Middle English Dictionary Entry
āliē̆n n.
Entry Info
| Forms | āliē̆n n. Also alient, alian(t, alia(u)nd. |
| Etymology | From adj.; forms in -nt, -nd arise through assoc. with other personal nouns, or from pl. alien(t)s. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A member of a foreign nation or country, a foreigner; (b) a foreign resident or merchant, an alien; an alien born; (c) theol. a stranger or transient.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)166a/a : Hilles of alienes and straunge naciouns [L alienigenarum].
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)84 : Þe king..swore..Þat Alyens ne shuld on his londe aryue.
- c1400 *Trev.Higd.(Tbr D.7)51a : Strange men & aliens [L barbarorum] þat spekeþ strangelych.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)105/18 : Ȝour enmys and aleans schal ouer ȝou ren And lede ȝoue to þraldam.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Curates (Corp-C 296)144 : Hou myche gold goþ out of oure lond for purchasynge of benefices in-to aliens hondis?
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)98/7 : Blyssed mote God ben þat mad an alyon to vndirstondyn hir, whan hir owyn cuntre-men had forsakyn hir.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6796 : Þer Outlandeys aryues..Makeþ þer hauenes to kepe þo sydes..Þat non alien on ȝow stele.
- c1450(?c1422) *Brut-1422 [OD col.] (Bod 754)lf.119b : Neuer was seen so faire an host as the king had, what of English(e)men and what of Alyauntes.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.214 : Þe kyng did ille, Aliens to auaunce ouþer in lond or rent.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)234/26 : An Alien þat me callede Arnolde of Spaign, þat was a brocour of London.
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.130/281 : Allard Taillour is an aliand born.
- (1433) *Anc.Pet.(PRO)26.1284 : Þat from þis tyme foreward none alien borne be brocour.
- a1450(c1405) Purvey Determ.(Trin-C B.14.50)178/297 : Sche [Queen Anne] was an alien borne.
- (1451) Let.Bk.Lond.K (Gldh LetBk K)337 : Grete multitude of alientes and other Foreins of the said mistier..werke openly in shoppes..wyth other men Fraunchised in the said mistier.
- (1461) LRed Bk.Bristol2.128 : Straungiers, Allions, and othour not born vnder the Kynges obeisaunce.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)158 : He schuld exile alle alienes, specialy his bretherin on the modir side.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)2b : An Alyan: Aduena, Alienigena, Aduenticius proselitus.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)20/14 : Herode..dredde that the Jewis schuld..putte hym-self oute as a vnworthy alyand.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)169/25 : Peter, as he hadde ben an aliant or a straunger, was demed to be crucified; and Poule, for he was a cytener of Rome, he was demed to be hedid.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)25 : They..slowe..all the alyauntes that thei couthe owher fynde.
c
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.461 : We be not the inhabitatores of this vale fulle of misery, but aliaundes [L advenae] where we haue noo permanente habitacion.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)20/22 : To þe worlde þei were alienes [L alieni], but to god þei were familiare frendes.
2.
An outsider or stranger: (a) one of different kindred; (b) one of a different religion, community; ~ fro, one excluded from (a religious community).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.45.16 : Nott..any alyen [L alienigena], but only alone the sonus of hym, and the cosynes of hym.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ex.29.33 : An alien [WB(1): a man of other kynne than the sones of Aaron; L alienigena] schal not ete of tho, for tho ben hooli.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Ezek.44.9 : Eche alien vncircumcidid in herte and vncircumcidid in fleshe, shal not entre my sayntuarie.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.12.43 : This is the religioun of phask; ech alien [L alienigena] shal not ete therof.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Lev.22.25 : Of the hond of an alien [Gloss: that is nether Jew, nether conuertid to the lawe of Jewis; L alienigenæ].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.57.4 : Synneris weren maad aliens [WB(1): aliened] fro the wombe.
3.
One who is not the rightful owner.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)176/7 : Of oþere mennys good þou ȝeuyst þin almes in þin ende, nouȝt to þe ownerys, but to alyenis.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1475 Com.Proph.M.(PennSt-U PS V-3)272 : Þe danes and þe saxons were destroied and put a syde, which that Merlyn called alyauntes and peple of a straunge lond.
Note: New spelling
- a1500 *Nicod.(5) (Wor F.172)6a : This ye wite weele: it is nat to bilieve an alien in any wordis, for whi of vs thei taken money plente.
Note: Postdates most senses