a. [f. L. ultrōne-us, f. ultrō of one’s own accord, voluntarily. Cf. Sp., Pg., It. ultroneo.] Made, offered, etc., of one’s own accord; spontaneous, voluntary.
1637. Gillespie, Eng. Pop. Cerem., II. ix. 43. This Argument of Scandall, the Pastor can make good against the Fornicator, out of his owne ultroneous and unrequired concession of the indifferency of Fornication.
1657. J. Watts, Vind. Ch. Eng., 144. A superiour may do … an ultroneous honour, if he will, to his inferior.
1817. J. Fergusson, Rep. Consist. Crt. Scotl., 257, note. Testimony given by a witness not cited is liable to objection, as ultroneous.
1852. Sir W. Hamilton, Discuss. (1853), App. iii. 811. The exercise of the student in the University classes, should be partly exigible, partly ultroneous.
1894. Brett, in 19th Cent., June, 914. That worthy body of doctrinaires were responsible for the ultroneous rule of Palmerston.
b. Sc. Law. Of witnesses: (see quots.).
1824. G. Tait, On Evidence, 379. Witnesses … if they come into Court … without being cited. are called ultroneous witnesses.
1838. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 371. Ultroneous witnesses, i.e. witnesses who offer their testimony without being regularly cited, were formerly inadmissable, but this objection seems now only to affect their credibility.
