Middle English Dictionary Entry
derk adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | derk adj. Also (early) deorc, deork, dork, durk & dearc, darc, (late) dirk, dark & (error) þerk. |
| Etymology | OE deorc, whence all ME regional & spelling variants, exc. early darc from OE dearc. Late dark is from derk (as far from fer); late dirk shows the merging of er and ir. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a room, the underworld, the grave, etc.: lacking illumination; dark, dusky, dismal; also fig.; (b) of the atmosphere, the weather, etc.: dark (night); lowering, threatening (clouds, weather); also fig.; (c) of a luminous body: dim, obscured; fig. obscure, inconspicuous; (d) of various things: lacking brightness; dark, dull, murky.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Body & S.(1) (Bod 343)13 : Dureleas is þet hus and dearc hit is wiðinnen.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)27/268 : Ah hehte swiðe don hire ut of his eh sihðe & dreaien in to dorc [Roy: darc] hus to prisunes pine.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)18/21 : Me droh hire þus in-to dorkest [Roy: darckest] wan, & wurst in to cumene.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)16/141 : Þu dorc [Roy: darc] stude ifullet of alle dreorinesses.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)182 : Þo heo to þe prisone come..wounder hem þouȝte, ȝwar-of were þe deorke stude so briȝt.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2082 : Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun, Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2457 : Myn is the prisoun in the derke cote..and hangyng by the throte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4225 : She gropeth alwey forther with hir hond..for it was derk.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.176 : Er I go with oute returnynge to the dirke lond, couered with the derknesse of deeth.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1139 : Taak fyr and bere it in the derkeste hous [etc.].
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)2.55 : The dupe dale and durke [vr. derke]..What may hit by-mene?
- (1423) Doc.Brewer in Bk.Lond.E.155 : Item, for amendynge of an lok yn þe derk Chamber.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.354 : Pandare..Into the derke chambre..Toward the bed gan softely to gon.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1961 : The tour, there as this Theseus is throwe, Doun in the botom derk and wonder lowe.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.St.Austin (Hrl 2255)252 : To moorne..In a dirk prisoun of desolacioun.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)25.30 : Ful blak and dirk it [prison] was to fore.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)170 : This cave was also as derk As helle-pit.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)120 : Derk was this cave, and smokyng as the helle.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1674 : Spousaille and wedloke, In the face of the churche it oweth to be hadde, And not in derke corners behynde thy bakke.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)66/22 : Þeo deorce niht come æfter Drihtnes upstiȝe.
- a1300 Edi beo þu (Corp-O 59)10 : Þu asteȝe so þe daiȝ-rewe Þe deleð from þe deorke nicht.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)7563 : Alle dai was þat fiht, forte hit were dorcke [Clg: þestere] niþt.
- c1300 SLeg.Edm.Abp.(LdMisc 108)367 : So deork it [the weather] was bi-come..þat men miȝhte vnneþe i-se.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Wright)p.2 : We come atte laste In a stude suythe durc.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)11742 : A derk weder þer aros..þat mani man agros.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)33/370 : When it schuld be þerk & niȝt.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3731 : Derk was the nyght as pych.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.185 : As a derk clowde bitwixe vs and the sonne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.984 : The Sky wax derk, the wynd gan blowe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.956 : He which departeth dai fro nyht, That on derk and that other lyht, Of sevene daies made a weke.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)15726 : For derke [vr. mirk] was þat nyȝt.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)16783 : Þe day wex derker þen þe nyȝt.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.60 : Be myn help tenlumyne with þis wirk Whyche am beset with cloudis dym and dirk Of ygnoraunce.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.646 : Þe briȝt day was turned in-to nyȝt, þe heuene dirk.
- ?a1425(?a1350) SLeg.Guth.(Jul D.9)122 : In clouden [!] darc and suarte.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.2.43 : Certes it is leveful to the hevene to maken clere dayes, and after that to coveren the same dayes with dirke nyghtes.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2415 : So hunteth hym the tempest to and fro. So derk it was, he coude nowher go.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)102/14 : It be-gan to waxin gret tempestys & dyrke wedyr.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)75 : The daye woxe als dirke Als it were mydnyghte myrke.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)53.205 : So dyrk it be-Cam Anon that he ne wyste whedir to gon.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)115b : Þan is the day light litel..þe cloudes þicke, þe ayer derke.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7817 : Þer was fyghtyng full fell..to þe derk nyght.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)19 : A darke day is moche betur þen any oþer cleyr wedur.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)152 : There felle a thundir, and a wedyr so dirk and so lowd, that men supposed the Cherch should falle.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)117/22 : Ye may as well ryde backwarde as forewarde, hit ys so durke.
- c1475 Guy(4) (Cai 107/176)9723 : Ne wold they leve the fyght Tyll hyt were the derk nyght.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)352/345 : To hell I shall theym lede, Ther euer more is dark as nyght.
c
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1106 : Se steorra..wæs litel geþuht and deorc, ac se leoma þe him fram stod wæs swiðe beorht.
