Middle English Dictionary Entry

cǒuplen v.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms cǒuplen v. Also cuplen, coplen & coupel, cuppel, coppel.
Etymology OF copler, cupler, coupler.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) To unite in marriage (two persons, one with another); refl. ~ to kinne, marry into a family; (b) ~ to spouse, wive, to marry (sb.); (c) to have sexual intercourse (with sb.); ben coupled.
Show 18 Quotations
2.
(a) To unite (man and God); (b) to join in association or league; -- intr. or refl.; (c) to match (two knights) for combat; (d) to pair (couples) as social partners; (e) ~ frendshipe, to enter into friendship.
Show 11 Quotations
3.
(a) To leash a brace of (hounds) together; ~ up; also, put (a cat) on a leash; (b) to yoke (two animals) together; hitch draught animals to (a vehicle).
Show 10 Quotations
4.
To link, join, or fasten (one thing to another); fasten (two or more things) together; ~ togeder(es; ~ up.
Show 11 Quotations
5.
(a) To connect (one thing with another) or join (one thing to another) in a relationship of similarity, compatibility, or function; (b) to place (two or more things) together as like or compatible; conjoin (things) in speech or thought; ~ togeder(es.
Show 8 Quotations
6.
Misc. uses: (a) to roof (a house) with supporting rafters; bem coupled, a tie beam; (b) to join (a tag rime) to a verse; (c) to link up (one's fate with sth.).
Show 4 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)82/26 : Than the Romaynes began to couple upon the Iuwes so hard..that the fire..out of theire harneis sprong and the sparkelyngis out of their helmes shone all the feld.
    • Note: New sense: add subsense (d) to sense 6.
    Note: Gloss: ~ upon, To make a hostile attack upon (the Jews), join battle with.
    Note: This quot. has been taken back to books.--notes per MLL
  • a1450 Dur-CRO.Bk.Hawking (Dur-CRO Roll D/X/76/7)24/50 : If scho flee for þe partryk, tak a partryk and mak hir to knaw it well, and þen go to þe feilde, and waite befor whare a covy of partrikkes er, and waite whare þu sees þam falle, and fynd hem, and cowpill vp þin spaniellys, and tak owte þe partrik of þi bage, þe whilk scho knawis wel befor.
    • Note: New spelling
    Note: Belongs to sense 3.(a). Modify existing gloss to "To leash a brace of (hounds, spaniels) together.--per MLL
  • c1450 Add.19046 Treat.Syntax (Add 19046)200/327 : Howe many verbes have strenght to copull like cases? Verbes substantyfes, verbes vocatyfes, and verbes hauyng their strenght.
  • a1475 Peniarth Informacio(1) (Pen 356B)94/78 : For ‘sum’, ‘es’, ‘fui’ is a verbe copulatyue and wyl copul lyke case.
  • c1414 Lin-C.Informacio (Lin-C 88)105/44 : For ‘sum’, ‘es’, ‘fui’ is a verbe copulatif an wil coupell like case; and verbes substantiuis (also), as is open be versus.
    • Note: New subsense (c) for sense 5.
    Note: (c)gram. of a verb: to link (like grammatical cases).--per MLL
Note: List of variant spellings in the form section may not be complete. Revised form section: Also couple, coupel, c(o)upil, co(u)pul, couipil, cople, cuppel, (early) cuplen, kuplen & (error) cope. Forms: sg. 3 coupleth, etc. & copuls, coppils; p.sg.3 coupled, etc. & couplit, cuppuld, cuppled; ppl. coupled, etc. & couplet, coupult, copild, coppled, & icoupled, icuplet, ikuplet.--per MLL

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?1482 Rev.Monk Eynsham2838 : That bryghtness..dullyd not a mannys syghte, but rathyr scharpyd hyt..hyt delytyd a man that behylde hyt, and wondirfully cowpulde a mannys syghte to se hit.
    • Note: Glossary: "cowpuld(e pa. t. 3 sg. 'adapted, adjusted'."
    Note: Sense not found in OED. ?New sense.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)46ab : Now shal my husbonde be coupled [Vulg. Gen.29.34: copulabitur] to me bycause I haue born to hym thre sones.
Note: Despite overtones of sense 1.(c), may be more safely taken as a variant to sense 1.(a), "to reconcile (husband to wife), cause to join or bond."

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