Middle English Dictionary Entry
drī(e adj.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | drī(e adj.(2) Also driȝ(e, drih & dregh(e, dreȝ(e, drei, dreiȝ. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI drjūg-r great, strong, lasting (akin to OE drēogan). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. drīen (2).
1.
(a) Great, large, tall; of blows: hard, heavy; of a warrior: strong, valorous; driest del, greater part; (b) lasting, long; of a way or path: long, tedious; ~ fro, distant from.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)79.11 : His schadw ouerhiled hilles hegh, And his twigges goddes cedres dregh.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1460 : Quen þe dyntez hym dered of her dryȝe strokez, Þen..on burnez he [the boar] rasez.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)935 : He laid on þat loodly..With dynttes full dregh, till he to dethe paste.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5322 : [Hercules] was hardiest of othir..dreghist in armys.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11890 : The durres to vndo of the dregh horse.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)102 : There me dremed, in that dowte, a full dreghe sweuynn.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2091 : Days thre þurȝe-out thraly we foȝten, Derfe dintis & dreȝe delt & taken.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5568 : Þe dreȝest deele of þaim died of his dukis handis.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)696 : His dynttys were full dreghe.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2621 : The kynge was lokyd in A felde By A ryuer brode And dreghe [rime: hyghe].
b
- a1300 Worldes blis ne last (Rwl G.18)28 : Wen þu list, mon, upon bere ant slepest a swyþe druye [vr. dreri] slep, ne shaltu haben wit þe no fere butte þine werkus.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12205 : Þe lasse hil was nought so drey ffro þe more, but euene ney.
- a1450(?a1349) ?Rolle Luf es lyf (Cmb Dd.5.64)12 : Þe bede of blysse it gase ful nee..Þof us thynk þe way be dregh [Lamb: drie; rime: nyȝ].
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1622 : The chekker was choisly þere chosen þe first, The draghtes, the dyse, and oþer dregh gaumes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4441 : Ȝoure surfete of drinkis..settis ȝow in-to sekenes..And gers ȝow die or ȝoure day many dreȝe wyntir.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)1886 : A stepull then the lady sye, Sche þoght þe wey þedur full drye.
2.
Burdensome, heavy, sorrowful; dismal, depressing.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)823 : Lo, Godez Lombe as trwe as ston, þat dotz away þe synnez dryȝe [rime: professye].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)342 : Ful grayþely gotz þis god man and dos Godez hestes, In dryȝ dred and daunger, þat durst do non oþer.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1750 : In dreȝ droupyng of dreme draueled þat noble, As mon þat watz in mornyng of mony þro þoȝtes.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2844 : A, Deth, Deth! drye is þi dryfte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3320 : Elan..driet the dropis of hir dregh teris.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4804 : Þen metis he doun..in-to a mirk vale, A dreȝe dale & a depe, a dym & a thestir.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)159/229 : Be dalys drey þat be derk þei xall cum.
3.
(a) Patient, long-suffering; (b) of the face or expression: unchanging, unmoved.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)49 : Lomb is drih þing and milde and bitocneð loðlesnesse.
- a1300 Edi beo þu (Corp-O 59)34 : Moder, ful of þewes hende, Maide dreiȝ [etc.].
- a1300 Hit bilimpeð (Corp-O 59)22 : Al swo is in heuene heȝ, in eorþe beo þin wille, holi drichte swete & dreȝ, in heldes & in hulle.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)1113 : Marie, þat is his Moder leof and driȝe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)724 : Nade he ben duȝty and dryȝe, & dryȝtyn had serued, Douteles he hade ben ded & dreped ful ofte.
b
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)335 : Wyth sturne schere þer he stod..& wyth a countenaunce dryȝe he droȝ doun his cote, No more mate ne dismayd [etc.].