- c1225 Sanctus beda (Wor F.174)16 : Þeos læ[rden] ure leodan on englisc, næs deorc heore liht ac hit fæire glod.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)471 : Þanne is þe ouere half deork [of the moon] and þe hiderore half al briȝt.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1377 : Þe sonne þat was erore so cler, deork heo is bi-come; brode cloude and strongue..hire liȝt habbeth bi-nome.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)493 : Þe sonne shal þar aȝen derk and swart by-come.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of ihu (Hrl 913)43 : Þe sterris..so briȝte..worþ becom..of hiwe durke and wan.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.183 : The derke light that shal come out of the fyr..shal turne hym al to peyne that is in helle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)132a/a : He [flame] ȝeueþ dym and derke lyȝte.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.60 : Þe daye for drede with-drowe, and derke bicam þe sonne.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5340 : The shadowe [of the Earth] maketh her [the moon's] bemys merke And hir hornes to shewe derke.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.5.10 : Whan the moone pale with hir derke hornes aprocheth the sonne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.9.51 : Is that a dirk thyng and nat noble that is suffisaunt, reverent, and myghty?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.5.14 : How the mone derk and confus discovereth the sterres that sche hadde covered by hir clere vysage.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Cock (Hrl 2255)85 : The owgly bakke wyl gladly fleen be nyght, Dirk cressetys and laumpys that been lyght.
d
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)17.13 : As derk [L tenebrosa] water in cloudes of þe aier.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)307a/a : Potencial light þat is in a medled body and derk passeþ nouȝt to worke in dede but by comyng of outward light.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1020 : Þe derk Dede See hit is demed evermore.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3269 : Þe smokys, dirke and ful horrible.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2690 : On nyȝt..Somme appere wonder..faire, Þat loke dirke a day-liȝt.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)44/33 : As a smyth..þat makyth þe yron to be bryte..whech be-forn aperyd rusty, dyrke, euyl colowryd.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)134/363 : His eyen shall wax dyrke and his forehede hote.
2.
(a) Of color: not bright, dull, dark; ~ red [cp. OE deorce-grǣg, dyrce-]; (b) of the skin or the complexion: pallid, wan.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Lev.13.19 : A fel wounde, whijt or derk reed [L subrosa].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)26a/b : Blac or asshy, with derke rednez.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)111a/b : If þe white of hem [eyes] be tenebrose i. derke.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)9 : Tyl hyt be as dyrk as ye wyl heue it [fishing line].
b
- ?c1335 Þe grace of ihu (Hrl 913)43 : As fair and briȝte as þou seest ham, Hi worþ becom as blak as cole And be of hiwe durke and wan, For man is sin þat hi sul þole.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)181/34 : If þe colour of his bodi be derk ouþer blac.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1009 : This lady called was Beaute..Ne she was derk ne broun, but bright And clere as the mone lyght.
3.
(a) Obscure or unclear (vision, understanding), unaware, unperceptive, ignorant (person); (b) morally impure, unclean, evil, wicked; (c) unenlightened; ~ wei.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)479 : Ȝiuynge to vre derke þouht [L nubilose menti] Verrey liht and clere.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)810 : Edyppus..wroght of ignoraunce, Ful derk and blynde of his woful chaunce.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.48.10 : The eyen..of Yrael weren derke for greet eelde, and cleerli he myȝte not se.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.68.24 : Her iȝen be maad derk [L obscurentur], that thei se not.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Lam.5.17 : Wo to vs! for we synneden! Therfor oure herte is maad soreuful, therfor oure iȝen ben maad derk [WB(1): to-dercned; L contenebrati].
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)86/23 : When þe day es derke, manes wittis are derke & dulle & heuy.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)25 : In þilk derk maner of knowing.
- a1450(c1405) Purvey Determ.(Trin-C B.14.50)170/17 : Þe puple haþ not konnynge in ȝouþe, þe han derke soulis & blyndid.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)3742 : Vndoth your Eyen dyrk & blynde!
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)80/30 : Þe wytte waxis derk, it lettys þe vnderstondynge.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1078 : Ther as the body of man, that whilom was foul and derk, is moore cleer than the sonne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.634 : Semende of liht thei werke The dedes whiche are inward derke.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)18a/a : Lucifer..loste liȝt and..gat hym a fule derk schap of a postacye.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)22a/a : Ȝif he [rational soul] turneþ by affecciouns toward creatures, he is I made derk, corrupt, & apeired.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)22.21 : Alle deorke deoueles dreden hit [Christ's name] to huyre.
- c1410 St.Anselm Medit.(UC 97)444 : Þe alther-derkest synnes.
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)777 : Of hire offenses dirke & synnes blake.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.5.10 : Thou maist nat putten awey thi foule dirke desires.
