a. Chiefly Sc. Obs. Also 5 substa(u)ncyous, 6 -cius, -tius (substentious), 6–8 -cious, (7 substanteious). [a. OF. substantieux, = It. sostanzioso, Sp., Pg. substancioso, ad. med.L. substantiōsus, f. substantia SUBSTANCE: see -IOUS.]
1. Weighty, important; solid, firm; effective.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 431/2. Wyth shorte and substauncyous wordes.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 248. God my spreit now inspir,… And send me sentence to say, substantious, et noble.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), I. 5. So that it be substantious of sentence.
1549. in R. Keith, Hist. Scot. (1844), I. App. 435. The Lord Governour and Lordis of secret Counsall,… hes for substantious resistance thairof,… offerit thameselfis reddie to defend thair awin auld liberties.
1597. R. Bruce, Apol., in Wodrow, Life (1843), 175. To beseech him for some substantious remeed to all these evils.
1607. Gladstanes, in Orig. Lett. to Jas. I. (Bann. Cl.), I. 118. Thay find, in steid of superficiall … inventiones, profitable and substantious theologie.
1640. R. Baillie, Canterb. Self-Convict., 98. Of all the limbs of the masse the most substantious … are … the Offertorie, the Canon, the Communion.
1832. Southey, Lett. (1856), IV. 284. I am glad that the political papers exist now in a substantious shape.
2. Of structures: Substantial, solid.
1529. Aberdeen Reg. (1844), I. 127. Ane nobill and substantius brig … completit and ended substantiuslie in all necessaries.
1541. Sir J. Sandilands, Deed, in Proc. Antiq. Scot. (1860), III. 162. To rais ane substantious wall of rouch werk.
3. Wealthy, well-to-do.
1517. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., V. 153. The lordis, baronis, and uthiris substancius men. Ibid. (1532), VI. 117. All baronis, frehaldaris, and substantious gentilmen.
1545. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 11. It is necessar … to have with thame substantious freindis.
1560. First & Sec. Bk. Discipl. (1621), 46. Every fewar and substantious Gentlemans sonne.
1640. Bk. War Committee of Covenanters, 54. Gif he be ane heritor or substantious soccarer [read cottarer] or yeoman.
b. Of provision: Ample.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. ix. (S.T.S.), I. 52. To mak provisioun in the maist riche and substancius maner þat þai mycht to Invaid vthir.
1561. in R. Keith, Hist. Scot. (1734), I. 198. That thai with thair substancious Housaldis, weill bodin in feir of Weir, in thair maist substancious Maner, meit James Commendatour of Saintandrois.
1643. in Spalding, Troub. Scot. (1792), II. 101. All the fencible persons … shall provide themselves … warlike provision … in the most substantious manner.
4. Considerable in number or amount.
1569. St. Papers Eliz., For. (1874), 154. [Some] substancious [force of footmen].
1584. in 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., 414/1. Accumpaneit with a substantius number of your honest freindis.
