Middle English Dictionary Entry

Crīst n.
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Entry Info

Forms Crīst n. Also (late) Christ, Cristys (= Christus); (in cpds.) Cris-, Cres-, Crestes-.
Etymology OE Crīst; ult. Gr.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Christ; ~ Jesu(s, Drighten ~, Helend ~, Jesu(s ~, (our) Lord ~, our Lord Jesu ~; (b) Cristes bodi (lichame), the Sacrament of bread; Cristes bok, the Gospels; Cristes chirche, the Church as a whole; Cristes crois (cros), the cross of Christ, symbol of Christianity; also, the sign of the cross; Cristes curs, a curse pronounced in the name of Christ; also excommunication; Cristes feith (laue, lei, lore), the Christian faith or doctrines, Christian religion; Cristes moder, the Virgin Mary; Cristes rodetoken (token), a cross written to validate a signature; Cristes tide, Christmas; Cristes tre, the cross; (c) Feste of Cristes Bodi, the Feast of Corpus Christi.
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2.
(a) In phrases and idioms: as ~ wolde, as Christ willed it; bikennen (to) ~, bitaken to ~, to commend (sb.) to Christ; for Cristes sake; if ~ wole, if Christ wills it, Christ willing; in (the) name of ~; obedient in ~; the ner the chirche the fer fro ~, the nearer the church, the farther from Christ; the yer of ~, the year A. D.; under ~, under Christ's authority, with Christ's guidance; with neg.: not under Christ, not in the world; wel-beloved in ~; (b) in oaths and exclamations: as helpe me ~, so help me Christ; so the (you) ~ helpe (rede), as Christ may help you, so help you Christ; bi ~, by Christ; bi the blod of ~; Cristes fo, the Devil!; ~ grante that it be so; ~ it forbede, Christ forbid it; ~ it me (the) forbede; ~ me forbede; ~ kepe (save) the, Christ keep (save) you; ~ it save; ~ kepe him, etc.; ~ mote the it yelden, may Christ repay you for it; ~ seine, Christ bless you, Gesundheit; ~ sette red for, may Christ help (sb.); ~ yeve hem joi, may Christ give them joy; for ~, for Christ's sake; for Cristes love (passioun, peine, soule), for the love (passion, pain, soul) of Christ; (for) Cristes tre, (for) the cross of Christ; to ~ I hope, I hope to Christ.
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3.
(a) A chosen one, the Lord's anointed; (b) a messiah; fals cristes, false messiahs.
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4.
A crucifix; ~ crucified.
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5.
A Christian.
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6.
(a) In cpds. and combs.: ~ cros, cros ~, Christ's cross; often, the cross at the head of an alphabet; ~ cros me spede; ~ dom, Christendom, Christian territory; ~ hod, Messiahship; ~ lei (lore), Christian faith or doctrines; ~ pouer, Christ's power, Christ's dominion; (b) in surnames and place names [see also Smith PNElem. 1.112]; (c) Crist(es) ladder, one of the European centauries; esp., the common or lesser centaury (Centaureum umbellatum = Erythraea centaurium); also, the larger yellow centaury (Chlora perfoliata).
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Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)197a/a : Oculus xpī. Cristes yȝe.
    • Note: New combination.
    Note: See MED oculus christī n.
    Note: Belongs to sense 6.(c).
    Note: Gloss: Cristes eie, any of several plants, particularly wild clary (Salvia horminoides), wild sage (Salvia verbeneca), etc., usually employed to treat diseases of the eye.
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. (Include form C(h)riste in form section.)--notes per MLL

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