[Independent use of ULTRA-, orig. as an abbreviation of F. ultraroyaliste, and app. mainly due to Lady Morgan. Cf. F. ultra sb. (in senses B. 1 and 2).]
A. adj. 1. Ultra-royalist.
1817. Lady Morgan, France, II. (1818), I. 225. The gradual alteration in tone and manner of the ultra circles, during my residence at Paris, was extremely obvious. Ibid. (1818), Autobiog. (1859), 236. The ministry, it is thought, will be ultra.
1819. Helen M. Williams, Lett. France, 195. No sooner did the tidings … reach Nismes, than the Ultra-party seized a pretext for new disturbances.
1828. Lytton, Pelham, xv. Monsieur d’A—, a man of much conversational talent and some celebrity as an ultra writer.
2. Of persons or parties: Holding extreme views in politics or other matters of opinion.
1820. H. Matthews, Diary of Invalid (ed. 2), 492. Shifting its support as it may find danger from the encroachment of either of the ultra parties of the state.
1837. Lockhart, Scott (1839), IX. 119. The lofty impartiality with which Scott treats the personal character of Buonaparte was of course sure to make all ultra-politicians at home and abroad condemn his representation.
1864. J. H. Newman, Apol., 401. The said authority may be supported by a violent ultra-party.
3. Going beyond what is usual or ordinary; excessive, extreme, immoderate.
attrib. 1818. in Lady Morgan’s Autobiog. (1859), 213. It will afford me equal pleasure if Lady Morgan should turn into ridicule, and excite to ultra rage, those who are envious of her.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav., II. 147. A little wearied by this story, and by the ultra zeal of his countrymen.
1834. Sir W. Hamilton, Discuss. (1853), 502. Bishop Marsh,… whom no one assuredly will suspect of aught but ultra reverence to the Church of England.
pred. 1819. Metropolis, III. 121. The term over-dressed does not mean over-clad, but applies to their being ultra in the caricature of fashion.
1864. Lowell, Lincoln, Prose Wks. 1890, V. 187. All that he did was sure to be virulently attacked as ultra by one side.
1884. Jefferies, Life of Fields, 246. It is so great and ponderous, and ultra in size.
4. Expressive of extreme views.
1827. Scott, Lett. to Lockhart, 26 April. I own I think Ultra-writing only disgusts people, unless it is in the way of a downright invective.
B. sb. 1. An ultra-royalist (in France).
1817. Lady Morgan, France, II. (1818), I. 237. The royalists abuse the ultras; the ultras abuse the government; the constitutionalists laugh at both.
1821. Moore, Mem. (1853), III. 253. Went with Villamil to dine with General Fuller at Versailles; a party of ultras.
1831. in Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), I. 475. I remember a deputy, a good ultra too, once saying … that Charles X was losing the confidence and affection of his people.
1864. Month, I. 357. She [Madame Récamier] equally welcomed ultras and liberals.
2. One who holds extreme opinions, particularly in religion or politics.
1826. Scott, Diary, 20 Jan. Making mutual concessions and balancing the constitution against the ultras of both parties.
1829. Blackw. Mag., XXV. 273. It must therefore stigmatize every man who … acts upon principle as an Ultra and a person of extreme opinions.
1860. Froude, Hist. Eng., V. 391. To the last he was considered by the ultras as timid and intellectually weak.
1884. American, IX. 69. The ultras of their own party denounce the Ministry as having betrayed their friends.
3. One who goes to the extreme of fashion.
1819. F. MacDonogh, Hermit in Lond., I. 55. Bad horsemen and pedestrian women, ultras in conceit and in dress.
1825. T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Passion & Princ., v. Even the parson dined at five, and he was the village ultra in points of fashion and etiquette.
1828. P. Cunningham, N. S. Wales (ed. 3), II. 112. Cards are ceremoniously left, and rules of precedence … punctiliously insisted on by some of our ultras.
