Somewhat. World English Historical Dictionary

Somewhat. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1919, rev. 2025. Somewhat sb. and adv. Forms: α. 3 sumhwat, -whet (Orm. summwhatt), 3–6 sumwhat (5 -whate, -wat(t, 6 -whatt); 4 sumquat, 5 -qwat, 6 Sc. -quhat; 3 somȝwat, 4–6 -whatt, 5–7 -what; 4 somwat, 5–6 -watt; 4– somewhat. β. dial. 8 sumet, 9 summat, summut, zum’ot, etc. [f. SOME a.1 + WHAT pron. Down to the end of the 16th cent. written either as one word or as two.] = SOMETHING sb. and adv.

1   A.  sb. 1. A certain amount, esp. in the way of statement, information, etc. Freq. with of (= concerning). Now arch.

2 c. 1200.  Ormin, 958. Summwhatt icc habbe shæwedd ȝuw Till ȝure sawle fode.

3 a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 506. Schaw sumwhet of ham, for hwi ha beon wurðe for to beon iwurðge.

4 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1496. Spek we sumquat of caym kyn.

5 c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, I. 672. To thi help yet sumwhat can I say.

6 c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), vii. 27. Now hafe I schortly talde ȝow sum what of bawme.

7 1509.  Fisher, Funeral Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. (1876), 293. I wold reherce somwhat of her demeanyng in this behalue.

8 a. 1586.  Sidney, Ps. XXXIV. ii. Joyne with me, Somwhat to speake of his due praise.

9 1625.  Bacon, Ess., Of Cunning (Arb.), 441. It is strange, how long some Men will lie in wait, to speake somewhat, they desire to say.

10 a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1753), I. 53. I will relate somewhat concerning the Earl of Antrim.

11 1801.  Strutt, Sports & Past., IV. ii. 274. Exasperated at somewhat his antagonist had said.

12 1819.  Byron, Juan, I. vii. Narrating somewhat of Don Juan’s father.

13   b.  Some (material or immaterial) thing of unspecified nature, amount, etc. Now arch. or dial.

14   α.  a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 44. So doð euer sumhwat þet god muwe þerof awakenen.

15 c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., I. 54. He it nolde bi-leue, Ȝwane ani pouere man him bede, bote he him som-ȝwat ȝeue.

16 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 3722. It bi-tokenes sum-what, treuli, god turne it to gode.

17 1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 210. In ech of hem he fint somwhat That pleseth him.

18 c. 1400.  Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), I. xv. 14. Late myn estate with som what be amendyd.

19 1484.  Caxton, Æsop, III. xvi. I deye for honger; gyue me somwhat to ete.

20 1526.  Tindale, 2 Cor. iv. 8. We are in povertie: but not utterly without somwhat.

21 1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 340. Such as were wicked … made a shewe as though they would do somewhat.

22 a. 1627.  Middleton, Witch, III. i. Nothing lives But has a joy in somewhat.

23 1693.  Dryden, Love Triumphant, II. i. I know not why, but somewhat prompts me To read this folded page.

24 1726.  Swift, Gulliver, I. viii. 134. I observed … somewhat that looked like a Boat overturned.

25 1797–1805.  S. & Ht. Lee, Cant. Tales, I. 13. He perceived somewhat glitter amid the grass.

26 1821.  Scott, Kenilw., xi. The tools were worth somewhat.

27 1842.  N. Hawthorne, in Longfellow’s Life (1891), I. 441. I have been looking to receive somewhat in the shape of a letter … from you.

28 1855.  Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xiv. Some folk say he’s not right in his head; or turned miser, or somewhat.

29   Prov.  1542.  J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 24. Alwaie somwhat is better then nothyng. Ibid. (1562), Prov. & Epigr., 152. Boude wands serue for sumwhat.

30   β.  1790.  Mrs. Wheeler, Westmld. Dial., 63. Yaurs may … seaav sumet agayn they er aud.

31 1838.  Jas. Grant, Sk. Lond., 39. There was no lack either of ‘summut’ to drink or ‘summut’ to eat.

32 1839.  in Latham, Hdbk. Eng. Lang. (1860), 148. Presently, zum ’ot … went dump!

33 1859.  Geo. Eliot, A. Bede (ed. 4), I. I. i. 8. A man must learn summat beside Gospel to make them things, I reckon.

34   c.  Followed by an adjective.

