SUPPLE


Meaning of SUPPLE in English

— suppleness , n.

/sup"euhl/ , adj., suppler, supplest , v. , suppled, suppling .

adj.

1. bending readily without breaking or becoming deformed; pliant; flexible: a supple bough.

2. characterized by ease in bending; limber; lithe: supple movements.

3. characterized by ease, responsiveness, and adaptability in mental action.

4. compliant or yielding.

5. obsequious; servile.

v.t. , v.i.

6. to make or become supple.

[ 1250-1300; (adj.) ME souple flexible, compliant supplic- (s. of supplex ) submissive, suppliant, equiv. to sup- SUP- + -plic-, variously explained as akin to plicare to FOLD 1 , bend (thus meaning "bent over"; cf. COMPLEX), or to placare to PLACATE (thus meaning "in the attitude of a suppliant"); (v.) ME supplen to soften, deriv. of the n. (cf. OF asoplir ) ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .