[‘ Excessive self-esteem; overweening self-confidence; arrogance, presumption; conceit.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌuːtrəkwiːˈdɒ̃s/, U.S. /ˌutrəˌkwiˈdɑns/
Forms: lME *outrecuidaunce*, lME *vtterquidaunce*, lME–15 *oultrecuydance*, lME–15 *oultrecuydaunce*, lME–15 *oultrequydance*, lME–15 *outrequydance*, 15 *oltreqedance*, 15 *oultrecuidance*, 15 *oultrecuidaunce*, 15 *outrequydaunce*, 15 *owtherquedaunce*, 15 *ultraquidance*, 15 *ultrequedance*, 15 *ultrequidance*, 15–16 18– *outrecuidance*, 16 *outercuidance*, 16 *outrequodance*, 16 *owtherquedance*.
Etymology: < Middle French /outrecuidance/, oultrecuidance, outrequidance (French /outrecuidance/; 12th–13th cent. in Old French) < /outrecuider/ (12th cent.; < /outre/ beyond, excessively (see outrance n.) + cuider to think, plume oneself < classical Latin /cōgitāre/ cogitate v.) + /-ance/ -ance suffix.
With the Middle English form vtterquidaunce compare outrance n., utterance n.2 and discussion s.vv.
N.E.D. (1904) also gives the pronunciation (ū/təɹkw/ī/·dăns) /uːtəˈkwiːdəns.
Now rare.
Excessive self-esteem; overweening self-confidence; arrogance, presumption; conceit.
1435 in J. Stevenson /Lett. & Papers Illustr. Wars Eng. in France/ (1864) II. 584 The levynge of soche alliaunces is done of grete pride and outrecuidaunce, and setting noo store be none othere mannes frenshipe.
?/c/1450 tr. /Bk. Knight of La Tour Landry/ (1906) 87 (MED), A mon..was hanged atte his yate, and his seuene children, and all thorugh his pride and oultrecuydance.
1496 /Epit. Iaspar Late Duke of Beddeforde/ (Pynson) sig. aivv, Sore may thou rue thy vtterquidaunce.
1524 in /State Papers Henry VIII/ (1836) IV. 255 She shal remayne in over-moche estymacion and oultrecuidance of her self.
1541 in /State Papers Henry VIII/ (1849) VIII. 545 He made..protestation, that the same..passed him..only uppon wilfulness and ultraquidance, which he confessed had been in him.
1599 /Master Broughtons Lett./ ii. 10 To such an outrecuidance hath your selfe-conceit caried you.
1631 E. Stanhope /Let./ in /Hist. Jrnl./ (1964) *7* 313 Alass, why doe thinke out of an outrequodance that you are able to cast such a fogg, such a myst before the eyes of all men?
/a/1652 R. Brome /Madd Couple Well Matcht/ i. i, in /Wks./ (1873) I. 5 Therein was your outrecuidance.
1819 Scott /Ivanhoe/ I. x. 191 It is full time..that the outrecuidance of these peasants should be restrained.
1867 ‘Ouida’ /Under Two Flags/ ii, The light fell full on his handsome face, with its fair hue and its gentle languor on which there was not a single trace of the outrecuidance attributed to him.
1888 /Sat. Rev./ 18 Aug. 195/2 Admiral Hornby has rebuked the outrecuidance of Englishmen who seemed to think so.
1919 /Times/ 16 Aug. 14/1 At first he thought that the original clause was inserted by the majority of the House of Commons out of pure arrogance and outrecuidance and a determination to stamp upon Church feeling.