Middle English Dictionary Entry
dīadē̆me n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dīadē̆me n. |
| Etymology | OF & L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A monarch's crown or diadem; (b) a crown-like headdress; the papal tiara; (c) a crown or wreath awarded for virtue or victory.
Associated quotations
a
- a1350 Opon a somer (LdMisc 108)112 : His diademe of dyamans droppede adoun.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.247 : He..made hym a dyademe and a corone of gold [L diadema ex auro sibi fecit].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.437 : After þis Alisaundre took þe cloþinge and þe dyademe of þe kyng of Pers.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2663 : Septer & crowne, swerd & diademe, So as a kyng lyf or deth to deme.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)10/5 : Þey brouȝte a dyademe of golde arayed with precious stonys and peerlys.
- c1450 Myght wisdom (Add 31042)155 : Ȝe cleped were for to see Salamon, In diademe honourede and with palle.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.68vb : I .. slewe hym .. and I toke the dyademe from his heed and the armylle [L (Vulg.2 Sam.1.10): armillam] fro hys arme, whiche I haue brought hether to the, my lord.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)90.13 : Basilyske..is kald kynge of serpents, for a white spote is in his heuyd, that makes him to seme as he had a dyademe on.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.274 : Henry his sonne then was..crowned with [the] dyademe.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Job 29.14 : I clothide me as a vestyment, and with a diademe [L diademate] with my dom.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.12.3 : A greet reed dragoun, hauynge seuen heedes..and in the heedis of him seuen diademes [L diademata].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.2936 : The Mitre with the Diademe He [Pope Boniface] hath thurgh Supplantacion.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.846 : And in such wise his [the sun's] liht to sprede, Sit with his Diademe on hede.
c
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Look TM (Hrl 2255)185 : That man for vertu may were a dyademe With stoonys xij..And as a kyng weel crowned he may beene.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)840 : Laureer Crownys be maad for Conquerours, In tryvmphes trewly for to deme Whoo is moost wourthy to were a dyademe.
2.
Royal status or authority, sovereignty; beren the ~, to rule as king, reign.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.339 : Þat Arthur..grauntede þe diademe of þe kyngdom to his cosyn Constantyn.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.43 : Whan this Cambyuskan Hath twenty wynter born his dyademe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22357 : He..Sal haf an hundret winter king Ben..And yeild up þare his diademe To þat lauerd þat all sal deme.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)928 : Þo deyed þe duke & þe diademe lefte.
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)880 : Ioseph regned nobeli..Fourty yeer and eyht..And after he gaf his diademe to pharaois sone fre.
3.
(a) The aureole of a martyr or confessor; (b) the crown of the blessed in heaven; ~ of lif.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2125 : Þat ȝwite braym [read: brayn] was i-meind with þe rede blod þere..Al round it orn a-boute is heued ase it were a dyademe.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2129-30 : Ȝwane men peyntiez an Anletnesse [vr. halewe]..al-a-boute þe heued, Þat rondel men cleopiez þe diademe, for manie iseien..bi þe diademe of is brayne þat he holi was.
- a1456 Heyle goddes moder (Ashm 59)63 : O fayre ladye..Dyademe of Martre and confessour.
b
- a1450(c1400-25) Legat Serm.PD (Wor F.10)17/257 : Aftir þat oure daies for age ben i-endid..let hem take þe diodeme of lief with sterris faire i-peyntid.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)424/108 : Þe croune of thorne..be-menes my dignite. Mi diademe sais..Þat dede schall I neuere be.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)12/84 : Our Creator, that us hath made gaier then gould, under his Diademe aye to endure.
4.
Alch. milk-whit ~, the end product of the first half of the 'work', being the white 'stone' for transmuting base metals into silver.
Associated quotations
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)57a : The blode of our grene lyon..it is turnid into the fecis corporall And bycomen white perfitlye and verrye drye..Of this worke named the milke whit diademe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1458) Acc.St.Margaret Southwark in BMag.32639 : Payd for mendyng of the lawmpe & the mendyng of the dyademe, v d.
Note: Perh. a piece of statuary representing sense 3.?