Middle English Dictionary Entry
āblen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | āblen v. Also hablen, h)abill-, abel; p. ppl. ablid, etc. & abild. |
| Etymology | From adj. āble; cp. OF abillier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. enablen.
1.
To enable (sb. to do sth.), give (sb.) power or resources (sufficient for a task).
Associated quotations
- a1425 Wycl.MCh.(Bod 788)416 : Crist ablide Scarioth sumwhat to do wel his office.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)260 : Þe godis of oure neiþboris, bi þilk almes deedis receivid, ablen hem [priests, etc.]..hooly into deedis of þe first table.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)417 : He entendid bi ȝeuyng of his reule to take to monkis such an exercise, wherbi þei schulde be ablid þe more to paie þi pure ful moral lawe.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)15/23 : Þe more a man lerneþ..þe more is his resoun vp liftid and ablid and cleerid to of ech oþir treuþ þe leernyng.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)72/24 : Þat I may leve to se hire..and Abyl me to ley my handys vndyr hire fayr fete.
2.
(a) To prepare (sb. to do or to have sth.), make fit or worthy; to make (sb.) prone (to vice, cruelty, etc.); (b) refl. to prepare oneself (to do or to receive sth.), make oneself fit or ready (for sth.); to train or discipline oneself; (c) to arrange or fix (sth.); to prepare (sth. for a purpose or a process).
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Wycl.MPl.(Add 24202)44 : Siche myrthe more undisposith a man to paciencie and ablith to glotonye and to othere vicis.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)70/1 : Þe presence þerof abliþ a soule for to haue it & for to fele it.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)5 : Ablyn or to make able: Habilito.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)240 : Do and haue þe meenys abling and leding him into þe now seid eend.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)324 : It is not semeli..that bischopis..schulden do and vse deedis strecching and disposing and abling into the grettist vnpitee and grettist cruelnes.
- c1450(c1400) *Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)114b : Thus this drede helpys..and ables hym to hafe contricioun.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)9b : Þilke þat of kynde ben abled to werre.
- a1456(a1407) Scogan MB (Ashm 59)32 : And able me to mercy, or þou deeme.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)171/22 : It is nedful to a man, yf he wole be goode, that he be abled therto as for to knowe trouthe and for to do it in dede.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)159/15 : Þei bi þilk litil be customed and ablid to receyue þe grettir.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)949 : He wyll me able to haue þe yiffte of hys specyall grace.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)8442 : To receyue in vs anone the Holy Gost..for fasting Ables mon therto.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.39 : Than wold I pray his blisfull grace benigne To hable me unto his service digne.
b
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)2/6 : For to able him to contemplatiue leuyng by þe vertuous menes of actiue leuyng.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)131/8 : First lat hem loke ȝif þei haue done þat in hem is before, ablyng hem þerto in clensyng of þeire concyence.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.25 : Þei shulden able hem after Crist and apostlis.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)84/12 : Euery chosyn hyme-self abilland [L se habilitans] to lufe..glorius batels suld vse.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3123 : Thei [judges] ouhte off resoun themseluen to habile, To haue science off philosophie, And knowe ther textis off canoun & cyuyle.
- c1440 Treat.Prayer (Thrn)295 : To þame þat abills þame þare-to, with þe helpe of godd, in all þat þay may.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)168/17 : A litille trouthe is good, for a man ablith him to haue more.
- c1450 Lydg.SPuer(1) (Lamb 853)1 : Mi dere sone, first þi silf able with al þin herte to vertuose discipline.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)169/20 : Ho that ableth himself to trouthe, it shal falle the more vnto him.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.6.19 : God tokneth and assigneth the tymes, ablynge [L aptans] hem to hir propre offices.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.9.37 : Thow..enhauncest the soules and the lasse lyves; and, ablynge [L aptans] hem heye by lyghte waynes or cartes, thow sowest hem into hevene and into erthe.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)341/38 : Resone may drinke watres of deuocione & þe bodye be hablede to receiuynge of grace.
- a1500 Hilton ML (Roy 17.C.18)22/16 : Till oure soule be..abiled to gostely werke.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)99/1768 : To me [read: Turne] þe, trechour, be tyme, þat þou no treson hable.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)51a : Putrefaction..is of bodies the sleinge..The killed bodies into corruption furthre leadynge And afterwarde vnto regeneration them habiling.
3.
To make (sb.) excellent or worthy; to strengthen, adorn, honor.
Associated quotations
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)914 : Grace in this seuen [sacraments] heles man of al gastly sore; And seuen vertues ables him that thou red be-fore.
- c1450 Dice(1) (Frf 16)110 : God of loue so sette hath his plesaunce To ablen yow so fullyche and avaunce, That ther nys lyf within this worldes space, I trowe, that stont so highlych in his grace.
4.
To dress or equip (sb.).
Associated quotations
- (1449) RParl.5.147b : The Kyngs Oncle hath commaunded..that all Nobles prepare them to be redy horsed, armed, and in all wyse abilled as longeth to men of Armes.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)141/24 : She went into her chaumbre and abeled her self in the best manere, and sin saide vnto her vncle, 'Y haue aparailed my selff in this wise to do you the more honestly seruice.'
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)159/17 : He abled hym selff in an other gowne.
5.
(a) Law To grant (sb.) the legal right (to do or to have sth.), empower, enable; (b) to declare (sb.) competent to practice a craft; to admit (sb.) to membership in a guild; to receive (sb. as an elected official); to certify; to appoint (sb.) to office; (c) to legally enable (an activity), permit, license, sanction.
Associated quotations
a
- (1472-3) RParl.6.27a : That by the same auctorite the same John be abled in your lawe to sewe, clayme, inherite, and joy all maner of Hereditaments.
b
- (1409) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.125178 : Yf he take apon hym at any tyme to set uppe and occupy als maister in the sayd crafte, before he be serched and abled..he to forfet xx s.
- (1449) Rec.Norwich 2286 : The said wardeyns..shall not fro this tyme forth receyve, able or admitte noman to haue the cloþinge of ther crafte, but if [etc.].
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)68.595 (v.2:p.33) : Four of his dekons .. talkid softely togider of good prouidence, who myght succedyn whan her maister were hens, and .. in her mynde it ran, to ablen an heremyte clepid Symplician.
- (1472) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.125195 : If all othir maisters of the saide crafte..woll able and admitte the same thre lites, so put in, to be thair serchiours..that than it be leefull to the same thre litez so put, abled, and admitted for to occupy and be serchiours.
- (1472) Mem.Bk.York in Sur.Soc.125210 : It is ordayned that no maister..shall sett no straunger of the same crafte..on warke in that occupacion or tyme be that the sercheours..have examyned, approved, and abled the same straunger.
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)76 : Pages have often tymes beene chosen and abled by the maistyrs of offices and then presented into the countynghouse, there to be entred.
- (a1483) Tailors' Gild Exeter316 : Euery person that shalbe made ffree of the craft bi Redempcion..whan he is abelled, to give a brekefast to the Maister and Wardons.
c
- (1472) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8523 : Item, for owr fechers..yat ya sell noy feche with owt yat it be abyld be fyche [read: syche] offesers as sall be asegnid be Lord & Stuerd.
- (1482) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 53/142)p.174 (189/30) : I hawe born ynto the Plase yowre byllys off costom and subsede whych be abelyd yn courtt.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: For sense 5.(c), Hanham suggests comparison with The Ordinance Book of the Merchants of the Staple (1565), ed. E.E. Rich (1937), pp. 15-16: 'he shalle not departe oute of this estaple before his accomptes ben vieued by the companie .. and abled in court.'