Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēne n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dēne n. Also (late) deine & (Kent) dāne & den. Pl. dēnes & dānes & dennes. |
| Etymology | OE denu & dænu. ME den , riming with men, is either influenced by den (1) or belongs to it. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A valley; a thickly wooded valley; doun (hil) and ~, hill and dale; ~ of teres, vale of tears.
Associated quotations
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)546 : Uallis: dene.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1764 : So michel pople of men, þat þai wreȝen doun & den.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1864 : Þer was slayn mani men, Sum on hille & sum in den.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)59/24 : Þise ouerweneres þet ziggeþ..'ich wille maki þe helles and þe danes.'
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)160/32 : Þeruore is þe wordle y-cleped þe dane of tyeares.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)83.6 : In dene of teres [L in valle lacrymarum].
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)107.7 : God..spake..'I sal glade..And dene of teldes mete with-al [L convallem tabernaculorum dimetiar].'
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)295 : Þou says þou trawez me in þis dene [rime: clene], Bycawse þou may wyth yȝen me se.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45107 : Fro thennys along the grene dene to Fox-hole westward.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)915 : Be doun, dalys, nor dennys, no dukis I dowt.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)6702 : Be dounne and den.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)7159 : Þere were slayn in playn and den Ten-hundred þousand heþene men.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4075 : Þan..he..in a deyne entris, A wilsom wast & wild..As mirke as any mydniȝt.
2.
In names: (a) surnames; (b) place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.130].
Associated quotations
a
- (1186) in Pipe R.Soc.36196 : Willelmus de la Dene.
- (1200-1219) Chart.in Capes Hereford Cath.39 : Matheus de Dene.
- (1280-1) Let.Bk.Lond.A (Gldh LetBk A)150 : John atte Dene de Dorkinge.
- (1291) Close R.Edw.I176 : Walter atte Dane.
- (1434) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.16 : vi parcellis of land..ycald Cukkowis, and þe oldelond liggingge in wighttersham upon þe den of pesyndene.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1300 Fiftene toknen (Dgb 86)7 : Fiftene teknen ich tellen may of xv dayes er domesday…al þat euere in dene stend Ablikeþ and is to deþe iwend.
Note: Needed for date in sense 1.
Note: Add phrase to sense 1.: stonden in ~, to be on earth, be alive.--per MJW