Middle English Dictionary Entry
den n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | den n.(1) Also denne & danne (dat.). Pl. dennes. |
| Etymology | OE den(n & dæn(n (cp. MLG denne lair & dan woods). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A natural cave, cavern, or pit; (b) a cave as used for shelter or refuge; (c) a grave or tomb; a catacomb; double ~, a catacomb with separate sections for the burial of men and women; (d) the 'pit' of hell or purgatory.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.315 : Þe lond of Sicilia is holow and ful of dennes [L cavernosa].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)30b/b : Mounteynes ben ful of holes..& dennes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)171a/b : Whanne þe erþe is holowȝe and ful of dennes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4185 : Tac we him [Joseph] out of yon den And sel we him to yon chapmen.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)171/14 : He fonde a denne i-closid, and there he knelyd and cryed.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1792 : Þei drow hem to a dern den for drede to be seiȝen..was an huge denne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.11.38 : Thei wenten aboute..in skynnes of geet..erringe in wildirnessis..and dennys and cauys of erthe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.63 : Notyngham..heet Snotyngham, þat is þe woning of dennes [L speluncarum], for þe Danes..i-digged [vr. digged] dennes and caues vnder hard rokkes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.365 : In olde tyme..men wonede..in dennes of erþe and of stones.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.457 : Oure drie diches and dennes stondeþ us in double stede..oure harborwe while we beeþ on lyve, and..oure buriels whanne we beeþ dede.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5919 : In denne And in roches holed wiþinne..is her wonyȝing.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.19.30 : Loth..dwellide in a spelunc or a den [L spelunca].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Josh.10.27 : Thei castiden forth hem in to the denne, in whiche thei weren hid.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)195/8 : Þai fled..vnto þe mownt of Celion..& þer þai hid þaim in a den.
c
- c1175 Body & S.(1) (Bod 343)12 : Þin hus..bid unheh and lah, þonne þu list þerinne..Þet den fulæt on honde.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)9/15 : Nu liþ þin [tung]e stille on ful colde denne.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.133 : For holy chirche was strongliche pursuede..þey song masses in holouȝ dennes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24421 : Þe erth bigan to..quak..þe ded ras o þair den.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)806 : Whanne thou schalt..deede men out of her dennys drawe, Ihesu [etc.].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)18b/a : Cripa [read: cripta]: a den or a compayne of men.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)488/238 : In a depe denne dede is scho doluen þis daye.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)24 : This man..Now passed fro men and sperd in his litil den, A meruelous sepultur.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.305 : Ysaac..diede and [was] beriede in the dowble denne [L spelunca] in Hebron.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)230/21 : Two dennes, in one of the whiche men was i-beryed and in the toþer wymmen.
d
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)106b : Whanne we were with alle oure forfaders in deep dennes and derknesse.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)371/455 : Faste for tho harlotis now let vs renne, to caste hem in this pet..they schul brenne..in oure denne.
2.
(a) The lair (of a wild animal); den, burrow, nest; also fig.; (b) fig. of the sea: abode.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)8 : Ðe leun..driueð dun to his den, ðar he him bergen wille.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)6446 : A deor swiþe sullich..an hundred hit a-fulde, and eft hit wende to his owene denne.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1511 : Þe dragouns arisen of her den.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)9.31 : He waiteþ in priuite as lioun in hys denne.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)80 : Whanne þis werwolf was come to his..denne.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3453 : She dorste wilde beestes dennes seke.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)126b/a : Serpentis..gooþ out of here hooles and dennes..for to haue hete of þe sonne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)171a/b : In cauernes..crepynge wormes maken here dennes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)279a/b : Þe castor..woneþ now in londe and now in water and makiþ houses and dennes arrayed wiþ wonder craft in brymmes of ryueres.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)291b/b : Conynges..diggen þe erþe wiþ here clawes and maken hem..dennes vnder erþe & wonen þer Inne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27287 : Þe preist be sli..Noght openly þe sin to frain Bot elles algat he do his pain..Vt of his denn þe nedder bring.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5391 : Tigres..flowen þoo to her denne.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)81 : If þe denne of þe boor be longe or depe and brood, it is a tokyn þt it is a greet boor.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Mat.8.20 : Foxis han dennes [L foveas] and briddis of heuene han nestis.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)132/9 : In þe tyme of Antecriste a foxe schal make his den in þe same place whare kyng alysaundre gert make þe ȝates of þase hillez.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)433 : The lyones laye in hir dene.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)365/192 : Foxis þer dennys haue þei, Birdis hase ther nestis to paye.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)923 : The dere on þe dale drowe to þaire dennes..Hertz and hyndes..runne to þe wodes.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9:French&Hale)92 : To þe denne conne he draw: He sloȝe hom [boar] downe slely.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)607 : Dyueres weys went her men, To reyse the dere oute of there denne.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)328 : He went to the lyons denne.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22028 : Ah þenne þa sæ falleð in [i.e. recedes]..and heo bið al inne in alden hire denne, þenne swelleð þe mære.
