Middle English Dictionary Entry
dē̆spīsen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | dē̆spīsen v. Also desspisen, despicen & dispisen, disspisen, dispicen. |
| Etymology | OF despis-, stem of despire & despisier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To look down upon (sth. or sb.), have a low opinion of, have little respect for, regard as inferior; also, feel superior to; (b) to feel contempt for (sb. or sth.), despise.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)722 : Þou ne louest me noȝt as þin sostren doþ, Ac despisest me in min olde liue.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.12.26 : Who dispisith harm for a frend is riȝtwis.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)111 : Ȝif þou beo a strong mon..Dispyse þou no luytel mon.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)395 : He þat dispiseþ mony men, He is loued of none.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.115 : Bet is to dyen than haue indigence: Thy selue neighebor wol thee despise.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.728 : Fortitudo..is an affeccioun thurgh which a man despiseth anoyouse thynges.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2870 : The slepi nyhtes I despise, And evere..I thenke upon the nyhtingale, Which slepeth noght..For love.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.436 : Loke wel thou noght despise Thin oghne lif.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67b/b : Alle men dispisen þe olde man and ben heuy and wery of him.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.79 : To be prynces in pryde, and pouerte to dispise.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)467 : Pover thing, whereso it be, Is shamefast and dispised ay.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.2.121 : Cleernesse of renoun, aughte that to ben despysed?
- ?a1425 Whi is þis world (Trin-C B.15.39)32 : Sette þin herte in heuen aboue..to dispise þe world I rede þat þou lere.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)691 : Lat hym despise as a chaunpioun Al erthly lustys.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)102/197 : Þe godenes of oure Lorde, þat despises [vr. despicis] nane.
- a1450 Who þat wole knowe (Dgb 102)98 : Dispyse non in low degre.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2652 : Wordys of wise men is no wit to dispise.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.143 : Thowh þat þei done hem honour in presence Yit þei despisen hem in conscience.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)11/5 : God forbede þat y..schulde feele þat writyngis of doctouris weren to be dispisid!
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)20/24 : To hemself þei semed as nouȝt & despised of þe worlde, but in þe eyen of god þey semed preciose.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)91.11 : Myn eȝe despised [L despexit] min enemys.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)9426 : Ilkan other sal despice and hate.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.4.51 : That he is despysed of moost folk.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7628 : Þe Payens conseil þe kyng vnderstod, & despised þe Cristene blod; & alle þe Cristene hym forsok.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)7.7 : Some lufand, some dispisand the.
2.
(a) To treat (sth. or sb.) as unworthy or without proper respect; treat with contempt; disregard, neglect, or violate (a commandment or law); humiliate (an enemy), renounce (a faith); (b) to scorn or refuse (to do sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)396 : And seiden anon..Þat Jhc despisede heore lawes.
- c1330(?c1300) Reinbrun (Auch)p.667 : 'Be þe berd y schel him schake'..þo Reinbroun herde..Þat Heraud dispised is, His swerd to him a weued.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)27/748 : He despyseþ ihesu cryst, Wanne he hym scholde herye.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)43.7 : Who [read: Whe] shul chace oway our enemys þurȝ force in þe, and we shul despysen in þy name þe arisand oȝains us.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.298 : For myn allye heere take I thee, Syn that thow wolt thyne ydoles despise.
- c1390 11 Pains(3) (Vrn)238 : Godus Comaundemens he haþ dispyset.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1978 : Mi Sone, in alle maner wise Surquiderie is to despise.
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)313 : Here my bone and dyspyse hyt noȝt!
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1587 : Alisaundre hij despisen, His messagers and his justisen.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1790 : The kyng..watz..fowle dispysed, Þat watz so doȝty þat day and drank of þe vessayl.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)2/4 : Lawes & fredom beþ nouȝt y-holde, but dispised & wiþseide.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3996 : Grekys vttrely despyse his profre.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.720 : I ne aughte nat for that thing hym despise.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ex.9.21 : He that dispiside [WB(1): rouȝte not; L neglixit] the Lordis word.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)682 : The orisoun of þe meke he siȝ, And not dispiside her preyer.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4252 : Thurgh pride he sal ogayn God ryse And hym sclaunder and his law dispise.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)1a/a : Abrenuncio: to remew, forsake, dispise.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.4.4 : What maner man..that wol fownden hym a perdurable seete..and wole despise the see manasynge with flodes, lat hym eschuwen to bilde..in the moyste sands!
