Middle English Dictionary Entry
dē̆sert n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | dē̆sert n.(2) Also deseert, dezert, desarte, deserd & disert(e, dishert, disserte. |
| Etymology | ML dēsertum & OF desert, orig. ppl. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A barren area, wooded or arid, and hence uninhabitable or sparsely inhabited; wasteland, a wilderness, a desert; dwellen, gon in desert(e; (b) a (specified) desert or wilderness; se of ~, the Dead Sea.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)59b : I þe desert..he lette ham þolien wa inoh.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2737 : Moyses..ðurg ðe deserd a-wei he nam.
- c1330(?a1300) KAlex.(Auch)441/388 : Alisaunder, þat cite apert, Þat he made in desert.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3500 : Þer while þo kniȝtes..Were ywent in to desert, To libben bi her robrie.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)32/714 : He..wente into a Forest wild, In to desert, fram alle men.
- c1390(a1325) Ipotis (Vrn)233 : An aungel him drof into decert Wiþ a briht brennynde swerd.
- c1390 RSicily (Vrn)325 : Nabugodonosor lyuede in desert; Dorst he nouȝwher ben apert.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2277 : Seith Solomon that it were bettre dwellen in a desert than with a womman that is riotous.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1665 : God bad the rede See divide..That thei on fote it passe dreie And gon so forth into desert.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)170a/b : Deserte is a space of londe and hatte Deserte for it is forsake of many menne to wone þer Inne..pleynes ben ful of grauel..and of oþer lettes þat greuen weyefaryng men, And is clepid desert for þey ben nouȝt y sowen, as ysidre seith.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5840 : Þat he lat now mi folk apert Pass, to wirscip me in desert [vrr. dishert, desarte].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6356 : Þis meracle sagh þai all aperte þat was duelland in þat desert [Frf: disert].
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4639 : Thebes..To wyldernesse turnyd and desert.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 25.15 : Al the tyme we han dwellid with hem in deseert [so WB(2); L in deserto].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6996 : All desertes and holtes hore..I lete hem to the Baptist John.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.7.44 : The regioun of drowghte..that is to seyn sandes and desertes.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)20/27 : Þat wylderness & desert lasteth viij iourneyes.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)22/6 : Þa desertes er so drie and sandy.
- (1436) RParl.4.497b : William Pulle..hym withdrewe..into desert and other secrete places in Wales.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)173/28 : A voyce that cryede..in deserte.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)142/32 : In þat same desert god allemyȝty fasted xl dayes.
- a1450 In þe vale (Sln 2593)p.230 : Thann cam an aungil with a swerd, And drof Adam into disert.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1310 : As Ely in desert he fedd.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)6/9 : Seynt Ion Baptyst prechet yn deserte.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)133 : To seinte Marie in desert ate laste he wende.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3352 : Ðe desert of rafaclim [read: Rafadim].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2056 : This kniht the tuo pilers of bras..Sette up in the desert of Ynde.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Josh.12.3 : Fro the wildernes [L a solitudine]..vnto the see of deseert [L ad mare Deserti], that is the moost salt see.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)488 : Al the feld nas but of sond..In the desert of Lybye.
2.
(a) The wilderness as a retreat for religious contemplation; drauen to ~, wonen in ~; (b) applied to this world; (c) desolation.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.501 : Who fedde the Egipcien Marie in the caue Or in the desert? no wight but Crist!
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.345 : Seint Ierom..hadde woned in desert, where as he hadde no compaignye but of wilde bestes.
- (1402) Topias (Dgb 41)p.64 : In contemplacion there ben many other that drawen hem to disert.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)617 : Ȝe that haue lyued longe yn wildernesse..yn abstynence..Life yn deserte, callid solitarie, Mai a-ȝeyne dethe haue respite noon.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)120 : Deserte or wyldernesse: Desertum, solitudo.
- a1475 VPhilibert (Brog 2.1)p.36 : I offyrd my selfe to wylful poverte, And in dysserte al my lyve to wone.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)131/3 : Þise wordle, þet ne is bote an exil and a dezert.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.58 : Now help, thow meke and blisful faire mayde, Me, flemed wrecche in this desert of galle.
c
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)59 : He was in a waste contree full of diserte.