a. and sb. Also 6 suppreme, 6–7 supreame, 7–8 supream. [ad. L. suprēmus, superl. of superus that is above, f. super above. Cf. F. suprême, It., Sp., Pg. supremo.
In poetry, esp. when attrib., freq. stressed su·preme.
A. adj.
1. Highest (in literal sense), loftiest, topmost. Now only poet.
1523. Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 694. What thynge occasionyd the showris of rayne, Of fyre elementar in his supreme spere.
1653. R. Sanders, Physiogn., 115. The supream angle not joyned … predicts loss of the eyes.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 299. The venters are the inferiour, or abdomen; the middle, or thorax; or the supreame, which is the head.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, I. (1723), 89. The supreme or outmost Stratum of the Globe.
1808. Macaulay, in Trevelyan, Life & Lett. (1876), I. i. 32. Day set on Cambria’s hills supreme.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 75. Blanc, supreme above his earth-brood.
2. Highest in authority or rank; holding the highest place in authority, government or power.
Chiefly in technical collocations, and first used in the expressions supreme head and supreme governor in the enactments of Henry VIII.’s and Elizabeth’s reigns (respectively) dealing with the position of the sovereign as the paramount authority (as against the bishop of Rome). (Cf. SUPREMACY 1 a.)
Supreme Court of Judicature: (a) in India (see quot. 1773): (b) in Great Britain and Ireland (see JUDICATURE 1).
1532–3. Act 24 Hen. VIII., c. 12. Preamble, Where by dyvers sundrie olde autentike histories and cronicles it is manifestly declared and expressed that this Realme of Englond is an Impire … governed by oon Supreme heede and King.
1534. Act 26 Hen. VIII., c. 1. That the Kyng our Soveraign Lorde … shalbe … reputed the onely supreme heed in erthe of the Churche of England callyd Anglicana Ecclesia.
1558–9. Act 1 Eliz., c. 1 § 19 (Form of Oath). I … doo … declare in my Conscience, that the Quenes Highnes is thonelye supreme Governour of this Realme … aswell in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Thinges or Causes as Temporall.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 66 b. Geuyng hym his faythe as to his supreme Magistrate.
1597. Skene, De Verb. Sign., s.v. Scaccarium, Some callis it [sc. the Exchequer] the soveraigne and supreame court.
1611. Bible, 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man … whether it be to the King, as supreme, Or vnto gouernours.
1656. J. Hammond, Leah & Rachel, Postscr. (1844), 30. I … will abide such censure … as the supreame power of England shall find me to have merited.
1672–5. Comber, Comp. Temple (1702), 119. Such Miscreants … who should thirst so vehemently for the blood of its Supream Governor.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. ii. 146. Of magistrates also some are supreme, in whom the sovereign power of the state resides; others are subordinate, deriving all their authority from the supreme magistrate.
1770. Junius Lett., Ded. When we say that the legislature is supreme, we mean, that it is the highest power known to the constitution.
1773. Act 13 Geo. III., c. 63 § 13. That it shall … be lawful for his Majesty,… to … establish a Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William [in Bengal].
1790. A. J. Dallas (title), Reports of Cases adjudged in the Courts of Pennsylvania, namely, the Common Pleas, Supreme Court, and the High Court of Errors and Appeals.
1844. H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, III. ix. III. 535. The Supreme Council … was to consist of six members, of whom four were to be officers of the four Presidencies.
1861. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xvii. 255. The judicial power exercised by the Lords as a supreme Court of Judicature in all matters of law.
1873. Act 36 & 37 Vict., c. 66 § 4. The said Supreme Court shall consist of two permanent Divisions, one of which, under the name of ‘Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice,’ shall have and exercise original jurisdiction … and the other of which, under the name of ‘Her Majesty’s Court of Appeal,’ shall have and exercise appellate jurisdiction.
1881. Encycl. Brit., XIII. 789/2. In the United States the supreme court consists of a chief justice and eight associate justices.
† Const. to.
1642. Jer. Taylor, Episc., § 36. The king is supreme to the bishop in impery.
b. Said of the authority, command, etc.
1539. Tonstall, Serm. Palm Sund. (1823), 61. Faustinus … alleged … that the byshop of Rome ought to haue the orderynge of all Great Matters … by his supreme auctoritie.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. vii. 118. It is your fault, that you resigne The Supreme Seat, the Throne Maiesticall.
1659. Hammond, Dispatcher Disp., iv. § 4. What the rights are, which are peculiar to the Supreme Pastourship.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 659. Uriel,… thou … here art likeliest by supream decree Like honour to obtain.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XIX. 170. He, long honour’d in supreme command.