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)28b/b : Carbuncles ben nouȝt to be despised, ffor þay beþ venymous in party.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)439 : Þai þat wil hir lare despise Or als rebels o-gans hir rise.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)550 : He dispysede it and spitte and spournede it to the erthe.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)16 : Þis seruaunt dispiseþ his maistres wordes, & wilfully goeþ & falleþ into þe dyke.
- c1450 Rich.(Add 31042)277/8 : Þayre God Mawhoune þay disspyse.
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)137 : These fals ymages of ȝour goddis..I despice and forsake for euyr.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)6 : Crist seiþ: 'he þat heriþ ȝow heriþ me, and he þat dispiciþ ȝow dispisiþ me.'
- a1500 St.Jerome (Lamb 432)341/17 : Fader, why forsakest thou me? why dispisist thou my cumpanye?
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6860 : Ȝif so be þat þou now dispise To execute þat I haue tolde þe here.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)93/33 : Sir, þi doghter dispise Vnto oure gods to do seruise.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.11.95 : I ne fynde no beeste..that forletith or despiseth the entencion to lyven and to duren.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.12.44 : Tantalus..despyseth the floodes to drynken.
3.
(a) To speak ill of (sth. or sb.), disparage; insult, revile; chide; (b) to blaspheme (a deity, the Church).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.169 : Englische men..despiseþ [L vituperat] hir owne and preiseþ oþer menis, and vnneþe beeþ apaide wiþ hir owne estate.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.81 : Qwho-so be rebel of his tounge a-ȝein ye alderman or dispise ye alderman ye time yat he holden here mornspeche, schal payen [etc.].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2209 : Preisynge gretly Melibe of myght..despisynge the power of hise aduersaries.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.663 : Whan the Iewes despised hym and repreued hym.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.564 : Anon my wittes I despise And make a chidinge in myn herte.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2984 : Ich wil..Þe tunges out of her heuedes kerue..For hij me han despised so.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)21.96 : Thenne gan faith foully þe false Iewes to despisen, And calde hem 'caytifs a-corsed.'
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1004 : His sones rebuke hym and dispise.
- a1422 Gild St.Geo.Nrw.(Rwl D.913)450 : Þat no brother ne suster..reuile, despise, ne defame on anoþer.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1699 : And day they gonnen to despise..Callyng it traitour..And bitterly the dayes light thei corse.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Lev.19.33 : If a comelyng..dwellith among ȝou, dispise [WB(1): myssey; L exprobretis] ȝe not hym, but be he among ȝou as a man borun in the lond.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2232 : If that ony myssaiere Dispise wymmen..bidde hym holde hym stille.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6155 : Religioun umble..Wole I not blame ne dispise; But I nyl love it.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)201 : Þey..despysede hym & spytte in his faire face.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7479 : He..Spake to hym spitously, dispisit hym foule.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.599 : Men that sweren so horribly by his blessed name..despise it moore boldely than dide the cursede Iewes.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)12561 : Sacrylage, Þat loue y moste..holy cherche despyse and fyle, þat wyl y bleþly.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle 10 Com.(Thrn)10/26 : He þat neuenes God & sweris fals dispyse God.
4.
(a) To offer resistance to (sth.); (b) to frustrate or nullify (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)196b/b : Adamans..þough it dispise fire and Iren, it is y broke wiþ newe hoote blood.
b
- c1450 Palladius (BodAdd A.369)1.170 : In bareine lande to sette or foster vynes Dispiseth [vr. destroyeth] alle the labour and expence.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)9.22 : Whi lord departid thou ferre? Thou dispises [L despicis] in tydfulnesis, in tribulacyon. God semes fere gane.
Note: Gloss: to be aloof, distant or remote.--per MLL