surfeit
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsɜː.fɪt/
ipa: /ˈsɝː.fɪt/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)fɪt
Forms: form: surfeits
Etymology: From Middle English surfeite, surfet, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman surfet, surfeit and Old French sorfet, sorfait, past participle of surfaire (“to augment, exaggerate, exceed”), from sur- (“over”) + faire (“to do”). The adjective is derived from the noun.
Senses: examples: text: A surfeit of wheat is driving down the price.
text: With what could be a surfeit of candour, [Mike] Skinner has described DJing as more creative than playing his own songs, because, to paraphrase, of the "stress" and "creativity" of not knowing what he'll be doing in three minutes' time.
ref: 2019 January 26, Kitty Empire [pseudonym], “The Streets review – the agony and ecstasy of a great everyman”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Apr 2019:
glosses: An excessive amount of something.
examples: text: I feel too much thy blessing: make it [this excess]less,
For fear I surfeit!
Now comes the sick hour that his surfeit made.
ref: c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
text: And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 21:34:
glosses: Overindulgence in either food or drink; overeating.
examples: text: King Henry I is said to have died of a surfeit of lampreys.
text: the Leaves they do eat to prevent surfeit and other diseases that are incident to those that heat their blood by travels
ref: 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC:
glosses: A sickness or condition caused by overindulgence.
examples: text: Now for ſimilitudes in certain Printed diſcourſes, I thinke all Herberiſts, all ſtories of beaſts, foules, and fiſhes, are rifled vp, that they may come in multitudes to vvait vpon any of our conceits, which certainly is as abſurd a ſurfet to the eares as is poſsible.
ref: a. 1587 (date written), Phillip Sidney [i.e., Philip Sidney], The Defence of Poesie, London: […] [Thomas Creede] for VVilliam Ponsonby, published 1595, →OCLC, →OCLC:
text: Matter and argument have been supplied abundantly, and even to surfeit.
ref: 1795–1797, Edmund Burke, “(please specify |letter=1 to 4)”, in [Letters on a Regicide Peace], London: [Rivington]:
glosses: Disgust caused by excess; satiety.
glosses: A group of skunks.
Synonyms: sense: excessive amount of something
word: excess
sense: excessive amount of something
word: glut
sense: excessive amount of something
word: overabundance
sense: excessive amount of something
word: superfluity
sense: excessive amount of something
word: surplus
sense: excessive amount of something
word: ug
sense: overindulgence in food or drink
word: gluttony
sense: overindulgence in food or drink
word: overeating
sense: overindulgence in food or drink
word: overindulgence
sense: disgust caused by excess
word: nausea
Derived terms: surfeit water