1754. Erskine, Princ. Sc. Law (1809), 13. Jurisdiction is either supreme, inferior, or mixed.
1840. Thirlwall, Greece, lvi. VII. 185. When they had joined their forces, Craterus resigned the supreme command to his colleague.
1863. H. Cox, Inst., I. i. 2. The supreme power of making and abrogating laws.
c. transf. and fig. (chiefly predicative).
1656. Bramhall, Replic., iv. 159. In a great Family there are several offices, as a Divine, a Physitian, a Schoolmaster, and every one of these is supreme in his own way.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 91. The lower still I fall, onely Supream In miserie.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 238. Man is supreme Lord and Master of his own Ruin and Disaster.
1726. Butler, Serm. Rolls Chap., ii. 26. Which Principle … being in Nature supream,… ought to preside over and govern all the rest.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., xxi. The temple of fashion where Madame Mantalini reigned paramount and supreme.
1878. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. xviii. 158. During the session parliament was supreme.
1884. F. Temple, Relat. Relig. & Sci., ii. (1885), 59. To believe that the rule of duty is supreme over all the universe, is the first stage of Faith.
1892. Westcott, Gospel of Life, 89. Each science is supreme within its own domain.
ellipt. 1718. Prior, Solomon, II. 36. The spreading Cedar, that an Age had stood, Supreme of Trees, and Mistress of the Wood.
1774. Bryant, Mythol., II. 125. He seems to have been the supreme of those … spirits described above.
3. Of the highest quality, degree or amount.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 780. Let their exhald vnholdsome breaths make sicke The life of puritie, the supreme faire, Ere he arriue his wearie noone-tide pricke.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, IV. xli. Hee could not meane t’ haue peace with those, Who did in that supreame degree offend.
a. 1631. Donne, Paradoxes (1652), 17. If these kil themselves, they do it in their best and supream perfection.
1649. E. Reynolds, Hosea, vi. 82. The supreame end and happinesse of the soule.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 110, ¶ 1. That to please the Lord and Father of the universe, is the supreme interest of created … beings.
1847. Helps, Friends in C., I. vi. 96. I have a supreme disgust for the man who at the hustings has no opinion beyond … the clamour round him.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 412. In no other mind have the demonstrative faculty and the inductive faculty coexisted in such supreme excellence.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Race, Wks. (Bohn), II. 20. They have sound bodies, and supreme endurance in war and in labour.
1872. Liddon, Elem. Relig., i. 5. The needs of the human mind, and among them … its supreme need of a religion.
1878. R. W. Dale, Lect. Preach., vii. 212. The death of Christ, which is the supreme revelation of the Divine love.
b. Of persons: Highest or greatest in character or achievement.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, V. 1. Then Pallas breath’d in Tydeus sonne: to render whom supreame To all the Greekes,… she cast a hoter beame, On his high mind.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. I. ii. The Supreme Quack.
1874. Creighton, Hist. Ess., i. (1902), 1. In … the reflective and analytic class, Lionardo and Dante stand supreme.
1878. Gladstone, Prim. Homer, 138. Homer exhibits Odusseus as a supreme master of the bow.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xvii. You are a supreme artist.
ellipt. 1814. Wordsw., Laodamia, ix. Supreme of Heroes—bravest, noblest, best!
c. Of a point or period of time: Of highest or critical importance.
1878. Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 170. The Carthaginian government managed, even in this supreme hour, to thwart Hamilcar.
1883. Manch. Examiner, 26 Nov., 5/1. The generals have been at loggerheads at the supreme moment of the battle.
d. spec. applied to highly excellent varieties of fruits or vegetables.
1706. London & Wise, Retir’d Gard’ner, I. xi. 48. Summer Pears. The Little Muscat, The Supreme, The Cuisse-Madame.
[1860. Hogg, Fruit Man., 221. Pears…. Windsor (Bell Tongue … Summer Bell; Suprême).]
1882. Garden, 21 Jan., 38/1. Supreme [a variety of pea] … gives large successional pickings.
4. spec. applied to God (or his attributes), as the paramount ruler of the world, or the most exalted being or intelligence; also to the most exalted of heathen deities.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., II. i. 13. Take heed you dally not before your King, Lest he that is the supreme King of Kings Confound your hidden falshood. Ibid. (1607), Cor., V. iii. 71. With the consent of supreame Ioue.
1634. Milton, Comus, 217. He, the Supreme good, t’ whom all things ill Are but as slavish officers of vengeance. Ibid. (1667), P. L., X. 70. Mine both in Heav’n and Earth to do thy will Supream.
