Middle English Dictionary Entry
dē̆sīr n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dē̆sīr n. Also desire, desier, dessire, deser & disir(e, dissir. |
| Etymology | OF desir, desïer, deseier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The act or fact of wishing, longing, or hoping for something; wishing, longing, yearning, desire; haven ~ to (sth.); at ~, at (one's) pleasure, to (one's) liking; (b) a wish or desire; fallen to ~, to comply with (someone's) desire.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1996 : Icham Merlin..Wiþ whom to speke þou hast desire.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)139.9 : Ne ȝyf me nouȝt fro my desire [L a desiderio meo] to þe sinȝer.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)55 : To ma[r]trye cristen men & slee, þat was his desyre.
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)278 : Þis fuir is loue & desyr to god.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2473 : How lightly is euery man enclyned to his owene desir and to his owene plesaunce!
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.474 : Desir to haue commendacioun..hath caused deth to many a bisy man.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2160 : It fell him..desire..That passe he wolde over the flod Withoute bot.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1041 : This is youre mooste desir.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.820 : Desir of his presence hir so destreyneth, That al this wide world she set at noght.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)330 : A thing..Þat I haue moste desire to se.
- a1425(?a1350) Nicod.(1) (Glb E.9)32 : Oure lawes to breke..þat es his moste desire.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.426 : Troilus..brende For sharp desir of hope and of plesaunce.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.486 : To ese his frend was set al his desir.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1263 : Benigne Love..Whoso..list the nought honouren, Lo, his desir wol fle withouten wynges!
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1651 : And ay the more that desir me biteth To love hire best, the more it me deliteth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.572-3 : Thus am I with desir and reson twight: Desir for to distourben hire me redeth, And reson nyl nat.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5705 : To geten more and more He set his herte and his desir.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.1.11 : Thow languyssest and art deffeted for desir and talent of thi rather fortune.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.3.23 : Wherfore eschaufeth the thought of man by so gret desir, to knowen [etc.].
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)155/17 : Men hase grete lykyng and desyre for to here new thinges.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)120 : Desyre or yernynge: Desiderium, optacio.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1245 : Her goostly deser Is sette, his lernyng..to her.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)21 : I haue fulfilled al ȝour desyr.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)4419 : To slen vs þey haue gret desyre.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)370/43 : With most ardente desyre and wiþ þe inwarde luste of herte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2892 : He was louyt with ladys..As course is of kynd & comyn dessire.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)20/31 : Lettirs were made..accordynge unto kynge Arthurs desyre.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)75/85 : It is holy desyre.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)198/1490h : Sir Ectour sey þat ryche atyre, And ther-to had grete desyre.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)35a : A Desyre.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)8/21 : Yf kynge Uther wille wel rewarde me and be sworne unto me to fulfille my desyre [etc.].
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)275/686 : All my desyre ys, with you to dwelle.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.407 : Hedded then was therle of Wiltshire; The kyng then sette the land at his desire, Saue castelles fewe.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)106/6 : We sseweþ to oure guode uader corteysliche oure principal desyr..þet is þet his name by yhalȝed.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.408 : He hath his herte and his entente in swich a proud desir to be..honoured biforn the peple.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.454 : He ne myghte out of his herte throwe This merueillous desir, his wyf tassaye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1261 : For to come to theffect of his desir.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)10513 : Þi desire [Vsp: gerning] & þi preyere Is comen to goddes ere.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)774 : Thorgh counsayl of the lordes alle, To her desyre pleynly she is falle [etc.].
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1617 : To folowe the lust of my desyris, Hunte..in wodes and Ryverys.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.381 : Thus took he purpos, loves craft to suwe, And thoughte he wolde..hiden his desir in muwe From every wight.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)195 : It were ageyn cheryte Hys desyr lengere for to denye.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2426 : Be it done..as þi dissire is.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)308 : Wandringe oftir heere desyris.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)278 : Ȝe may not haue yowur intent at yowur fyrst dysyer.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)80 : So shalt thow a-complisshe thy desere of thyn herte.
