Middle English Dictionary Entry
al-wei, -wei(e)s adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | al-wei, -wei(e)s adv. Also alway(e)s; S alne-wey; early SW alles-weis. |
| Etymology | From the OE noun phr. ealne weg (acc. of extent), which survives in S texts as alne-wei, elsewhere (with loss of adj. inflection) as al-wei. The form alwei(e)s (rare before 1400) has the adv. suffix -es; it is not derived from the early SW alles-weis, which arises from the gen. phrase. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
All the way; in every way or respect.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)24/389 : Eiðer is allesweis ipaiet of oðer.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)1b : Ȝe schulen alles weis..wel witen þe inre & te uttre for hire sake.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2620 : Þei went fast on here way..but alwei as þei went, wasted þei it founde.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)184 : Þat fayre palays..was ful worthly wroght always.
- a1500(1413) ?Hoccl.Poems PS (Eg 615)170 : Thu alwey art grettere than he is.
2.
(a) All the while, continually, incessantly, always; ~ afterward, ~ sitthe, ever thereafter; ~ still, ~ yet; (b) with comp. adj. or adv.: progressively; ~ more, more and more; etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)84 : Þe zonne..alneway yernþ and ne is neure wery.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)136,137 : Þe wel couaytouse wrechche þet alneway heþ þet eȝe to þe guodes þet oþre habbeþ, and doþ alneway and makeþ alneway semblont þet he ne heþ naȝt.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)178 : Þet weter þet alneway geþ in..be þe ssrifte ich me arere alneway þe more milde.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)345 : Þe child weped al-way wonderliche fast.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.832 : For alway siththe, more and more The world empeireth every day.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1840 : Til I be take into my grave..I schal alwey be such to yow.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)152b/b : A welle that renneþ noȝt alweye, but certeyne daies and houres.
- c1400(a1376) *PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)[9.20] f.22a : He nis not alwey at hom among ȝow ffreris; He is oþerwhile ellis where.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.608 : And alweye fix on hir he hadde his loke.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.142 : Ye Troians with us Grekes wrothe Han many a day ben, alwey yet, parde.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)43/3 : Vse it alway afterwarde.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)93 : And oure lord sekes in world all-wase Who wyll be sauyd.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)137 : On him she thoghte alwey til that she slep.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)143/4 : Allwayes his blood felle frome hym faste.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)158/3 : My sistir..is allway aboute to betray me.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)25/4 : The secounde primacye enduryd alwey stylle from þe firste ordynaunce.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)73/3 : Þat þei not reule ne ordeyne aȝens goddis lawe, but alweie wiþ goddis lawe.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1044 : Thus in that contre abideth still alway The kyng of ynd.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)6646 : And alway still he febelid passyng sore.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)31/6 : An alwey stere hit with þe sclyse.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4222 : She gropeth alwey forther with hir hond.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.242 : I the saugh so langwisshyng..For love, of which thi wo wax alwey moore.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)961 : And with this word..He gan alway upper to sore.
3.
(a) For all time, forever; werld ~; (b) for a lifetime; for ~; (c) law in perpetuity.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 11 Pains(1) (Dgb 86)54 : Þer hoe schal ben alne way.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.114 : Ther is sothly to God alweys an eterne and presentarie estat.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)331 : Loue god euer..And wirchip him werld al-wais.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)3a : Alway: Continuus, sempiternus, continue, semper, omnino, incessanter, indies, imperpetuum, eternaliter, eterne.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)232/77 : Blessed be god alwayes!
b
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1529 : Wel muchel moore I oghte auysed be, To whom I yeue my body for alwey.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.718 : Though a man forbede dronkenesse, He naught forbet that every creature Be drynkeles for alwey.
- (1458) Let.Sou.in Sou.RS 22 (Sou SC.2/9/2)13 : Our lord haue you alweye in his kepinge!
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)44/31 : My blyssyng þou haue all way.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.Win.(GoughETop 4)177/28 : Sche made a vow þat sche wold..abyde alwey [Cld: eure] in hir maydenhode.
c
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)193/2 : The forseid Abbesse..yaf, relesed, and all wey quyteclaymed..al maner of arreragis of rent.
4.
On every recurring occasion; every time.
Associated quotations
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)584 : Godes Aungles euer-ech day habbe me here i-nome, An ibore me alne wey ȝwane ischolde come.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)105/189 : And wo hys he þat alnewe[y] deþ wel al þat he deþ?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2587 : Allewey thei finde a lette, Which bringeth in poverte and dette.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)148a/b : Some hennes haue alwey twynnes.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)23/14 : Alwey to ȝoure owne harme ȝe kikeþ aȝenus þe pricke of kynges.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)533 : Als gude discipels sall al-ways Be paide, what so þair maistres sais.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)113/16 : Youre poore lodgynge..shall be allwayes at your commaundemente.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)p.81 : Here xal comyn Allwey An Aungel with dyvers presentys.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)68 : Abell wele & buxumly Dede sacryfyse to god all-way.
5.
(a) In any event, at any rate; anyway, anyhow; (b) nevertheless, still.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1586 : Tel me alwey, er that I fro thee go, If any dettour hath in myn absence Ypayed thee.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1669 : Iwys, ye moste alweies arise!
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.298 : I trowe I shal nat lyven til tomorwe. For which I wolde alweys, on aventure, To the devysen of my sepulture The forme.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)381/164 : I gaffe to þe Jewes counsaille, Þat þei schulde alway garre hym dye.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)227 : But wethyr we haue more or les, Allwaye thanke we God therefore.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)20 : And þaȝ hit by zuo þet no zenne [etc.]..alneway be þet þet we spekeþ of onworþhede [etc.].
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)224 : Ac alnewey, ich ne zigge naȝt þet yef he deþ þe dede of spoushod [etc.].
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)49/11 : His foote was oute of ioynte..bot allway he putt his honde toward his sword.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)31/26 : So thes two knyghtes were in grete daungere..but allweyes they rescowed hemselff and hir felyship merveylously.
6.
Law Under all circumstances; foresẹ̄n (provided) alwei(es, with the overall provision (that).
Associated quotations
- (1414) RParl.4.22b : Savyng alwey to our liege Lord his real Prerogatif.
- (1434) EEWills99/21 : I will that the foreseyd messuage..remayne to Katerine..fforseen alwey that [etc.].
- (1437) RParl.4.503b : Except alway and forsayen, that hit be lefull [etc.].
- (1464) RParl.5.535b : Provided alweis that this Acte..extend not..to a Graunte made by us.
- (1473) RParl.6.83b : Provided alwey, that neither this Acte, nor any other Acte..extend or be prejudiciall to [etc.].
- (1473) RParl.6.88b : Provided alwey and forseen, that this Acte of Resumption [etc.].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)13/25 : All weys men seen before hem the hill of Chieuetout.
Note: Per REL: ? = from every direction; ? = at every point in their course
- (1462-63) Paston (Gairdner)4.87 : Hys wyfe seyth allwe that he is oute when that I send for hym.
Note: New spelling