supremacy 
nine Articles. = Syn. Predominance, etc. (nee priority), 
sovereignty, domination, mastery. 
supreme (fft-prfim')| and . [Formerly also 
.ni/ii'i'iiHi : < OK. supreme, F. mijirfnir Sp. Pg. 
It. nil/in HIII, < \i. ..ii/il'i HI us, Mlprl'l. (if fiii/ii rim, 
that is :ibovr. liinhiT, < KHIII-I; above, upon, 
over, beyond: .sec xupei--. ('(. mini 1 , summit. \ 
1. a. 1. Highest, especially in authority; hold- 
ing the lii^li<'st place in government or power. 
My soul achei 
To know, when two authorltlei are up, 
Neither vupreme, how soon confUBlon 
May enter 'twixt the gap of both. 
Shale., Cor., III. 1. 110. 
God IB the Judge or the supreme Arbitrator of the af- 
fairs of the world ; he pulletn down one and setteth up 
another. StiUingfleet, Sermons, II. Iv. 
Night has Its first, tupreme, forsaken star. 
llrowning, Straflord, II. 1. 
2. Highest ; highest or most extreme, as to de- 
gree, import, etc. ; greatest possible ; utmost : 
as, supreme love or wisdom; a supreme hour; 
supreme baseness. 
No single virtue we could most commend, 
Whether the wife, the mother, or the friend ; 
For she was all, in that supreme degree 
That, as no one prevailed, so all was she. 
Dryden, Eleonora, 1. 162. 
The blessing of mprtme repose. 
Bryant, Hummer Kanible. 
3. Last. [Rare.] 
Virgins, come, and In a ring 
Her gupreantest requiem sing. 
Uerrick, Upon a Maide. 
Festival of the Supreme Being, a celebration in 
honor of the Supreme Being, held fit France, June 8th, 
1794, by decree of the Convention, which declared that 
"the French people recognized the existence of the Su- 
preme Being. This cult, through the Influence of Robes- 
pierre, replaced the ' Worship of Reason. " See Featt of 
Keafoit (ii), under rawoiii. Supreme Court. See court. 
Supreme Court of Judicature, in England, a court 
constituted in 1875by the union and consolidation of the fol- 
lowing courts : the Courts of Chancery, of Queen's Bench, 
of Common Pleas, of Exchequer, of Admiralty, of Probate, 
and of Divorce and Matrimonial Cases such supreme 
court consisting of two permanent divisions, called the 
High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal. Su- 
preme end, the chief end ; the last end in which the ap- 
petite or desire is satisfied. Supreme evil, evil in which 
no good is mixed. Supreme genus, In logic. Same as 
highest ijtma (which see, under <jenu>). Supreme good, 
MI in in ii in In mil i ii ; a good In which there Is no evil ; some- 
thing good In the highest possible degree ; the perfectly 
good. The supreme natural good Is often said to be the 
continual progress toward greater perfections, beatitude. 
Supreme pontiff. See ponti/, s. The Supreme Be- 
ing, the most exalted of beings ; the sovereign of the uni- 
verse ; God. Wronskl's aupreme law, In math., a 
theorem In regard to the general form of the remainder 
in the expression of a function hy means of other func- 
tions. =870. I and 2. Greatest, first, leading, principal, 
chief, predominant, paramount, superlative. Supreme Is 
much stronger than any of these. 
II. H. 1. The highest point. [Rare.] 
Tls the mpreme of power. Kcatt, Sleep and Poetry. 
Love is the supreme of living things. 
Shelley, I'rometheus Unbound, II. 4. 
2. The chief; the superior. 
Had your general joined 
In your addresslon, or known how to conquer, 
This day had proved him the supreme of Cesar. 
Chapman, Ccesar and I'ompey, ii. 1. 
The spreading Cedar, that an Age had stood, 
Supreme of Trees, and Mistress of the Wood. 
Prior, Solomon, ii. 
