a. Now rare. [ad. L. fastuōs-us, f. fastus haughtiness, arrogance: see -OUS. Cf. F. fastueux.] Haughty, arrogant, pretentious, ostentatious.
a. 1638. Mede, Paraphr., 2 Pet. iii. 3. Wks. 1672, III. 616. That supposed fastuous style of Sapores King of Persia to Constantius the Emperour, Rex Regum, etc.
1653. Hammond, On N. T., Mark vii. 22. Fastuous and vain-glorious behaviour.
1707. Collier, Refl. Ridic., 101. A pompous display of a fastuous Learning.
1786–8. J. Williams (‘A. Pasquin’), The Children of Thespis, II. (1792), 132.
| Too fastuous for exquisite passion’s digression, | |
| Too fair for a hero, too round for expression. |
1836. M. J. Chapman, Hebrew Idyls, Judith, in Fraser’s Mag., XIV., July, 22.
| At the good deeds of feminie let no man, | |
| With vain conceit and fastuous humour swelling, | |
| Sneer idly. |
1888. The Saturday Review, LXVI. 6 Oct., 418/1. His subjects however are, as a rule, pleasanter than those of the acute and fastuous vates of dysentery and the birth of calves.
Hence Fastuously adv., in a fastuous manner. Fastuousness, the quality of being fastuous.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., 2 Tim. iii. 2. Wks. 1686, III. 318. We are apt to despise or disregard others, demeaning our selves insolently and fastuously toward them.
1728. R. North, Mem. Musick (1846), 123. He was heard play at Court, but his manner did not take, and he behaved himself fast[u]ously; no person must whisper while he played, which sort of attention had not bin the fashion at Court.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., I. Add. § 5. 58. Diogenes trampled upon Plato’s pride with a greater fastuousnesse, and humorous ostentation.
a. 1677. Barrow, Pope’s Suprem. (1680), I. iv. 66. Then there was no fastuousness in the Church.
1752. T. Birch, Life Tillotson, 430. He had nothing of pride or fastuousness.
