a. (adv.) Also 6–8 sut(e)able, 7–8 suiteable. [f. SUIT v. + -ABLE, after agreeable. Earlier synonyms were suit-like, suitly.
In the following passage seuthable may be an early example of this word, or may have arisen from a misreading of semable as seutable:—
1513. Douglas, Æneid, I. Prol. 394. Rycht so, by about speche oft in tymes, And seuthable [Camb. MS. semabill] wordis we compile our rymes.]
† 1. Of furniture, dress, features, etc.: Conforming or agreeing in shape, color, pattern or style; matching, to match. Const. to, with. Obs.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., I. lxxvi. 155. His Shooes … were all beset with Aglets of golde, and his Cap couered ouer with Buttons sutable to the same.
1584. in Scott’s Kenilw., Note K. A crymson sattin counterpointe,… A chaise of crymson sattin, suteable.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., I. 21. I had an old wainescot window, that was peeced out with new wainscot by a good workeman, and both becam verie suteable and of one colour.
1614. Markham, Cheap Husb., II. 110. The colour being sutable with the colour of the feathers on his head.
1625. in Rymer’s Fœdera (1726), XVIII. 237/2. The Bason enamelled … and the Layer [= ewer] sutable, haveing forty eighte small Dyamonds in the Bason.
1634–5. Brereton, Trav. (Chetham Soc.), 49. Four dainty suitable quarters in the court.
1635. Stafford, Fem. Glory, 3. Her visage long, and her nose sutable.
1656. Heylin, Surv. France, 93. The beds are all sutable one to the other.
c. 1710. Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 300. The doores to them [sc. cupboards] made suiteable to ye wanscoate.
† 2. Of persons, actions, qualities, conditions, institutions: Conforming or agreeing in nature, condition or action; accordant; corresponding; analogous; occas. congenial. Obs.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, D j. Euery seruile drudge must ruffle in his silkes, or else hee is not suteable.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 88. This is a pleasant towne for seate if the inhabitants were sutable.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. viii. 25. Had not Bishops been somewhat sutable the Roman Clergy had not been like it self.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Hosea, iii. 19. God sets every blessing upon our score, and expects an answer and returne suteable.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 639. In his face Youth smil’d Celestial, and to every Limb Sutable grace diffus’d.
1718. Steele, Fish-pool, 193. The … painful way, in which fish … are conveyed in Well-boats, must have suitable unhealthy effects.
1748. Melmoth, Fitzosborne Lett., xlvii. Certain suitable feelings which the objects that present themselves to his consideration instantly occasion in his mind.
† b. Const. to, with. Obs.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. xi. § 5. The matter of your letters so fit for a worthy minde, and the maner so sutable to the noblenesse of the matter.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xlix. § 1. A worke most suteable with his purpose—who gaue himselfe to be the price of redemption for all.
1620. T. Granger, Div. Logike, 42. Ouid describeth the figure of mans body sutable to his reasonable soule.
1638. Slingsby, Diary (1836), 6. His disposition is not sutable with ye rest of his fellow servants.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. viii. § 11. 33. They have left us relations sutable to those of Ælian.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac., I. 33. Those Measures of Offence and Indignation, which we vulgarly suppose in God, are sutable to those original Ideas of Goodness which [He] … has implanted in us.
† c. Of two or more things: That are in agreement or accord. Obs.
1605. Camden, Rem., Names (1623), 45. Destinies were superstitiously by Onomantia desciphered out of names, as though the names and natures of men were sutable.
1640. F. Roberts, Clavis Bibl., 303. The suitable wickednesse of Priests and people.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 135. Gaius and they were such sutable Company, that they could not tell how to part.
3. That is fitted for, adapted or appropriate to a person’s character, condition, needs, etc., a purpose, object, occasion, or the like. Const. to, for.
1607. Shaks., Timon, III. vi. 92. What is amisse in them, you Gods, make suteable for destruction.
1621. Sanderson, Serm., Ad Pop. iv. (1632), 364. Worthy of all … civill respects sutable to his place and person.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, Goth. Wars, I. 10. Senseless fears not sutable to the occasion.
1672. Petty, Pol. Anat. (1691), 78. There are 750,000 in Ireland who could earn 2s. a week … if they had sutable employment.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 113, ¶ 4. As soon as I thought my Retinue suitable to the Character of my Fortune and Youth.
1798. S. & Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., II. 120. A suitable match for their daughter.
1812. New Botanic Gard., I. 59. The most suitable season for transplanting the roots.
1815. Elphinstone, Acc. Caubul (1842), II. 215. As it was always a distinct government,… it seemed more suitable to treat of it separately.
1822. Scott, Nigel, vi. A dress … more suitable to his age and quality than he had formerly worn.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. iii. 246. A suitable atmosphere enveloping the most distant planet might render it … perfectly habitable.
1893. J. A. Hodges, Elem. Photogr., vii. 54. To make several experimental exposures on suitable subjects.
† 4. = SUABLE a. Obs. rare.
a. 1555. Bradford, in Foxe, A. & M. (1570), III. 1838/1. The wife is no sutable person but the husband.
5. Comb., as suitable-sized adj.
1892. E. Reeves, Homeward Bound, 337. A fixed price for five years for all the suitable-sized mutton they can grow.
B. as adv. = SUITABLY. Const. to.
1584. in Scott’s Kenilw., Note K. A square stoole and a foote stoole, of crimson velvet, fringed and garnished suteable.
1631. May, trans. Barclay’s Mirr. Mindes, I. 189. Italy … is now bounded, (more suitable farre to the intention of Nature,) by the enclosure of those lofty Alpes.
1655. Theophania, 16. He … ever framed his discourse suitable to his company.
1664. in Extr. State Papers rel. Friends (1912), III. 224. That soe wee may steare our Course suitable to your Commands.
1748. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. ii. § 5. 235. Where a Person mis-spells suitable to a Mispronunciation.
1796. Mrs. E. Parsons, Myst. Warning, I. 31. To see her dear children cloathed, and attended suitable to their father’s birth.
