Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SU-PER-IN-DUCE, v.t. [super and induce.]

To bring in or upon as an addition to something; as, to superinduce a virtue or quality upon a person not before possessing it. Long custom of sinning superinduce upon the soul new and absurd desires. – South.

SU-PER-IN-DUC-ED, pp.

Induced or brought upon something.

SU-PER-IN-DUC-ING, ppr.

Inducing on something else.

SU-PER-IN-DUC'TION, n.

The act of superinducing. The superinduction of ill habits quickly defaces the first rude draught of virtue. – South.

SU-PER-IN-FUSE, v.t.

To infuse over.

SU-PER-IN-JEC'TION, n. [super and injection.]

An injection succeeding another.

SU-PER-IN-SPECT', v.t. [super and inspect.]

To oversee; to superintend by inspection. [Little used.]

SU-PER-IN-STI-TU'TION, n. [super and institution.]

One institution upon another; as when A. is instituted and admitted to a benefice upon a title and B. is instituted and admitted upon the presentation of another. – Bailey.

SU-PER-IN-TEL-LECT'U-AL, a. [super and intellectual.]

Being above intellect. – Pausanias, Trans.

SU-PER-IN-TEND', v.t. [super and intend.]

To have or exercise the charge and oversight of; to oversee with the power of direction; to take care of with authority; as, an officer superintends the building of a ship or the construction of a fort. God exercises a superintending care over all his creatures.

SU-PER-IN-TEND'ED, pp.

Overseen; taken care of.

SU-PER-IN-TEND'ENCE, or SU-PER-IN-TEND'EN-CY, n.

The act of superintending care and oversight for the purpose of direction, and with authority to direct.

SU-PER-IN-TEND'ENT, n.

1. One who has the oversight and charge of something, with the power of direction; as, the superintendent of an alms-house or work-house; the superintendent of public works; the superintendent of customs or finance.
2. An ecclesiastical superior in some reformed churches.

SU-PER-IN-TEND'ER, n.

A superintendent. – Whewell.

SU-PER-IN-TEND'ING, ppr.

Overseeing with the authority to direct what shall be done and how it shall be done.

SU-PE'RI-OR, a. [Sp. and L. from super, above; Fr. superieur; It. superiore.]

1. Higher; upper; more elevated in place; as, the superior limb of the sun; the superior part of an image. – Newton.
2. Higher in rank or office; more exalted in dignity; as, a superior officer; a superior degree of nobility.
3. Higher or greater in excellence; surpassing others in the greatness, goodness or value of any quality; as, a man of superior merit, of superior bravery, of superior talents or understanding, of superior accomplishments.
4. Being beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; as, a man superior to revenge. There is not on earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man superior to his sufferings. – Spectator.
5. In botany, a superior flower has the receptacle of the flower above the germ; a superior germ is included within the corol. – Martyn.

SU-PE'RI-OR, n.

1. One who is more advanced in age. Old persons or elders are the superiors of the young.
2. One who is more elevated in rank or office.
3. One who surpasses others in dignity, excellence or qualities of any kind. As a writer of pure English, Addison has no superior.
4. The chief of a monastery, convent or abbey.

SU-PE-RI-OR'I-TY, n.

Pre-eminence; the quality of being more advanced or higher, greater or more excellent than another in any respect; as, superiority of age, of rank or dignity, of attainments or excellence. The superiority of others in fortune and rank, is more readily acknowledged than superiority of understanding.

SU-PER-LA'TION, n. [L. superlatio.]

Exaltation of any thing beyond truth or propriety. [I believe not used.] – B. Jonson.

SU-PER'LA-TIVE, a. [Fr. superlatif; L. superlativus; super and latio, latus, fero.]

1. Highest in degree; most eminent; surpassing all other; as, a man of superlative wisdom or prudence, of superlative worth; a woman of superlative beauty.
2. Supreme; as, the superlative glory of the divine character.
3. In grammar, expressing the highest or utmost degree; as, the superlative degree of comparison.

SU-PER'LA-TIVE, n.

In grammar, the superlative degree of adjectives, which is formed by the termination est, as meanest, highest, bravest; or by the use of most, as most high, most brave; or by least, as least amiable.

SU-PER'LA-TIVE-LY, adv.

1. In a manner expressing the utmost degree. I shall not speak superlatively of them. – Bacon.
2. In the highest or utmost degree. Tiberius was superlatively wicked; Clodius was superlatively profligate.

SU-PER'LA-TIVE-NESS, n.

The state of being in the highest degree.

SU-PER-LU'NAR, or SU-PER-LU'NA-RY, a. [L. super and luna, the moon.]

Being above the moon; not sublunary or of this world. The head that turns at superlunar things. – Pope.

SU-PER-ME'DI-AL, a.

Lying or being above the middle. – Buffon.