ppl. a. Also 6–7 -enc’t, -enst. [f. EXPERIENCE sb. and v. + -ED1.]
1. Of persons, their faculties and powers; occas. of animals, and humorously of inanimate things: Having experience; wise or skilful through experience. Const. in, † of.
1576. J. Knewstub, Confut. (1579), Q ij b. Men not experienced of his goodness particularly must needs think [etc.].
1592. Chettle, Kind-Harts Dr. (1841), 28. The worshipfull company of experienst chirurgions.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 68. To his experienc’d tongue.
1654. Cromwell, Sp., 4 Sept. (Carlyle). It will be the wisdom of all knowing and experienced Christians to do as Jude saith.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 568. He through the armed Files Darts his experienc’t eye.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 328. A crew of fifty men, all able and experienced sailors.
1727. Swift, Vanbrugh’s House. Th’ experienc’d bricks that knew their trade.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Hill & Valley, ii. 29. The stray sheep may come back experienced in pasturage.
1849. Thoreau, Week Concord Riv., Saturday, 27. His old experienced coat hanging … straight and brown as the yellow pine back.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 325. At that Board sate Godolphin the most prudent and experienced … of financiers.
absol. 1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., 176. Graue testimonies and sentences of many of the auncientest, wisest, and most experienced.
1838. Lytton, Alice, 13. The young ever wonder why the experienced should be sad.
† 2. Of remedies, etc.: Tested, tried, approved.
1569. R. Androse (title), Alexis’ Secrets … conteining sixe hundred foure score and odde experienced Medecines.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 1. The experienced adage omne animal generat sibi simile.
1676. Hale, Contempl., I. 2. It is the most certain, known, experienced truth in the World that all men must die.
1780. Johnson, Lett. Mrs. Thrale, 24 Aug. To … counteract by experienced remedies every new tendency.
3. Met with in the course of experience; felt, suffered, undergone.
1604. Stirling, Aurora, Song II. 8. For long experienc’d wo well witnesse beares, That teares cannot quench sighes.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., XII. xxxvii. 168. Too well we know his power by long experienc’t harms.
1686. R. Dunning, Overseer of Poor, 7. The experienced effects of our Method.
1849–50. Alison, Hist. Europe, VIII. li. § 11. 235. A cautious and guiltless reformation of experienced grievances.
Hence † Experiencedly adv., by experience.
1617. Strafford, in Browning, Life, 289. I having felt [him] experiencedly to be very little friendly towards me.
