Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēlīten v.
Entry Info
Forms | dēlīten v. Also diliten. |
Etymology | OF delitier |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To be delighted; esp., have sensuous enjoyment; ~ in, ~ to, delight in (sth.), enjoy; (b) to enjoy (sth.); (c) refl. to delight oneself, take pleasure (in sth.), enjoy (doing sth.); -- often with in or inf.; (d) with inf.: to take pleasure (in doing sth.); also, desire (to do sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)13b : Eue biheold o þe forboden eappel..& feng to delitin i þe bihaldunge.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)423/93 : For men þat delitiez muche in sunne.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9773 : It carf so wel, men miȝt delite [rime: smite].
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)47/3 : Þe herte blefþ ine þe þoȝtes an suo deliteþ.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)50.17 : Þou ne shalt nouȝt deliten [L non delectaberis] in sacrifices.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3660 : For he in gemmes greetly gan delite [rime: white].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2348 : The herte of a man deliteth [vr. delythth] in sauour that is soote.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.3160 : Pleinly mai noman delite, Bot if him faile or that or this.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4782 : Kyng Priamus Was of his chere benigne..Delityng moche in musik.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)117 : Delytyn, or haue lykynge: Delector, delecto.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)201 : The kynde of mannes herte is to delyte In thing that straunge is.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)34a : To Delytt: Delectare.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)3717 : Suche we haue delyted in.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3867 : Priam..Delited to the deuer on dayes be tyme.
b
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)63/21 : The lokinge and sight of her tyre..makithe hym to desire and delite foule plesaunce of the synne of lechery.
- a1500 Med.Bk.(2) (Sln 3153)71 : For him þat deliteþ not his mete.
- ?a1500 Med.Bk.(2) (Hrl 1600)71 : Who so delites noȝt his mete.
c
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6:Morton)52 : Deliten hire [Corp-C: Eue..feng to delitin i þe bihaldunge].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)1.29 : Lot..Dilytede him in drinke.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.601 : What seye we eek of hem that deliten hem in sweryng?
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.851 : A marchant deliteth hym moost in chaffare that he hath moost auantage of.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3357 : For if a man this vice take, In Sompnolence and him delite, Men scholde upon his Dore wryte His epitaphe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2044 : Irous Cambises was eek dronkelewe And ay delited hym to been a shrewe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3083 : Ȝyf þou delyte þe [F vus delitez] oftyn stoundes yn horsys, haukys, or yn houndes.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)1560 : Þenne was þere more wouȝe..among Kaymes kynne, þat delited [Frf: delitet; Vsp: lited] hem but in synne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.256 : Som men hem delite With subtyl art hire tales for to endite.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Eccl.2.10 : Y refreynede myn herte, that ne it vside al lust, and delitide it silf [L oblectaret se] in these thingis whiche I hadde maad redi.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.4.1 : What deliteth yow [L Quod..iuuat] to exciten so grete moevynges of hatredes?
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)66 : He ne shulde hym in the world delyte.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle Bee (Thrn)56/45 : Some are, þat..delyttes þaym in sere lufes of men and women.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2353 : For I..gretly me delyte Euery morowe this gardyn to visyte.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)178 : Folk..hauen alle here affecciouns to delite hem in vanitees.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3927 : He..delited hym in dole with damsels ofte.
d
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)466/97 : Man diliteþ moche to synewy in one place.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7967 : Wiþ swerd he wald delite On þe paiens to don it bite.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.704 : Delyte nat in wo thi wo to seche.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)403 : He hath maked lewed folk delyte To serven yow.
2.
(a) To have spiritual or intellectual pleasure; ~ after, ~ in, ~ to, delight in (sth.); (b) refl. to enjoy oneself (in doing sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.7.22 : I delite to gidere [L Condelector] to the lawe of God.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.997 : O stormy peple..Delitynge euere in rumbul that is newe.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.7.22 : I delyte aftyr þe lawe of god [L Condelector enim legi dei].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1511 : He delitid most in astronomye.
b
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)30 : On bokes for to rede, I me delyte.
3.
(a) To give pleasure; esp., give sensuous gratification; delight (sb., the heart, the body, etc.); ~ to, ~ unto, be delightful to (sb.); deliting, pleasurable, delightful; ben delited in, be delighted by (sth.); ben delited with, of gout: be comforted or alleviated by (sth.); (b) to give intellectual or spiritual pleasure; delight (sb.); ben delited in, be delighted by (God, knowledge, a lie).
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)82/16 : Þo þet byeþ zuo wyse to loky þet body and to eysy and to delyty.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)91/27 : Þe lostuolle guodes of þe wordle guoþ in-to þe herte uor to delite.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5793 : So hij ben delited in þat art þat wery ne ben hij neuere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.678 : Zephirus..in þe eyr gan smyte, þe Cytezeyns only to delyte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5722 : Floures fresche..Ben hir aboute þe more for to delyte.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1652 : And ay the more that desir me biteth To love hire best, the more it me deliteth.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.142 : The blisfulnesse of mortel thynges..neyther it dureth perpetuel..ne it deliteth [L delectat] nat in al to hem that ben angwyssous.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.60 : And the beaute of feeldes, deliteth it nat mochel unto yow [L uos..delectat]?
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)9a/b : Þer be 3 intensions of kynd of distribucion of neruez..Anoþer forsoþ in alle oþer Censitiuez for knowing of þinges delityng & heuiyng.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)109b/a : Firste..considre þe place: If it be rede, if it ake, if it be hote, if it be delited [L delectatur] with colde þinges and if it ake wiþ hote þinges.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)109 : Oure souereyn perfeccioun and good, whanne it schal be had, schal be moche more deliteable þan eny delityng þing may be now woned to be feelid naturaly in þis world.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)266 : I..was so besy yow to delyte.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.284 : This schal ben right as a tyme of reste To here of þing þat me deliteþ meste.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)34a : To Delytt:..juuat..oblectare.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)50.17 : Thou may not be delitid in nan swilke offrand.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)0a/a : Various, uiz dyuers, redyng delyteth, bote certayne profiteþ.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)27 : To rede forth hit gan me so delite.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)27 : Þilk soule schal live..on abilite forto þe cleerer knowe god..And forto loue and be delitid in þilk clerer kunnyng.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)431 : How sutil hiȝe derke privey treuþis men han founden of geometrie, of arithmatik, of Astronomye, of musik, of phisik..But lord almyȝti, for þat þou woldist make men þe more biholden to þee..and þe more be delitid in þee and in þyn, þou woldist teche men more and hiȝer treuþis.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)26.18 : A wickid spekere delited is in his leghe.