portentuous

English

Etymology

From Middle English portentuous, from Latin portentuōsus.

Adjective

portentuous (comparative more portentuous, superlative most portentuous)

1. Obsolete form of portentous.
   • [1573?], Lodovvicke Lloid, The Pilgrimage of Princes, Penned out of Sundry Greeke and Latine Aucthours, […], London: […] [John Charlewood and John Kingston? for] VVilliam Iones, […], folio 86, verso:

     Suche pꝛodigious ſightes were ſéene, ſuch vnnaturall woꝛking of the heauens, ſuch terrible ſightes on the earth, ſuch poꝛtentuous miracles then ſéene in Rome, that the Senatours came vnto Sibilla to knowe the effectes and endes of theſe monſtrous ſhowes, and to be inſtructed of the ſtate of the Citie, vnto whome ſhe gaue ſixe letters in wꝛitinges, thꝛée R. and thꝛée F. to be expounded of their wiſemen, which when the meaning was founde, that thꝛée R. was this, Regnum Romæ Ruet: and thꝛée F. was Flamma, Ferro, & Fame, that is as much to ſay, that the monarch of Rome ſhoulde periſh with fire, ſwoꝛde, and hunger.

   • 1607 November 5, John Kinge, A Sermon Preached in Oxford: […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Ioseph Barnes, page 23:

     I had almost askt-⁠-⁠-qui gurges, aut quis tartarus hoc ſcelus-⁠-eſt auſus attrectare? ſith in ſo many thouſãds of years from the fal of the reprobate and faithleſſe angels it neuer came into the head of anie deuil to ſuggeſt to the hart of any mã before this time ſo nefarious, flagitius, portentuous a wickedneſſe, as this was?

   • 1708 March 26–31, The British Apollo, or, Curious Amusements for the Ingenious. […], volume I, number 14, London: […] [F]or the Authors, by J[ohn] Mayo, […], signature O, verso, column 1:

     The Ancients alſo were of Opinion, that Dreaming of Blood prognoſticated Suffocation; if ſo, actual Bleeding muſt needs be more Portentuous than a meer Dream.

   • 1821, W[illiam] M[arshall] Craig, A Course of Lectures on Drawing, Painting, and Engraving, Considered as Branches of Elegant Education. […], London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], page 4:

     Since that portentuous period, the wealth of our happy country has greatly increased, and peace with victory have, at length, intertwined their verdant wreaths around the dignified forehead of distinguished Britain.

   • 1911, Walter Winston Kenilworth, “Night and Resurrection”, in Thoughts on Things Psychic, New York, N.Y.: R[obert] F[rancis] Fenno & Company, page 184:

     Clouds pall the light of the Sun. And within the soul there are clouds often blacker than night and more portentuous than the black cloud of Elijah’s prayer.

Middle English

Etymology

From Latin portentuōsus.

Adjective

portentuous

1. portentous
   • c. 1487, Diodorus Siculus, translated by Iohn Skelton, The Bibliotheca Historica of Diodorus Siculus Translated by Iohn Skelton, London: […] [F]or the Early English Text Society by Geoffrey Cumberlege, Oxford University Press […], published 1956, pages 342–343:

     And for encheson that we haue in our former bokis, after our connynge whiche gretely is ennaked from all lusty eloquence of electe vtteraunce, explosed thactes & gestis of outlandyssh peple to vs moche enstraunged by remotyf dystaunce of ferre contreys, we not leuynge vnremembrid suche thyngis as of their goddes emonge theym be reported, bryngynge vnto the light of our comyn remembraunce the sytuacion of euery place & coost, and of euery specyal regyon by it-self, what beestis sauage of nature and wylde wormys in those parties moost habounde, wyth all / other monstruous thynges & portentuous wondres digne and worthy to be enrolled for a memorial of recorde; […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

• English: portentuous