35 1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 74. But insteed of meeting with what I look’d for, I met with somewhat more admirable.

36 1681.  Hobbes, Rhet., Pref. May be presumed to contain somewhat excellent.

37 1721.  Bradley, Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat., 4. The parts … are bound together by somewhat Oleaginous.

38 1751.  Eliza Heywood, Betsy Thoughtless, I. 3. Miss Betsy, who had … somewhat extremely engaging in her manner of behaviour.

39 1836.  Emerson, Nature, Spirit, Wks. (Bohn), II. 166. It is essential to a true theory of nature and of man, that it should contain somewhat progressive.

40 1850.  Robertson, Serm., 3rd Ser. ix. § 1. 125. [They] mistook the sensation for somewhat half divine.

41   † d.  By somewhat, by a certain (small) amount.

42 1653.  W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored (1654), 61. Yet he is the swifter of the two by somewhat.

43   2.  With dependent genitive: Some part, portion, amount, etc., of something.

44 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7587. So þat vewe contreies beþ in engelonde, Þat monekes nabbeþ of normandie somwat in hor honde.

45 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4739. Len vs sumquat o þi sede, Was neuer ar sua mikel nede.

46 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 22. Þer … a noþer chapelle standes, & somwhat of þat tre, þei bond vntille his handes.

47 c. 1400.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 69 (MS. α). In þis citee is somwhat of þat famous wal.

48 c. 1440.  Wycliffite Bible, Gen. xl. 4. Sumdel [v.r. sum whatt] of tyme passide.

49 1588.  Kyd, Househ. Phil., Wks. (1901), 267. It is thought there is somewhat of theyr dooings in his works.

50 1658.  W. Sanderson, Graphice, 33. Observe to hit the virtues of the Piece, and to refuse the Vices; for all Masters have somewhat of them both.

51 a. 1677.  Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, II. 71. Doth she not every where present spectacles of delight (somewhat of lively picture, somewhat of gay embroidery, somewhat of elegant symmetry).

52 1761.  Hume, Hist. Eng., III. liii. 147. By quitting somewhat of his royal prerogative.

53 1779.  Mirror, No. 10. 37. By that over-niceness…, they may mingle somewhat of disgust and uneasiness even in the highest and finest pleasures.

54 1848.  Thackeray, Van. Fair, lxvi. A conversation of which he could not help hearing somewhat.

55 1876.  Stedman, Vict. Poets, vi. 232. It must be acknowledged that somewhat of this applies to Tennyson’s variations upon Theocritus.

56   b.  Const. of with a positive adj. Now rare.

57 1650.  Earl Monm., trans. Senault’s Man bec. Guilty, 36. Tis the desire of seeing somewhat of new which draws us forth.

58 1669.  Dryden, Tyrannic Love, I. i. Somewhat of mournful, sure, my ears does wound.

59 1751.  Eliza Heywood, Betsy Thoughtless, I. 12. These words, as it proved, had somewhat of prophetic in them.

60 1870.  N. Hawthorne, Eng. Note-bks. (1879), I. 273. With somewhat of fantastic in the shape of the clock-tower.

61   c.  = SOMETHING sb. 2 c.

62 1841.  Helps, Ess., On Treatment of Suitors (1842), 110. You will naturally endeavour to give somewhat of a detailed explanation.

63 1863.  Mary Howitt, trans. F. Bremer’s Greece & Greeks, II. 3. It was somewhat of a surprise to me.

64 1868.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), II. 88. He was also somewhat of a time-server.

65   3.  With limiting word or particle, as somewhat else, more, over, etc.

66   (a)  1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 96. As thogh I hadde lost a Ring Or somwhat elles.

67 1580[?].  Lodge, Reply Gosson’s Sch. Abuse, Wks. (Grosart), I. 29. These things are not the chiefest poynts you shote at; thers somewhat els sticketh in your stomak.

68 1665.  J. North, in Extr. State P. rel. Friends (1912), III. 235. I haue some-what els to ymparte vnto you.

69 1736.  Ainsworth, I. s.v. Some, I must talk of somewhat else.

70   (b)  1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. cxxv. (1495), 925. The Suparticularis nombre conteyneth in comparison alle the lesse nombre and somwhat ouer.

71 1626.  B. Jonson, Staple of N., III. ii. You are a Courtier, Sir, or somewhat more.

72 c. 1643.  Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 16. I shall therefore only say somewhat more of my mother.

