Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēlīce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dēlīce n. Also delicie, delis. Pl. delices, delice, delis. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The quality of delightfulness; beauty, loveliness; (b) softness of character, weakness.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5701 : Þe vapour vpward gan ascende, Causynge þe eyr enviroun be delys To resemble a verray paradys.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.2.8,10 : The Lord God had plawntid paradise of delice [L voluptatis] fro bigynnyng, in the which he sette man whom he had fourmed..And a flood ȝede out of the place of delice to watre paradis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Hrl 1766)9.3504 : Adam first..From a place moost souereyn of delys, Whylom departyd.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)457 : His semblant swete, ful of delys..Is bobbed and smyton.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)30.324 : Thanne wrowhte he..With precious stones of gret delys.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)25b : Þe kernel is pyked out of þe note for delice of his swetnesse.
b
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.78 : I mai nat suffren thi delices [L delicias], that pleynest so wepynge.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.83 : I ne may noght suffre þi delice, compleynyng wiþ so greuous heuynesse.
2.
(a) The emotion of delight, joy, pleasure; (b) desire; after delices, according to (one's) desires; don delices, to do the will or pleasure (of sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)92a : His delices..beoð þer forte wunien.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.8.31 : I delitede..beforn hym..and my delicis [L deliciæ] to be with the sones of men.
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)141 : Lo! heer vr lyf and vre delyce, Vr loue, vr lust, and vre lykyng.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.795 : Than hath he such delice on honde, Him thenkth he mihte stille stonde.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6789 : Of alle spyce [LinI: spices], Hij hadden sauoure wiþ delice [LinI: delices].
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)24 : Þou art maad faire & softe In þi delicis, hooli modir of god.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)96/12 : Þe delis [L delicias] of endles lufe þou salt knaw in sykyrnes.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)9220 : Þei ben coruptours of þe body That delectacyoun preferryn here temporally..Beforn þe delycys wych euere dure shal.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)96/4 : A man þat aftir grete laboures had grete delices of contemplacion.
- a1477 Chaucer CT.Mk.(Htrn 197)B.3669 : Delicye [Heng: He Rome brende for his delicacie].
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)88.16 : In ihu thai sall ioy, syngand withinen thaim the delicys of endles luf.
b
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)84/95 : Þen was he lad to an hulle; To don him schome was heore delys.
- a1475 In place (Hrl 3954)154 : To don hym sorwe was here delys.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.793 : Princis may lyue..Aftir ther lustis, after ther delices.
- c1450 Lychefelde Comp.G.(Lamb 853)201 : Þou doist þe delicis of þe deuel.
3.
(a) A pleasurable activity, a sensual pleasure; (b) a delightful thing; a luxury; fine food, a delicacy; a live ~, ?a luxurious life; (c) a beloved person.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)99b : Me seide him þet ha gleowde & gomnede & wedde wið oþre men & liuede i [Nero: in] delices.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4026 : Hit is ney vif ȝer þat we abbeþ yliued in such vice, Vor we nadde noȝt to done & [B: bot lyue] in such delice.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.3 : The ministre and the norice vn to vices..men clepe in Englissh ydelnesse, That porter of the gate is of delices.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Eccl.2.1 : I shal go and flowe [WB(2): schal flowe in] delices [L deliciis].
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Tim.5.6 : Sche that is lyuynge in delycis is deed.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.446 : A man is stired the moore to delices of luxurie [vr. of lecherye].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.876 : And for he [Jupiter] was so full of vices, Thei cleped him god of delices.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.923 : This Jupiter..is the Planete of delices.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23285 : Þai..wald noght here bot þair delices.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)174/4 : She..forhored hym & lyued after her delices.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1628 : Bot for þai life here in delices sere, þai think no hevene es bot here.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.7.1-2 : But what schal I seye of delyces [L voluptatibus] of body, of whiche delices the desirynges ben ful of anguyssch?
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.2166 : Thei gaf hem to delices..which brouht in many vices.
- a1450(1400) Eche man be war (Dgb 102)44 : Ȝyue hym thyn hert fro fleschly delys.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)19/22 : It semyth herde to man to refreyne..the desyre of hys flesh from superfluite and his delices.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.22.37a : I kepe me chaste and wiþhald me from dilicis.
b
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)86/18 : Þyne sustenaunce þou schel haue, þyȝ nauȝt a lyue delyce [rime: blysce, nyce, spyce].
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)24/21 : Þe guodes of hap byeþ heȝnesses, richesses, delices, and prosperites.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Bar.4.26 : My delicatis, or nurshid in delicis, walkiden sharp weies.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.191 : It irked and weried a man..þat was norsched with delices [L deliciis] for to wante his sustenynge.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.547 : Of spicerie, of leef, bark, and roote, Shal been his sauce ymaked..But certes he that haunteth swiche delices Is deed, whil that he lyueth in tho vices.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.633 : Bettre is a morsel of breed with ioye than an hous ful of delices [vr. deynteis] with chidynge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.855 : Mi faste I breke On suche wordes..That to myn Ere gret confort Thei don, as thei that ben delices.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)1027 : It es an orichard cald of delijss [Trin-C: delices] wid all suetenes of diuers spicijss [Trin-C: spices].
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.50 : Take ȝe Cristes crosse..and counte we delices claye.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7850 : Þare es plente of dayntes and delice [rime: vyce]..And nathyng þat greves or may fayle.
- a1425 Rolle FLiving (Arun 507)414 : Þou art rightwise if ilike be to þe..hunger & nede as delices & dayntees.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)117 : Delyce, or deyntes: Delicie.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)30/272 : A ȝaf hym to lustis & likyngis of his flesch, to delices o mete & drynk.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)31/301 : Hir sowles schal nat be fulfild of meri desires, nor hir belies of lust, delices o mete & drynke.
- a1475 Imit.Chr.(Cmb Gg.1.16)34/20 : Delices [Dub: He þat haþ be norisshed in delicats].
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.27.51b : He..chesiþ..þe likynge of his flesch in delisses and welfare of mete and drinke.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.3.73 : Tho yave thow woordes to Fortune..whan sche accoyede the and norysside the as hir owne delices [L delicias].