Middle English Dictionary Entry
dōtāǧe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dōtāǧe n. Also datage. |
| Etymology | From dōten . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The condition of being foolish, folly, madness; also, foolish behavior; (b) foolish love, infatuation; (c) senility, dotage; (d) decay, deterioration.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1425 : Wyne..al waykned his wyt..Þenne a dotage ful depe drof to his hert.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)7.478 : Of ribaudi thou fill in such dotage.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9749 : Masit were our myndes..And we in dotage full depe dreuyn..For the wille of a woman.
- c1450(c1400) ?Clanvowe Cuckoo & N.(Frf 16)169 : Loving..in yonge folke is but rage, And in olde hit is a grete dotage.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.688 : Ye taken the bark..Ther-on ye fede yow ryght in ȝour dotage; The swete frute..Ȝe desire it not.
b
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)7722 : She ganne so nye fall wyth hym in dotage, Saue that wysdome restreyned corage.
- c1450(c1396) Chaucer Buk.(Benson-Robinson)8 : I dar not writen of it [mariage] no wikkednesse, Lest I myself falle eft in swich dotage.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1134 : He coude no defence, Save evir-more..stare on hir visage, That the most parte of Room held it for dotage.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)125/2 : Hit befelle that Merlyon felle in dotage on the damesell..he was assoted uppon hir, that he myght nat be from hir.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1780 : If that the housbande doo ony offence Beside his wyffe of vnleefull corage..yet she of hir prudende [read: prudence] May put hym aside froo his dotage.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.3898 : The streem of lyf now droppeth on the chymbe..With olde folk, saue dotage, is namoore!
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.709 : The clerk, whan he is old..Thanne sit he doun and writ in his dotage That wommen kan nat kepe hir mariage.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1253 : Whan that he was passed sixty yeer, Were it for holynesse or for dotage..swich a greet corage Hadde this knyght to been a wedded man.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)998 : How with sorow and vnweldy age This Edippus fille into dotage, lost his wit.
- a1456(a1407) Scogan MB (Ashm 59)146 : Whane youþe passeþe his saysoun, Comþe croked and vnweldy palled age. Soone affter þat komþe kalendes of dotage.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)5530 : Offte sythe Ryot & age Putte folkys in dotage, That they may not trouthe se.
d
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.861 : This tre..in his age He goth out of his kynde into datage [vr. dotage].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. dotage.