Middle English Dictionary Entry
dāme n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dāme n. Also daim, damme, dam. |
| Etymology | OF dame, from L domina. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A woman of rank, a lady; (b) the superior of a convent, such as an abbess or prioress; also, an anchoress (as attended by her maids); (c) the mistress of a household; wife (of a nobleman).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3956 : Ther dorste no wight clepen hire but dame.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1546 : I took vn to oure dame, Youre wyf..the same gold ageyn.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.296 : Thow seist also that it displeseth me But if that thow..poure alwey vpon my face And clepe me 'faire dame' in euery place.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)587 : He wolde haue to his paramoure Sum louely dynge dame.
- c1450 Surge mea (Lamb 853)59 : Veni in ortum meum, þou deintiest damme [the Virgin]!
b
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)115b : Ba beon obedient to hare dame in alle þing..habbe eauer hire earen opene toward hire dame.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)116a : Al mihti godd, ȝeoue ure dame his grace se lengre se mare!
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)41/28 : Þabbesse, for sho es in godis stede, sal be callid 'dame', noht for þe heȝnes þat sho es abbes, bot for þe onur of god.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3097 : Alflede..hadde y-louyd seynt Wultrude ryȝt welle, When he was hurre Abbas and hurre dame.
c
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)40a/b : Matrona: a dame.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)15150 : At Londone anoþer kyng gan wone..Dame Rytula highte his dame.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)32b : A Dame: vbi huswiffe.
2.
Used in addressing a woman of rank or position, whether married or not; milady; also in respectful address to other women [cp. ma dame, madame].
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2080 : Hu nu, dame, dotestu? Cwen, acangestu nu mid alle þes aðre?
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)81/56 : 'Dame,' he sede, 'þis hail is þin.'
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)258/67 : 'Haue nouþe, dame, wel guod day!'..'A, sire, merci!' seide is wijf.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)1233 : Listeniþ now, sire and dame!
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)216 : Dame, for faute of helpe thin housebonde is neih slain.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2551 : 'Drink with thi fader, Dame,' he seide.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.853 : Lat the womman telle hir tale..Do, dame, tel forth youre tale!
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1869 : Sire and dame, trusteth me right wel!
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8349 : Dame, I did þe hider call Als mi wedded wijf of all.
- a1450 Dux Moraud (BodPoet f.2)40 : Dam, do now þi wylle, þi wyage to fulfylle.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)22/4 : A good man..seyd 'Dame, how far ȝe?'
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)177/35 : 'Dame,' he seyth, 'sche knowyth not me ne non of hir neyborwys.'
- a1500 Eglam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)871 : 'Dame,' he seyde to the qwene, 'Mekylle of solas have we sene.'
- ?a1500(a1475) Wright's CW (Lamb 306)139 : Thus seyd the wyfe of the hows, 'Syr, howe faryth my swete spouse?'..'Sertes, dame,' he seyd, 'wele.'
3.
(a) Used as the title of a woman of rank or position, whether married or not; also as an honorific or mock-serious title; (b) used with personifications: ~ fortune, ~ nature, ~ scripture, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)558 : Grim..bar him hom..And bitaucte him dame leue.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)23 : Dame Margerie and dame Alis..in religion Nonnes huy weren.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10920 : Þe erl of cornwaile..Weddede dame ssenche, þat vr quene soster was.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11733 : Is heued hii smiten of &..To dam Maud..it ssende.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2420 : Dame ysonde, þe quene.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)29/322 : His owhen quen, Dam [vr. Dame] Heurodis.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4312 : Dame Pertelote, I sey yow trewely.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.151 : Themperours doghter, dame Custaunce.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.3073 : Upon the cause of Menelay And of his queene, dame Heleine.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.548 : My gossyb, dame Alys.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2312 : Of aram a sun and doghturs tua, Melcha, loth, and dam [vr. dame] sarra.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.73 : William was coruned kyng..Dam Helienore quene was sche.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)249 : My ladi Jentel, dame abbesse, With ȝowre mantels furred..ȝowre veile, ȝowre wimple passyng of grete richesse [etc.].
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)458 : Þe qweene and dam Katerine were in þe kynges Harry gouernaunse.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)42/9 : An ankres..whych hyte Dame Ielyan.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)93/21 : Sche met wyth a worshepful lady, Dame Margarete Florentyn.
- (1441) Visit.Alnwick9 : The keyes..shalle remeyne..in the kepyng of dame Margery Kyrkeby, chosen ther to by the couent.
