Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒurteis adj. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒurteis adj. & n. Also courtais, -ois, -is, curteis, -ais, -es(e, -as(e, -ois, corteis, -ais, -ese, -ois & courteous, cortious. Sup. curteis(es)t, curtās(es)t, corteist. |
| Etymology | AF courteis, curt-, cort- & CF co(u)rtois. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of persons: courtly or refined in manners; well-bred, urbane; polite, courteous; considerate, kind; ~ and hende; (b) of behavior, actions, words, etc.: refined, well-mannered, polite.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 11 Pains(1) (Jes-O 29)289 : He is curteys and hendy.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)21 : An Eorl þare was in poile, þat was corteys and hende.
- c1330(?c1300) Amis (Auch)1638 : Amourant..was..Wel curteys, hende & gode.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)112/26 : Þet bread..is naȝt mete to gromes..ac to noble herten and gentil, an cortays, and clene.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)188/9 : We ssolle by large and cortoys, þe on a-ye þe oþre, and helpe þe on þe oþre.
- ?c1350 Why werre (Peterh 104)p.30 : Courteous in the benche That stondeth at the barre Wol bygile the in thin hond Bot if thu bewar.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)602 : A! curteyse cosyne, crist mot þe it ȝelde of þi kynde cumfort þat þow me kuþest nowþe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1298 : Comly mayde of kynges kende, þe corteyst þat i knowe.
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)157 : Corteis knihthod and clergye, Þat wont were vices to forsake.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1992 : He dede alle his thinges faire And was courteis and debonaire.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1287 : Ye sholde be hende And curteys as a man of youre estaat; In compaignye we wol no debaat.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)185a/b : Þe men of þat Ille ben straunge, yit þey ben manliche and curteys [L humani] to men and shippes þat goth þer toward.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1527 : A kyng þat hiȝth Neptanabus, Curteys in halle, in werre wiȝth.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6368 : Faire folk woneþ in Ethiope..Curteys [LinI: Corteise] hij ben of mete and of drynk.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)4.16 : Resoun..called catoun his knaue, curteise of speche And also tomme trewetonge.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)538 : The dore of thilk entre A mayden curteys openyde me.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2352 : Whoso with Love wole goon or ride, He mot be curteis and voide of pride, Mery, and full of jolite, And of largesse alosed be.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)18 : Kynde men and courtays and couthe of courte thewes.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)101 : I [the first shepherd] am but a symple knave, Þof all I come of curtayse kynne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2388 : Ser Alexander is..famyd For ane of þe curtast [Dub: curtasest] kyng þat euir croune werid.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)270/16 : The curteyst knyght thou [Sir Launcelot] arte, and mekyste unto all ladyes and jantylwomen.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)135/10 : Be he þerfore as curteis to me as I am to him.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)32a : Curtays: Curalis, Curiosus, vrbanus, Comis, facetus, lepidus.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)1259/12 : Thou, sir Launcelot..were the curtest knyght that ever bare shelde!
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)249 : Þai..Cladden me for þe curtest þat courte couthe þen holde.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)974 : Was neuer of blode ne bone, A kyndere nor a curtysure.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)13 : A corteysear knyȝt..In all the lond was there non.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)294/1392 : For his lady gode and trewe, And þe curteyseste þat euer he knewe!
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)371 : He was the beste taught and the most curteise that euer was.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1397 : Meliors..kessing hire fader &, wiþ a curteise cuntenaunce, william next after.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1815 : Lat voyden al this hous in curteis wise.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)754 : Þy colour passez þe flour-de-lys; Þyn angel-hauyng so clene cortez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)469 : Arther..sayde ful hyȝe To þe comlych quene, wyth cortays speche, 'Dere dame.'
2.
Gracious, benevolent, generous, merciful: (a) of persons, God; (b) of actions, words, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)262/42 : Non oþur Moneye..ich ne habbe bote mi-self her; Ichulle beo corteis of þat ich habbe.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)21/35 : Huanne he deþ to moche despense..þet me him hyalde þe more large and þe more corteys.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)35/15 : Ac þer is anoþer lenere corteys, þet leneþ wyþ-oute chapfare makiinde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.246 : The curteys lord Iesu Crist ne wole that no good werk be lost.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3312 : Lamedon..Which oghte wel have mad hem joie..was noght curteis [vrr. curtois, courtoys].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3120 : Pite makth a king courteis Bothe in his word and in his dede.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)11288 : God almyȝty ys ryȝt curteys; he seeþ þy wyl, what þou wuldest haue.
