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fulsome

 - 3 dictionary results

ful⋅some

  [fool-suhm, fuhl-]
Use fulsome in a Sentence
–adjective
1. offensive to good taste, esp. as being excessive; overdone or gross: fulsome praise that embarrassed her deeply; fulsome décor.
2. disgusting; sickening; repulsive: a table heaped with fulsome mounds of greasy foods.
3. excessively or insincerely lavish: fulsome admiration.
4. encompassing all aspects; comprehensive: a fulsome survey of the political situation in Central America.
5. abundant or copious.
Origin:
1200–50; ME fulsom. See full 1 , -some 1

Related forms:
ful⋅some⋅ly, adverb
ful⋅some⋅ness, noun

Usage note:
In the 13th century when it was first used, fulsome meant simply “abundant or copious.” It later developed additional senses of “offensive, gross” and “disgusting, sickening,” probably by association with foul, and still later a sense of excessiveness: a fulsome disease; a fulsome meal, replete with too much of everything. For some centuries fulsome was used exclusively, or nearly so, with these unfavorable meanings.
Today, both fulsome and fulsomely are also used in senses closer to the original one: The sparse language of the new Prayer Book contrasts with the fulsome language of Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer. Later they discussed the topic more fulsomely. These uses are often criticized on the grounds that fulsome must always retain its connotations of “excessive” or “offensive.” The common phrase fulsome praise is thus sometimes ambiguous in modern use.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To fulsome
ful·some   (fŏŏl'səm)   
adj.  

  1. Offensively flattering or insincere. See Synonyms at unctuous.

  2. Offensive to the taste or sensibilities.

  3. Usage Problem Copious or abundant.


[Middle English fulsom, abundant, well-fed, arousing disgust : ful, full; see full1 + -som, adj. suff.; see -some1.]
ful'some·ly adv., ful'some·ness n.
Usage Note: Fulsome is often used to mean "offensively flattering or insincere." But the word is also used, particularly in the expression fulsome praise, to mean simply "abundant," without any implication of excess or insincerity. This usage is etymologically justified but may invite misunderstandings in contexts in which a deprecatory interpretation could be made. The sentence I offer you my most fulsome apologies may raise an eyebrow, where the use of an adjective like full or abundant would leave no room for doubt as to the sincerity of the speaker's intentions.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

fulsome 
M.E. compound of ful "full" + -som "some." Sense evolved from "abundant, full" (c.1250) to "plump, well-fed" (c.1350) to "overgrown, overfed" (1642) and thus, of language, "offensive to taste or good manners" (1663). Since the 1960s, however, it commonly has been used in its original, favorable sense, especially in fulsome praise.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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