1672–5. Comber, Comp. Temple (1702), 93. That Supream Lord, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
1699. Burnet, 39 Art., i. 38. The Supream and Increated Being.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), II. 274. Whether there be really that Supreme-One we suppose.
1751. Harris, Hermes, Wks. (1841), 235. Original truth having the most intimate connexion with the Supreme Intelligence.
1820. Shelley, Œd. Tyr., I. i. 1. Thou supreme Goddess!
1836. Thirlwall, Greece, xiii. II. 165. When the victim was to be offered to the supreme God, it was taken up to the top of the highest hill.
1854. Orr’s Circ. Sci., Org. Nat., I. 29. The proposition … that human science is … adverse to the belief in a Supreme Intelligence.
1902. Encycl. Brit., XXXII. 824/1. The Festival of the Supreme Being, decreed by the National Convention, designed by David and conducted by Robespierre.
5. Last, final, as belonging to the moment of death. Now only a gallicism: cf. F. le moment suprême.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 66. The supreme iudgments & testimonies of his friends … delivered at their deaths.
1648. [see 6 b].
1894. Sir E. Sullivan, Woman, 57. When Queen Elizabeth was dying she had her band summoned to her ante-chamber … when she felt the supreme moment approaching she told the musicians to strike up her favourite air.
6. In comparative and superlative.
a. Comparative supremer. rare.
1683. Kennett, trans. Erasm. on Folly (1709), 125. After their reign here they must appear before a supreamer judge.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VIII. xxiv. 109. Having given way to supremer fervours.
b. Superlative supremest, most supreme.
1631. Massinger, Emperor East, IV. i. Fate … appointed you To the supremest honour.
1648. Herrick, Hesper., Upon a Maide, 6. Virgins, come, and in a ring Her supreamest requiem sing.
a. 1674. Traherne, Chr. Ethics (1675), 11. There are many degrees of blessedness beneath the most supream.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IV. 325. Throned in omnipotence, supremest Jove Tempers the fates of human race.
1772–84. Cook’s Voy. (1790), V. 1637. This man felt the most supreme pleasure.
1862. Miss Braddon, Lady Audley, xxxiv. In her supremest hour of misery.
B. sb. † 1. A person having supreme authority, rank or power; a supreme authority, ruler or magistrate; sometimes = superior. Obs.
1553. Crome, in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), III. App. x. 24. That they that be prohybyte of the byshops,… ought to cease from preachyng … till they haue purgyd them byfore the supreme of soche suspicion.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 98. He wald nocht enter his sone into his landis the said Earle being supreme thairof.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 996. She clepes him … Imperious supreme of all mortall things.
1631. Chapman, Cæsar & Pompey, II. i. Plays, 1873, III. 148. This day had prou’d him the supreame of Cæsar.
1654–66. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 349. There ought to be a Supreme above the Law.
1660. Waterhouse, Arms & Arm., 177. I return to London which I find of great consequence to her Supremes.
1671. Milton, P. R., I. 99. Their King, their Leader, and Supream on Earth.
1677. W. Hughes, Man of Sin, I. vi. 27. Was it not a fine cast of his office, that one of them [sc. popes] practised upon one of these Supremes [sc. emperors]?
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIII. 144. Old Ocean’s dread Supreme.
1807. E. S. Barrett, Rising Sun, III. 100. By the act of Reformation, the lord was declared to be the supreme of the church.
2. The highest degree or amount of something.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 20. The qualities that intitle a man to this supreme of denominations.
1817. Keats, Sleep & Poetry, 236. A drainless shower Of light is poesy; ’tis the supreme of power.
1858. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt. Part., lxv. I. 249. The Native Indian term for the supreme of folly, is ‘monkey business.’
3. As a title of God (or an exalted deity). The Supreme: the Supreme Being, God.
[1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 723. O Father, O Supream of heav’nly Thrones. Ibid., VIII. 414. To attaine The highth and depth of thy Eternal wayes All human thoughts come short, Supream of things.]
1702. Rowe, Tamerl., I. i. O thou Supream!
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 257, ¶ 7. It is the greatest Folly to seek the … Approbation of any Being, besides the Supreme.
a. 1766. Mrs. F. Sheridan, Nourjahad (1767), 197. May the Supreme grant thy petition.
1820. Shelley, Hymn Merc., i. Heaven’s dread Supreme.
1884. W. S. Lilly, in Contemp. Rev., Feb., 256. This is that aboriginal law of self-sacrifice which links the Supreme to His creatures.
† 4. The highest or topmost part. Obs. rare–1.
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., Ded. A 2 b. One, who … took not his information at the shore or Suburbs, but … visited the intestines and supreme, whence he might the better look below, and round about him.
