Middle English Dictionary Entry
dē̆sert n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | dē̆sert n.(1) Also deseert, decert(e, dessert(e & dissert(e, discert, disert. |
| Etymology | OF deserte & desert. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The fact of deserving a certain estimation or treatment for (one's) behavior, desert; after ~, according to (one's) desert; bi ~, of ~, thurgh ~, deservedly, justly; withouten ~, undeservedly, unjustly; bi (for) ~ of, by reason of.
Associated quotations
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5059 : Þe soþuast god þo he ysey þat we nolde..Fram vre sunnes vs wiþdrawe..Deþ after vre decerte & pult us out.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)7.4 : Y schal falle by desert [L decidam merito] idel fram myne enemys.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2695 : Tribulaciouns that they [saints] han ysuffred with outen hir desert or gilt.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.757 : That thraldom comth first by the desert of synne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.2262 : Hou so it stonde of the decerte, Hier is noght every thing aquit.
- a1400 Primer (1891) [OD col.] (StJ-C G.24)p.76 : Ȝif y haue ȝolden yueles to hem that ȝolde me yueles, by desert y schal falle ydel from my enemyes.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)12 : Aȝt happes he hem hyȝt & vche on a mede, Sunderlupes for hit dissert, vpon a ser wyse: Thay arn happen þat han in hert pouerte, For hores is þe heuen-ryche to holde for euer.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)84 : If my gaynlych God such gref to me wolde, Fo[r] desert of sum sake, þat I slayn were [etc.].
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)595 : In Sauter is sayd..'Þou quytez vchon as hys desserte, Þou hyȝe kyng.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.185 : Clerkis lityl drede, After desert for to bere witnesse..As men disserue.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.42.21 : Thurȝ desert [WB(2): skilfuli; L merito] thes thingis we suffren, for we han synned.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4269 : Thus Wikked-Tunge..Can putt hem everychon in blame, Withoute desert and causeles.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.313 : The jugement of moche folk loken nothyng to the desertes of thynges, but oonly to the aventure of fortune.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.5.71 : That guerdouns ne ben nat eveneliche yolden to the dessertes of folk.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.5.166 : Certes this betydeth nat withouten your desert.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)68/7 : Ilk man schall hafe his mede after his disserte.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)535 : O Sire Curate..That had..ȝowre herte..Moste on ȝowre tithes..Like ȝowre deserte shal be ȝowre guerdoun.
- (1432) Proc.Privy C.4.133 : Blame to be leyde upon þe Erle of Warrewyk..withouten his desert.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)120 : Desert or meryte: Meritum.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)893 : He that wyl be famous in largesse..lat hym Conceyve..The discertys of hih and lowe degre.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)1388 : By the sentence of Seyntes..Of thy discertys..Thou shalt be guerdownyd With pees Eternal.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)50.726 : That ȝe don hem to Iuggement For here desert And here Entent.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)378/483 : Hunwald me by-trayid & slouȝ..ic deyde for goddus loue, & wit-oute deserst [read: desert].
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22767 : Ryghtffully, thorough my dyssert, I may ben callyd wel Povert.
- c1500(1463) Ashby Pris.(Trin-C R.3.19)123 : Yef thow to pryson or trouble be broght..by gret wrong and nat of desert..Kepe pacience!
2.
Meritoriousness, worthiness, merit, virtue; also, a meritorious or good deed; high ~, of no ~, of no merit, unworthy; upon ~, as to merit.
Associated quotations
- c1390 Talking LGod (Vrn)22/5 : For no more decert but for he kneuȝ his gultes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.396 : Arrogant is he that thynketh that he hath thilke bountees in hym..by hise desertes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.614 : He..doth to seme of gret decerte Thing which is litel worth withinne.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1354 : Ther may no welthe ne poverte Attempren hem to the decerte Of buxomnesse..For ofte time thei despise [etc.].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3277 : Humilite, Thurgh which the hihe trinite, As for decerte of pure love, Unto Marie from above..His oghne Sone adoun he sente.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2293 : Sithen..that we finde That werres..Ben toward god of no decerte..it is merveile..That thei a pes ne conne sette.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1605 : Hou that ye spieke Of hem that wole no travail sieke In cause of love, upon decerte.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3333 : Gentyl men ofte, for swyche desert, Fal at þe laste yn grete pouert.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)6679 : Lazare..now shal..for hys deserte Haue welþe y-nogh for hys pouert.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1266 : Þe daynte þat þay delen for my disert nysen; Hit is þe worchyp of yourself, þat noȝt bot wel connez.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.58 : Remembrid eke..Þe worþines..And decertes in þis mortal strif, Graunting to eueryche his prerogatif.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1267 : Yet were al lost..But if thi grace passed oure desertes.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2256 : Þan answerd Bernard..'I knaw þat I am unworthy Thurgh myn-awen desert to haf it [heaven].
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)128/17 : Ȝit was þat siȝt only by þe schewyng of oure Lorde..& not for any deseert of his [Moses'] trauayle.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.5.50 : Certeynly, of thy dessertes bystowed in comune good thow hast seyd soth.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.7.22 : Covetise of glorie And renoun to han..doon gode desertes to profyt of the comune.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.6.45 : It semeth that gentilesse be a maner preisynge that cometh of the dessertes of auncestres.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.3.112 : Than moot it nedes be that schrewes..ben put undir the merit and the dissert of men.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)608 : This noble queene ek lovede so this knyght, Thourgh his desert and for his chyvalrye.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)55/7 : He solde noȝte arett alle his wele-fare..vnto godd, bot till his awenn desert & his awenn vertu.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)31 : Whilom the thridde hevenes lord above, As wel by hevenysh revolucioun As by desert, hath wonne Venus.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)473 : For þe childes hye desert, God shewed meruaile in apert.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9920 : Thy meryte to reknen al Nor thy decert, ne wer but smal.
- a1500(a1400) Wycl.FHC (NC 95)351 : Þes ben cayms childire & seyn her synne is more þan her dissert is.
- a1500 Where y haue (Cmb Ff.1.6)8 : Thus am y bownd..to do yow my servyse. yowre desertt can none odere deserue.
3.
A reward.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.293 : Ac þer ys mede a[nd] mercede, and boþe men demen A desert for som doynge.