Middle English Dictionary Entry
delving ger.
Entry Info
| Forms | delving ger. Also delfing, delvung. |
| Etymology | OE delfung |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The action of digging a hole or ditch; the digging up (of stones); also fig.; (b) the spading up of land, cultivating; (c) burying.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)29b : For þet is..to deluen þe golthord þet up is in heouene, Ant hwet is þet deluunge? ȝeornful sechinde þoht hwer hit beo, hwuch hit beo, hu me hit mahe ifinden.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)170b/b : A dyche..haþ þat name of fodiendo, deluynge.
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.176/1111 : Item, to olde Stephene yn amendynge and clensynge of our place, with delvynge of stones yn þe Allmashous.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)118 : Delvynge: Fossura, fossatura.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1307 : They there labouryd in deluyng In the cherche paument fro morwe tyl eue, But they founde nowt.
b
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)9.198 : Peers..putte hem alle to werke, In daubyng and in deluyng, in donge a-feld berynge.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.738 : The deluer is to help her [the tree] with deluyng.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)228 : Thouȝ there growe manye wedis bi occasioun of his planting, deluyng, ering, and sowing.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)6 : For euene as we with spadis put þe lond from us in deluyng, so þei with her rakes draw it on to hem.
- (1459-60) Acc.St.Michael Bath in SANHS 2556 : Et Willelmo Galwyne pro delvynge et rydynge gardini..xij d.
c
- c1440(?a1400) St.John (Thrn)154 : Thane was Drucyane dede..And sulde to delfynge be done.
2.
A trench.
Associated quotations
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.537 : Twe[y]ne hondbrede of, abowte her rootes do a deluyng make [L gyrum fodies].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)144/28 : Þe hool summe of goddis comaundementis…schewiþ not forþ þe hool summe of goddis comaundementis cleerly…wiþoute ouer greet laboure and deluyng and digging into it.
Note: New sense equivalent to sense 3. of the verb delven.
Note: Add sense: 3. In fig. phrase,~ in-to the act of examining (God's laws), investigating, studying.--per MLL