Middle English Dictionary Entry
dẹ̄̆re-wŏrth(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | dẹ̄̆re-wŏrth(e adj. Also der-, deor(e-, deorre-, diere-, dir(e-, doere-, dure-, (late) dar-; -werthe, -wourthe, -wrthe, -wurth(e & -ward(e, -word(e, -wurd(e & -warte, (error) -wurgh. Sup. der(e-worthest, etc., (late) derwarthest, (error) dereworst. |
| Etymology | OE dēorwyrþe; also cp. dẹ̄r(e adj.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of God, of persons: excellent, honored, noble, worthy; (b) as noun.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)9/50 : Ic, deorewurþe drihtenes onlicn[esse].
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)231 : Se hlaford into þar halle come mid his dierewurd ȝeferede.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)239 : He sit mid his derewrþe ȝefered.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)6/44 : Þet eadi meiden, his deorrewurðe moder.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)40/688 : Allunge swuch ich chulle beon as is mi deore leofmon, mi deorewurde [Tit: derewurðe] lauerd.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)5/17 : As þe deorwurðe [Roy: deorewurðe] drihtin hit dihte.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)1a : 'Lauerd,' seið godes spuse to hire deoreworde [Pep: derworþe] spus.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)201 : Oure leuedi hit bette, þat dereworþest is.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)8975 : Þat was his deoreworþeste man.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)39 : Heo is dereworþe in day.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)585 : Þat was a digne damisele..a dukes douȝter ful derworþ in wede.
- c1390 Bi a wey (Vrn)94 : Þat derworþe [vr. derwarte] duyk vs deme schal.
- c1400(?c1308) Davy Dreams (LdMisc 622)51 : Þilk tydyng here we sone Of sir Edward, oure derworþ kyng.
- a1425 I þanke þe lorde (Roy 17.A.27)198 : Derworth lord, for þi pite þis graunt me.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)296 : Þe deþ of þe dereworþ [vr. derwurgh] Crist, der schal be ȝolden.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2679 : Now dose him fra Darius a dereworth [Dub: darworth] prince.
- c1475 Ioy blissid lady (Hrl 372)8 : Ioy, derword spouse of god almyght!
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)121 : Thurgh the praier of his dirworthe modir and of all seyntes.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16877 : Þai delued him, þat derworth, in a yerd be þe tun.
2.
(a) Of things: excellent, valuable, prized, precious; (b) of abstractions, etc.: ~ deth, ~ lif, ~ might, ~ name, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)130/23 : Þa mihtiȝe men..haten heom ræste wurcean of marmanstane..mid þe deorewurðeste godewebbe al uton ymbhon.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)3/25 : Heo mihten offrian..Swuþe deorwurþe lac, licame Cristes.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4958-9 : Itt iss i þin herrte To shunenn derewurrþe shrud & derewurrþe mæless.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8170 : Itt wass eȝȝwhær bisett Wiþþ deorewurrþe staness.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)79 : He alihte..from derewurð wuninge.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3561 : Bugge him..hundes & hauekes & durewurðe horses [Otho: and hors mid þe beste].
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)135/22 : Ȝie bereð..þat derworðe tresor.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)69/750 : Sophie..nom þis meidenes bodi..bi wunden swiðe deorliche ideorrewurðe claðes.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)91/289 : Hi beoþ þer funden..mani on oþer direwerþe ston.
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)171 : Nimeth here þis guode oygnement, þat deorewurþe is.
- ?c1335 Nou ihc for þi (Hrl 913)1 : Nou, Iesus, for þi derworþ blode.
- (a1333) Herebert Þou kyng (Add 46919)19,23 : Whom wyþ þy doerewourþe blod on rode hauest y-bouth..wyth þy derewourþe blod.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3209 : Þe quen..made hem atte hese..wiþ þe deworþest [read: derworþest] deintes of drinkes þat were.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)26/7 : Also þat, þat is wiþinne þe arterie, is ful derworþe [Add: derwarde; L carum] & nediþ greet keeping.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)7.89 : May no suger..Aswage my swellynges, Ne derewurthe drynke dryuen hit fro myn herte.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Wisd.12.7 : Which is to thee the derewortheste [vr. dereworste] lond of alle.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.86 : Is ony þing so derworth [vr. derward] vnto the As is þi-self?
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)318 : The sadyl was wel dere worth, The beste a-bouen erthe.
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)36/25 : The best parte of ham, wyth þe rychest & the derwarthest thyngys þat thay hadden, yn botes escapeden.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)74/25 : He micelne wæstm..aber þurh his anes deað, þe swiðe deorewurðe is.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)123 : Þurh his deorewurðe deðe, we weren alesede.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)129/13 : Uirginitas is an swiðe derwurðe mihte.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1076 : Miracles..beð maket..on his deorewurðe nome.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)12/107 : Godes sune..lette his deorwurðe lif on rode.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)15/4 : Þenche o Godes rode..& of his deorewurðe pinen.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)2031 : He ȝaf hire dereworþe name, Troye þe Neouwe.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)1.85 : Hit [Truth] is as derworþe a drurie as deore god him-seluen.
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)448 : Of satisfaccioun the leeste deede, Right dereworthe were it in this neede.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.6.31 : But which is thilke your derworthe power that is so cleer and so requerable?
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)1025 : I bysyke God in hevene, For hys dyrworth mannys [?read: namys] sevene.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)6094 : What maner thing..more derworth may taken be then Cristis body to suffre pyne?
3.
(a) Beloved, dear; ~ der(e)ling, ~ herte; (b) as noun; -- esp., in direct address; (c) pleasing, beautiful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)4/22 : Forȝet al þis folc, mi deorewrðe [Tit: deorewurðe] dohter.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1538 : Mi derworþe derling an my dere hert!
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1745 : My derworþe herte..ich hope be þe best.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.17.5 : This is my derworth [L dilectus] sone.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Cor.7.1 : Therfore, moost dereworthe britheren [L charissimi], we..clense vs fro alle filthe.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)SSol.2.7 : Nether make to awake the dereworthe spousesse [L dilectam] til sche wole.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.274 : And sue Crist in maner of lyf as dereworþe children of him.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)23 : And als he schulde to his derworthe sustre or moder, so he serued and was obeisaunt to hir.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1512 : My fader so dereworth and der, Ye shulle be avysed of this cas.
- ?c1475(?a1400) LChart.Chr.B (Cmb Ii.3.26)48/36 : Dereworth sowle, þou art me lefe.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))SSol.5.1 : And ȝee, most derwrthe [WB(2): derewortheste frendis], beth inwardli maad drunke.
- (?c1422) Hoccl.ASM (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)498 : Of alle freendes, thow, the derwortheste, Do to thy wrecchid soule help.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.12.19 : And ȝee, derworþest [L karissimi], not defendande ȝoureself, but gife ȝee stede to þe wrathe.
- a1425 WBible(1) (CC 145)2 Cor.7.1 : Moost dereworthe [L charissimi].
c
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)15/12 : Aingles..sunge ðane derewurðe sang, Gloria in exselsis deo.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Prov.5.19 : An hynde moost dereworthe, and an hert calf moost acceptable.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Nicod.(3) (Eg 2658)3/2 : Lord, w[hy shall þis dere]wiþ oynement be þus spilde?
Note: New form, poss. (?error).
Note: Sense 2.(a)
Note: See, too, Nicod.(3), 2/38-39: 'dereworþ oynement'