Middle English Dictionary Entry
dī̆tẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dī̆tẹ̄ n. Also dete, deitee, deti. Pl. ditẹ̄es, ditẹ̄s, dities, diteis, dittis. |
| Etymology | OF ditié, dité. Some instances included here may belong to dīt, pl. dītes, from OF dit, which is largely synonymous with OF dit(i)é. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Any literary composition in verse or prose, whether intended to be read, recited or sung; (a) a poem, song, hymn; (b) coll. verse, poetry, song; (c) a drama; esp., a tragedy; (d) a treatise or essay.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.156 : Swiþe wel ȝe vnderstode, Þat makid þis ditee so gode.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)39.4 : He laide gode worde in my mouþe, dite [L carmen] to our Lord.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.25.20 : Eisel in glas, that singeth dites [WB(2): songis; WB(2) Gloss.: songis; that is, the seiyngis of the law and of profetis; L carmina] with peruertid herte.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.309 : Also a Greek þat was a grete makere usede to make noble ditees in preysinge of Cesar.
- c1400(1389) Wycl.25 Art.(Dc 273)481 : Wheþer þis chauntyng of Kyries, Sanctus, and Agnus..makus men to have savoure in þese dytees.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)406 : Redere, who-so þat hit be, Þat þis dite wol knowe, Þe Comaundement with him bere.
- (c1390) Gower CA 1st Concl.(Bod 902)8.2945* : Of Ditees and of songes glade..The lond fulfild is overal.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.48 : Orpheus Whos dites wern so mellodyus.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2793 : Omer, for..þi lusty songes and þi dites swete.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.15.1 : Thanne Moyses soong, and the sones of Israel, this ditee [WB(2): song; L carmen] to the Lord and seiden: 'Synge we to the Lord [etc.].'
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.31.30 : Moyses spak..the wordis of this dite [WB(2): song; L carminis]..'Here ȝe, heuens [etc.].'
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)12a/b : Carmen: a scharme or a dyte or a þyng mad by fote.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.m.1.4 : Allas! I, wepynge, am constreyned to bygynnen vers of sorwful matere, that whilom in florysschyng studie made delitable ditees.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)79/25 : My hart waxst warme with fyer of lufe, & in-to lufly ditis with-in fyrst I rose vp.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.338 : Poetes that fond out fressh ditees.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)2012 : Entytlyd..'Of þe weddynge dytees', metryd coryously.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)622 : To make bookys, songes, dytees..Of Love.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)347/7 : Wherefore he, takynge þat sawtrye..beganne to pleye & singe, & toke his dyte of þe prophetes worde.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)178/26 : Þat rymed dyte was enspyred to hir wiþ-outen alle difficulte.
- c1450 De CMulieribus (Add 10304)1468 : In metrys and dyteys-makyng she bare the pryse.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)230/5 : Mete of deuyle is songe and curiose dittys and derk makynge of poetes.
- 1468 Medulla (StJ-C C.22)98 : Carmen: A dete.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.409 : Somme poetes be callede diuynes, in that they made tretys and dites [L carmina] of goddes.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Horns (LdMisc 683)41 : This litel schort dyte..lat it be noon offence To your womanly mercyfull pyte!
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)35a : A Dety: Carmen.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)2.5.32b : Let this be your dite and youre song: 'Allas, the carefull tyme þat euere we wer conceyued [etc.].'
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.409 : Som poetes beeþ i-cleped dyvynes, ffor þey made here deytee [L carmina] of goddes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.143 : Cedmon..was i-tauȝt by inspiracioun of God to mak songes and ditee [Higd.(2): dites; L carmina].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)187a/a : Dyte of seculer profytes [L secularium carmina poetarum], for godenesse of þe grounde, mened þat þis Ilondes ben paradys.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.12.54 : Yyve we to Orpheus his wif..he hath wel ybought hire by his faire song and his ditee.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.39 : But although the noryssynges of dite of musyk deliteth the, thou most suffren and forberen a litel of thilke delit.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.844 : In Troye Wer song & rad lusty fresche comedies, And oþer dites þat called be tragedies.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.2.79 : Tragedye is to seyn a dite of a prosperite for a tyme, that endeth in wrecchidnesse.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.6.4 : A tragedien (that is to seyn, a makere of dytees that highten tragedies).
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.152 : As a traiadien in his ditee þus cryeth.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)49 : These two poetes, Sophocles and Euripides, that were cleped Tragedies. Trajedi is as mech to sey as he that writith eld stories, with ditees hevy and sorowful.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.101 : An howse whiche was callede scena, in whom poetes and makers of dites [Trev.: gestoures; L carminatores] rehersede þeim in a pulpitte.
d
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.361 : Aristotle..tauȝte faire and noble spekynge, as it is..i-sene in his Commentis Homerici and in Ditee of Troye [L sua Homerici commenta et Iliadis dictamen].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5286 : And whilom of this amyte Spak Tulius in a ditee: 'Man shulde maken his request Unto his freend [etc.].'
2.
(a) A letter or message; (b) pl. the contents of a letter; ~ of joie, words of joy, greetings.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)819 : Þis tiþingus come To Dindimus, þe dere king, þat þe dite radde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2726 : He..ditis agayn to ser Dary þis dete þat foloȝes.
b
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1908 : Sire Darius, for þe ditis [vr. detes] nere died he for angire.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2066 : Ser dary on his dese þa dities [vr. dytes] a-visis, Held þe lettir in his loue.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4214 : To þe, ser Dindyn, on þi dese dities of Ioye.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)167/2842* : Sir Dary for þoo dytez was deply diseassyd.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11946 : The dyn & the dite was dole for to here, Of men þat were murtheret at the meane tyme.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1347 : Of the dite & þe dyn was dole to be-holde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5788 : Cloudis with the clamour claterit aboue, Of the dit & þe dyn, þat to dethe went.
Note: New sense: this sense is not attested in the MED. Add a sense 3. to the definitions with the gloss, 'shouting, clamor, vociferation.'
Note: Note that the phrase the dine and the ~, the ~ and the dine in these quots. may be construed as 'clamor, uproar'. Perhaps place just this blod-faced phrase after the gloss.--notes per MLL