- a1450(1412) Glade in god þis (Dgb 102)74 : In synne derk as nyȝt.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1448 : Lo, how fortune is felle & of fer caste, þat drawes in a dede hate in a derke wille.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)159/226 : A derke devyll..Shall cast a myst in þe kynggys eye.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(2) (Cmb Ff.2.38)p.401 : All my dedys ben full derke For þey ben menged wt deedly synne.
c
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)48/1357 : Ich [a]m þat lyȝt Of alle þer wordle..Woso lokeþ, ne geþ he nauȝt derk, Ac lyȝt.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.2.13 : Thei that forsaken the riȝt going, and wenten bi derke weies.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.395 : Þes two ben to dirke weies to lede alle Cristyndoom to hevene.
4.
(a) Obscure, unclear (statement, word); (b) hard to understand, mysterious; figurative (language).
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)71 : Þauh hit on Englisch be dim and derk.
- c1400 Wycl.Dominion (Dub 244)284 : Falce gloseris maken goddis lawe derk.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)122/10 : It is ful blynde & ful derk to hem þat han bot lityl while lokid þerapon.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)2a/b : If þer be oght þer in [the book]..doutouse or ouer mykel & derk.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)119 : Derke or merke: Tenebrosus, obscurus.
- (1448) Shillingford58 : That the articulis that beth derke may be declared..yn certeyn.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)5a : Suche þinges þat diuers writeris of dedis of armes hauen..hud vndir derke termes.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.481 : Crist..Dooth thyng for certein ende that ful derk is To mannes wit.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)11b/a : Alle bodilich þinges þat beþ I seid of god haueþ figuratif mistik and derk menynge.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)14b/b : Þese wordes beþ ful trewe, and passiþ alle men touchinge þe durk & mistik menynge þerof.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)78b/a : Sweuenes..buþ somtyme opun & playne & somtyme I-wrappid in figuratif, mistik, & dym & derke tokenynges.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)12.131 : Theologie haþ teened me..þe deppere ich deuyne, the deerker me þynkeþ hit.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)2256 : Hes [i.e. Jesus'] dedes bes noȝt so derke.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)1/5 : Ich am a lewed man & may nouȝt vnderstonde sotil & derk speche; þerfore þou most take more pleyn maner of spekyng.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)214 : Expownyng this derke poysye.
- a1425 This blessyd boke (LdMisc 286)17 : The psalmes bene ful derke in many a place.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.7.21 : For cloudy and derk is thilke thoght, and bownde with bridelis, where as thise thynges reignen.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.4.5 : Olde men, ful dirke in hir sentences (that is to seyn, philosophris that hyghten Stoyciens).
- c1425 WBible(2) Prol.Jer.(Qu-O 387)342 : Jeremye tolde openli thingis to comynge, and not in derk speche, as Ysaie.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)407 : Summe oþere psalmes..is derk and hard and not esili to be vndirstonde.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)430 : Hardir and derkir treuþis þan þe now seid treuþis.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.2 : Noght liketh me to labour ne to muse Upon þese olde poysees derk.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)230/6 : Mete of deuyle is songe and curiose dittys and derk makynge of poetes.
5.
Intentionally obscure, deceptive, malicious.
Associated quotations
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1995 : The derke ymagynynge Of felonye, and al the compassynge.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2468 : Myne be the maladies colde, The derke tresons and the castes olde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.956 : O derke ypocrisie, Thurgh whos dissimilacion..I am thus wickedly deceived!
6.
(a) Gloomy, despondent, dismal; (b) astron. inauspicious (position in the zodiac); (c) physiol. injurious.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.844 : Awey to dryue hire derke fantasye.
- c1400 I herd an harping (BodDon c.13)7 : Al his [harper's] dremyng is ful derke.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1307 : Bitwixen hope and derk disesperaunce.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3217 : And while I stod thus derk and pale, Resoun bigan to me hir tale..'Foly and childhood wol thee sheend, Which the have putt in gret affray.'
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1512 : Proserpyne, That quene ys of the derke pyne.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(2) (Pep 1584)p.373 : Myne yen wexith all derk and dym for drede..My soule is wrappid in wofull wede.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.304 : Infortunat ascendent tortuous, Of which the lord is helplees falle, allas, Out of his angle into the derkest hous.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.6.20 : If eny degre in thy zodiak be derk, his nadir shal declare hym.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)36b/a : Whanne any derk [L obscurum] þinge heleþ þe brayn, as malincolie flewme, it nediþ þat þe pacyent drede.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 13.17 : Hereþ my woord & þe derke speches [L ænigmata] parceyueþ with ȝoure eris
Note: Antedates sense 4.(b).--per MJW
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Pmb-O.21 Artist.Recipes (Pmb-O 21) 273/4 : To make a dere red colowr. Take brasil and stamp it smale, and temper it with good lye, [etc.].
Note: Glossary" "dere adj. 'dear, valuable (?err. for derk)'."
Note: ?This word. ?New spelling (?error). Postdates sense 2.(a).