a. Also 6–8 sollicitous. [f. L. sōl-, sollicit-us (see SOLICIT a.) + -OUS. Cf. OF. sol(l)icitoux, -eux.]
† 1. Full of care or concern; anxious, apprehensive, disquiet. Obs.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. v. Ever suspitious, anxious, sollicitous, they are childishly drooping without reason.
1658. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 78. Good natures are sollicitous when a misapprehension befalls them.
1671. Milton, P. R., II. 120. There without sign of boast, or sign of joy, Sollicitous and blank he thus began.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Sollicitous, full of Care and Fear, troubled or much concerned about a thing.
1741. C. Middleton, Cicero, I. III. (ed. 2), 221. They began to be sollicitous.
2. Troubled, anxious, or deeply concerned, on some specified account. Const. with preps., as about, for, of, etc.
(a) 1570. Foxe, A. & M., I. 159/2. He willeth him alwaies to be sollicitous for his soule.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. Ep. Ded. p. iv. Moses, when he tarried at home, was very sollicitous for his countrimen in the field.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 422. For a bare Error of the Memory I shall not be solicitous.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. i. I. 302. The boat was sent away…; and we were not a little solicitous for her return.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 11. Sollicitous chiefly for the peace of my own country, but by no means unconcerned for yours.
1810. Bentham, Art of Packing (1821), 50. The solicitor for the smuggler is solicitous for the smuggler, because,… in being solicitous for his client, he is solicitous for himself.
1845. Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., II. 315. They deemed that such an one would be more solicitous for their welfare … than a stranger.
(b) 1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., II. xiii. (1739), 71. These foreign Engagements made the King less sollicitous of the point of Prerogative at home.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 16. One so sollicitous of other Mens Healths, cannot be unmindful of his own.
1729. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 124. Scarce any shew themselves to advantage, who are over solicitous of doing so.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxx. Your Highness will not expect me to be very solicitous of Henry Smith’s interest.
1841. Emerson, Ess., I. Prudence. You are solicitous of the good-will of the meanest person, uneasy at his ill-will.
(c) 1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., Introd. The Persian Magi … being only solicitous about their Bones [etc.].
a. 1683. Owen, Holy Spirit (1693), 14. In this condition the best of Men are apt to be solicitous about their Answers.
1709–29. V. Mandey, Syst. Math., Astros., 351. Concerning those, Astronomers are not Sollicitous, by reason of the Smallness.
1887. Ruskin, Præterita, II. 330. He was undiligent and effectless—chiefly solicitous about his trousers and gloves.
b. With dependent clause.
1639. Massinger, Unnatural Combat, III. ii. He found him Solicitous in what shape she should appear.
1647. H. More, Poems, Ded. I am not indeed much solicitous, how every particle of these Poems may please you.
1764. Goldsm., Hist. Eng. in Lett. (1772), I. 57. This weak monarch was in no way solicitous who succeeded.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 433. Much solicitous how best He may compensate for a day of sloth.
1836. J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., ix. (1852), 285. Why so solicitous that we should be reconciled?
1845. Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., II. 529. The delegates of the States were chiefly solicitous lest they should be attacked by the remnant of the order in Germany.
3. Extremely or particularly careful or attentive; taking the utmost heed or care.
1609. Bible (Douay), Micah vi. 8, comm. To love mercie, and to walke solicitous with thy God.
1682. Sir T. Browne, Chr. Mor., I. § 33 (1716), 39. Move circumspectly not meticulously, and rather carefully sollicitous than anxiously sollicitudinous.
1789. Bentham, Princ. Legisl., vi. § 41. Under a solicitous and attentive government the ordinary preceptor … is but a deputy as it were to the magistrate.
4. Anxious, eager, desirous: a. With to and inf.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 21. The Prince … was transported with the thought of it, and most impatiently sollicitous to bring it to pass.
1693. J. Edwards, Author. O. & N. Test., 384. Those learned and pious writers … were not solicitous to go any farther.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. ix. (ed. 4), 316. We were very solicitous to get some positive intelligence.
1779. Mirror, No. 19. 76. They have no other effect than … to make her more sollicitous to prevent their effects.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. viii. 284. Whose alliance Hyder was solicitous to gain.
1867. D. Duncan, Disc., vii. 146. God is willing, nay, solicitous to confer these blessings.
b. With in (governing nouns of action).
1628. Le Grys, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, 274. For to the most of them, the Kings being so sollicitous in this businesse, was not pleasing.
1665. Walton, Life Hooker, 241. All this time he was solicitous in his study.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., I. xv. (1824), I. 101. While the merchant and the mariner are solicitous in describing currents and soundings.
5. Marked or characterized by anxiety, care or concern: a. Of actions, study, etc.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 1260/1. Whose industrie was alwayes sollicitous, not onelye to them of hys owne companye, but also … for other prysoners.
1645. E. Reynolds, Serm. Hosea, vi. 64. A symbole, first, of vigilant care and most intent and sollicitous inspection and providence.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 443. The Government of some of them is toilsom and sollicitous.
1736. Butler, Anal., II. vi. An attentive, solicitous, perhaps painful exercise of their understanding about it.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., ii. (1867), 32. A solicitous dissection of the changing emotions of the religious life.
1863. H. Rogers, Life J. Howe, i. 14. It is not after the method of a severe logic or a too solicitous philosophy.
b. Of cares, thoughts, etc.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 242. The sollicitous cares of his mind, which dry his very bones.
a. 1693. Urquhart’s Rabelais, III. xvi. 133. He was in this sad quandary and sollicitous pensiveness.
a. 1703. Burkitt, On N. T., Luke xii. 30. This vexatious care, and solicitous thoughtfulness.
1717. L. Howel, Desiderius (ed. 3), 55. Being the less incumber’d with uneasy Cares and solicitous Vexations.
c. Of life or conditions.
1661. Gauden, in C. Wordsworth, Documentary Suppl. (1825), 19. I doe not desire to live long in this distracted and solicitous condition.
1673. Temple, Observ. United Prov., i. 71. The Royal servitude of a sollicitous life.
6. Of features: Suggestive of solicitude or anxiety.
1868. Swinburne, Ess. & Studies (1875), 362. The features resolute, solicitous, heroic.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., xi. It was not possible for a human aspect to be freer from grimace or solicitous wrigglings.
