sb. and a. Now rare exc. arch. Also 7 suplicant. [ad. L. supplicantem, -ans, pr. pple. of supplicāre to SUPPLICATE. Cf. It., Pg. supplicante, Sp. suplicante.]
A. sb. = SUPPLIANT sb.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xxiv. § 1. The Prince and people of Nineueh assembling themselues as a maine army of supplicants.
1650. Row, Hist. Kirk, Suppl. (Wodrow Soc.), 491. The supplicants [in 1638] gave in a Supplication to his Majestie’s Commissioners for a free Generall Assemblie and Parliaments.
1693. trans. Dupin’s Hist. Eccl. Writers, II. 109. The Third Rank of Catechumens was, that of those that were present at the Prayers, who were called the Supplicants or the Prostrati.
1834. K. H. Digby, Mores Cath., V. vi. 184. The pious supplicants, who repair to the churches.
1873. Burton, Hist. Scot., VI. lxix. 161. The Supplicants treated the king’s person with great reverence.
b. spec. One who supplicates for a degree: see SUPPLICATE v. 3.
1649. Lamont, Diary (Maitl. Club), 6. Ther was 12 [scholars] euery colledge, and two supplicants laureat.
1901. Rashdall & Rait, New College, 220. When a Fellow of New College takes any degree, his name is omitted from the list of supplicants.
B. adj. = SUPPLIANT a.1
1597. Shaks., Lover’s Compl., 276. All these hearts that doe on mine depend,… supplicant their sighes to you extend.
1605. Camden, Rem., Epigr., 16. One did write this suplicant Verse to the Emperour.
1705. Bull, Corrupt. Ch. Rome, iii. 268. [They] offer’d to this Council their Letters supplicant, confessing that they had sinn’d.
1787. Phil. Trans., LXXVII. 259. Pricking up the ears when anxious,… depressing them when supplicant.
1807. J. Barlow, Columb., II. 338. A sovereign supplicant with lifted hands.
1834. K. H. Digby, Mores Cath., V. iii. 85. The supplicant people.
Hence Supplicantly adv. SUPPLIANTLY.
1864. in Webster.
