Middle English Dictionary Entry
dǒuen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | dǒuen v.(1) Forms: inf. duhen, dohen; sb. 1 dǒue; sg.3 dēh, dēȝh, dǣh, deah, deih & dǒues, deues, doghis; ppl. duȝende; p. doughte, douȝt, doght(e, dught(e, doht(e, douthe & dǒued, daued; ppl. dought, idoȝt, idouȝth. |
| Etymology | OE pr. ppl. dugende; pr. sg. (WS) dēah (A) dēg; pl. dugon; p. dohte. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of actions or things: to have worth or validity; be useful, profitable, helpful, or effective; avail; ~ the better, turn out all the better; ~ litel (neked), have little (no) effect, avail little (nothing).
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)4872 : Icc amm an wurrm..Icc amm þatt þing þatt nohht ne dæh, Þatt eȝȝwhær iss forrworrpenn.
- a1250 Orison Lord (Nero A.14)202 : Iesu, þin ore! hwat deih þeonne þi blod isched oþe rode?
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)112/377 : On him þu maist þe tresten, [ȝ]if is troyþe deȝh.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)703 : Al he solde þat outh douthe.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)833 : Ne he ne mouthe on þe se take Neyþer lenge ne þornbake, Ne non oþer fish þat douthe.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Devil Phys.(Phys-E)p.149 : Quen he..sau þat his dede litel doht.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10771 : Quen ioseph sagh na hide ne dught, Nedings forth his wand he broght.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)5068 : [Vntil a hey hil] þei fleih, he wist no bettere þat þan deih.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)374 : Þer watz moon for to make when meschef was cnowen, Þat noȝt dowed bot þe deth in þe depe stremez.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1805 : I wolde I hade here Þe leuest þing for þy luf þat I in londe welde..Bot to dele yow for drurye þat dawed bot neked.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5001 : Iff yow do þus in dede, hit doghis the bettur.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)168/14 : Forsuthe, lord, it [a falcon] dught nott; ffor I ete neuer bitterer flessh þan it was.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.70 : Bot alle yat thas fals Jewes aȝeinst crist feigne moght Ware discordant..and noght ne doght.
2.
(a) To be good, useful, profitable, helpful, or alleviating (to sb.); avail; (b) impers. to be possible or opportune (for sb.); (c) impers. to be fitting or proper; be becoming or due (to sb.); -- often with hit.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1184 : Ne he ne wisten wat hem douthe: Þer to dwellen or þenne to gonge.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1125 : Þre ȝer in carebed lay Tristrem..Þat neuer no douȝt him day, For sorwe he hadde oniȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)50 : What dowes me þe dedayn oþer dispit make?
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)14242 : But Arthur sore ouer þoughte ȝyf he wiste what hym doughte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4438 : Quat dewis ȝow..all þis dere fode..ȝoure surfete of drinkis Bot..gers ȝow die or ȝoure day?
b
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(Hrl 2277)182 : 'Hou goþ þis,' quaþ þe king; 'habbe ȝe itournd ȝoure þoȝt? Honoure oure godes, ich ȝou rede, while ȝou is wel idoȝt!'
c
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)45/487 : Ȝef ha milde & meoke beon, as meiden deh [Roy: ah] to beonne.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1435 : Comen cristene a niht ant nomen hare bodies ant biburieden ham deorliche, as hit deh drihtines cnihtes.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1833 : Ure lauerd him seolf com..wið swuch dream ant drihtfare as drihtin deah to cumene..ant spec wið hire.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2197 : Porphire..al þes lefdis licome leofliche smirede..ant biburiede hire as hit deh martir ant cwen for to donne.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)2/17 : For to beon iwurget as drihtin deh to donne.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)96a : Fur is hat & read: I þe heate is understonden euch wa þet eileð flesch, Scheome bi reade; Ah wel mei duhen [Tit: dohen].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)114a : Ring ne broche ne habbe ȝe..ne glouen, ne nan swuch þing þet ow ne deh [Nero: deih; Tit: deah] to habben.
- c1230 *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15a : Ȝef he lokeð toward bed oðer easkeð hwer ȝe liggeð, ondswerieð lihtliche: 'Sire, þerof wel mei duhen & haldeð ow stille.'
3.
Of persons: (a) to be strong; (b) to be capable (of doing sth.), able (to do); (c) to have success, prevail, be victorious; (d) to have courage, be brave.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5897 : Þe kyng þere soiourned to he was hoole..Þo þe kyng was hool and wel ydouȝth, Mo wondres he haþ ysouȝth.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23771 : Fight he aght ai quils he dught [Göt: doght], And fle quen he langer ne moght.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4058 : I am a duke dedelike my-selfe; Forþi, vnde[d]lynes to dele, I dowe be na ways.
c
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.133 : Philip of Flandres fleih & turned sonne þe bak, & Thebald nouht ne deih; schame of þam men spak.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.159 : Þe kyng Isaak fleih, his men had no foyson; At þat tyme he ne deih, his partie ȝede doun.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)80 : Thow maiste aske Vlfin how he hath dought in makynge of this pees.
d
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4123 : Þa seide Dunwale, þat was þe duȝende [Otho: doþti] mon: 'Nu heo beð forsworne [etc.].'
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)231/4 : A halte man..scornyd þe clerk, & said þat he dughte nott.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1350 Ballad Sc.Wars (Jul A.5)90 : Ay Toupe…es redy þare; A-gayn him yitt es nane þat dou [rime: prou]; On yonde-alf Humbre es ay Bare, Be he sped, sal side ssou.
Note: New spelling: sg. 3 dǒu.
Note: ?Belongs to sense 3.(c).--notes per MLL