SUP 
That supernal Judge that stirs good thoughts 
In any breast of strong authority. 
To look into the blots and stains of rigjit. Shakspeare. 
SUPERNATANT, adj. [supernatant, Lat.] Swimming 
above.—Whilst the substance continued fluid, I could shake 
it with the supernatant menstruum, without making be¬ 
tween them any true union. Boyle. 
SUPERNATATION, s. [from supernato, Lat.] The act 
of swimming on the top of any thing.—Bodies are differenced 
by supernatation, as floating on water; for chrystal will 
sink in water, as carrying in its own bulk a greater ponder¬ 
osity than the space of any water it doth occupy; and will 
therefore only swim in molten metal and quicksilver. 
Brown. 
SUPERNATURAL, adj. Being above the powers of 
nature. 
What mists of providence are these, 
Through which we cannot see ? 
' So saints by supernatural power set free 
Are left at last in martyrdom to die. Dry den. 
SUPERNA'TURALLY, ado. In a manner above the 
course or power of nature. 
SUPERNUMERARY, adj. [supernumeraire, Fr.; su¬ 
per and numerus, Lat.] Being above a stated, a necessary, 
an usual, or a round number.—Antiochus began to augment 
his fleet; but the Roman senate ordered his supernumerary 
vessels to be burnt. Arbuthnot. 
SU'PERPLANT, s. A plant growing upon another plant.- 
No superplant is formed from a plant but misletoe. Bacon. 
SU'PERPLUSAGE, .<?. [super and plus, Lat.] Some¬ 
thing more than enough.—After this there yet remained a 
superplusage for the assistance of the neighbour parishes. 
Fell. 
To SUPERPO'NDERATE, v. a. [super and pondero, 
Lat] To weigh over and above. Diet. 
To SU'PERPRAISE, v. a. To praise beyond measure. 
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, 
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts. Shakspeare. 
SUPERPROPO'RTION, s. [super and proportio, Lat.] 
Overplus of proportion.—No defect of velocity, which re¬ 
quires as great a superproportion in the cause, can be over¬ 
come in an instant. Digby. 
SUPERPURGA'TION, s. [superpurgation, Fr.; super 
and purgation.] More purgation than enough.—There hap¬ 
pening a superpurgation, he declined the repeating of that 
purge. Wiseman. 
SUPERREFLE'XION, s. Reflexion of an image re¬ 
flected.—Place one glass before and another behind, you 
shall see the glass behind with the image within the glass be¬ 
fore, and again the glass before in that, and divers such su¬ 
per reflexions, till the species speciei at last die. Bacon. 
SUPERSA'LIENCY, s. [super and salio, Latin. This 
were better written supersilicncy. ] The act of leaping upon 
any tiling.—Their coition is, by supersaliency, like that of 
horses. Brown. 
To SUPERSCRI'BE, v. a. [super and scribo, Lat.] To 
inscribe upon the top or outside.—Fabretti and others be¬ 
lieve, that by the two fortunes were only meant in general 
the goddess who sent prosperity or afflictions, and produce 
in their behalf an ancient monument, superscribed. Ad¬ 
dison. 
SUPERSCRIPTION, s. [super and scriptio, Lat.] The 
act of superscribing. That which is written on the top or 
outside.—Read me the superscription of these letters; I 
know not which is which. Shakspeare. 
It is enough her stone 
May honour’d be with superscription 
Of the sole lady, who had pow’r to move 
The great Northumberland. Waller. 
SUPERSE'CULAR, adj. Above the world.—Let us, 
saith he, celebrate this feast, not in a panegyrical but divine, 
not in a worldly but supersccular manner. Bp. Hall. 
SUP 703 
To SUPERSE'DE, v. a. [super and sedco, Latin.] To 
make void or inefficacious by superior power; to set aside. 
—In this genuine acceptation of chance, nothing is sup¬ 
posed that can supersede the known laws of natural motion. 
Bentley. 
SUPERSE'DE AS, s. [In Law.] Is a writ which lieth in 
divers and sundry cases; in all which it signifies a command 
or request to stay or forbear the doing of that which in ap¬ 
pearance of law were to be done, were it not for the cause 
whereupon the writ is granted: for example, a man regu¬ 
larly is to have surety of peace against him of whom he will 
swear that he is afraid; and the justice required hereunto 
cannot deny him: yet if the party be formerly bound to the 
peace, in Chancery or elsewhere, this writ lieth to stay the 
justice from doing that, which otherwise he might not deny. 
Cowel. —The far distance of this county from the court hath 
afforded it a supersedeas from takers and purveyours. 
Carew. 
SUPERSE'RVICEABLE, adj. Over officious; more 
than is necessary or required.—A glass-gazing, superscr- 
viceable, finical rogue. Shakspeare. 
SUPER-STATUTO, 1 Ed. III. c. 12, 13., is a writ that 
lay against the king’s tenants holding in chief, who aliened 
the king’s land without his licence. 
Super-statuto de articulis Clcri, cap. 6., a writ lying 
against the sheriff, or other officer, that distrains in the 
king’s highway, or in the lands anciently belonging to the 
church. 
Super-statuto facto pour Seneschal et Marshal de 
Boy, Sfc., a writ that lies against the steward or marshal 
for holding plea in his court, or for trespass or contracts not 
made, and arising within the king’s household. 
Super-statuto versus Servantes et Laboratores, a 
writ which lies against him who keeps any servants, departed 
out of the service of another contrary to law. 
SUPERSTITION, s. [superstition, Fr., superstitio, 
Lat.] Unnecessary fear or scruples in religion; observance 
of unnecessary and uncommanded rites or practices; religion 
without morality. 
A rev’rent fear, such superstition reigns 
Among the rude, ev’n then possess’d the swains. Dry den. 
Rite or practice proceeding from scrupulous or timorous 
religion. In this sense it is plural. 
They the truth 
With superstitions and traditions taint. Milton. 
False religion ; reverence of beings not proper objects of 
reverence; false worship.— They had certain questions 
against him of their own superstition. Acts. —Over-nicety; 
exactness too scrupulous. 
SUPERSTITIONIST, s. One who is addicted to su¬ 
perstition.—Every vain-glorious superstitionist, that would 
make a show in the flesh. More. 
SUPERSTITIOUS, adj. [superstitieux, Fr., supersti- 
tiosus, Latin.] Addicted to superstition ; full of idle fan¬ 
cies or scruples with regard to religion. 
A venerable wood. 
Where rites divine were paid, whose holy hair 
Was kept and cut with superstitious care. Dryden. 
Over accurate; scrupulous beyond need. 
Have I with all my full affections 
Still met the king ? lov’d him next heav’n ? obey'd him ? 
Been out of fondness superstitious to him ? 
And am I thus rewarded ? Shakspeare. 
SUPERSTPTIOUSLY, adv. In a superstitious manner; 
with erroneous religion.—There reigned in this island a king, 
whose memory of all others we most adore; not supersti- 
tiously, but as a divine instrument. Bacon. —With too 
much care.—Neither of these methods should be too scrupu¬ 
lously and sup erst itiously pursued. Watts. 
SUPERSTITIOUSNESS, s. The state of being super¬ 
stitious.—Remembringe also hys prynce’s pleasure, which 
hath wylled all supcrstycyousnesse to be taken away from 
the ceremonyes. Bale. 
To 
