a. [ad. F. éventuel, f. as if ad. L. *ēventuāl-is, f. ēventu-s: see EVENT.]
† 1. Of or pertaining to events or occurrences; consisting in events; of the nature of an event. Obs.
1612–5. Bp. Hall, Contempl. O. T., XIV. i. Wks. (1625), 1100. There is nothing more dangerous than to make construction of Gods purposes out of euentuall appearances.
1656. Artif. Handsom., 50. To run counter to Gods providence; which is his reall word, and as it were an Eventuall Oracle.
1684. H. More, Answ. Remarks Exp. Apoc., B iv a. The true Authentick eventual measure to compute the fulfilling of the Medial-Visions by.
† 2. That happens to exist. Obs.
1752. Fielding, Amelia, IX. x. By pride I mean that saucy passion which exults in every little eventual pre-eminence over other men.
1794. Godwin, Cal. Williams, 158. In what manner I should prevent the eventual delay of twenty-four hours from becoming … a source of new calamity.
3. That will arise or take place in a particular contingency.
1767. Ld. Lyttelton, Hen. II., I. (ed. 2), 86. William aspired to secure to himself the eventual succession to the crown of that kingdom [France], in case that Louis … should die before his father.
1785. Burke, Sp. Nabob Arcot’s Debts, Wks. IV. 279. Nothing is provided for it, but an eventual surplus to be divided with one class of the private demands.
1874. Deutsch, Rem., 252. The Bishops will not have too much time to prepare their eventual opposition.
1874. Green, Short Hist., ix. 623. He offered to admit England to a share in the eventual partition of the Spanish monarchy.
† b. Of stipulations: Conditional (cf. EVENTUALLY 1 b). Of an army: To be raised if required.
1683. Temple, Mem., Wks. 1731, I. 440. The Dutch began to talk of finishing an Eventual Treaty (as they call’d it) for themselves, as soon as the Acts about Powers were wholly dispatch’d.
1796. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), III. 98. The consideration of their services should be eventual, and depend on the success of their exertions.
1799. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), IV. 279. A bill … authorizing the President in case of a declaration of war … by any European power, to raise an eventual army of thirty regiments.
4. Of the nature of an event or result.
1699. Burnet, 39 Art., xvii. (1700), 162. The Certainty of the Prescience is not antecedent or causal, but subsequent and eventual.
1755. Johnson, Eventual, happening in consequence of anything; consequential.
1810. Bentham, Packing (1821), 134. Eventual vexation to persons liable to be called upon to serve in the capacity of special jurors.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Moral, III. 124. An aggression on the rights of industry, and an eventual injury to all concerned.
5. Ultimately resulting.
1823. Faber, Diffic. Infidelity (1833), 3. The necessary consequence which it involves … an eventual denial of God’s omnipotence.
1850. Gladstone, Gleanings, V. cxxxvi. 252. The silent decay and eventual overthrow of her natural defences.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. x. 618. As society advances, the eventual cessation of all such attempts, is certain.
1868. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., I. 437. Gradually moulded into their eventual form.
