Middle English Dictionary Entry
cǒvent n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cǒvent n. Also cuvent, couvent, covant, convent. |
| Etymology | OF covent, couvent, convent & L conventus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A gathering or assembly of persons; a number of persons having something in common; a company of persons bound to one leader; (b) the band of twelve apostles; ~ of cardinales, the college of cardinals.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)337/478 : To þousende..Of cristine Men..maden seint clement heore Maister þere..Seint clement [bad] ore louerd crist..Þat he holpe is trewe couent and sende heom watur þere.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)110/26 : Þet bread of þe ilke holy couent..þet bread of angles.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.10.16 : The Lord dispisid the couentis [L conventus] of euele men.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Jas.2.2 : If ther shal entre in to ȝoure couent or gedering to gydere [WB(2): cumpany; L conventum] a man hauynge a golden ryng [etc.].
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.OFools (LdMisc 683)2 : The ordre of foolis, ful yore agoon be-gonne, Neuly professed encreseth the kovent.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1573 : All þe semle þe cite with-oute..þe come of þe kynge þis couent abidis.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)110.159 (v.2:p.170) : Petir .. in covent of al the congregacion toke Clement by the hande and ordeyned hym a bisshop, and made hym to sitten in his see and in his chayer in his stede.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)38 : In his tyme he [Samuel] mad certeyn conventes of religious men, whech were seyd prophetes.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)15.4 : I sall noght gadire the couentis [L conuenticula] of tha of blodis.
- a1500(?a1400) Firumb.(2) (Fil)15 : Roulond ȝede byfore as maystyr of the couent.
b
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)20/267 : What sad ȝour Soueren to His dyssiplis, when He..knelud louly apon His knen to-fore His blessid couent?
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.153 : The pope..callede the convente [Trev.: companye] of cardinalls to hym.
2a.
(a) A company of men or women bound together by monastic or canonical rule under one superior; an organized group of monks, friars, canons, or nuns; (b) a group of twelve (or thirteen) friars.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230 *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)69a : As þah ȝe weren an cuuent of lundene & of oxnefort.
- c1300 SLeg.Dunstan (LdMisc 108)46 : Sone he was Abbot of þe hous, and gret couent to him nam.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10143 : Of þe erchebissop of kanterbury þer wex a striuing Weþer him ssolde chese, þe couent oþer þe king.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.114 : For..the Bischope of Norwyche and for the Prioresse of Crabous, and for alle the couent.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1867 : The couent eek lay on the pauement..And after that they ryse and forth been went.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1007 : But worshipful chanons religious..If any Iudas in youre couent be, Remeueth hym.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3568 : And when matynes were al done, Þe couent ȝede to bedde sone.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)23.60 : Al þe couant [vr. couent] þo cam to wolcome [þat] tyraunt.
- (1418) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.294 : A Lettre sent now late vnto vs by þabbot and Couuent of oure hows of Graces.
- (1438) EEWills109/7,21 : Vnto the Prioresse & Couent of the House of Vsk..to the Conuent of the same hous, xxli.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)201 : Couenntis [vrr. couentes, covand] in cloysters myghte kele the of care.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)416 : In þe chirche ben ordeyned ful manye grete couentis to contynuely synge and rede.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.140r : That non monek of the same place occupie the abbotes name or office ne non other but whom after the tenour of her reule atte on assent the couant wolde chese.
- a1450 Ordin.Nuns(2) (Vsp A.25)145/12 : Þe Priores & þe conuent sal folow vp vnto þe auter.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)155 : He mey take no parte off þe possescions..with owt þe assent off þer covent.
b
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)286/304 : [St. Dominic] hadde a couent of freres þo he drou toward þe deþe. His twelf freres bi-fore him comen; him-seolf was þe þretteþe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2259 : Twelue spokes hath a cartwheel comunly. And brynge me thanne twelue freres, woot ye why? For thrittene [vr. twelue] is a couent, as I gesse.
2b.
An establishment of monks, friars, canons, or nuns; conventual establishment; in ~, under such establishment; ~ labour, ~ sel.
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)3b : For anrednesse me schal makie strengðe of annesse of claðes..þus hit is i cuuent.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8923 : Þe priorye of seint Iames..He rerde of blake monekes..& of þe hous of theoskesburi þulke couent is.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)277/7 : An holi Monk..com to feir elde..Of Couent labur was he mad fre.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.207 : Þat out of couent & cloistre coueiten to libben.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.64 : Sich as ben gaderid in coventis togidere.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)4/16 : Of Munkis..Þe first maner..er þa in cuuent es gadird..and a abbot ouir þam.
- (1432) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.3161 : His acquittaunce, wych we sende yn to hym undyr our convent sel..an acquitaunce whyche we sende you undyr our covent seel.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)148/34 : Þer is comyn on of þe most famows frerys in Inglond to þis towne, for to be her in conent [read: couent].
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)417 : Þe entent of religiose gadering to gidere..whanne suche religiose couentis biganne, was þis [etc.].
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)345 : If eny couent or comounte or eny oon persoon schulde be endewid.
- (1459) Will Wells in Nrf.Archaeol.2101 : Yat her lond..be ȝowyn and sewyrly confermyd to ye howse and cowent of Seynt Kateryns of Blakebergh.
- (1473) RParl.6.91a : The seid Priour and Convent, by their comune assent..undre their Convent seale, have yeve [etc.].
- a1500(?c1400) Gowther (Adv 19.3.1)704 : For hom gard he make þat abbey And a covent þerin for ey.
2c.
A building or set of buildings for a conventual establishment.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)26 : Minerues temple..is now turned in to a cherch of our ladi and a couent of frere prechoures.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)157 : In that same ȝere were biggid too coventis in Ynglond of Austines.
3.
Misc. uses: (a) a flight or volley of projectiles; (b) a meeting.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2862 : The covey fleeth as foulis thorgh the sayle The pavice are accombred with coventys.
b
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)45 : Maistyr of Henxmen..to kepe dayly and wekely with these children dew convenitz, with corrections in theyre chambres.