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Webster 1913 Edition


Suffice

Suf-fice′

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sufficed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Sufficing
.]
[OE.
suffisen
, OF.
soufire
, F.
suffire
(cf.
suffisant
, p. pr.), L.
sufficere
to put under, to substitute, to avail for, to suffice;
sub
under +
facere
to make. See
Fact
.]
To be enough, or sufficient; to meet the need (of anything); to be equal to the end proposed; to be adequate.
Chaucer.
To recount almighty works,
What words or tongue of seraph can
suffice
?
Milton.

Suf-fice′

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To satisfy; to content; to be equal to the wants or demands of.
Spenser.
Let it
suffice
thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.
Deut. iii. 26.
2.
To furnish; to supply adequately.
[Obs.]
The power appeased, with winds
sufficed
the sail.
Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition


Suffice

SUFFICE

,
Verb.
I.
suffi'ze. [L. sufficio; sub and facio.]
To be enough or sufficient; to be equal to the end proposed.
To recount Almighty works
What words or tongue of seraph can suffice?

SUFFICE

,
Verb.
T.
suffi'ze. To satisfy; to content; to be equal to the wants or demands of.
Let it suffice thee; speak no more to me of this matter. Deut.3.
Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. John 14. Ruth 2.
1.
To afford; to supply.
The pow'r appeas'd, with wind suffic'd the sail. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024


suffice

suffice

English

Verb

suffice (third-person singular simple present suffices, present participle sufficing, simple past and past participle sufficed)

  1. (intransitive) To be enough or sufficient; to meet the need (of anything); to be equal to the end proposed; to be adequate; to be good enough.
    Two capsules of fish oil a day suffices.
    • Milton
      To recount almighty works, / What words or tongue of seraph can suffice?
  2. (transitive) To satisfy; to content; to be equal to the wants or demands of.
    A joint of lamb sufficed even his enormous appetite.
    • 1838, The Church of England quarterly review (page 203)
      Lord Brougham's salary would have sufficed more than ninety Prussian judges.
  3. To furnish; to supply adequately.

Synonyms

Related terms

Usage notes

  • Commonly used in the phrase suffice it to say.
  • Mostly used in modal verb constructions, such as: Half a loaf per day will suffice. This is much more common than the direct form Half a loaf per day suffices.

Translations


Latin

Verb

suffice

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of sufficiō