2.
Physical desire; lust, passion, craving, or an instance of it; amorous ~, ~ of love; bodili ~, flesheli ~, foul ~.
Associated quotations
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)9.24 : Þe synȝer is heried in þe desires of hys soule.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2861 : He hadde his amorouse desires..and, for loue, his hote fyres.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2808 : The moore it swolweth, the moore desir it hath to swolwe and deuoure.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.209 : Into myn herte a gret desir..renneth, That al mi thoght withinne brenneth.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1876 : Damyan in Venus fyr So brenneth, that he dyeth for desyr.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)91b/b : Appetite of þe stomake is i clepid desire.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7616 : Ȝyf men, þurgh here feyre atyre, wyþ hem to do foly haue desyre.
- a1400 Rolle Encom.Jesu (Hrl 1022)188 : Þis name Ihesu..dose away vtturle greuousnesse of fleschly desyres.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)174/13 : Þe risynge of a mannes ȝerde comeþ of..wilnynge & greet desier.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1399 : Desir of gold shal so his soule blende, That..I shal wel make an ende!
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.1.24 : God suffrede þem to be tane in to desyres of þeir herte in to vnclennesse.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3708 : Wherof the flawme..Hath many a lady in desir Of love brought and sore het.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.5.10 : Yif thou maist nat putten awey thi foule dirke desires..it nys no power that thow hast.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)227 : I saw Beute, withouten any atyr, And Youthe..Flaterye and desyr.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1750 : Tarquinius..caughte to this lady swich desyr [etc.].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4289 : To blemysch oure blode with bodely dissires.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1727 : Loose not thy soule for no fleissheli desire.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)170/9 : Marye Magdalene, whiche was the synneful woman and seruyd to hure fleschely desires.
- a1500(c1450) Idley Instr.(Arun 20)2.B.2583 : To lust vnleffull he was nevyr assentyng..He had nevyr desyre but only to hys wy[ffe].
3.
Fulfillment of (one's) wish, desire, passion, or urge; comen to ~, atteinen to ~; failen of ~; haven ~, to have (one's) wish.
Associated quotations
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1243 : Thow mayst to thy desir som tyme atteyne.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.23 : Godd yeue hem grace to comen to her desir!
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.684 : If he may have his desir..He halt no word of covenant.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.671 : We..pouren in the fir..for al that we faille of our desir.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)608 : Edippus..hym enhasteþ..Towardes Thebes..Brennyng in herte..The fyn to knowe of his fatal desire.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.395 : Whi listow in this wise, Syn thi desir al holly hastow had?
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)8/22 : I shalle cause hym to have alle his desyre.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.36.28b : He sawe þat he myght not acheven his desire.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)1047 : The lude looked on-loft..on a starre..Hee hoped to have there of his hertes desyres.
4.
Misc. uses: (a) an expressed wish; at, bi ~ of, at the request of (sb.); (b) (God's) will or commandment; (c) for ~, to (what) purpose, why; (d) emotion, affection; (e) inclination, tendency.
Associated quotations
a
- (1411) RParl.3.650b : Atte desire of oure forsaid liege Lord, the said Lord the Roos chese the forsaid Archebisshop.
- (1453) LRed Bk.Bristol2.201 : By the disire of the saide vicarie and procuratours.
b
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)12/28 : Do godis wylle, and his desire fulfille.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)678 : Bot vnto god he can hym ȝeld, ay redy to do hys desyre.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.965 : He was a Smith With Jupiter..So wot I noght for what desir Thei clepen him the god of fyr.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.606 : Now was þer euere..So gret desyre and inward kyndenes..Betwixe Achilles & þis Patroclus.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)248 : Of sykes hoote as fyr I herde a swogh..Whiche sikes were engendered with desyr [i.e. suffering].
e
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2567 : Thei tuo [gold and silver] ben thextremetes, To whiche..Hath every metal his desir.