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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Suddanté, -ty, -tie, n. Also: suddenté, -ty, -tie, -tey, -cie, suddaintie, sudanty, sudandte, sudainte, -ty, sudanete(e, suddinetie, subdanté, -ty(e, soudentie, sodanete, soddaintye. [ME and e.m.E. sudeynte (Wyclif), sodentie (c1440), -tye (c1557), OF, MF sodeineté, soudaineté (13th c. and c1460 in Larousse); Suddan(e adj.]

1. In various prepositional phrases, as apon, be, for, in, of (etc.) (a, sic a, the) (gret, etc.) suddanté, all of a sudden, very suddenly, so suddenly (that), etc.Freq. in legal contexts, = without premeditation, in contrast to forethocht (felony) For(e)thocht adj.(1) 1496 Reg. Privy S. I 10/1.
The slauchter of John Thomsoun committit apon suddante alanerly 1507–8 Reg. Privy S. I 237/1.
Sudanetee 1509–10 Reg. Privy S. I 307/1.
Subdante 1515 Reg. Privy S. I 400/2.
Sudanete 1519 Reg. Privy S. I 476/2.
Suddanty 1526 Reg. Privy S. I 526/2.
For the slauchter … committit apoun sudandte be the cast of ane by knyfe in lentryne last bipast 1542–3 Reg. Privy S. III 2/2.
Suddantie 1551 Acts II 482/2.
In caice ony … tratouris happinnis to be handillit, takin … or slane vpone suddantie … it sal not be leiffull to the kin … to moue ony questioun pikgruge or querrell 1564 Crim. Trials I i 451.
[They] compellit him to tak ane house for defence of his lyffe, vpoune subdantye 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 646/1.
Ane respit … for the slauchter of umquhile Andro Fynny … committit upoun suddantie in his plane defence 1568 Reg. Privy S. VI 55/1.
[The slaughter of Alison Lethame] committit upoun suddantie and chance be the casting of ane stane 1569 Reg. Morton I 47.
Suddentey 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II 92.
Some of them wantis shirttis, quhilk could not be had heir vpon suddentie — 1592 Acts III 568/1.
[They] vpoun the suddantie at his hienes request tuik woyage and accumpaniet his maiestie to the realme of Norroway 1596 Stirlings of Keir 433.
Vpon grit suddentie, fell out the lamentable slauchter of … James Stirling 1596 Dalr. I 165/5.
Thairfor vpon Angus he brekis in vpon a suddentie 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 314.
The number that is yit to cum from Norwich, quha could nocht be transporttit upoun sic suddantie 1620 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 339.
All this was done upon ane great suddinetie a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 298.
Quhen slaughter wes committed throw chaudmellor, or upon suddantie, it wes not punishable be death of old 1633 Johnston Diary I 13.
On the 12 of June 1633 … it pleased God upon a sudainty … to separat thos saules quhilk he had joined out of his love 1643 Argyll Synod I 67.
He being a man of that profession … could not upon such a suddentie have his mind librat of all scruples a1650 Row 36.
Suddentie 1659 Lamont Diary 112.
This mariage was celebrat vpon a great suddenty ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 92.
Soddaintye(2) 1531 Bell. Boece I 23.
King Coyll … that he micht, be untraist suddante, the more cruelte exerce, … maid his army reddy to invade the Scottis 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Melletum.
Chaud-mella is ane fault or trespasse, quhilk is committed be ane hoate suddaintie, and nocht of set purpose, or præcogitata malitia 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 46b.
Concerning remissions to be given for crymes (committed be ane suddentie, or ane chaud-mellee)(3) 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI 524.
Gif he couth do na better for suddante of tyme(4) 1586 Gray Lett. & P. 119.
To let youe know quhat resolucion the king hes taken anent the queen his mother … which he hes don in great suddenty 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 182.
He was not as yet passed the second hall when the word of the Lord came unto him, and commanded him … to retreat that same sentence … quhilk before he pronounced … This is a wonderfull change in sik a suddenty a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 47.
The regent thus endit his triumphant warldlie dayis in sic suddantie, and tragicallie, as ye have hard a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 223.
