Middle English Dictionary Entry

cǒvenaunt n.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms cǒvenaunt n. Also covena(u)nd, -onde; covinaunt, covan-, covon-, cuven-; covnant, -and; com(e)naunt, -aund, cumnaunt; con(n)aunt, cunnaunt.
Etymology OF covenant, convenant. Some instances of conaunt may belong to cǒvaunt.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

Note: Cp. covaunt.
1a.
An agreement between parties binding them to certain provisions; a compact (as of betrothal or marriage), a pact (as of peace); maken (a) ~; binden to ~; holden ~, kepen ~; breken ~; ben in ~, to be bound by pact.
Show 23 Quotations
1b.
Law A formal contract; a contract under seal; the indentured contract of a servant or apprentice, etc.; ben in ~, to be under contract.
Show 11 Quotations
1c.
Theol. A covenant between God and man, or Christ and man; ~ of bapteme, pes ~.
Show 10 Quotations
1d.
Cpds. (a) ~ breker, ~ breking, ~ briche, ~ making; (b) ~ hine, ~ man, a man bound by legal contract as servant or apprentice.
Show 8 Quotations
2.
(a) A promise made by one of the parties to a mutual agreement; also, any promise or pledge made by one person to another or others; holden (kepen) him ~, to keep one's promise to him, etc.; (b) a promise made to oneself, a vow.
Show 15 Quotations
3a.
Pl. The provisions, terms, or conditions of a formal agreement or contract.
Show 9 Quotations
3b.
(a) A conditional provision, a condition; (b) in (on, upon) this ~, on this condition, etc.; in (to, with) ~ that, on the condition that; to the ~ for to bringen, on the condition of bringing; dwellen at this ~, to abide by this condition.
Show 15 Quotations
4.
The matter promised in an agreement or contract; the payment promised one of the parties to an agreement; lenen thing to certain ~, to make a loan against fixed wages.
Show 10 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.33.20 : If voide mai ben maad my covenaunt bi dai & my couenaunt with nyȝt þat þer be not dai & nyȝt in his tyme.
    • Note: Modify gloss?
    Note: Belongs to sense 1c. (The sense of this passage is that if the "covenant" made with night and day can be broken, so can the "covenant" with David.)
    Note: [L pactum meum cum die et pactum meum cum nocte].
Note: List of variant spellings in the form section may not be complete or may need revising. (Note in sense 3b.(b), form kovnand in Yvain.--per MLL

©2023 Regents of the University of Michigan. For details about this collection's copyright see the MEC copyright statement and the U-M Library Copyright Policy. Data last refreshed July 2023.