bounteous
adj/ˈbaʊntiəs/ · /ˈbaʊnʃəs/
Etymology Inherited from Middle English bountevous, from Old French bontios; by surface analysis, bounty + ous.
1
Of a person Inclined to be generous.
- Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lentc. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 184:
- Be bounteous at our Meale. Giue me thy hand, / Thou haſt bin rightly honeſt, ſo haſt thou […]c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 358, column 2:
1 more example
- Hail, univerſal Lord, be bounteous ſtill / To give us onely good; […]1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
2
Usually, Of a gift Liberal or abundant.
- “Your Grace may be well assured,” said the Friar, “that, with the grace of Saint Dunstan, I shall find the way of multiplying your most bounteous gift.”1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter XL, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 266:
- “I’d like to say it’s not just bounteous privilege, but it is. People like Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, they’re incredibly cut off from the world. […]2023 March 5, Miranda Sawyer, quoting Jason Williamson, “Sleaford Mods: ‘The UK is like a crazy golf course – all we’ve got left are landmarks’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
- Derived terms
- bounteously, bounteousness, overbounteous, unbounteous