73   b.  Somewhat between, = SOMETHING sb. 1 d.

74 1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xxii. His gesture … was noble, and at the same time resigned, somewhat between the bearing of a feudal noble and of a Christian martyr.

75   4.  A thing, quality, etc., worth considering or regarding; a person of note or importance.

76 1382.  Wyclif, Gal. ii. 6. Forsoth thei that weren seen for to be sumwhat, no thing to me ȝauen to gidere.

77 1526.  Tindale, Gal. vi. 3. Iff a man seme to hym silfe that he is somwhat when in dede he is nothynge.

78 1663.  Dryden, Wild Gallant, IV. ii. Nay, the fool is a handsome fool, that’s somewhat.

79 1838.  Lowell, Lett. (1894), I. 32. It were a strange thing indeed if there were not somewhat in such men as Milton, Sidney [etc.].

80 1842.  Tennyson, St. Simeon Stylites, 124. They think that I am somewhat…. The silly people take me for a saint.

81 1859.  Masson, Milton, I. 721. The living society of a place is also somewhat.

82   † b.  Of somewhat, for some purpose. Obs.–1

83 a. 1400.  Sir Perc., 854. It servede hym of somwhatt The wylde fyre that he gatt.

84   5.  With a, the, etc., and pl. A certain undefined or unknown thing, quality, amount, etc.

85 1598.  R. Bernard, trans. Terence (1607), 30. ‘In the meane season I hope some-what may be done.’… ‘That some-what will prove just nothing.’

86 1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 210. Pretty Somewhats they would meane, but sure They understand not themselves any more than I do.

87 1685.  Gracian’s Courtiers Orac., 220–1. Several men would be great, if they wanted not a somewhat, without which they never attain to the height of perfection.

88 1795.  Mrs. Hughes, Jemima, I. 218. He has a somewhat in his voice, his words, his air, so pleasant.

89 1806.  H. Siddons, Maid, Wife, & Widow, II. 247. A habit of delivering his sentiments with a somewhat of more than dictatorial petulance.

90 1857.  J. Raine, Mem. J. Hodgson, I. 126. Sending to Hodgson a somewhat which he had left behind him.

91   b.  With preceding adj.

92 1685.  Gracian’s Courtiers Orac., 117. The secret charm, or the unexpressible somewhat; which the French call Le Je-ne-sai-quoi.

93 1710.  Berkeley, Princ. Hum. Knowl., § 80. Matter is an unknown somewhat—neither substance nor accident.

94 1785.  M. Cutler, in Life, etc. (1888), II. 229. I now believe, at least, that there is a certain somewhat, which produced a rotary motion in a sword.

95 1827.  Coleridge, Table-t., 30 Aug. Painting is the intermediate somewhat between a thought and a thing.

96 1855.  Browning, One Word More, ix. Thus achievement lacks a gracious somewhat.

97   c.  Const. of or with adj. following.

98 1817.  Keatinge, Trav. (1817), I. 272. Still here attaches … a somewhat of disgraceful to the idea of intoxication.

99 1825.  Scott, Fam. Lett., II. 354. They require the atmosphere of a cigar and the amalgam of a summat comfortable.

100 a. 1858.  R. A. Vaughan, Ess. & Rem. (1858), I. 50. A somewhat of their spirit of love … he found ever afterwards indispensable to his heart.

101   B.  adv. In a certain degree or measure; to some (slight or small) extent; slightly, a little; rather.

102   1.  a. Qualifying a verb.

103 c. 1200.  Ormin, 16882. Þærþurrh wass sene þatt he þa Summwhatt bigunnenn haffde To lefenn o þe Laferrd Crist.

104 c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 71 (Fairf.). Ye be diligent To forthren me somwhat in my labour.

105 c. 1410.  Sir Cleges, 147. Jn with hyr he gan goo, And sumwatt mendyd hys chere.

106 c. 1449.  Partonope, 4915. To her suster dyd she spek And somwhat her hert to her breke.

107 1526.  Tindale, Acts xxvi. 28. Sumwhatt thou bryngest me in mynde for to be come christen.

108 1577–82.  Breton, Flourish upon Fancie, Wks. (Grosart), I. 17/2. These Drugges,… though they sumwhat please the tast, yet make the bosom stinke.

109 1646.  Gaule, Sel. Cas., 56. Hereupon it hath been somwhat dissented.

