pa. pple., ppl. a., and a. [ad. L. succinctus, pa. pple. of succingĕre, f. suc- = SUB- 2, 25 + cingĕre to gird. Cf. F. succinct, It., Pg. succinto, Sp. sucinto.]
A. pa. pple. and ppl. a.
1. Girt, engirdled.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 369. Thei feyne Scylla to be a woman succincte with the hedes of dogges.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 115. The towne is most beautified by a vast garden of the Kings, succinct with a great towred mud-wall.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Succinct, enuironed, fenced about; girt, compassed.
1830. W. Phillips, Mt. Sinai, I. 279. The Everlasting Form—If form there were—of lineament, was void, Succinct with shadows.
fig. 1706. J. Philips, Cerealia, 97, Wks. (1781), 140. Soon she shakes Her drowsy wings, and follows to the war With speed succinct. [Cf. quot. 1667 in B. 3.]
2. Of garments, etc.: Girded up; confined by or as by a girdle. Also of persons.
1604. R. Cawdrey, Table Alph., Succincte … close girt up.
1616–61. Holyday, Persius (1673), 324. And when my golden boss I newly had Hung up to my succinct house-gods.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XVII. 200. Aside they lay Their garments, and succinct, the victims slay.
1841. Trench, Parables, xxvii. 437. The waiting at table with the dress succinct, was a mark of servitude.
1843. R. H. Horne, Orion, I. 86. The form Succinct … Of Artemis.
1866. J. B. Rose, trans. Ovid’s Fasti, I. 344. The Priest … succinct for sacrificial feast.
1876. Lowell, Ode Fourth July, I. i. 18. Over her broad brow in many a round,… Succinct, as toil prescribes, the hair was wound In lustrous coils.
b. Ent. Of certain papæ: Supported by a silken filament round the middle.
In mod. Dicts.
B. adj.
1. Of a narrative, etc.: Compressed into small compass; expressed in few words; brief and concise.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. xv. 16 b. A succinct description of the yland.
1596. T. Bell, Surv. Popery (title-p.), A succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church.
1634. R. H., Salernes Regiment, 207. A Succinct and plaine Discourse, of the Nature and nourishment of divers kinds of Fish.
1711. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), III. 107. A full, though succinct and sober Narrative.
1760–72. J. Adams, trans. Juan & Ulloa’s Voy. (ed. 3), I. p. ix. They give us a succinct account of the Creoles.
1781. Cowper, Convers., 235. A tale should be judicious, clear, succinct; The language plain, and incidents well link’d.
1839. Hallam, Lit. Eur., III. 278. This account of the original of language appears in general as probable as it is succinct and clear.
1864. Bowen, Logic, vii. 184. We need some more succinct mode than that of severally applying to each Syllogism all these Rules.
b. transf. Compact.
1635. Heywood, Hierarchy, II. 83. Hee [sc. man] is stiled a little and succinct world within himselfe.
1800. Hurdis, Fav. Village, 84. Beyond yon humble and succinct abode.
† c. advb. Concisely, briefly. Obs.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., 77. Very largely haue I inueighed against this vice elswhere, wherefore heere I will trusse it vp more succinct [printed surcinct].
2. Of persons, their speech, style, etc.: Characterized by verbal brevity and conciseness; terse.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 203. Apollo himselfe loveth brevitie, and is in his oracles verie succinct and pithy. Ibid. (1606), Sueton., To Rdr. His succinct style and termes.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Discov. (1641), 119. A strict and succinct style is that, where you can take away nothing without losse, and that losse to be manifest.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., V. Wks. 1851, V. 223. The Saxon Annalist wont to be sober and succinct … runs … into such extravagant fansies [etc.].
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 468, ¶ 8. I must grow more succinct.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot. (1817), 211. A succinct and dry writer.
3. Of garments: Not ample or full, close-fitting, scant. arch. or poet.
[1667. Milton, P. L., III. 643. His habit fit for speed succinct.]
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 41. Four Knaves in garbs succinct, a trusty band. Ibid. (1725), Odyss., XIV. 83. His vest succinct then girding round his waste.
1746. Berkeley, in Fraser, Life, viii. 306. If any other [dress] can be contrived yet more succinct and tight.
1755. Monitor, No. 21. I. 182. Some novelties of dress, viz. very low stays, and very succinct petticoats.
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., xi. [She] exchanged her stole, or loose upper garment, for the more succinct cloak and hood of a horseman.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VI. iii. (1872), II. 161. Mere soldier uniform, succinct blue coat, white linen gaiters.
1893. Symonds, Life M. Angelo, I. ii. 66. Tuscan lads half draped in succinct tunics.
4. Of short duration, brief, curt.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, IV. 331. With a succinct bow … he took a hasty leave.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. I. ii. With the rope round their neck, their destiny may be succinct!
1892. Stevenson & L. Osbourne, Wrecker, xi. 175. Captain Nares acknowledged our previous acquaintance with a succinct nod.
