Middle English Dictionary Entry
leiten v.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | leiten v.(2) Also leite, lait(e, lat(e & leȝten. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI leita. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To search, seek; ~ after, search or look for (sb. or sth.); who likes to ~, who(so) wil ~, whoever wishes to know; (b) to look for (sb. or sth.), try to find; also, find (sth.); ~ and sechen; who laites the soth, whoever seeks the truth; not to ~, not to be looked for, not lacking; nothing to ~, nothing left out or missing; (c) to go, come; draw near to (sb.); ~ hom, return to (one's) home.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5975 : To your lauerd yee mak offrand, Quar-to suld yee ferrer lait?
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)23.6 : Þis es þe strend of him sekand, Þe face of god Iacob laitand [L quærentium].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)97 : Laytez ȝet ferre..and fechez mo gestez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)411 : Þou may leng in þy londe & layt no fyrre.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)709 : Þe way of lif, who likes to layte, Þai sal find both hard & straite.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7669 : All suyt on þat syre..And laited aftur þe lede with a light wille.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)312/13 : When þis childe was born, it laytid after þe moder papp.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)90/137 : This is, who wyll late, The sext moneth of hyr conceytate.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)192/180 : Thise ar the commaundmentys ten, who so will lely layt.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3457 : Teȝȝ sholldenn farenn forþ To leȝȝtenn & to sekenn Þatt newe king.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2441 : He bunden him ful swiþe faste..Þat he wore parred in an hole..Were þe bondes nouth to leite.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)3052 : Who wil lesinges layt, Þarf him no ferþer go.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7323 : Omang þir puple sal þou latt A stalworth man þat saul haitt.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24211 : To me þou sai, Hu þat i nu sal wend mi wai Quar-for to lait me leind [Göt: freind]?
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)6332 : He went forþ eke water for to layte & seke.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1768 : His foes in þe felde in flokkes ful grete, Þat longe hade layted þat lede.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)277 : He lurkkes & laytes where watz le best, In vche a nok of his nauel.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)355 : I am þe wakkest..and of wyt feblest, & lest lur of my lyf, quo laytes þe soþe.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)101/305 : Graithly up he laites and lukes All his bagges and all his bokes..In hampers hastly he þam hentes.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6001 : Men sal yhelde acount strayt, Sal nathyng þan be þar to layt.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7535 : Many þe blys of heven covaytes, Bot fone þe ryght way þider laytes.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)23295 : Walwan he gatte, lo, þat he laitede.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)255 : There he leuede in a tayte Bothe his modir and his gayte, The grete Godd for to layte.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)130/111 : Vnwitty men ȝe werre To lepe ouere lande to late a ladde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10291 : The Mirmydons hade mynd of þe mayne troiell, And laitede hym on the laund as the lede faght.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)152 : Princes..preses in-to chambre, To laite þar lord at was lost.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)372 : Þe grete clerke..forth wendis To loke & layte him a loge.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)317/380 : Now will we weynde To late the luf, and with hym byde.
c
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)31.12 : Als hors or mule ne wil be made ane, In whilke vnderstanding es nane; In keuil and bridel þair chekes straite, Þat þe noght neghen ne laite [L qui non approximant ad te].
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9751 : Masit were our myndes..All our londes to leue & to laite hedur.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13973 : Þen letteris had þe lede fro his lefe modur, fforto high hym in hast, & his home laite.
2.
(a) To seek (adventure, cure, etc.); strive for (sth.), aspire to; (b) to ask for (sth.), request.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)237 : I..went mi way..Aventures forto layt in land.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)254 : We hafe as losels liffyde..And forelytenede the loos þat we are layttede.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)300 : Laytez with prayere þe blis of heuene.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9191 : Ho is cause of my care & my cold angur; Att what leche vppon lyue might I laite hele?
b
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)137/450 : Þe man þat feles sekenes sare Nedes to layt a leches lare.
3.
To search through (a place).
Associated quotations
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)155 : We have oure librarie laitid þes..seven dayes, Bot one cronicle of þis kynge con we never fynde.