Middle English Dictionary Entry
dī̆vers(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | dī̆vers(e adj. Also diverce, diveresse, divirs, diwers & (?error) duers. Pl. diverse(s. |
| Etymology | L dīversus & OF divers(e. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Differing in kind or character, different, divergent; ~ fro(m, differing from (sth.); (b) of different opinion, in disagreement; ~ of entent.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.401 : The manere leuynge of þat lond Is wel dyuers [L differt] from Engelond.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.489 : In this manere it [enuye] is dyuers from alle othere synnes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.701 : Mercurie loueth wysdam and science And Venus loueth riot and dispence; And for hir diuerse disposicioun Ech falleth in otheres exaltacioun.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)215a/b : Garlek and oynouns beþ dyuers.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)119/5 : Brekynge of boonys in þe heed is dyuers in perels fro brekynge of oþere boonys in þe bodi.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)22 : A Buk is a diuerse beest; he haþ not is heere as an herte [etc.].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.1.19 : Yit ben thei divers somwhat fro the path of my purpos.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.4.146 : And thou wenest that it be dyvers fro the holnesse of science that any man scholde deme a thing to ben otherwyse than it is itself.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)86/12 : Dyuers þerfore it is be lufe in felynge of flesch to be tane, & fro a bodily felynge to a syght Ioyfull dreedfull to be tane.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)235 : Noon oþer deede of þi lawe dyuers fro þe seid loues is plesing to þee and according to þe doer.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)186 : For it ne sit not vnto fressh May Forto be coupled to oold Ianuari: Thei ben so diuers þat þei most varie.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)15/35 : They wer both yong knyghtes..Of dyuers maners, but of hardynes and boldnys..al y-lyke.
b
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1715 : At this counsayl, diuers of entent..Thre folkes were present.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)117a/a : Oure doctoures were so dyuerse [*Ch.(1): varying; L varij] and discordynge in the difference of ham [skin infections].
2.
(a) Of various kinds, not of one and the same kind, various; ~ maner, various kinds; in (on) ~ wise, in various ways; (b) variegated, mottled, multi-colored.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)428 : Man, ȝwane he is i-bore onder heore power..Schullen habbe diuers lijf..Some lechours, some glotones and some of oþur manere.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10523 : Some hii nome and tormentede in diuerse tormens.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.590 : On þat helme stode a flour, Wrouȝt it was of diuers colour.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)19/527 : Þe fend hym-self him maky mey Wel dyuerse liknynges.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)73/23 : Dyuerse pines and wepinges and zorȝes.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)124/26 : Þise uour uirtues habbeþ diuerse offices.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3727 : Þus driue þei forþ þe day with diuerse mirthe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.161 : Hit semeþ a greet wonder how Englische..is so dyuerse [L diversa] of sown in þis oon ilond..Þere is as many dyuers manere Frensche in..Fraunce as is dyuers manere Englische in..Engelond.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2981 : Hire..Cope..The which was wonderli begon With colours of diverse hewe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7327 : Glotonye cumþ yn place On many maner dyuers wyse.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)695 : Alkines thing in diuers [Vsp: serekin] wise ȝeilded to Adam þair seruise.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)14/1,2 : A medicyn..þat worchip dyuers effectis, & he be I-leid to dyuers complexiouns.
- (1423) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.132/69 : We endite John Bambiry..for byyng and sellyng Oxyn & other diuerse chaffare.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.31.10 : Sheep..varye and spotti and of dyuers colours [L diversorum colorum].
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.61 : In diverse wise..The ravysshyng to wreken of Eleyne..they wroughten al hir peyne.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4788 : On divers wyse.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1976 : Of chepe, of derth, and of ruyne..and of dyvers accident.
- (1451) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 492 : For expenses doo at Bristow..and oder expenses dyverse wyse, ij s.
- c1460 Cursor (LdMisc 416)9913 : This castell ys..payntyd..with iije colours of dyuerce hew.
- c1460 Cursor (LdMisc 416)9533 : To echon dyuerce [Göt: sundri] yeftes he yave.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)193/1259j : An hundrid mynstrelles..Diuverse melodye for to shewe.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxix : Martyres han suffrid many dyuers kyndis of peynes.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)99 : He hard a sovne Of dyvers mynstrelse, Of trompus, pypus, and claraneris.
b
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)364 : Þe vousour was auowed al Of ich maner diuers aumal.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)307b/b : Colours of yhen ben foure: blak, whitissh, dyuers [L varius] and ȝolow.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)119a/b : Bloo or blac or varius i. diuerse [*Ch.(2): dyuerse colourede].
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)83 : Steedis four..red..blak..whight..dyuers.
3.
(a) Separate, distinct, individual; (b) unusual, strange, wonderful.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)222/259 : So as we habeþ i seid of diuers wordles [F del diuers tens del siecle].
