ſundry herbe frõ Cinara.
ref: 1548, William Turner, “Carduus”, in The Names of Herbes in Greke, Latin, Englishe Duche & Frenche wyth the Commune Names that Herbaries and Apotecaries Use. […], London: […] [Steven Mierdman for] John Day and Wyllyam Seres, […], →OCLC:
text: [I]f hence vve go into Ruſſia and Muſcovia (vvho though differing in ceremonies, diſſent not in doctrine; as a ſundry dialect maketh not a ſeverall language) to take onely entrie Kingdomes, and omit parcels: it is a larger quantity of ground then that the Romiſh religion doth ſtretch to, ſince [Martin] Luther cut ſo large a collop out of it, and vvithdrevv North-Europe from obedience to his Holineſſe.
ref: 1639, Thomas Fuller, “A Comparative Estimate of the Extent of the Greek and Latine Church; What Hope of Reconcilement betwixt Them; The Influence this Breach had on the Holy Warre”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book IV, page 176:
glosses: Of a person or thing: not the same as something else; different. (Contrast sense 4.)
examples: text: The diſtance of place doth not lett nor hinder the Spiritual Communion vvhich is betvveen one and another, ſo that John and Thomas vvhereſoever they be, far and ſundry, or near together, being both lively Members of Chriſt, receive either of others Goodneſs ſome Commodity; […]
ref: 1681, Gilbert Burnet, “[A Collection of Records, and Original Papers; with Other Instruments Referred to in the Second Part of the History of the Reformation of the Church of England.] Book I. Number 25. Queries Put Concerning Some Abuses of the Mass; with the Answers that were Made by Many Bishops and Divines to Them.”, in The History of the Reformation of the Church of England. The Second Part, […], London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for Richard Chiswell, […], →OCLC, page 148:
synonyms: word: apart
word: detached
word: loose
word: detached
word: discrete
word: distinct
word: disparate
word: loose
word: separate
word: sundry
word: unattached
word: unannexed
word: unassociated
word: unconnected
qualifier: except Scotland
glosses: Not attached or connected to anything else; physically separate.
Derived terms: all and sundry
sundrily
sundriness
various and sundry
Related terms: sunder