Middle English Dictionary Entry

almes(se n.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms almes(se n. Also allemesse, amesse, almisse, alme; elmes(se; almose, -mouse, -mus. Pl. (early) almessen, elmessen, almosun; almesses.
Etymology OE ælmesse, -misse, pl. -an; forms with ọ̄ or ǒu are influenced by ON (cp. OI œlmusa), ML elemosina (CL eleemosyna, from Gr.), or OF almosne, aumone.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Anything given to relieve those in poverty or distress, any charitable gift or offering, alms; an allotment of alms; eten ~, be dependent on alms; gan on ~, liven bi, of ~, live on alms; sitten at ~, wait for alms; (b) food from the table reserved for distribution to the poor; (c) ~ of the craft, a fund for the relief of guild members in distress; (d) be weie of, for, in, on, to ~, as a charitable gift, by way of charity, as alms; (e) of his ~, by his voluntary (and charitable) gift; (f) hous of ~, alms house.
Show 51 Quotations
2.
(a) Benevolent or charitable action, deeds of mercy, works of charity; alms-giving; charitable action as a means of making satisfaction for sin or of earning 'merit'; don almes; (b) a benevolent act; deeds of mercy, works of charity; -- usu. pl.; (c) bodili, lichamli ~, corporal works of charity; one of the (seven) bodily deeds of mercy (i.e. giving food, drink, or clothing, visiting the sick, relieving those in prison, giving hospitality to strangers, and burying the needy dead); gostli, spiritual ~, spiritual works of charity; one of the (seven) spiritual deeds of mercy (i.e. teaching, advising, chastising, comforting, forgiving, patience, and prayer).
Show 31 Quotations
3.
Satisfaction made for sin, or 'merit' earned, by works of charity; meritorious action in general, a good deed; lesen almes, fail to earn 'merit' by one's alms-giving; it is almes, it is a good deed or a good thing [used ironically in a1450 Parton.].
Show 12 Quotations
4.
The will to relieve need or suffering (as a kind of alms); pity, mercy, charity.
Show 5 Quotations
5.
Law (a) Perpetual tenure (subject only to the jurisdiction of the church and free from any secular service), frankalmoin; property held in such tenure or income from such property; in, to fre (pure, perpetual) almes, in frankalmoin [see Pollock & Maitland, Hist.Eng.Law 1.240-51]; (b) endowment with property in frankalmoin.
Show 10 Quotations
6a.
(a) almes(se asking, asking for alms, begging; (b) ~ ded, q.v.; (c) ~ del, ~ idal, ~ deler, ~ deling, alms-giving, etc.; (d) ~ doer, ~ doing, alms-giver, etc.; (e) ~ gift, ~ yevere, ~ yeving, alms-giving, etc.; (f) ~ werk, an act of charity.
Show 23 Quotations
6b.
(a) almes(se dish, q.v.; ~ sak; ~ vessel = ~ dish; (b) ~ monei; ~ silver; ~ win; (c) ~ folk, alms-givers; ~ man, q.v.; (d) ~ rewe, beggars' row or lane.
Show 9 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1225 Wor.Gloss.(Corp-C 178)808/106 : Ælmes-æcer: ælme aker.
    • Note: New comb.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1475(c1450) ?Scrope Mirror World (Bod 283)1112 : Ther was a man of the vilage whiche wente to an almesse that a brothirhode made of flesshe at a fastynggoyng.
Note: Loosely belongs under sense 2.(a), but appears here uniquely to mean an event or occasion at which alms are given, an almsgiving or charitable event.'

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • (1458-60) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31249 : Paied..for Ropes for the litil belle and the Almes belle, xvi d. ob.
Note: A particular church bell designated the 'alms bell'.

©2024 Regents of the University of Michigan. For details about this collection's copyright see the MEC copyright statement and the U-M Library Copyright Policy. Data last refreshed December 2023.