Middle English Dictionary Entry
ēlde n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ēlde n. Also ilde, ulde, ulthe, eolde, alde. |
| Etymology | OE eldo, yld(o, ældo. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. oldnesse.
1a.
The length of time a person has lived up to a given point, one's age; also, the length of time a thing has existed; mannes elde, maturity, adulthood.
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)6/11 : Heo ne beoð na cild soðlice on domes dæȝ, ac beoð swa mycele men swa swa heo mihten beon ȝyf heo fulweoxon on wunelicre ylde.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2590 : Alle þa þatt hafenn witt & waxenn manness elde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25913 : Ælde [Otho: ealde] næfde heo na more buten fihtene ȝere.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)25/16 : [Father, Son and Holy Ghost] bieþ emliche on ielde.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)86b : Ich wes of swuch ealde þet ich ahte wel to habben wisluker iwite me.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)76/195 : So longue he leouede on eorþe here þat he was of grete elde.
- c1300 SLeg.Cuth.(LdMisc 108)29 : Þo he in grettore eolde was.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(Hrl 2277)6 : In þulke vlþe heo was ibroȝt to deþe.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)579 : Two ðhusant ger..weren of werldes elde numen ðan noe was in to ðe arche cumen.
- 1372 Als i lay vp-on (Adv 18.7.21)77 : Wan i am tuelue ȝer of elde.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)3079 : Whenne he hadde good elde kipte he spoused a wif egipte.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)649 : Gamelyn þat yong was of elde.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)32.118 : Kyng label..behelde so faire a Child and of so ȝong Elde.
1b.
The state of maturity characteristic of a particular age.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)585 : Adam was mad o mans eild, Als he moght welle him self weild.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1024 : He suld in eild be ai stedfast.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22814 : If þou wil wijt hu o þair eildis þat þai sal in þat dai up-rise..All at þat mikel uprising Sal be of eld als þai suld here Haf deied in eild o thritte yere.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4983 : Þan sal alle ryse in þe same eld þan, Þat God had fully here als man.
2.
The point or stage of life when mature physical and mental development are attained, maturity; ful elde; within elde, below the age of maturity; also [quot.Roland & O.], of military age; ben of (on) elde, be of age; cumen to (in to) elde, come of age.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11086 : Costantin þe ȝunge king mid wisdome heold þis lond, swulc he weore an æld [Otho: of heolde].
- a1300 Þo ihu crist (Jes-O 29)4 : Þo he..wes to ful elde icumen, he venk to prechie.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)128 : Sho were comen intil helde, and engelond sho couþe welde.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4902 : Þe king hom noryssede wel.. & þo hii to elde come to armes hom drou.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)319 : Ilk man and woman that of eld is aught forto resceyve [etc.].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29445 : And child þat es wit-in eild [Glb: elde].
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)4/23 : Þe childe scholde be merueillous and miȝthful tofore God wha[n] þat he com in to elde.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)219 : Þay weore so ȝonge wiþ ynne elde, Þat þey myȝte non armes welde.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)682 : Alle þat are with-in elde loke þat þay to batuyle helde.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)236 : Alle that ben of warde [vr. wytte] & elde Þat cunnen hem self kepe & welde.
3.
A point or period of life at which one is naturally or conventionally qualified for some function or activity.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)31/21 : Læt hym læce bloc on þan wynstran earme, ȝef he þare ylde hafeþ.
- ?a1200(?OE) PDidax.(Hrl 6258b)43/28 : Ȝif þa ylda habbe, læt hym blod of bam þa foten byneoþan ancweowe.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1063 : Al ðat burgt folc ðat helde was on, ðe migte lecher crafte don, To lothes hus he cumen ðat nigt.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)117 : Whenne þat he is of elde þat he mai himself biwelde, Tak him þe swerd.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3497 : My sone ys neȝ of Elde To fonge myn herytage.
4.
A period or stage in the life of a person; old elde, old age.
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)92b : Þench ȝeorne hwet tu dudest in euch stude sunderliche, & in euche ealde.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.8 : To amende it in þi myddel age lest miȝte þe faylled In þyne olde elde.
- a1425 Rolle FLiving (Arun 507)414 : [Confession should be] bithoughte lang bifore in V maners..þat þou geder þe stedes sunderli in ilk elde.
5a.
(a) The latter part of life or of the period of existence of a thing, old age; (b) people of advanced age, the aged.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)128/18 : Þenne þeo ælde on him siȝæð mid unhæle, all þare ȝeoȝeðe feȝernes aweȝ awit & forwurð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19411 : Bruttes hafden muchel mode & vnimete prute..for þas kinges alde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11546 : Vnhæle & ælde [Otho: heolde] hæueð þene king vnbalded.