3.
(a) An apartment; a private chamber; (b) a dwelling or habitat; habben ~, to dwell; a refuge.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.221 : Þere is a place at Rome..hatte theatrum..þerynne is wonderliche i-graue cabans and dennes [L cellulæ mansionum], dyuers oute goynges, benches, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)219a/b : In þe north londe men thakken here houses wiþ reed wel and hongeþ often þe reed in here dennes.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)4.5 : Wrethis, and will noght synne! that ȝe say in ȝoure hertis and in ȝoure dennes ere stongen [L in cubilibus vestris compungimini]!
b
- ?a1300 11 Pains(1) (Dgb 86)175 : Forþer-mo beþ holde men þat among nedderen abbeþ den.
- ?c1335 Swet ihc hend (Hrl 913)p.81 : Alas, alas, þe riche men, Of muk whi wol ȝe fille ȝur denne? Wende ȝe to ber hit henne?
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1769 : Turne þe, trechoure..And drawe a-gayn to þi den vndire þi dam wyngis.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)19/82 : For fere of fyre a fart I crake, In helle donjoon myn dene is dyth.
4.
A hiding place or resort; ~ of theves.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4416 : O false mordrour, lurkynge in thy den!
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)14745 : Mi hous shulde be..Hous of preiere..And ȝe hit make..A den [vr. to-draght] to reset inne þeues.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)317 : Þes placis ben synagogis of Satanas, dennes of þeves.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Possessioners (Corp-C 296)133 : Þes possessioners maken goddis houses a deen of þeues.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)118 : Den, hydynge place: Spelunca, latibulum, specus.
- a1500(c1380) Wycl.Papa (Ryl Eng 86)477 : Þus siche nestis shulden not be callid perpetuel almes of worldly lordis, but dennes of þeues & nestis of serpentis.
5.
(a) Anat. A compartment; a compartment or recess (of the brain, the stomach); a ventricle (of the heart); (b) a cavity; (c) an opening or orifice.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)27a/a : Þis spirit animalis is Igendrid in þe formest den of þe brayn.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)39a/b : Þe brayn..is distingind in þre celles & dennes, for þe brayne haþ þre holowȝ places þat phisicians clepen ventriculos.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)94b/a : Þe dennes and foldinges in þe stomak.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)17b/a : Þe herte..hauynge in it two ventricles..and in þe myddel a denne [*Ch.(1): pitte]..in þe whiche þe grete norisshynge blood is defied.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)136a/a : A cloude is kynde hologh wiþ many dennes as a sponge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)225a/b : Coddes..wiþ many dennes and chambres in þe whiche þe benes beþ j sette.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)216a/b : Þe jus þerof droppiþ out of þe holes of þe rynde, as it were out of dennes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)247a/b : Scorax..is a tre of arabia..þe spray þer of wosith out droppynge by dennys.
6.
In names: (a) surnames; (b) place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.129].
Associated quotations
a
- (1259) Close R.Hen.III368 : Willelmus de la Denne.
- (1327) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 10148 : Galfridus atte Danne.
- (1347) Reg.Edw.Blk.Pr.1.109 : Richard atte Denne.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)232 : A huske or a denne of harez.
Note: New gloss.
Note: Add this gloss to sense 2.(a): "also as term of association: a group or company of hares; ~ of hares".
Note: R. Corner, "More Fifteenth-Century Terms of Association," RES n.s. 13, no. 51 (1962), p. 239-240: "Denne is more likely to be an attempt at simplification of the dunne word [cp. doune n.] than the original from which it was corrupted."
- c1450 Terms Assoc.(2) (Cmb Ll.1.18)232 : A denne of theves.
Note: Need date in sense 4.
Note: Add this gloss to sense 4.: "also as term of association: a group or company of thieves;" just before the phrase ~ of theves".
- a1500 Terms Assoc.(4) (Dgb 196)233 : A denne of thefes.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 4.
- a1500 *Nicod.(5) (Wor F.172)5a : Josephe whiche buried the body of Ihesu ye han shit in a Denne or a Couche markyng the key, and at the openyng yee founde hym nat.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 3.(a).--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. den.