- a1450 Ordin.Nuns(2) (Vsp A.25)147/24 : In þe presence of daym N., priores.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)243 : His goddesse, dame Juno.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)52 : Geffrey erle Plantagenet..maried withe dame Maud, doughter of the duke of Normandie and king of Englande, Harry the second.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)8/1 : His wyf, dame Igrayne, he putte in the castell of Tyntagil.
b
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)11.1 : Þenne hedde wit A wyf was hoten dam Studie.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1971 : Dame Avarice is noght soleine, Which is of gold the Capiteine.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23719 : Dame fortune turnes þan hir quele.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1129 : Dame Richesse on hir honde gan lede A yong man full of semelyhede.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4871 : Thus hath sotilled dame Nature.
- a1450(c1395) WBible(2) Pref.Jer.(NC 66)67 : This science of scriptures, the olde chaterynge damme, calengith..and the sofistre ful of wordis [etc.].
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)871 : The goddesse, dame Nature.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1547 : Ryght as her suster, dame Fortune, Ys wont to serven in comune.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)334 : Purpel colours wrought be dame nature.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Spencer 19)1.1.4a : Þe noble lady, Dame Misericordie.
4.
(a) A mother (orig. as mistress of the household); our dames tonge, our mother's tongue or speech; (b) the mother of young animals; dam; mother bird; (c) a mother plant.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)62b : & let him [child] sitten ane &..cleopien 'dame, dame' & wepen and hwile.
- c1275 LSSerm.(Clg A.9)81 : Hire sire and hire dame þreteþ hire to bete.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)429/391 : 'Awei, mi child,' seith þe damme, and suouȝnez a-ȝein þe wowe.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.671 : Heraud het me fader in halle, & Cristiane het me dame.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.72 : His douhter hette do-rihtso-or-þi-dame-wol-þe-bete.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.317 : Thus taughte me my dame.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.576 : My dame taughte me that soutiltee.
- (a1400) *Barton's Urines (Sln 280)f.282v : To coupul wiþ a womman neȝe hir childebirþ .. oft is cause of þe dammys deþ in hir childebirþ.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5017 : Alsone as þat childe yborne is, Jt haþ wytt..And may speken to his dame.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.37 : My syre seyde so to me, and so did my dame.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.284 : Ac rys vp, ragamoffyn, and reche me alle þe barres That belial, þe beel-syre, beot with þy damme.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5887 : Who that dredith sire ne dame Shal it abye in body or name.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4310 : When Criste in þat contre come with his dame.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)3035 : Her Dammes mylke they lakked ther; Thay deyden for defaute of here dam.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.56 : Was he neuer gode knappe, þat hadde his dame at þe yate.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.497 : Disclaundre [not] of women the name; Remembre tendirly who was youre dame.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)115 : Wen ȝe be bore fyrst of yowur dame.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)2/37 : Let us shewe our fantasyes in suche wordes as we lerneden of our dames tonge.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)53/118 : Sir Perdicas..was of no kinges bloode; his dame was a tombestere.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3260 : She koude skippe and make game As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)283b/b : Atte laste he [colt] is y sette to worke..and may nouȝt souke his dame tetes.
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)286 : Behold þe dyscyplys..As chekenes crepyn vndyr þe dame wyng.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)46 : Þe whelpes byn blynde..þei han grete nede of hure dame.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Lev.22.27 : Oxe, sheep, and geet..seuen dayes thei shulen be vnder the teete of her damme [WB(2): modir].
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)201/22 : The folk..putten forth Anon the ȝonge foles & maken hem to nyȝen after hire dames.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.1090 : [Too many pigs] their dammes feynt or quelle.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)142/18 : Ȝef swalwe bryddes ben hyrte þe damme of hem fechyth þis herbe and helyth hem.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)308/1 : Þer was wulfe-whelpis þerin, bod þer dam was away.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.43 : Þis brid be a bank bildith his nest..And whane þe dame..hopith for to hacche [etc.].
c
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.74 : That whan the damme is feynt, the child be stronge.
5.
Surname: dāme-sǒne.
Associated quotations
- (1273) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.291 : Henry Damesone.
- (1276) Pleas Som.in Som.RS 4164 : Henry Damesone.
- (1312) Leet R.Norwich in Seld.Soc.560 : Ricardo Daumesson.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1291 Her lis arfaxat (Lamb 499)412 : Her lis arfaxat fader brandan ant kolmkilne and cowhel þer halewe ant dame coroune moder þeyre halewe.
Note: From editor's notes: verses record the burial place of two people, Arfaxat and Coroune, who are said to be the mother and father of three saints, Brandan, Kolmkilne, and Cowhel, who are the sixth-century Irish saints Brendan, Columcille (Columba), and Comhghall (Comgall).
Note: Antedates sense 3.(a).--per MJW