a. Also 5–6 advoutrous, 6 advout-, advoulterous. [f. ADULTER + -OUS, after anal. of words ad. Fr. or L. in -ous.]

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  1.  Pertaining to, or characterized by the practice of adultery.

2

1470–85.  Malory, Morte Arthur (1634), I. 197. Knights that be advoutrous or lecherous, shall not be happy nor fortunate in the wars.

3

1526.  Tindale, Matt. xii. 39. The evyll and advoutrous generacion seketh a signe [Cranm., Genev., Rhem. aduouterous, 1611 adulterous.]

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1535.  Coverdale, Hosea iii. 1. Go yet thy waye & wowe an aduouterous woman.

5

1549.  Olde, trans. Erasm. on Ephes., Prol. II. 105. Blasphemous swearyng; advouterous lyving.

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1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., III. vi. 94. Th’ adulterous Anthony, most large in his abhominations.

7

1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 753. By thee [wedded love] adulterous lust was driven from men Among the bestial herds to range.

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1814.  Southey, Roderick, xx. Wks. IX. 179. Efface the shame Of their adulterous birth.

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1841.  Emerson, Meth. Nat. (1875), II. 233. It is the office … of this age to annul that adulterous divorce.

10

Mod.  The offspring of this adulterous union.

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  † 2.  Born in adultery, adulterine. Obs.

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a. 1593.  Marlowe, Dido, III. ii. 828. Lustful Jove and his adulterous child.

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1607.  Topsell, Serpents (1653), 807. They were adulterous, and the children of strangers.

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  3.  Pertaining to, or characterized by, adulteration; spurious, counterfeit, adulterate. arch.

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1567.  Maplet, Greene Forest, 21. All adulterous and counterfayted Mettals it doth betray.

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1586.  Ferne, Blazon of Gentrie, 238. I meane not only that they be vnperfect, but also adulterous and dishonorable.

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1635.  F. White, Treat. Sabbath, Ep. Ded. 20. We haue justly rejected all counterfeit and adulterous Traditions.

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1743.  Lond. & Country Brewer (ed. 2), II. 127. There are Thousands in the Nation … that are guilty of this adulterous Part of Brewing.

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1771.  Smollett, Humph. Clinker, 86. An adulterous mixture, brewed up of nauseous ingredients.

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1808.  Wilford, Sacr. Isles, in Asiat. Res., VIII. 252. He took out one or two leaves and substituted others with an adulterous legend.

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