- a1450 Dux Moraud (BodPoet f.2)27 : Duk Morawd I hot be name, Korteyser lord may be none.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.15 : Ymagynatyf..me tolde Of kynde..how curteise he is to bestes.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)433 : 'Cortayse Quen,' þenne syde þat gaye Knelande to grounde.
- c1400 Prep.Euch.(Ashm 1286)127/8 : Þis dooþ oure merciful and graciouse lord to me..siþen oure lord is so curteyse to me.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)69 : Curteys Kyng [i.e. God]..Be noght vengeable, put vp thy swerde!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4036 : It sittith thee nought curteis to be. To do men plesaunce or servise, In thee it is recreaundise. Let thi werkis fer and ner Be like thi name, which is Daunger.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)244 : Him thouȝte that thilk Lord was resonable..curteis..gentil, and louyng.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)137/313 : Nowe curtayse kynges, to me take tent!
- c1450 *Bonav.Medit.(4) (MSU 1)85 : A gracyus god, a curtas cristis, a euerlastyng luffer!
- c1455 Spec.Miser.(Tak 32)162 : Yit is hee so cvrteyis and so good a kyng, That his mercy evere soo redy is To alle that it askyht, Oolde or yingge.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)3 : Of Inde..ther was a nobyll kyng, Ientill, curteys, full trew in worde and dede.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2256 : Bot dryghtin dere, þat ai es hend, A curtais [Trin-C: curteys] wrak on þam he send.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)512 : He spekes wyth þat ilke, In comly comfort, ful clos and cortays wordez.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)15.161 : Was neuere creature..þat knew wel þe bygynnynge Bote kynde, þat contreeuede hit furst of cortesie [read: corteise] wil.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)4632 : I am here redi alwey to be Obyesaunt to youre curteys [Add: cowrtys] awarde.
3.
Respectful, deferential, meek: (a) of persons; (b) of actions, words, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.99 : Curteys he was, lowely and seruysable, And carf biforn his fader at the table.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.366 : Petre was here curteys and temprid fro presumpcioun, for he seide not þat he lovede Crist betere þan any oþer apostle.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)14/8 : Doughtres, ye must be meke and curteys, for there nis none so gret a vertu to gete the grace of God and the loue of alle peple.
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)163 : Be curtayse to god, and knele doun On bothe knees with grete deuocioun.
b
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)282/19 : He is right a greete enmy of whome the deedis be feble & bittir, and the wordes softe and curteise.
- c1450 Ihesus þat sprong (Lamb 853)22 : Barn y-born of a beerde briȝt, Ful curteis was þi comeli cus.
4.
As noun: (a) a courtly, courteous, or gracious person; (b) in names.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2300 : Love..makth curteis of the vilein.
- a1400 Charite chaste (Hrl 7322)4 : Stronge, trewe, & corteis kepte þe land; Bot now..folis it han vndir hand.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1097 : Alle called on þat Cortayse [i.e. Christ] and claymed his grace.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5081 : Don al that they han ado, As curteis shulde and debonaire.
- a1450 Spaldyng Katereyn þe curteys (BodR 22)p.541 : Þere þei com to Katereyn comly & clene, to commen with þat curtays & knowen of hyre game.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5306 : When þai comen to þe kyng, þo curtes to-gedur, Þen fond þai þat fre febill in his bed.
b
- (1166) in Pipe R.Soc.931 : Ricardus Curteis.
- (1168) in Pipe R.Soc.12130 : Robertus le Curteis.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2115 : Johanne Curtays.
- (1406) Reg.Mascall in Cant.Yk.S.21130 : William Curteyse.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Tale Basin (Cmb Ff.5.48)p.47 : Hym gode and curtesse I fynde euer moo; He harpys and gytryns and syngs well ther-too; He wrestels and lepis, and casts the ston also.
Note: New form: Also..curtesse.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED.--notes per MLL