110 1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 308/1. The short Graver, which turneth up somewhat at the end.

111 1780.  Mirror, No. 82. 326. Sir George Rodney’s success has somewhat lessened their force.

112 1812.  Cary, Dante, Parad., II. 53. She somewhat smiled.

113 1877.  J. D. Chambers, Divine Worship, 389. The Forms of these ejaculations varied somewhat.

114   b.  Qualifying a preposition.

115 1492.  Hen. VII., Lett., in G. Griffiths, Hist. Tong (1894), 224. Desiring you that somwhat bifor the said tyme ye wol addresse you unto us.

116 1600.  in Ingleby, Shaks. Cent. Praise (Shaks. Soc.), 35. Somwhat before the play began.

117 1735.  Johnson, trans. Lobo’s Voy. to Abyssinia, viii. 91. To drink somewhat beyond the bounds of exact Temperance.

118 1756.  C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, I. 10. Spirit of nitre consists of somewhat above one fourth of pure acid, and somewhat less than three fourths water.

119 1819.  Byron, Juan, I. i. Sent to the devil somewhat ere his time.

120   c.  Somewhat as, in much the same way, to some extent, as.

121 1872.  Morley, Voltaire (1886), 1. We may think of Voltairism in France, somewhat as we think of Catholicism.

122 1894.  Crockett, Stickit Minister, 16. It ran or rather hirpled somewhat as follows.

123   2.  Qualifying an adjective, adverb or clause.

124   (a)  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11054. Þat mensking þam bi-tuin, Was sum-quat diuers, als i wene.

125 c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. Fame, 1097. But for the ryme ys lyght and lewed Yit make hyt sumwhat agreable.

126 c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 48. It þat ilke mater be not hard but sumwhat neische.

127 1466.  Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 324. For a sadelle sumwhat worne, ij.s. viij.d.

128 a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, xliii. 144. His coloure was sum what pale.

129 1595.  in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., V. 335. His vtterance was somwhat vnready.

130 1667.  Dryden & Dk. Newcastle, Sir M. Mar-all, V. ii. Would I were hanged if it be not somewhat probable.

131 1750.  trans. Leonardus’ Mirr. Stones, 92. Cambnites, is a Stone of a crystal Colour somewhat obscure.

132 1780.  Mirror, No. 105. 420. Somewhat akin to the lovers of detraction are the offence-takers.

133 1826.  Art of Brewing (ed. 2), 15. Their practice is governed by principles somewhat different.

134 1885.  Manch. Exam., 12 May, 5/2. It would seem … that the struggle was somewhat indecisive.

135   (b)  1542.  Boorde, Dyetary, iv. (1870), 238. The seller vnder the pantry, sette somwhat abase.

136 1592.  Kyd, Murther. I. Brewen, Wks. (1901), 290. When it drew some what late.

137 1637.  Milton, Lycidas, 17. Begin, and som what loudly sweep the string.

138 1797–1805.  S. & Ht. Lee, Cant. T., I. 195. One, who, having somewhat unexpectedly succeeded to the family title.

139 1851.  Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., II. 478. If … we Are counted somewhat deeply in their debt.

140 1869.  Ruskin, Q. of Air, i. § 32. Somewhat saucily.

141   (c)  1578.  Reg. Privy Council Scot., III. 35. Mony injurious wordis, sumquhat in contempt of our Soverane Lord.

142 1608.  E. Grimstone, Hist. France (1611), 457. A cunning woman, and some-what of her fathers humor.

143 1678.  Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 27. Now was Christian somwhat in a muse.

144 1818.  Scott, Br. Lamm., ix. The hounds and huntsmen seemed somewhat at a stand.

145 1828.  Lytton, Pelham, liii. Somewhat of a lugubrious nature.

146 1833.  Ht. Martineau, Berkeley, I. iii. 49. Martin looked somewhat at a loss for an answer, till his wife supplied him with one.

147   b.  With a comparative adj. or adv.

148 c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xi. 46. It es sumwhat hyer þan oþer placez of þe citee.

149 1484.  Caxton, Fables of Auian, xxii. I blowe in hit for to haue it somwhat more cold than hit is.

150 1514.  Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 6. And somwhat wyser be they also than we.

151 1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lv. § 5. Somewhat more plainly, to shew a true immediate reason … we acknowledge [etc.].

152 1600.  J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, VI. 275. The men of this place are black, but the women are somewhat fairer.

