Middle English Dictionary Entry
alles adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | alles adv. |
| Etymology | Adv. gen. of al adj.; for meaning cp. L totāliter & omnīnō. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. allinge.
1.
(a) Totally, altogether; (b) all told, in all; (c) in some way, somehow; at all, after all; -- also as a weak emphatic.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)4/2 : Þæe ȝe alles ne beon þare lare bidælede.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)24/15 : Næs þe kyng alles buton Cristes ileafæn.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)103 : Þe mon sorȝeð alles to swiðe for his hehte lure.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)23/27 : Seððen comen to ðe ða werȝede gastes of giuernesse, of drunkenesse..alles to fele.
b
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1124 : Þet wæron on þa litle hwile ealles feower & feowerti manne.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)36/17 : Þa alles endlyfæn wæbb betwyx þam oðrum webbum.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)488 : Seolcuð him þuhte swulcere speche. Þa he alles spac, mid þræte he spilede.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17059 : Þa hit alles up brac.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)137/25 : Þanne hie alles fasten sculen, ðane fasteð hie all þat none uneaðe; ðanne after non drinkeð all daiȝ.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)40/699 : He schal fleo þe wið scheome, ant ȝef he alles efter þis..halt on to eili þi flesch [etc.].
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)795 : Nu ȝe alles to strif beoð isturet hidere [etc.].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15b : Hwen ȝe alles moten forð, crossið ful ȝeorne muð, ehnen, & earen.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)22b : Hwen hit alles kimeð forð, þenne is hit ȝeolow atter.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)286/277 : Ich makie..late to churche gon, And ȝwane he alles þare-inne is, out þannes to wiende a-non.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)p.4 : And tho heo was alles thider icome, heo ne couthe Englisch word non, Bote 'Londone, Londone.'
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)400 : Þo corineus was alles wroþ, so strong dunt he ȝef Þat [etc.].
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1562 : Þo it alles com vorþ, it was a foul frogge.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6567 : Baldeliche he spac & sturneliche to þis water, þo it alles out brac.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)659 : And whon he wolde alles bi-come Mon, He moste be boren of a wommon.