Middle English Dictionary Entry
disport n.
Entry Info
| Forms | disport n. Also desport. |
| Etymology | AF; CF deport; cp. AL disportum, -us. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An activity that offers amusement, pleasure, or relaxation; entertainment, merry-making, fun, recreation; maken ~, to entertain (sb.); taken ~, amuse oneself, have fun; (b) a pastime, sport, or game; also, the game of love, flirtation; (c) in ~, in jest.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.775 : Confort ne myrthe is noon To ryde by the weye domb as a stoon; And ther fore wol I maken yow disport.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4420 : A compeer of his owene sort, That loued dys and reuel and disport.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2158 : Vp on a day bifel that he for his desport is went in to the feeldes, hym to pleye.
- c1390 Nou Bernes (Vrn)15 : So good disport ȝe han mad me, Aȝein my wille I take my leue.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.319 : Wyf, go wher thee liste; Taak youre disport, I nyl leue no talys.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)6924 : Þe bysshope..with hym wente, [for] dysporte, To se þe folk [etc.].
- (c1418) Let.in Ellis Orig.Let.ser.1.12 : I wolle that the Duc of Orliance be kept stille withyn the Castil of Pontefret..for it is bettr he lak his disport, then we were disceyved.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)22 : Canterbury talys..Some of desport, some of moralite.
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)478 : As fer as the boundes of honestee Requeren, shee made hem disport and cheere.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)144/1 : Mynstrelles..syngen songes & tellen gestes or oþer desportes to solace with the Emperour.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)208/5 : For þat place is made for no þing elles but only for his desport.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)260 : In a prive corner in disport Fond I Venus..on a bed of gold she lay to reste.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)9054 : Hym to counforte Wyth bodyly food & othyr dysporte.
- ?c1450 Brut-1447 (Trin-C O.9.1)487/25 : A standard..nayled with holme and Ive, for disport of Cristmasse to þe peple of the Cite.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)298 : He walkid in his disport by þe see.
b
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1292 : Now he þat spedez vche spech, þis disport ȝelde yow!
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)11/6 : Þere in is a fair place for justynges or for oþer pleyes & desportes.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)11/21 : He lered hym all maner of disportes: hawkyng, huntyng, playng at the chesse, daunsyng, and synghyng.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)33/23 : He loued woddes and ryvers and all honest dissportes.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)3 : Thys disporte and game of hawkyng is laborous.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)5 : Also whoso wol vse þe game and disporte of angleyng, he muste take hede to thys sentence.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)488 : Statutes were ordeynede..of armes not to be borne, of disportes not to be exercised, excepte archery.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.51 : The actes and disportes [L ludi] Olimpicalle.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)6.469 : The kynge of Scottes confused felle downe to the feete of kynge Edgar, preyenge forȝiffenesse of those wordes seide in disporte [Trev.: game; L joci].
2.
(a) Pleasure taken in an activity or enjoyment derived from it; haven ~, to take pleasure (in sth.), be gratified; (b) consolation, solace; a source of comfort; don ~, to cheer (sb.) up.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.3981 : Swich talkyng is nat worth a boterflye, For ther inne is ther no desport ne game.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.670 : He hadde a book that gladly..For his disport he wolde rede alway.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1325 : Eueryche hath disport To sen þe maner of her noble port.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)647 : I [the Sphynx] haue in herte Inly gret disport That fortune haþ broght the [Oedipus] to my sort.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2894 : The thridde good..That yeveth to lovers most disport Comyth of sight and biholdyng.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)159/20 : Whan the Emperour seeth ony wylde foul, þat he may take it at his owne list & haue the desport & the pley of the flight [i.e. of the falcon].
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)81/1 : If vs liste hafe any disporte, we take & redez þe lyfes..of oure Auncestres.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)14 : Thay wer occupied att the playng of the chesse..yn syngyng and pypyng..and in other honest solaces of grete pleasance and disport.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)36 : The kyng for his disporte An huntyng went.
b
- c1390(c1350) NHom.(2) PSanct.(Vrn)108/1 : Jhesus, þat is ful of disport, Ȝaf his disciplus heore cumfort.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.853 : Suche wordes..full of trouthe and full of feith Thei ben, and of so good desport, That to myn Ere gret confort Thei don.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1332 : That wyf is mannes help and his confort, His paradys terrestre and his disport.
- a1450(a1400) Medit.Pass.(2) (Add 11307)293 : In þat siknesse þou was hure leche; For þou dedest hem mukel disport With a word of gret comfort.
3.
(a) Deportment, conduct; customary behavior, custom, manner; (b) an instance of behavior, an act or activity; don ~, to do something.
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2217 : Tel me furst..wat doþ ȝour men of fraunce. Of hure disport & ek hure play, what is ȝour mest vsaunce?
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.137 : Sikerly she [the Prioress] was of greet desport..And peyned hire to countrefete cheere Of court..And to been holden digne of reuerence.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1425 : Sche [Venus] made comun that desport..That every womman mihte take What man hire liste.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)183 : Sirena is wordlich solas, the which with hire singinge and idel desport draweth the shipmen to hire.
- a1500 BodAdd.A.106 Lapid.(BodAdd A.106)40 : Ye gladlyer he sal thynk in ye saule, & mor he sal loue dysport chast.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1188 : I am so simple of port That, forto feigne som desport, I pleie with hire litel hound.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3100 : So as sche mihte do desport Upon the joie which sche hadde, Hire wynges bothe abrod sche spradde And him..Beclipte and kesste.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)7817 : Dauid for þis ille disport was he neuer of wors coumfort.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)34 : Acorde for no thyng with the god Bachus..His disportis be neyther goode ne fyne, For he maketh the pepyll turne to swyne.
4.
Departure; maken ~, to set out (for a place).
Associated quotations
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)3220 : 'Vysityth me, whan ye haue space; In-to Fraunce makith your disporte!'..Thai toke leve of the kinge With ful hevy cher.