Also 5–7 -icion, 6 -icioun, -itioun, -icyon, -ycyon. [a. OF. superstition (= It. superstizione, Sp. supersticion, Pg. superstição) or their source L. superstitio, -ōnem, n. of action f. superstāre to stand upon or over, f. super- SUPER- 2 + stāre to stand.
The etymological meaning of L. superstitio is perhaps ‘standing over a thing in amazement or awe.’ Other interpretations of the literal meaning have been proposed, e.g., ‘excess in devotion, over-scrupulousness or over-ceremoniousness in religion’ and ‘the survival of old religious habits in the midst of a new order of things’; but such ideas are foreign to ancient Roman thought.]
1. Unreasoning awe or fear of something unknown, mysterious or imaginary, esp. in connection with religion; religious belief or practice founded upon fear or ignorance.
1538. Starkey, England (1878), 189. Theyr [sc. monks’] solytary lyfe, wych hath brought forth, wyth lytyl profyt to the publyke state, much superstycyon.
1549. Latimer, Ploughers (Arb.), 30. Where the Deuyll is residente … vp wyth al superstition and Idolatrie, sensing,… holye water, and newe seruice of menes inuenting.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. iii. § 2. Superstition is, when things are either abhord or obserued, with a zealous or fearefull, but erroneous relation to God.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvii. 155. A man may stand in fear of Spirits … through his own superstition.
1653. Jer. Taylor, Serm. for Year, I. ix. 116. It is superstition to worship any thing … besides the Creator.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., V. i. (1904), II. 435. Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.
1777. Robertson, Hist. Amer., IV. Wks. 1851, V. 372. Wherever superstition is so established as to form a regular system, this desire of penetrating into the secrets of futurity is connected with it.
1808. Pike, Sources Mississ. (1810), III. App. 24. The people’s superstition is so great that they are running after the holy father in the streets, and endeavoring to kiss the hem of his garment.
1854. Milman, Lat. Christ., IV. vii. (1864), II. 367. A copious list of miracles wrought by certain images … showing the wretched superstition into which the worship of images had degenerated.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, li. Nero had fits of superstition.
b. In particularized sense: An irrational religious belief or practice; a tenet, scruple, habit, etc., founded on fear or ignorance.
1402. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 56. Foure general synnes, sett up bi sir Adam, Jakke, among ȝour maistris, cediciouns, supersticions, the glotouns, and the proude.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 283. Diuerse supersticiones began of ydolatry.
1547. Homilies, I. Serm. of Good Wks., III. (1859), 61. Other kinds of papistical superstitions … as of Beads, of Lady Psalters and Rosaries.
1608. Shaks., Per., III. i. 50. 1st Sailor. The sea workes hie, The Wind is lowd, and will not lie till the Ship Be cleard of the dead. Per. That’s your superstition.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit., II. iii. rule 13. § 23. 465. When they began to say, that … all wine was an abomination, they pass’d into a direct superstition.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. iv. 75. By Religion’s being corrupted into Superstitions, which indulge Men in their Vices.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., x. II. 621. The notion would still prevail that the kingly office is the ordinance of God in a sense different from that in which all government is his ordinance. It was plain that, till this superstition was extinct, the constitution could never be secure.
1856. R. A. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), I. VI. ii. 160. The Portuguese have a superstition according to which the soul of a man who has died, leaving some duty unfulfilled … is frequently known to enter into another person.
2. An irrational religious system; a false, pagan or idolatrous religion. Now rare or Obs.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxv. 19. They … hadde certayne questions agaynst him off their awne supersticion.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 5. The Turks received the Mahometane superstition.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, II. vi. 110. The present Iewish superstition.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 564. [Mohammed] making him [sc. Ali] the head of his superstition, with the title of Caliph.
1671. Milton, Samson, 15. Unwillingly this rest Thir Superstition yields me.
1771. Smollett, Humphry Cl., 4 July. A conference with his friend Voltaire, about giving the last blow to the Christian superstition.
1813. Prichard, Phys. Hist. Man, viii. § 1. 402. These authors regard the latter [sc. Buddhism] as the ancient and indigenous superstition of the East.
b. A religious ceremony or observance of a pagan or idolatrous character. Now rare or Obs.
a. 1529. Skelton, P. Sparowe, 1350. The Phitonesse … by her supersticyons, And wonderfull condityons,… raysed vp … Samuell that was dede.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xxx. 293. They did assemble there for theyr dances and superstitions.
1608. Heywood, Lucrece, II. i. Our superstition’s ended, sacred priest, Since we have had free answer from the gods.
1849. Rock, Ch. Fathers, I. iii. 294. The heathen Britons made use of balls of crystal in their idle superstitions.
† c. Religious observance. Obs. rare–1.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. xiii. 63. I sweir tharto be the onplesand well Of Stix,… Quhais only dreidfull superstitioun heyr The Goddis kepis, that nane dar it forsweyre.
† d. Idolatrous or extravagant devotion. Obs.
1625. Fletcher, etc., Lover’s Progress, III. iii. May I not kiss ye now in superstition? For you appear a thing that I would kneel to.
† 3. ‘Over-nicety; exactness too scrupulous’ (J., 1755). (Cf. SUPERSTITIOUS 3.) Obs. rare.–0.
4. transf. (from 1). Irrational or unfounded belief in general; an unreasonable or groundless notion.
1794. Hutton, Philos. Light, etc., 107. I am afraid there are many men of science … that only believe the theory of heat and cold in prejudice or superstition, i.e. without having seen its evidence.
1851. Spencer, Social Statics, xix. 209. Of the political superstitions,… none is so universally diffused as the notion that majorities are omnipotent.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., v. 120. The superstition of the law-courts that a man can exercise rights of property after his death to all time.
Hence Superstitional a., characterized by superstition, superstitious; Superstitionist, one given to superstition, or holding superstitious beliefs; Superstitionless a., free from superstition.
1683. E. Hooker, Pref. Pordage’s Mystic Div., 44. Doctrines Traditional, *Superstitional, and Deductional.
c. 1850. Lady Blanche Balfour, Prayer, in J. Robertson, Remin. (1897), 54. From careless or superstitional acquiescence where I should inquire, Good Lord, deliver me.
1651. H. More, Second Lash, in Enthus. Tri., etc. (1656), 184. The arbitrarious precepts of supercilious Stoicks, or surly *Superstitionists.
1676. Glanvill, Seasonable Reflect., 139. Melancholy Superstitionists or distracted Enthusiasts.
1798. W. Taylor, in Monthly Mag., VI. 549. The disguising reverence with which superstitionists have regarded them [sc. the Hebrews].
1846. Wordsworth, in Chr. Wordsw., Mem. (1851), II. 425. A wretched set of religionists…, superstitionists I ought to say, called Mormonites.
1890. A. J. Vogan, Black Police, xii. 188. The *superstitionless training Billy had received.