- ?c1250 PMor.(Eg 613(1)) : Elde [Eg(2): Ylde] me is bi-stolen on ær ic hit a wuste.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)175 : Elde me hath ouer-come, þat I-ne may libbe longue.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)220 : Þet child lyerneþ ine his yeȝeþe, he hit wyle healde ine his elde.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)70.19 : And vnto vlde and elde [L senectam et senium], God, ne forsoke þou me nouȝt.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28897 : Weiknes, gentris, blod, and eld, þir ogh to do nede beild.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.15.15 : Thow forsothe shalt go to thi fadres in pees, biried also in god eld [WB(2): in good age; L in senectute bona].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.769 : Lite and litil be successioun Cometh croked elde onwarli in crepyng.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)303 : A staffe forto go by in his eelde for sijkenes.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)362/14 : For the malyce of this tyme..and the wickednesse of þe worlde now in his helde þere beth ful fewe so parfitely disposed to deth.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3230 : Youthe and elde is often at debaat.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)86/25 : For barnehed reioyse it in sympilnesse, ȝouthede in presumptuosnes, And grete elde in stabilnes.
5b.
The physical or mental effects of old age; senile debility or decay; senility.
Associated quotations
- ?c1250 PMor.(Eg 613(1))373 : Þer is ȝeoȝeðe bute ulde [Trin-C: elde; Jes-o: ealde] and hele abuten vn-helðe.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)40 : Wu he neweð his guðhede, hu he cumeð ut of elde.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.30.26 : And bifor tyme thenking shal bringe to elde [WB(2): eldnesse].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.4183 : Sche [Medea]..to his [Jason's] fader forth withal His Elde hath torned into youthe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)153b/a : It is beste for to kutte þe veyne..when eld [L senium] or þat is of age or of vertue defendeþ or letteþ nouȝt.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)197/37 : Som lenyng on krucches for elde.
6.
The whole duration of the life of a person, one's lifetime; also, all that part of one's life which has already elapsed.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6959 : Tatt wass þe þrittende daȝȝ Off Jesu Cristess elde.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)92b : Wið þi wit, gedere þine sunnen of alle þine ealdes, of childhad, of ȝuheðehad; gedere al to gederes.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)222/260 : So we mowe sigge of þo elde of eueriche men.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.71 : In þe foure and twenty ȝere of his eelde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1465 : Of Iareth eild [Got: elde; Frf: eilde] þe yeir fourti-and Was passed o werld þe first thusand.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.11 : Þe þrittenþe ȝeer of his eelde.
- a1425 Rolle FLiving (Arun 507)414 : Þi synnes of þi childehede & al þine elde.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)310 : Nostra etas volat, þat es at say 'oure elde flees'.
7.
Aging regarded as a destructive or wasting process.
Associated quotations
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.393 : Thenk ek how elde wasteth every houre In ech of you a partie of beautee.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.7.103 : The whiche writynges long and dirk eelde doth awey.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)12 : This olde storie..That elde, which that al can frete and bite..Hath nygh devoured out of oure memorie.
8.
Ancient times; antiquity.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.455 : Iosephus wroot..twenty bookes, þat beeþ i-cleped libri antiquitatum, þe bookes of eelde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11881 : Hit is said oftsythes with sere men of elde, The last Ioy of ioly men Ioynys with sorow.
9.
Any of several great periods or epochs of history; an 'age' of the world.
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)112/1 : We rædeð on bocum þat þissere weorlde tide stondæþ on six ylde.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)705,707 : Ðis oðer werldes elde is so, A ðhusent ger seuenti and two. Ðe ðridde werldes elde cam, Quanne thare bi-gat abram.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9230 : Blissed be sco þat us has spedd þat we þe elds four [vr. foure elde] has redd.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21847 : Sex eildes ha we broght in place.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)9229 head. : Þe v elde of þe werlde. of cristis birth.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.1.13 : Sche was ful of so greet age that men ne wolden not trowen in no manere that sche were of our elde.
10.
In phrase for eld, for ages.
Associated quotations
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1802 : First of his fader, in fight was distroyet His Cite and his Syb, men to sorow for eld.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.16ra (1.4) : Nowe as þer are 4 elementz and 4 humores and 4 qualitees, so be þere 4 ages of man..childehode and ȝouthe, mannes age and elþe.
Note: Additional quot., prob. sense 5a.(a). Editor's gloss: 'old age'. New spelling: elþe.