3. [</).] With the definite article, the Su- 
preme Being. See phrase above. 
supremely (su-prem'li), adv. With supreme 
authority; in the highest degree; to the utmost 
extent. 
supremeness (su-prem'nes), n. The character 
or state of being supreme. 
No event Is so terribly well adapted to Inspire the nt- 
premenets of bodily and of mental distress as is burial 
before death. Poe, Tales, I. 331. 
SUpremity (su-prem'i-ti), a. [= Sp. supremi- 
<lu<l, < LL. nn]>rrm!ta(t-)s, the quality of being 
supreme or final, the highest honor, the last of 
I i ft ' . death, < L. supremus, highest : see supreme.] 
Supremeness ; supremacy. 
Henry the Eighth, . . . without leave or liberty from 
the Pope (whose Supremity he had suppressed In his do- 
minions), . . . wrote himself King (of Ireland). 
Fuller, General Worthies, vi. 
Nothing finer or nobler of their kind can well be ima- 
gined than such sonnets, . . . and others of like mprein- 
ity. W. Sharp, D. O. Rossettl, p. 408. 
SUT-. [OF. sur-, sour-, F. sur-, < L. super-: see 
XH/KT-.] A form of the prefix super- found in 
words from the older French. It is little used as 
an English formative, except technically in cer- 
tain scientific terms, where it is equivalent to 
super- or supra-: as, suranal, swrangular. sur- 
rrnal, etc. 
sura 1 (sii'rii), ii. [Also surah ; = F. sura, miruli; 
< AT. swra,'a step, degree.] A chapter of the 
Koran. 
6079 
sura 2 (sO'ril), ii. [< Hind, surd, < Skt. surd, 
spirituous and especially distilled liquor, <\/w, 
express (juice). Cf. soma,] In India, the fer- 
mented sap or "milk" of several kinds of 
palm, as the palmyra, cocoa, and wild date; 
toddy. 
surabundantly (ser-a-bun'dant-li), </>. [< 
'Hurabiiinliiiit (< F. mrobonaeutt, superabun- 
dant: see xiiperiihuii(liiiit) + -Iy-.] Superabun- 
dantly, r. J'in-;i fimyth, Our Inheritance in 
the Great Pyramid, xyi. [Hare.] 
suradditiont (ser-a-dish'on), H. [< OF. *sur- 
inldition, < L. super, over,"+ additin(n-), addi- 
tion.] Something added or appended, as to a 
name. 
lie served with glory and admired success, 
Bo galn'd the rur-additivn Leonatus. 
.Vffi*- , Cymbellne, i. 1. SS. 
surah 1 , >i. Same as sura 1 . 
surah 2 (su'ril), H. [Alsosura/i silk: supposed to 
be so calledi 'from Surat in India, a place noted 
for its silks.] A soft twilled silk material, 
usually of plain uniform color without pattern, 
used for women's garments, etc. 
sural (su'ral), a. [= F. sural, < NL. 'suralis. < 
L. sura, the calf of the leg.] Of or pertaining 
to the calf of the leg Sural arteries, the Inferior 
muscular branches, usually two of the popliteal artery, 
supplying the gastrocnemius and other calf-muscles. The 
superficial sural arteries are Blender lateral and median 
branches on the surface of the gastrocnemius, which sup- 
They arise from the 
I. a. Same as 
ply the integument of the 
popliteal or deep sural arteries, 
suranal (ser-a'nal), a. and 
supra-anal. 
II. 11. Specifically, in eiitom., a plate at the 
end of the body of a caterpillar, the tergite of 
the tenth abdominal segment. 
surancet (shor'ans), w. [By apheresis from as- 
xuraHce.~\ Assurance. 
Now give some turaiux that thou art Revenge ; 
Stab them, or tear them on thy chariot-wheels. 
