pa. pple. and ppl. a. [f. mod.L. *superannuātus, altered from med.L. superannātus SUPERANNATE, after L. annuus (see ANNUAL).]
1. Of persons (or animals): Disqualified or incapacitated by age; old and infirm.
† Formerly const. to with inf. = too old to be or to do something; also const. from = not subject to or capable of something, on account of old age.
pa. pple. 1639. Fuller, Holy War, I. xxii. 34. Barzillai, superannuated to be a courtier.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 42. Were there any hopes to out-live vice, or a point to be super-annuated from sin.
1648. T. Hill, Strength Saints, Ep. Ded. A iij. If you omit to elect them, they must (being superannuated) bee most disgracefully throwne off.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., iv. 65. Old age, which … makes men … superannuated from the bold and couragious thoughts of youth.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 212. When any are super-annuated,… seeing they can do no more Work they are to expect no more Wages.
1757. H. Walpole, Lett. to Mann, 17 Jan. I trust he [sc. the Pope] was superannuated when they drew from him the late Bull enjoining the admission of the Unigenitus on pain of damnation.
1787. Minor, 59. The horses, being likewise superannuated, were exchanged for others.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 342. I subscribed regularly to Society, and know that if I got superannuated I should be comfortably maintained by the trade.
1873. Hamerton, Intell. Life, I. vii. 36. We shall be either superannuated or dead.
ppl. a. c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 20. This goodly antient city … looks like … some superannuated virgin that hath lost her lover.
a. 1694. South, Serm., Rom. i. 32, II. 247. Old Age … the proper Season for a super-annuated Sinner to enjoy the Delights of Sin in the Rebound.
1714. Waterland, Lett. Lay-Baptism, II. iii. (1892), 231. We may fairly suppose there might be about a thousand [Levites] fifty years old, and consequently superannuated.
a. 1791. Wesley, Minutes Sev. Convers., Wks. 1830, VIII. 326. How can we provide for superannuated and supernumerary Preachers?
1819. A. Clarke, in Life (1840), ix. 331. A superannuated cock whose muscles were impenetrable to the teeth.
1836–7. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Boarding-House, i. Mr. Calton was a superannuated beau—an old boy.
1886. W. J. Tucker, E. Europe, 110. A giggle from a withered superannuated governess.
absol. 1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 86/2. Those whom you take in … are the Superannuated, and those who want their Senses.
b. transf. of personal actions or attributes.
1707. Reflex. upon Ridicule, 301. Her superannuated Charms.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, I. xi. With a fascinating, superannuated smile she complimented him on his wit.
1860. Motley, Netherl., vii I. 436. In all this there was much of superannuated coquetry.
2. Of things: Impaired by age, worn out; antiquated, obsolete, out of date.
pa. pple. a. 1633. Austin, Medit. (1635), 280. The pleasure I looke in them [sc. worldly things] … being taken off, they wither, grow uselesse, and are super-annuated, like an old tent.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Wine, In France, the Wines that keep best,… are reckon’d superannuated at five or six Leaves old.
1883. H. Juta, trans. Van der Linden’s Instit. Holland, 283. The judgments of the High Court become superannuated after a lapse of five years…. The judgments of Amsterdam, however, do not become superannuated.
ppl. a. 1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, III. xi. 148. From rags, Snattocks, Snips,… super-annuated Smocks and Shirts, come very faire Sheets.
1665. Glanvill, Scepsis Sci., vi. 25. This superannuated Conceit deserves no more of our remenbrance.
1689. Dial. betw. Timothy & Titus, 3. Thy threadbare Cassock and superannuated Beaver.
1832. trans. Sismondi’s Ital. Rep., v. 115. Vieri de Cerchi … proposed to substitute equal laws, for superannuated proscriptions.
1856. N. Brit. Rev., XXVI. 67. The three Theologies, which now stand in view of our British Christianity—namely, the superannuated Logical, the modern Philosophical, and the future Biblical.
absol. 1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., xlii. Obstinate adherence to the superannuated.
b. loosely. That has lasted a very long time; inveterate; very old. rare.
1644. Quarles, Barnabas & B., 36. Hath Gilead balm enough to heal thy superannuated sores?
1839. De Quincey, Recoll. Lakes, Wks. 1862, II. 6. No more than the sun fails to gladden the heart, because it is that same old superannuated sun that has gladdened it for thousands of years.
3. Discharged from service on a pension after attaining a certain age. Also said of the pension.
1740. Cibber, Apol. (1756), I. 116. He dy’d soon after, a superannuated pensioner.
1771. Smollett, Humphry Cl., 13 July. A superannuated lieutenant on half-pay.
1802. James, Milit. Dict., s.v., To be placed upon the superannuated list is to be recommended to the board at Chelsea.
1817. Jrnl. Ho. Commons, LXXII. 97/1. Superannuated or retired Allowances, to Persons late belonging to the Office of Ordinance.
1848. Dickens, Haunted Man, i. 13. There’s my father,… superannuated keeper and custodian of this Institution, eigh-ty-seven year old.
