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supple |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Supple \Sup"ple\, a. [OE. souple, F. souple, from L. supplex suppliant, perhaps originally, being the knees. Cf {Supplicate}.] 1. Pliant; flexible; easily bent; as supple joints; supple fingers. 2. Yielding compliant; not obstinate; submissive to guidance; as a supple horse. If punishment . . . makes not the will supple, it hardens the offender. --Locke. 3. Bending to the humor of others flattering; fawning; obsequious. --Addison. Syn: Pliant; flexible; yielding; compliant; bending; flattering; fawning; soft. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Supple \Sup"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Suppled}; p. pr & vb n. {Suppling}.] 1. To make soft and pliant; to render flexible; as to supple leather. The flesh therewith she suppled and did steep. --Spenser. 2. To make compliant, submissive, or obedient. A mother persisting till she had bent her daughter's mind and suppled her will --Locke. They should supple our stiff willfulness. --Barrow. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Supple \Sup"ple\, v. i. To become soft and pliant. The stones . . . Suppled into softness as they fell. --Dryden. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: supple adj 1: gracefully slender; moving and bending with ease [syn: {lissome}, {lissom}, {lithe}, {lithesome}, {slender}, {svelte}, {sylphlike}] 2: (used of e.g. personality traits) readily adaptable; "a supple mind"; "a limber imagination" [syn: {limber}] 3: (used of persons' bodies) capable of moving or bending freely [syn: {limber}]
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