Shalt., Tit. And., T. 2. 48. 
sur-ancree (ser-ang'kra), n. [F., < sur- + an- 
cre, pp. of uncrer, anchor, < an- , , 
ere, anchor: gee anchor 1 .} In 
fter.,doublv anchored, or double- 
parted and anchored: noting a 
cross, or other ordinary, the ends 
of which are divided into two 
parts, each of which is anchored. 
surangular (ser-ang'gu-liir), a. CmtlSm . maaf ,, 
In zool., noting one of the sev- 
eral bones of the compound mandible or lower 
jaw of birds, reptiles, etc., situated over the 
angular bone, near the angle or proximal end 
of the series. Also supra-angular. Also, as a 
noun, this bone itself. See cut under Gallinae. 
surat (so-raf), n. [So called from Surat in 
India.] A cotton cloth made in the Bombay 
Presidency, but not necessarily from Surat cot- 
ton. The name is generally given to uncolored 
and unprinted cloth of no great fineness. 
Surat cotton, a kind of cotton having a fiber of fine qual- 
ity, and ranking high among the native cottons of India, 
grown in the Bombay Presidency. 
surbase 1 (ser-bas'),f. t. [< F.wr6ai<T,depres8, 
surbase (pp. surbaissi, depressed, surbased; 
route surbaissee, a depressed or elliptic arch), < 
sur-, over, + baisser. bring low, lower, depress, 
< bas, low: see base 1 .] To depress; flatten. 
surbase- (ser'bas), . [< sur- + base' 2 .'] In 
arch., the crowning molding or cornice of a 
pedestal ; a border or molding above a base, as 
the moldings immediately above the base-board 
or wainscoting of a room. See cut under dado. 
Round the hall, the oak's high mrbate rears 
The field day triumphs of two hundred years. 
Langhorne, The Country Justice, i. 
surbased 1 (se r-baat' ), p. a. [< surbase 1 + -ed?.] 
Depressed; flattened Surbased arch, an arch 
whose rise Is less than half the span. 
surbased 2 (sfer'bast), a. [< surbase 2 + -erf 2 .] 
In arch., having a surbase, or molding above 
the base. 
surbasement 1 (ser'bas-ment), n. [< F. sur- 
baissement, < surbaisser, surbase: see surbase 1 
and -men*.] The condition of being surbased: 
as, the surbasement of an arch. 
surbasement 2 (ser'bas-ment), n. [< surbaset 
+ -ment.] Same as surbase 2 . 
surbateH (ser-baf), r. t. [< ME.*ur&ate, < OF. 
xiirbatre, overthrow, < sur-, over, + batre, beat: 
see bate 1 , batter 1 .] To overthrow. 
And Agravain hadde so chaced and Oaheries zx Saisnes 
that the! rurbated on 1'ignoras, that com with an hundred 
Saisnes. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), Ill 531. 
surbate'-'t (ser-baf ),v.t. [Also surbeat; early 
mod. E. also sorbet, surbote; prob. corrupted 
(simulating xurbate 1 )< F. solbatu, with the sole 
surcharge 
of the foot bruised (> solbaturr, a bruise on a 
horse's foot),< mile, sole (see solei). + buttu, OF. 
batu, pp. of battre, beat: see beat 1 , bale 1 .] To 
make (the soles) sore by walking; bruise or 
batter by travel. 
Thy right eye 'gins to leap for valne delight. 
And rurbeale toes to tickle at the tight. 
/;/.. H"U, satires, V. U. 20. 
1 am sorely xurbattd with hoofing already tho', and so 
i nipper-crampt with our hard lodging, and so bumfidled 
with the straw, that . . . arome, Jovial Crew, lii. 
The ground and air, smoake and fiery vapour, contlnu'd 
so Intense that my halre was almost slng'a, and my feete 
iinsulferably turbated. t'rtlyn, Diary, Sept 7, 1666. 
surbed (sir-bed'), r. t. ; pret. and pp. surbedded, 
ppr. mtrlirdtlinij. [< mir- + />/.] To set edge- 
wise, as a stone that is, in a position differ- 
ent from that which it had when in the quarry. 
Inni. lln-l. 
surbett, surbeatt, i>. See MrMkA 
surburdenedt (er-ber'dnd), a. [< sur- + bur- 
dened.] Overburdened. 