153 1696.  Whiston, Th. Earth, IV. (1722), 317. The Lower Earthy Strata would be settling somewhat closer together.

154 1768.  Woman of Honor, III. 233. A range of thirteen chests, rather somewhat larger than the common size of the thousand-pound-ones for silver bullion.

155 1815.  J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 173. The pan being brought to somewhat more than a red heat.

156 1866.  Carlyle, in Mrs. C.’s Lett., III. 255. She … went home somewhat better.

157 1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 359. Tell me and the court, in somewhat plainer terms, what you mean!

158   c.  With of the and a superlative adj. or adv.

159 1561.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, IV. (1577), Y vij b. Not to make wise to abhorre companie and talke, though somewhat of the wantonest.

160 1622.  Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 30. I got me vp, (though somewhat of the latest) hungry, and drowsie, without knowing for a while, where I was.

161 1656.  Heylin, Surv. France, 218. The revenues of this Archbishoprick are somewhat of the meanest.

162 1818.  Scott, Br. Lamm., xvi. Your morning-draught has been somewhat of the strongest.

163   d.  With a or an inserted before the adj. (or sb.) qualified.

164 1588.  J. Read, trans. Arcæus’ Compend. Meth., 69 b. Barriga … receaued a wounde in his brest, with somewhat a long sword.

165 a. 1646.  Gregory, Posthuma (1650), 198. This was somwhat a tolerable impietie, for such great Astronomers to adore the Host of Heaven.

166 1680.  R. L’Estrange, Erasm. Colloq., 79. [He] may vouchsafe his Assistance also unto us, who are somewhat a larger Congregation.

167 1779.  Johnson, Drake, Wks. 1787, IV. 417. Being obliged by this accident to somewhat a longer residence among the Moors.

168 1817.  Whewell, in Mrs. S. Douglas, Life (1881), 25. I must acknowledge myself somewhat an idle correspondent so far as writing goes.

169 1891.  Anne Mozley, Lett. J. H. Newman, I. iii. 103. There were certainly … definite points about him which made him somewhat a difficulty.

170   e.  Preceded by an article or pron.

171 1779.  Mirror, No. 61. 241. The contempt in which, to a somewhat unreasonable degree, he holds modern refinement.

172 1820.  Scott, Monast., xxi. The cooling my somewhat too much inflamed visage.

173 1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 180. But her admonitions were given in a somewhat perfunctory manner.

174   f.  Used as adj.

175 1819.  T. Moore, in Mem. (1853), II. 250. Lady Frances W. was to have come with them, but, to my somewhat disappointment, she had been called away.

176   † 3.  Somewhat … somewhat, partly … partly.

177 1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 2. I wolde … wryte a bok betwen the tweie, Somewhat of lust, somewhat of lore.

178 c. 1400.  Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), I. xxx. (1859), 34. He is lettid by the wey somwhat by foly of hym self, somwhat by other.

179 a. 1425.  trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 38. Þai may ete and drynk and go, and somwhat sitte and somwhat slepe.

180 1552.  Latimer, Serm. (1607), 301. A king…, which was not their lawfull nor naturall king, but somewhat with craft and subtilty, and somewhat with power had gotten the Crowne.

181   † 4.  Followed by with the and a superlative, = SOMETHING adv. 2 f. Obs. rare.

182 1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 252 b. The same Iulia begoonne somewhat with the soonest to haue whyte heares in hir hedde.

183 1583.  Golding, Calvin on Deut., Pref. Ep. 2. Such discourse which might peraduenture be somewhat with the longest.

184 1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., 215. A small towne this is, standing somewhat with the lowest.

185   5.  Somewhat like, in various senses (see LIKE a. 2 e, f).

186 1593.  G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., Wks. (Grosart), II. 229. Though she were a lustie bounsing rampe somewhat like Gallamilla.

187 1611.  Cotgr., Bellastre,… passable, so so, somewhat like.

188 a. 1620.  J. Dyke, Serm. (1640), 379. If a man will sell a commodity, hee will sell it somewhat like, or hee will keepe it.

189 1662.  J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 165. It was somewhat like a Sturgeon, but was much whiter.

190 1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VI. 241. Why this is talking somewhat like.

191 1859.  Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, I. I. viii. 172. It’s summat-like to see such a man as that i’ the desk of a Sunday!

192 1890.  Science-Gossip, XXVI. 194. This is somewhat like the one examined by Schrötter.

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