Middle English Dictionary Entry
digne, dīne adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | digne, dīne adj. Also deine, dinge, dingne. |
| Etymology | OF digne & L dignus |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a person, deity, etc.: worthy of great honor or reverence; noble, worshipful; ~ and dere, ~ and derf; (b) ~ of, deserving of (honor, reverence, etc.); (c) ~ to, worthy to (be, do, or receive sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)3078 : He hadde yspoused Blasine, Arthours soster fair & dine.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)583 : Most sche loued one þat was a digne damisele..of lumbardie a dukes douȝter.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.29 : Seynt William ye holy Innocent and digne marter.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.789 : By this synne god forleseth the chirche..by hem that yeuen chirches to hem that ben nat digne.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1316 : Neuer freke fayrer fonge Bitwene two so dyngne dame.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)9/35 : He þat ne haþ no pere, & þat is digner & more worþi þan ich am.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)37/13 : Here ben summe þat ben digneor & more worþi þan þe temple.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5853 : God..Made man mast digne and noble creature.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1350 : Whilom þey held hure [Diana] dygne.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1750 : Heyl, dynge deuyl in þi delle!
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)485 : To sekyn þee a seruaunt dynge & dere.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1996 : Þat dynge duke þat deyed on rode.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)240/1 : Beholde my discipulis þat deyne is and dere.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1958 : I, sir Dari, þe deyne [vr. digne] & derfe Emperoure.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)357/68 : O hye wysdam in youre dygne deyte.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1146 : Þe Pryoure of Caunturbury, a cheff churche of dignyte, And þe prioure of Dudley, no þynge so digne as he.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)200/98 : God is reuerend, hiȝe, digne, good and worþy to be reuerencid, worschipid and louyd.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.141 : A Prioresse..peyned hire..to been holden digne of reuerence.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.4.46 : Honours of peple ne mai nat maken folk digne of honour.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)33 : Prudent prynces moost digne of Reuerence.
c
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)252 : Þou art Iugget clene, And art digne þer-to þat dos me to lyke.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.985 : For he hath greet shamefastnesse he is digne to haue greet mercy of god.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.818 : I ne heeld me neuere digne in no manere To be youre wyf.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)15/14 : I ne is noght digne at lifte mine eȝin til heuin.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)583 : Ye be full digne to resceyve the ordre of chiualrie.
2.
(a) Of life, truth, fame, an institution, etc.: worthy of great respect or high repute; for ~, for worthiness; of an act, a thing: honorable, excellent; of a prospect: pleasing; (b) ~ of, worthy of (glory, remembrance); deserving of (blame).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)456 : Heo beoth lymes of holi churche þat so noble [Hrl: worthi] is and digne.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2814 : Þe digne sege iwis Worþ ybroȝt to kaunterbury þat at londone nou is.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)109/30 : Þe þri uerste benenes [read: benes] of þe pater noster..byeþ þe heȝeste and þe dingneste.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.1175 : Abydeth for goddes digne passioun.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.695 : I make avow to goddes digne bones.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1584 : Half here lyfe was nat dygne; For þogh here dedys were chaste, Here wurdys were al vyle & waste.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)401 : He þinkiþ vpon worþi and digne trouþis.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)90 : He schulde thanne haue..more noble flauour of digne fame.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1426 : And folk of digne reverence..Upon the piler saugh I stonde.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)321 : Yt is my relyke, digne and delytable.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)5/9 : It is an higher and more digne thinge forto praise and thanke God thanne to requere hym.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)173/132 : For dygne of my dygnyte, þei haue of me dowt.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)1093 : The substaunce of lyvelode is not so digne as is blode royalle.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)941 : The pylours strong enarchyd..yaue suche a dygne prospect That suche a brege was neuer seen.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.494 : Alwey he [the detractor] maketh a 'but' at the laste ende that is digne of moore blame than worth is al the preisynge.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)4.1205 : To write also his tryumphes digne of glorie.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.2945 : Rekne his conquest digne off remembraunce.
3.
Suitable, appropriate, fit; ~ for, ~ to, ~ unto.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.778 : I ne haue noon Englissh digne Vnto thy malice and thy tirannye.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.429 : Ye stonden..As in a place unto youre vertu digne.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.8.28 : What preyere mai I make, that be digne to the nyce thoughtes of men?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.147 : Yif men myghte maken any digne comparysoun or collacioun of the presence devyne and of the presence of mankynde.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1738 : Hyre contenaunce is to hire herte dygne, For they acorde bothe in dede and sygne.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)11.7 : Lond lene, or faat, or drie, is for hit digne.
4.
Proud, haughty, disdainful.
Associated quotations
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.517 : He was noght to synful men despitous, Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, But in his techyng discreet and benigne.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3964 : She was as digne [vrr. dygne, diyne, deyne] as water in a dich.
- c1600(c1350) Alex.Maced.(Grv 60)313 : Þe menne of þat marche misproude were; Thei were so ding of þeir deede, dedein þat they had Þat any gome under God govern hem sholde.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)355 : Þe prechours..bene as digne as þe devel þat droppeþ fro heuene.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)375 : Þer is more pryue pride in prechours hertes..Þey ben digne as dich water.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)30.286 : The swerd of thy fadir kyng davy..is..the most Merveillous that Evere forged was, the Most disgiest [read: dignest] In Ony plas, the Sharpest & the Moste trenchaund.
Note: No direct parallel: [F la plus rice et la plus mierveilleuse qui onques fust forgiéer la plus trenchans]
Note: disgiest is apparently an error for 'dignest', superlative of digne adj.
Note: New spelling: add to form section: sup. digneste & (error)disgiest. Also, modify dinge in form section to ding(e.
Note: Belongs to sense 2. Add gloss: of a sword: of superior quality, excellent, fine.--all notes per MLL