The king past verie secretlie, … in all suddantie, towart Drumfreis 15… Aberd. B. Rec. (Jam. s.v. Suddainty).
Spokin in suddanty, in the first motioune of yre 1629 Sharpe Witchcraft 98.
She destroyed the cattle of William Meslet, in great suddainty 1631 Perth Kirk S. in Spottiswoode Misc. II 310.
Putting these persons … under great fear, and causing them in a suddenty to rise furth of their beds 1659 Sc. Law Times (20 July 1935) 169.
They went all in a suddentie in a confussion out of the doore 1666 Glasgow B. Rec. III 82.
The most great impetuous raine that has been seine … many wer supprysed therby, it falling out in such a suddanty(5) ?14.. Ship Laws c. 7 (H2).
Giff seknes cumis of suddantie to a schip mane 1464 Peebles B. Rec. I 150.
Gyf … thai met sic gudis of sudante in tym of gangyng to the kyrk or another neidful erand 1515 Reg. Privy S. I 399/1.
The slauchter of umquhill Johne Cadder committit of sudante 1533 Boece 234.
Gif aduersite occurris of suddantie 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V 283.
Henry Nesbet … acknawledget his offence … and declaret that it come rather of suddantie and anger than of set purpose(6) 1498 Reg. Privy S. I 37/1.
The slauchter of umquhile Patrik Elphingstoun committit on suddante 1507–8 Reg. Privy S. I 242/2.
Sodanete — a1599 Rollock Wks. I 302.
Ane cloud will cum in on ane suddainty and tak the sicht of the sun frae him c1615 Chron. Kings 124.
To tak on the suddenty the Eirll of Craufurd 1644 Salmon Borrowstounness 34.
[To make her will lest she] should be chapit at on ane soudentie(7) 1602 Conv. Burghs II 143.
Gif … tua schipis saillin and cumand togidder, … beis forssit vpoun ane other … than sall baith the skipperis … mak faith that it com throw force and suddantie(8) a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlv 9.
Come, gentill Death, and that with suddentie

2. a. A sudden unexpected action or turn of events; a sudden attack or dispute. b. Hastiness. c. Unexpectedness. d. Uncertainty, unpredictability.a. c1575 Balfour Pract. 519.
And it happin efterwart out of ane chaud-melle, or suddentie, that ilk ane of thame slay uther 1582 Calderwood III 645.
Holding all suddanteis and occasiouns that have fallin, or sall fall out, against anie one of us … to be commoun to us all 1589–90 Waus Corr. 445.
Being adverteist of ane litill suddentie fallin out in the cuntrie amang sum tennentis of my awin 1596 Dalr. I 166/11.
Feiring the suddantie and craftines of the cuntrey men 1596 Dalr. II 135/18.
The Bartains in respect of that suddentie, resist … al tha mycht 1599 Maxwell Mem. II 37.
Although I hope as yett, where suddanties craved quicknes, I have bene found als sharpe as Sempill 1613 Grant Chart. 212.
Prowyding alwayis, that this mutuall band be nawayis extendit to … aillhous tulȝies and suddantiesb. 1600 Haddington Corr. 209.
The suddentie of the bearer, and … your ladyschips letter, … hes caussit me [etc.] 1621-40 Melville Commonpl. Bk. 38.
Na guid comes of suddentie first think syn speik c1630 Scot Narr. 273.
He was … ordained within six dayes to enter Dundee to be confyned there. He challenged them for their suddentie before they had heard what he had to say 1635 Maxwell Mem. I 441.
The suddentie of the beirers awaygoeing, … did not permitt me to doe what I resolved ?1650 Rogers Social Life II 66.
[Having] in his great raschness and suddantie destroyed the head of the toun's drumc. 1623 Melrose P. 523.
The suddantie of the accident, … permitted not time to direct the proclamation 1633 Johnston Diary I 14.
Quhen I remembred the sudainte of it and hou unlooked for Gods wrayth destroyed me in ane instant 1667 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 430.
The suddenty of his sickness occasioned the precipitation of the marriaged. 1640 Dumbarton B. Rec. 62.
The Erle of Argyll … hes warnit the gentilmen of the shyre … to ryd with him for the public service … and because the suddencie of the tyme requires expedition [etc.]