They (our arms] were not now able to remoove the Im- 
portable load of the enemie [the Normans] from our iur- 
burdened shoulders. 
Stanihurtt, Descrip. of Britalne, IT. (Hollmhed's 
(t'liron., I.X 
surceasancet (ser-se'sans), n. [< surcease + 
-nee.] Surcease; cessation. 
To propound two things: 1. A mircrcuance ot arms; 2. An 
Imperial diet. Sir H. Wtttton, Rellquue, p. 497. 
surcease (ser-ses'), r. ; pret. surceased, ppr. sur- 
ceasing, [Early mod. E. also sursease ; < ME. 
sursesen; an altered form, simulating tmr- + 
cease, of 'sursisen, < OF. siirsis, sursise (ML. re- 
flex surstsa, supersisa), pp. of surseer, surteoir, 
put off, delay (sursis, n., delay), < L. supersedere, 
put off, supersede : see supersede, stirsize.] I. 
tntratts. To cease; stop; be at an end; leave 
off ; refrain finally. [Obsolete or archaic.] 
I canno more ; but, as I can or mey, I shal be his ser- 
vaunt and yonres unto such tyme as ye woll comande me 
to ntnete and leve of, yf It please hym. 
PattuH Letteri. I. 890. 
//or. What shall I do, Trebatlus? say. 
Treb. Surceane. 
Hor. And shall my muse admit no more increase? 
B. J onion, Poetaster, v. 1. 
Il.t trans. To stop ; put an end to ; cause to 
cease. 
Time cannot rase, nor amity sureeam 
Betwixt our realm and thine a long-liv'd peace. 
Ford, Honour Triumphant, Monarch s Meeting. 
If he prosecute his cause, he is consumed ; if he lurceate 
his suit, he loseth all. 
Burton, Anat of Mel., To the Reader, p. 56. 
surcease (s6r-ses'), w. [See surcease, v. Cf. sur- 
size.'] Cessation ; stop. [Obsolete or archaic.] 
If the assassination 
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch 
With his turceate success. Shale., Macbeth, i. 7. 4. 
Not desire, but its rurcense. 
Lonojettow, Moritnri Salutamui. 
surcharge (ser-charj'), . (. ; pret. and pp. sur- 
charged, ppr. surcharging. [< OF. (andV.) sur- 
charger (= Pr. Sp. sobrecargar = Pg. sobrecar- 
regar = It. sopraccaricare), overload, surcharge, 
< sur, over, + charger, load : see sur- and charge.] 
1. To overload, in any sense ; overburden: as, 
to surcharge a beast or a ship ; to surcharge a 
cannon. 
With weakness of their weary arms, 
Surchnnjd with toll. Petit, David and Bethsabe. 
The air, surcharged with moisture, flagg'd around. 
Cratbe, Works, IV. 184. 
2. In /an- : (a) To show an omission in ; show 
that the accounting party ought to have charged 
himself with more than he has. See surcharge 
and falsification, under surcharge, n. (6) To 
overstock ; especially, to put more cattle into, 
as a common, than the person has a right to 
put, or more than the herbage will sustain. 3. 
To overcharge ; make an extra charge upon. 
surcharge (ser-charj'), n. [= F. surcharge = 
Sp. Pg. sobrecarga; from the verb.] 1. A 
charge or load above another charge; hence, 
an excessive load or burden ; a load greater 
than can be well borne. 
A numerous nobility causeth poverty and Inconvenience 
In a State, for it Is a tunharye of expense. 
Bacon, Nobility (ed. 1S87X 
2. A charge or supply in excess of the .amount 
requisite for immediate use, or for the work in 
hand, as of nervous force or of electricity. 
The suddenness and Intensity of the shock seem to put 
a stop to the farther elaboration of the nervous power by 
the central ganglia, and, in proportion as the turcharye 
distributed among the nervous trunks and branches and 
other tissues becomes exhausted, the vitality Is slowly an- 
nihilated. J. M. Carnoehan, Operative Surgery, p. ISO. 
