[a. Fr. ample:—L. ampl-us large, capacious, abundant. Compared ampler, -st, also with more, most.]
1. Extending far and wide; broad, wide, spacious. (Now always eulogistic: Abundantly, excellently wide.) a. of large superficial dimensions.
1548. Hall, Hen. VIII., an. 31 (R.). All busshes and fyrres cutte downe, and a large and ample waye made.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. i. 82. This ample third of our faire Kingdome.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 258. And gazed a while the ample sky.
1751. Gray, Elegy, xiii. But knowledge to their eyes her ample page … did ne’er unroll.
1769. Robertson, Charles V., II. II. 111. The order acquired ample possessions in every catholic country.
1814. Byron, Corsair, III. xv. And ampler canvass woos the wind from high.
1826. Scott, Woodst., 179. The depths of some ample and ancient forest.
b. of the wide range of an action.
1485. Caxton, Chas. the Gt., 214. To gyue hym bataylle more ample & large.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 226. There wee’l sit, Ruling in large and ample Emperie.
1815. Scott, Ld. of Isles, VI. vii. This ample right o’er tower and land Were safe in Ronald’s faithful hand.
1837. Disraeli, Venetia, I. xi. (1871), 53. At one ample swoop.
2. Of large capacity or volume, roomy, capacious; copious.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., III. xi. 49. All the people in that ample hous.
1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. iii. 14. Now and then an ample tear trill’d down Her delicate cheek.
1718. Pope, Iliad, II. 10. To Agamemnon’s ample tent repair.
1815. Southey, Roderick, III. 192. Where Minho rolled its ampler stream.
1847. J. Wilson, Chr. North (1857), II. 13. All assembled in the ample kitchen.
1857. H. Reed, Brit. Poets, v. 170. A high patriotic fervour kindling and filling each true and ample heart.
3. Of things immaterial: Large in extent or amount, extensive, abundant, excellent.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., I. xiii. 42. Ther is ynough here of tofore made ample mencion.
1542. Henry VIII., Declar., in Compl. Scotl., 196. The ambassadours … vpon pretence to send for a more ample and large commission … obteined a delay.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 415. He has his health, and ampler strength, indeede, Then most haue of his age.
1756. Burke, Vind. Nat. Soc., Wks. I. 16. A very ample and very pleasing subject for history.
1850. Longf., Sonnet. Leaving us heirs to amplest heritages Of all the best thoughts of the greatest sages.
1858. Neale, Bern. de Morlaix, 20. The fouler was the error, The sadder was the fall, The ampler are the praises or Him Who pardoned all.
4. esp. Large enough to satisfy all demands, abundant, full, complete.
1592. trans. Junius on Rev. xxi. 10. A type of that Church which is one, ample, or Catholike.
1671. J. Webster, Metallogr., i. 15. Doth give most ample and full satisfaction.
1719. Young, Revenge, I. i. I … groan’d for an occasion Of ample vengeance.
1770. Junius Lett., xli. 208. Ample justice has been done.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 40. She had, it is true, no fortune, but that of my friend was ample.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Demerara, vi. 66. The ample provision of meat, bread and vegetables he had stored at hand.
1825. Macaulay, Milton, Ess. (1851), I. 17. Ample apologies indeed for 15 years of persecution. Ibid. (1849), Hist. Eng., I. 43. Ample securities had been provided against despotism.
b. Hence, Liberal, unsparing, unstinted.
1536. Latimer, 1st Serm. bef. Convoc., I. 33. He … giveth unto us in most ample wise his benediction.
1607. Shaks., Timon, I. i. 45. A man, Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hugge With amplest entertainment.
1738. Wesley, Hymn, ‘To Thee, O Lord,’ iv. With ample Blessings still reward The labour of your Love.
1846. Keble, Lyra Innoc. (1873), 48. Till He with ampler grace their youthful hearts endow.
5. Of a writing or speech: Treating of matters at full length; copious.
1592. trans. Junius on Rev. i. 5. A most ample and grave commendation of Christ first from his offices.
1623. B. Jonson, in Shaks. Cent. Praise, 147. Am I thus ample to thy Booke, and Fame?
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, I. iii. 67. An ampler description, to satisfie … the curiosity of the Reader.
1771. Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 39. The Governor gave me an ample letter.
1807. Crabbe, Newsp., 316. That ample list the Tyburn herald gives.
1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., vi. 179. The subject … well deserves more ample treatment.
† 6. quasi-adv. Obs.
1549. Compl. Scotl., xiv. 116. Send ane of thy maist familiaris, to communicat mair ample of this byssynes.
1607. Shaks., Timon, I. ii. 136. You see, my Lord, how ample y’ are belou’d.
7. Comb. in synthetic adjs., as ample-eyed, etc.
1624. Chapman, Hymn to Hermes (1858), 52. Apollo’s ample-foreheaded herd.
1790. Cowper, Iliad, I. 711. Him answered then the goddess ample-eyed.
