sup|ple

sup|ple
sup|ple «SUHP uhl», adjective, -pler, -plest, verb, -pled, -pling.
–adj.
1. bending or folding easily, without breaking or cracking; pliant: »

a supple birch tree, supple leather.

 SYNONYM(S): pliable.
2. capable of bending easily; moving easily or nimbly: »

a supple dancer. “In my youth,” said the sage…“I kept all my limbs ve supple By the use of this ointment” (Lewis Carroll).

3. Figurative. readily adaptable to different ideas, circumstances, or people: a) flexible; elastic: »

a keen and supple mind.

SYNONYM(S): plastic. b) yielding readily to persuasion or influence; compliant: »

She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.

4. artfully or servilely complaisant or obsequious.
–v.t.
to make supple.
–v.i.
to grow supple.
╂[Middle English souple < Old French souple, and supple < Latin supplex, -icis submissive; (literally) bending, related to supplicāre; see etym. under supplicate (Cf. ↑supplicate)]
–sup´ple|ly, adverb.
–sup´ple|ness, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • sup´ple|ly — sup|ple «SUHP uhl», adjective, pler, plest, verb, pled, pling. –adj. 1. bending or folding easily, without breaking or cracking; pliant: »a supple birch tree, supple leather. SYNONYM(S): pliable. 2. capable of bending easily; moving easily or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup|ple|to|ry — «SUHP luh TR ee, TOHR », adjective. = supplementary. (Cf. ↑supplementary) ╂[< Late Latin supplētōrium a supplement] …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup´ple|ness — sup|ple «SUHP uhl», adjective, pler, plest, verb, pled, pling. –adj. 1. bending or folding easily, without breaking or cracking; pliant: »a supple birch tree, supple leather. SYNONYM(S): pliable. 2. capable of bending easily; moving easily or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup´ple|ment|er — sup|ple|ment «noun. SUHP luh muhnt; verb. SUHP luh mehnt», noun, verb. –n. 1. something added to complete a thing, or to make it larger or better. Newspapers have supplements that are usually of a special character and issued as an additional… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup|ple|ment — «noun. SUHP luh muhnt; verb. SUHP luh mehnt», noun, verb. –n. 1. something added to complete a thing, or to make it larger or better. Newspapers have supplements that are usually of a special character and issued as an additional feature. »There… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup|ple|jack — «SUHP uhl JAK», noun. any one of various climbing and twining shrubs with tough, pliable stems, found in tropical and subtropical forests …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup|ple|men|tal — «SUHP luh MEHN tuhl», adjective, noun. = supplementary. (Cf. ↑supplementary) …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup|ple|men|ta|ri|ly — «SUHP luh MEHN tuhr uh lee, truh lee», adverb. in a supplementary manner …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup|ple|men|ta|ry — «SUHP luh MEHN tuhr ee, tree», adjective, noun, plural ries. –adj. 1. additional: »a volume supplementary to the original encyclopedia. SYNONYM(S): extra, auxiliary. 2. added to supply what is lacking: »The new members of the class received… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sup|ple|men|ta|tion — «SUHP luh mehn TAY shuhn», noun. 1. the act of supplementing: »Supplementation of the diet with egg yolk…resulted in a fall in recurrences of rheumatic fever (New Scientist). 2. a supplementary addition …   Useful english dictionary

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