Middle English Dictionary Entry
dī̆versitẹ̄ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dī̆versitẹ̄ n. Also divers(e)te, divercite, diversitie, deversite. |
| Etymology | OF diverseté |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Difference, dissimilarity, disparity; (b) a point of difference, an instance of unlikeness, a difference; (c) divergence, deviation.
Associated quotations
a
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)313 : How greet dyuersitee Betwixt the sonne ther is & the moone.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Par.14.11 : Lord, no dyuersitee is anentis thee, whether thou helpe in fewe ethir in manye.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.9.92 : Suffisaunce, power, noblesse, reverence, and gladnesse be oonly diverse by names, but hir substaunce hath no diversite.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)100 : Both of Frensch and of Germayn kynde Was þis man born be swech dyuersite Of matrimony.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)31 : The letteris of the Chalde tonge..acorde with the Hebrew letteres..in nowmbir and in sownd; but in the maner of writing, and schap of the letteres, thei have grete dyversite.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)14/34 : What difference or diuersite is þere bitwix þese iij maners of seiyngis?
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.27.70b : Man..fyndith dyuersite and contrariouste, as hete and colde, most and drie.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)16/23 : For diuersite of opinyons & of wittes ofte tymes growiþ dissencions bitwene frendes.
b
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)283 : Ȝit is þer a diuersete be-twixe bodili & gostli dedes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)112a/b : For cause of þis diuersite philosofres assignyþ in many maner wise.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)15/11 : A surgian..muste knowe þe dyuersitees & þe profitis & þe officis of lymes.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)13/15 : To schewe ȝou a partie of custumes & maneres & dyuersitees of contrees.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)306 : Summe men..han more nede to attende toward hemsilf and summe men han lasse nede, and þis dyuersite is so greet [etc.].
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)109 : This diuersite is wel taught bi Seynt Thomas.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)27 : Thus of al thyng ther been dyuersites, Some of estat, & som of lowe degrees.
c
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 21.21 : Þow teches discencyone or diuerste [WB: departing; L discessionem] fro Moises of þo Iewes..þat hem owes noghte to circumcide þer childer.
2.
(a) Separateness, distinctness, individuality; (b) distinction, discrimination; also, a distinctive mark, a badge; maken ~, taken ~, to make a distinction, discriminate; (c) a strange thing.
Associated quotations
a
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)15/34 : Ilka persone in þe self contenes þe hole godhede..not wantand distinccion of diuersite after þe propirte of þe name.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)50/11 : Þe pylgram ansswerd agayn & sayd þat it was þe dyuersitye..of a mans vysage; ffor & all men..war samen, yt ij sulde nott be fon to-gedur þat was lyke in visage.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)278b/b : Houndes..takeþ no dyuersite bytwene moder and suster..touchinge þe dede of leccherie.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.405 : This that thow doost, calle it gentilesse, Compassioun, and felawship, and trist. Departe it so, for wide-wher is wist How that ther is diversite requered Bytwixen thynges like.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.79 : And it is ynow to seie for dyversite, þat God haþ special sentence of on and not so of anoþer.
- c1450(c1430) Brut-1430 (Glb E.8)426/11 : And euyry crafte a dyuersite on her garnement, to knowe euyry crafte be hym-self.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)1.551 : So was he called thanne, for diuersite, kyng of Alysavndre allone, rygh[t] for differens Of þe kyng of Egypte.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)211/23 : He sholde noone dyuersite of Persones make for-why god made al men y-lyke.
c
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)108/18 : To sechen strange thinges & oþer dyuersitees of the world.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)209/27 : Withouten ony more rehercyng of dyuersiteez or of meruaylles þat ben beȝonde.
3.
(a) Variety, diversity, diverseness; (b) a variety or kind; (c) clothing of various colors; (d) as adj.: diversified.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.31 : Dyuerste [L variationes] of liuynge, passynge of ages, maner of doynge.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.267 : By þe dyuersite of heuene is dyuersite of coloures of face, of quantite..of body.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.173 : Among alle Englische i-medled to giders is so grete chaungynge and diuersite [L varietas]..of array [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)141b/a : Eueriche foule is twey fotid..but in disposicioun of feet and of legges is most diuersite foounde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)267a/b : Þe serpent Sitalis schyneþ wiþ dyuersite of spekkes.
