sb. and a. [as sb. a. Fr. adolescent (15th c.) ad. L. adolēscent-em growing up, a youth, prop. pr. pple. of adolēsc-ĕre to grow up: see ADULT. The subst. use is the commoner in L., and much earlier in Fr. and Eng. than the adj.; the latter is probably taken direct from L.]
A. sb. A person in the age of adolescence; a youth between childhood and manhood.
1482. Monk of Evesham (1869), 103. A certen adolescente a yonge man.
1495. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de Worde), I. li. 104 bb. He admonested … the adolescentes as his chyldren.
1815. W. Taylor, in Monthly Rev., LXXVI. 498. Conveying, without indecency, to adolescents many facts concerning the human frame.
B. adj. Growing towards maturity; advancing from childhood to maturity.
1785. Cowper, Tirocin., 219. Schools, unless discipline were doubly strong, Detain their adolescent charge too long.
1809. J. Barlow, Columb., VIII. 149. Unfold each day some adolescent grace.
1878. B. Taylor, Pr. Deukalion, III. i. 100. I see Near manhood in thy adolescent limbs.
