a. and sb. [ad. L. explētīv-us serving to fill out, f. explēre: see EXPLETE. Cf. Fr. explétif.] A. adj.
1. Serving to fill out; introduced merely to occupy space, or to make up a required quantity or number: a. gen.
1656–81. in Blount, Glossogr.
1666. Tillotson, Rule of Faith, I. § 3. Those expletive topicks which popish writers … do generally make use of to help out a book.
1761. Churchill, Rosciad, Poems 1763, I. 16. Expletive Kings, and Queens without a name.
a. 1833. Han. More, in Leslie & Taylor, Sir J. Reynolds (1865), II. vii. 209. Scarce an expletive man or woman of the party.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., Expletive-stone. (Masonry.) One used for filling a vacuity.
b. esp. Of words and phrases: Serving merely to fill out a sentence, help out a metrical line, etc. Also occas. of a mode of expression: Redundant, wordy.
a. 1677. Barrow, Wks. (1741), I. xv. 10. He useth them [oaths] as expletive phrases … to plump his speech.
a. 1771. R. Wood, Genius of Homer (1775), 288. Homer’s particles were [not] altogether condemned to this mere expletive duty.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Addison, Wks. III. 89. The lines, which there is little temptation to load with expletive epithets.
1804. Southey, in Robberds, Mem. W. Taylor, I. 494. ‘The Key my loose, powerless fingers forsook,’ a lame and expletive way of saying ‘I dropt the key.’
1874. Sayce, Compar. Philol., i. 29. The influence of Emphasis will … show itself … in the introduction of expletive ones [sounds].
¶ c. nonce-use. Given to using expletives.
1857. Mayne Reid, in Chamb. Jrnl., VII. 329. The old trapper had grown expletive.
† 2. Having the attribute of supplying a deficiency. Obs.
1816. Keatinge, Trav. (1817), I. 38, note. Reymond … supplies this deficiency; but he is not sufficiently expletive in regard to this eastern part of the chain.
3. Tending or seeking to supply a loss; compensative. rare. (Cf. quot. 1853 s.v. EXPLETORY.)
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., III. iv. III. § 117. 202. Punishment … is not a part of attributive, and hardly of expletive justice.
B. sb.
1. An expletive word or phrase, one used for filling up a sentence, eking out a metrical line, etc., without adding anything to the sense.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., viii. (1627), 97. As also Coniunctions, Copulatiues [etc.] … so Expletiues, and certaine others.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., I. iv. § 6. 18. There are in most Languages several words that are mere Expletives, not adding any thing to the Sense.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Pope, Wks. IV. 136. Expletives he very early ejected from his verses.
1816. J. Gilchrist, Philos. Etym., 185. Must insignificant particles be consecrated into elegant expletives?
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., III. v. III. § 71. 277. Articles and expletives … are … employed for the sake of the metre, not of the sense.
b. Often applied to a profane oath or other meaningless exclamation.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxviii. Retaining only such of their expletives as are least offensive.
1840. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Spectre of Tapp. Tom … replied … with an expletive.
1891. E. Peacock, N. Brendon, I. 63. ‘Confound him!’ or some stronger expletive exploded from the Earl’s lips.
2. An ‘expletive’ person or thing; one that merely serves to fill up space.
1688. R. L’Estrange, Brief Hist. Times, II. 69. This Article [of an Impeachment] is an Expletive; and Signifies just nothing.
1755. Young, Centaur, ii. Wks. 1757, IV. 110. Was man made only to flutter, sing, and expire? A mere expletive in the mighty work … of the Almighty?
1772. Graves, Spir. Quixote, IX. xv. (1783), III. 52. A gooseberry tart; with other ornamental expletives of the same kind.
1872. O. W. Holmes, Poet Breakf.-t., i. 9. He is a sort of expletive at the table, serving to stop gaps.
b. Something that supplies deficiencies; a supplement. rare.
1879. Sir G. G. Scott, Lect. Archit., I. 207. They may … be studied [in Italy] … as an aid and expletive to what we learn elsewhere.
Hence Expletively adv., in an expletive manner, with redundancy of expression. Expletiveness, the quality of being expletive.
1607. Hieron, Defence, I. 160. To be put in expletiuely and by way of explication.
1860. J. Young, Prov. Reason, 171. Loosely, expletively, rhetorically, we speak of the Infinite Life.
1730–6. Bailey (folio), Expletiveness, expletive or filling up quality.