- a1400 12 PTrib.(1) (Roy 17.B.17)55 : Þere mony marchaunds shal wepe þat here laghen & ioyen of dyuersite of worldly solace.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2942 : Ȝe may considre and Se Of conceytes ful grete diuersyte.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ex.31.5 : What euer thing may be forgid of gold and of siluer..and dyuerste of trees.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1793 : Ther is so gret diversite In Englissh and in writyng of oure tonge.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.10.184 : That alle thise thinges maken or conjoynen as a maner body of blisfulnesse of diversite of parties or membres.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)59a/a : Tentes..taken dyuersite of þe ende for þe whiche þay ben made.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)98b/a : Thise..ben þe differences þe whiche maken dyuersite in þe werk [F qui font diuersifier l'operation].
- (1429) RParl.4.346b : For whiche diversite and variaunce of the seide names, the seide Suppliauntz doubten hem of damage and prejudice.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)143 : Now þilke dyuersitee of peynes schal be rehercid.
- a1450(?1348) Rolle FLiving (Cmb Dd.5.64)103/14,15 : Þe diversite of lufe makes þe diversite of halynes and of mede.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)151/2 : Now..seye we..wiþ how mykel dyuerste of vertues she was arayed.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)47/5 : Of þis kynde of natural vertues is so greet multitude and dyuersite þat [etc.].
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)150.4 : Thai sown all samyn in acordandist dyuersite, as it is in orgyns.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)47a : Thing into thinges muste therfore be rotate vnto diversite be brought to perfit vnite.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)75b/a : Þer is þre maner diuersitees of drinke, ffor som drink is onliche drink, as watir þat norshiþ not þe body, And som..is medicinal.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)90a/b : Þese diuersites of feueres beþ I-knowe by here owne signes & tokenes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)236b/b : Þer is also many diuersite of notes þat acordeþ to medicyne as nux musticata, nux indica.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.12.47 : Thise diversites of moevynges.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)376 : Wheþer we lyuen in oon craft or in an oþer craft..in wedlok or in chastite, and so forþ of oþere diuersitees.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)30/14 : As mony dyuerys peeples as hit haþe dwellers, so many hit haþe dyuersites of toungis and languagis.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)120/26 : Dyuerse herbis acordeþ vnto dyuersitees of infirmitees of body.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.44.10 : The queen..in clothing ouergilt, enuyround with dyuersete [WB(2): dyuersitee; L circumdata varietate].
d
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)404 : We schulen be more..quycly moued to..aske, if we aske boonys in her dyuersite specialitees, þan if we aske hem alle to gidere vndir oon generalite.
4.
(a) An adverse circumstance; an unkind or hostile act; (b) conflict, strife; (c) perverseness.
Associated quotations
a
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)42/30 : Sighinge and weping for the diuersitees of þis worlde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)358/88 : Resseyuynge here [the Virgin] to joye from worldly perplexite..Seyinge here, sche fere no maner of diuercyte.
- a1500 Now god þat syttyst (Cmb Ff.1.6)p.241 : He that hathe the word at hys owne wylle..Ech mannys hestes ys glad to fulfylle; He thenkyth upon noon deversite.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.352 : Wher is discord, ther is dyuersite, And wher is pes is prudent policie In ech kyngdam.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.490 : He [the jealous] torneth into strif The lust of loves duete, And al upon diverste.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.20va (1.4) : Ryȝt as the fode diuerseþ the vryn vppon diuersite of quantites of fode, s. vppon þat it is mykel or litle or ellez mene, riȝt so it varieþ & diuerse þe vryn vppon diuersites of his qualites, s. vppon þat he is hote or colde, moyste or drie in complexioun.
Note: Antedates sense 1.(a).
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.20va (1.4) : Diuerse auctoures make no distinccioun, i. no dyuerste, bytwene karopos & whit & ȝelow & mylk-whit.
Note: Additional quot., prob. sense 2.(b).