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)255 : He liet cleopie eche-manere men of eche diuerse londe.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)136/190 : Þaȝ hy be ine reyson dyuers, O god hyt hys.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)326a/a : Many dyuers þinges y-gadered togidres beþ oon, as many stones makeþ oon hepe.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)389 : Boþe were made sonne and mone, Eiþer wiþ his dyuerse [vrr. ouen, awen, sere] liȝt.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)97b/b : If þe hand..touche þe broken membre, he fyndeþ þe partiez of þe bone seperate, ysondre, and vary or diuers.
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)70 : His howndis..Wente to the wode, als thay were wrothe, Ilkone a dyverse waye.
- ?a1450 Lanfranc (Add 12056)4/6 : Woundes þat mowen falle to dyuers lymes, from þe hed to þe fote.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)564/10 : Sir Trystram and sir Palomydes departyd, and ayther toke their wayes dyverse.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)2594 : His eerles and barons..of many dyuerse londe.
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)80 : After mete þe lordys wyse, Euerych yn dywers queyntise To daunce wente be ryght asyse.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)91/29 : Þe keyes of þe same entre be saueli kepte..The oþer keye, alle diuers, schal þe Abbesse kepe.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2422 : Þan me byfil a wonder diuers cas..A ful gret hert I sawe a-fore me renne [etc.].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2483 : Þus þis god, diuers of liknes, More wonderful þan I can expresse, Schewed hym silf, [etc.].
- 1448-a1500 Rich.(b-version:Brunner)109/8 : An auentures knyght ther cam ryde Jn dyuers atyre.
4.
Several, more than one, numerous; mani ~ times, many different times; -- also as noun.
Associated quotations
- (1448) Acc.Bk.Carpenter Co.15 : Resseyvyd of dyvyrs men to ye cost of ye ordenary, iiij s.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.St.Austin (Hrl 2255)286 : I warnyd him many divers tymes.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)3638 : He..had made diuerse hale.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15160 : Resceytes of bequestes and gyftes to the seid cros of dyuers out of this church..of Thomas Lumbard..vj s..of William Ferror..vj s.
- (a1460) Let.Stubbe in Nrf.Archaeol.2354 : Other dyverce of hys neyghborys.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.46a : Dyverces Grauntes made unto the..Prynce.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)2908 : Dyueresse lordes of ferre contre.
- a1500 LRed Bk.Bristol2.151 : Wheere diuerses debates and variaunces weere had bitween the Masters and Craftholders.
5.
(a) Of persons, actions, attitudes, etc.: disagreeable, unkind, perverse, hostile, vicious; (b) of Fortune, the weather, etc.: adverse, unfavorable.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)68/26 : A zenne þet comþ of þe herte þet is rebel..and dyuers.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)162/2 : Þoȝtes newe, diuerses, and wyluolle.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3436 : If that thei weren ferst diverse, The tirannies whiche he wroghte, A thousendfold welmore he soghte Thanne afterward to do malice.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4102 : Daunger is wers..and more dyvers, And feller eke than evere he was.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4724 : Bochas..callith hem [women] eek dyuers and onstable, Beestis rassemblyng that been insaciable.
- c1440(?c1350) Mirror St.Edm.(4) (Thrn)25/5 : Of it [anger] comes stryfes..dyuerse [L praua] wordes, and deuyouse and wikked sclandirs.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)30 : That a qwen myght be so dyuers to stepe chyldirne, that for some malice she myght disheryte hem.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)146/5 : By worshipp and by curtesie beryng vnto hir, ye shall hold the love of hir bonde vnto you..forto be dyuers and roode vnto hir, she myght happenly chaunge.
- ?c1450 Knt.Tour-L.(Hrl 1764)89/26 : Eutalia..was euell and diuerse withouten ani pitee.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.1417 : He fond the See divers, With many a wyndi storm revers.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.602 : Fortune..was to this lord diverse.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1 : Djuers is þis myddellerde To lewed men and to lerede..sorouȝ Js myd man vche morowȝe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5226 : Þouȝ þe weder be Wonder diuers & troubly.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1195 : Fortune adverse..Fy on youre myght and werkes so dyverse!
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.122v : In oure tymes, sturyngges of hetes and batailles and struccion of oure prouinces and also well cruwell rubbynges and rauesshinges of barbare enmys, westynge and duerse tribulacions of hethen men to tourmentyng vs.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(c1450) ?Scrope Mirror World (Bod 283) 9442 : If þyn yee be symple and clene, thye bodye is al clere and shynyng; if thye yee be foule and diuers, thye bodye is dymme and derke.
Note: Ed.: "diuers: 'evil' ([F] divers)." See Tobler-Lommatsch, s.v. divers adj., which is not quite recorded in MED.
Note: See 5.(a) 'disagreeable, unkind, perverse, hostile, vicious'.
Note: ?Modify gloss or new sense.