Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēfō̆rmen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | dēfō̆rmen v.(1) Also defourmen, diffo(u)rmen, disfo(u)rmen. |
| Etymology | L dēformāre & OF de(s)former. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To disfigure (sb.), distort (the face, bodily members), deform, make ugly; mar or disfigure (a city, region); deformed, misshapen, disfigured, distorted, ugly; (b) fig. to distort (the image of God); disfigure (sb., oneself) morally; deformed fro, not in conformity with [cp. L dēformis]; (c) to defame (sb.), dishonor; (d) to transform (sb., the face); esp., turn (sth.) into an evil or ugly form.
Associated quotations
a
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.69 : Bot ȝour ypocrites habit..doth more harm than thes..another for ȝour difformed shap..it wold with litil help make an ape a seint.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)30/4 : A monstre is a þing difformed aȝen kynde bothe of man or of best.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)112a/a : Bot 3a is to kepe þe membrez þat þai be not defourmed [*Ch.(2): made mysshapen].
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)10216 : Kuttyn of my nose I shal in here presence; Þan me, so dyfformyd, no man shal wyl take.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)289/28 : A thyng difformys hur hugelie; þat is, sho hase bod one ey.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)306/24 : Þis trompe..garte hym make grete chekis & as hym þoght, it deformyd his face when he blew þerin.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4115 : His face was deformed and bolnyd.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)55.47 (v.1:p.341) : He .. had also a grete deformite vpon his nose, the which gretely deformed his face.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)17/18 : Yoorke..sum-tyme shewyd þe grette excellent Bewte of Romayne werke, tille that William conque[r]oure..deformyd & distroyed [L deformaret] hit & al þe regioun abowten with fyre.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.359 : Men deformede by nature amonge þeim be moste vile and hade in contempte.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)232/35 : So is he to enchue..that fautyth any lyme atte his byrth, or hath in othyr manere the lymes dyfformyd out of kynde.
- 1534(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Herford)3.700 : They that were mangled and disfourmed..sodeynly were refourmed.
b
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.150 : ȝif he be contrarie herto, he synneþ, difformed [vr. defourmyd] fro Cristis wille.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)33 : The firste man Adam, by the fruyte of the tre forbeden, deformed in hym that ymage of god.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.1361 : How off luxure the gret dishoneste Difforme a man & make hym bestial.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.1123 : We been difffourmyd in certeyn, Be vicious lyuyng of vertu maad bareyn.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)5183 : He lost had þis greth dygnyte, An hym-self deformyd abhomynabylly.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)257/27 : Þou, in dedly synne, dysfyguryd & dysformyd in alle þi gostly & bodyly membrys..hast graunt in holy cherche xl dayes in lentyn.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)109/16 : God made me fayre as an aungell, but I deformed and haue forschape my-self so that I am more liche vn-to the deuel.
c
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.15/27 : He wente to the kyng with a lamentable querell, expressynge howe with vntrew despitys he was deformyd.
d
- (1418) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)97/6 : The Mair and Aldermen chargen..þat no manere persone..be so hardy in eny wyse to walk by nyght in eny manere mommyng, pleyes, enterludes, or eny oþer disgisynges, with eny feynyd berdis, peyntid visers, disfourmyd or colourid visages in eny wyse.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)6342 : I wyl to no strange fourme The diffacen nor dysfourme.
- c1500(?c1450) Wedding Gawain (Rwl C.86)699 : Thus was I disformyd.