Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēvoiden v.
Entry Info
| Forms | dēvoiden v. |
| Etymology | OF desvuidier, desvoid(i)er. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. avoiden.
1.
(a) To drive (sb.) out, expel, eject; (b) to destroy (sb. or sth.); (c) to remove (sth.); do away with, dispel, eliminate; also, give up (revenge), set aside (certain considerations); (d) to void (excrement).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)471 : He devoided alle Of lond & tour..&..Ȝaue it to Sarrazins of pris.
- (1384) Appeal Usk in Bk.Lond.E.24/56 : The ful purpos..was to haue had the town in thair gouernaile..& haue holden vnder or elles devoyded owt of towne al the persones that had be myghty.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1330 : That is no curtesie, Me to deuoyde, but rather vileynye.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)908 : We schal tyne þis toun..Wyth alle þis wyȝez so wykke wyȝtly devoyde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3625 : He miȝt bring it aboute þire bestis to devoide.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3875 : Na freke..he leued To be deuowrid & devoidid.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)15 : Ofte haf I wayted, wyschande þat wele Þat wont watz whyle deuoyde my wrange And heuen my happe.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)284 : Þaȝ I be fol & fykel & falce of my hert, De-woyde now þy vengaunce þurȝ vertu of rauthe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3984 : To maken surete, To deuoyde al ambiguyte, To-fore þe goddis be ope..We shal be swore.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.824 : He wolde nat refuse Taquite hym silf of þis orrible cas, Nat excepting þat he so worþi was Of birþe & blood..Al þis devoidinge, of knyȝthod & manhede, As he þat gaf of lif nor deth no fors.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2929 : Right as the derknesse of the nyght Is chased with clernesse of the mone, Right so is al his woo full soone Devoided clene.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15885 : Whan the doublet off pacyence Ys devoyded from her bak.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.45 : Take white pese..pyke hom clene, Devoyde þo wormeetone alle bydene.
d
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)127/12 : Whan he beheld þat lothly best..deuowryn so fayr flowerys..& aftirward so horrybely to deuoydyn hem be-for hym at hys taylende.
2.
(a) To clear (sth.) out, evacuate; empty (a bowl); (b) to make (sb.) devoid (of grace, suspicion); ~ from, ~ of.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)88a/b : If it comeþ of grete replecioun, þe stomak schal be deuoided & discharged.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.755 : The canel skoured was so clene And deuoyded in so secre wyse, Þat no man myȝt espien [etc.].
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2938 : Anoþir boll was him broȝt, & bathe he deuoydid.
- c1450 3 KCol.(2) (Add 31042)463 : The temples, alle ordeynde for Mawmetry..Ware thurgh his lare devoydede fynally.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5178 : Þus shal þei ben devoided..from al suspecioun Til that we han oure conclusioun.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1070 : As a prynce deuoidid off al grace, Ageyns God he gan for to compace.
3.
(a) To leave, go away; ~ out of, depart from; ~ from, desert (sb.); -- intr. & refl.; (b) to leave (a place or person); retire or retreat from; ~ hors, dismount.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4169 : In his chekis deuoided was þe blod.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1342 : That of force he shal devoide blyve.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3696 : To the poynt..thou art brouht..in al haste devoyde out of this toun, wher thow therwith be wroth or wel apayd.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3779 : That he devoyde hym out of toun.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)229/124 : For A short tyme, myself I devoyde.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)381 : Her lucyfer dewoydyth & cummyth in a-geyn as a goodly galont.
- a1500(a1471) Ashby APP (Cmb Mm.4.42)191 : The high estate of oure king god preserue! And if deuoided had folke couetous From his persoune, [etc.].
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2044 : Sche dede me deliuerly deuoyde þer hire chaumber.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1236 : He took hys douȝtyr by þe hand, And bad here swyþe deuoyde his land.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2061 : Vneth limpid him..Fra his faes..þe filde to de-voide.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)178/6 : Than sir Uwayne devoyded his horse delyverly and put his shylde before hym and drew his swerde.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1167 : Who that the worshippeth, it may hem rewe; there-fore devoyede my companye!
4.
To avoid, shun, or escape (sth.); extricate oneself.
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1367 : Her auentures..Entermedlyd wiþ gret aduersite, Þat no man may deuoide nor eschewe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2424 : Quilk as first of ȝow foundis a fote vs agayne, Sall neuir deuoide..my derfe ire.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4602 : Adultery on all wise als ȝe deuoyde!
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)640/15 : Alysaundir..bare hym quyte from his horse..But this Malegryne devoyded and lyghtly arose..and drew his swerde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)240/265 : Devoydyng þe Abhomynable synne of pryde.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)348 : Devoydes uche a vayneglorie, þat vayles so litelle.
5.
Misc. uses: (a) to flow out, shed; (b) to divide (sth.); (c) to turn (sb. away from sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1475 Bk.Courtesy (Sln 1986)718 : For a pype þer is insyde so clene, Þat water deuoydes of seluer schene.
b
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)126 : The maiden did devoide [Hrl: smite] the Girdell [of lechery] in iij parties, that is into praier, fastyng, and almesdede.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2069 : Þat verrailly þe sugred melodie Ravisshe wolde any man a-lyve..Make a man..Forȝete hym silf..Devoide hym clene from his owne þouȝt.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 GLeg.Nicholas (GiL2) (Glo 12)13/34 : denoydid [read: deuoydid; F deuea; Eg 876: He kneled downe and wold haue kyst his fete but he denied [?read: deuied; vr. deuoid] hym].
Note: Appears to belong to sense 4. 'avoid (sb.)'; Fr original and other mss read some variation on 'refuse' or 'forbid' (either denien v. or devaien v.) The reading in Hrl 4775 ('deuoid') could belong to any of the three verbs.